It’s Taco Tuesday! Let’s Make Homemade Beef Tacos

“Homemade Beef Tacos” is a popular entrée at our house. My kids always loved this meal when they were young. It was a standard supper on Tuesday nites. Mexican cuisine at it’s best! We made the tacos using those “all inclusive” taco kits which included seasoning packets, crispy corn tortilla shells and taco sauce. Although my children are grown, I still get a craving for this entrée from time to time. I don’t keep the “taco seasoning packets” in my pantry any more. But, I’ve figured an easy way to make tacos from scratch. No need to run to a fast food restaurant for tacos or to the grocery store for a taco kit, my recipe is just as good and healthier, too.

Beef Tacos Ingredients — Homemade Means Healthier

Let’s make homemade tacos! I have a special place in my heart for this dish with its many variations because all our family enjoyed this entrée. Each person could assemble their own tacos, adding toppings as desired. It was a versatile meal. I can say definately, that this was our “gateway” to Mexican cuisine. It was a time when Mexican restaurants just didn’t exist in southern Lousiana. It opened our eyes to the wonderful cuisine of Central America; we sought out Mexican restaurants when we traveled around the south. And, that has changed over time with a large selection of Mexican and related restaurants available now!

My favorite taco is one made with ground beef — served with either crispy corn shells or soft flour tortillas. Then load the tacos up with all kinds of toppings and serve black beans on the side — and you have a complete meal.

To maker a healthier taco, I use black beans rather than refried beans. Traditional refried beans are loaded with lard and saturated fats; we don’t need that. I serve the black beans either as a salsa, soup or just heated throughout. Black beans contain an assortment of vitamins and iron, plus they are high in fiber – adding to the nutritional value of this meal. I use lean ground beef (93/7) and taper down on the salt in my seasoning blend — also making a healthier taco.

The seasoning for the beef is one of the keys to delicious tacos. I have devised my own seasoning mixture which I use rather than the powdered seasoning mixes. It is much lower in sodium — as I use less salt — and the spice blend is full of flavor.

The ingredients for the seasoning are garlic powder, cumin and chili powder. I add in finely chopped onion, a little salt and pepper. Tomato paste is the other ingredient in the sauce. Since these are spices which I always keep in my pantry, mixing up a flavorful taco sauce is not difficult at all.

Making the Ground Meat Filling

To make the ground beef sauce, brown the ground beef and chopped onions together in a large skillet. Then add in the seasonings and tomato paste, plus a little water. Let this simmer for five to ten minutes on low heat on the stove.

And we’re finished.

Corn tortillas or flour tortillas

Hum, which should you use for tacos… corn tortillas or flour tortillas?

Both are great, in my opinion. It is a matter of preference.

You could argue that tortillas from a legitimate Mexican market are much better than the ones found in grocery stores. However, I’m going for convenience and availability in this recipe.

Corn tortillas — either yellow or white flour — need to be fried and cooked before serving. Otherwise they will tear apart. I heat a little oil in a skillet and cook each tortilla until it begins to turn bubble and soften.

Flour tortillas just need to be heated briefly (I used a microwave oven) until they are softened and pliable. These are actually are intended for fajitas, but they work for tacos, too.

Crispy Taco Shells

The other option is to use crispy corn taco shells which are already fried and formed into a shell.

We seem to have accumulated a surplus of these shells (shopping without a list?). Fortunately, the taco shells have a long shelf life. They do benefit from being crisped prior to using.

Ah, air fryer…. Here’s a great use for this small appliance. It is easy to crisp up taco shells. Just heat at 350 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through. (Be careful, the shells burn easily.)

Smorgasbord of Toppings

Here’s were each person can “design” their own taco. I cut up an assortment of ingredients to use as toppings — lettuce, tomatoes, green onions. Plus, I’ll include sour cream, shredded cheese and jalapeno slices on the smorgasbord platter.

Here’s an interesting “find.” Somewhere, my husband located “mild” jalapeño peppers. They are great, adding just a little “heat” but not too much to overpower the tacos. We love them.

Don’t forget….

Many side dishes complement tacos including guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa and black bean soup. I’ve featured recipes for these dishes along through the years on this blog. (See references at the end of the post.)

Guacamole…this is my mother-in-law’s recipe. It is the best rendition I have ever tasted. Plus, it is easy to make. Mash a ripe avacodo and mix with lime juice, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and seasonings.

Pico de Gallo….I love this mix of finely chopped white tomatoes, onion and cilantro.

Who makes the best salsa? The Chili’s restaurant version is pretty tasty. This is my “copycat” recipe of their salsa.

Black Bean Soup…is the perfect accompaniment to a taco meal, in my opinion. I was on a black bean soup “craze” earlier this year, and devised a tasty recipe for black bean soup. The soup freezes well, I made large batches; easy to defrost and reheat what I need for the meal.

Enjoy this tasty Mexican meal on “Taco Tuesday.” A healthy meal!

And inevitably we have ingredients left. So, cumble up the crispy taco shells and pile everything together for “Leftover Taco Salad” on Wednesday!

References:

Guacamole Recipe:

Pico de Gallo Recipe:

Salsa Recipe:

Black Bean Soup Recipe: