It’s my favorite day of the week y’all…Taco Tuesday!!! And for a change of pace, this week we have crispy tacos!!
It’s kinda crazy how a little change such as a crispy taco shell instead of a soft tortilla, can make such a difference. But I guess texture and all that jazz does matter!!
I have mixed feelings about crispy tacos. Back in the day (like, high school days) I used to love me some crispy tacos, especially on Taco Sunday. You know what I’m talkin’ about. But slowly I converted over to a soft taco gal. Seemed to be a better distribution of filling that way. Instead of getting a mouthful of only taco shell, lettuce, and tomato, I could actually get a bite with all of the filling at once!
However, I still go back to the crispy taco every so often, because there’s just something about that crunch that I love. Maybe the same way I am obsessed with having chips on my sandwiches? Yes, I said ON. It’s good, yo.
These tacos, with their spicy beef filling, crunchy bell peppers and slaw, and creamy guacamole and cheese are perfect in the crispy taco shells. J had some of the leftovers in soft tortillas the next day and said they were definitely better in the crispy shells. And I agree. So much so, that we are having crispy tacos of another variety this week, too!!
So, if you love crispy tacos, or if you haven’t been such a fan of them in the past, definitely give these tacos a try. You’ll be so glad you did.
Spicy Beef Tacos with Guacamole
As seen on Scrambled Chefs
Ingredients
For the taco filling
- 1 lb lean ground meat
- 1 jalapeno, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp ground cumin
For the guacamole
- 2 large avocados
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the tacos
- 10 crispy taco shells (or tortillas if you prefer soft tacos)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1-2 cups shredded white and red cabbage
- 1/2 cup finely diced red, orange, and/or yellow bell peppers (multiple colors makes for a prettier taco, if you’re into that sort of thing!)
Preparation
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground meat. Cook, stirring to break up, until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the jalapeno and garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes until fragrant and jalapeno has softened a bit.
- Stir in the tomato puree and seasonings, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the avocados in half, remove the seed and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Use a fork to mash the avocado (as smooth or chunky as you like it.)
- Add the lime juice, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Taste and add more lime juice or seasonings as you prefer.
- If using crispy taco shells, heat in oven or microwave according to package instructions to crisp them up.
- To assemble, layer shredded cabbage, then a few spoonfuls of the taco meat, and then top with cheese, peppers, and guacamole!!
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