Beef Tacos
1109kcal82.2g protein58.7g fat64.4g carbs~$5.16/ serving*Estimates computed from the ingredient list; cost uses average US supermarket prices. Not a substitute for packaging measurements or your receipt.
Contains dairy · sometimes contains gluten — check the label
Restrictions
ContainsdairyIt is in an ingredient you cannot leave out.
Sometimes contains — check the labelgluten (chili (powder), tortillas)Some brands have it, some do not. The recipe cannot tell, so this is the one you check yourself.
Diets
No porkNo alcohol
Worked out from the ingredient list. It knows nothing about brands, shared equipment or cross contamination, and it is not a certification — if you have an allergy, you still have to read the label.
Ingredients
Servings:
| 1 lb |  beef (ground, 85/15) |
| 1 unit |  onion (finely diced) |
| 2 clove |  garlic (minced) |
| 2 tbsp |  chili powder |
| 2 tsp |  cumin (ground) |
| 1 tsp |  paprika (smoked) |
| ½ tsp |  oregano (dried) |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| 2 tbsp |  tomato paste |
| ½ cup | water |
| 8 unit |  tortillas (corn or hard shells) |
| 1 cup |  lettuce (shredded) |
| 1 cup |  cheddar (grated) |
Optional
Not counted above. The dish works without them.
| ½ cup |  sour cream |
| ½ cup |  salsa |
| 1 unit |  jalapeños (sliced) |
Steps
- Sear7 minmedium-high, breaking upbeef spread flat and left a minute before crumbling — browning happens where meat touches steel, and constant stirring keeps every crumb grey; pour off all but a tablespoon of fat at the end, or the filling arrives greasy
- Saute3 minmedium+ onion in the same pan until soft, garlic for the last thirty seconds — garlic added with the onion is burnt by the time the onion is done
- Toast1 minmedium, stirring+ chili powder + cumin + paprika + oregano + salt + tomato paste straight onto the meat — thirty seconds of dry heat blooms the spices' oils and cooks the paste's tin flavor out; this minute is the difference between tasting spices and tasting dust
- Simmer8 minmedium-low, until thick+ water, scraping the pan, until it coats the meat with no puddle — the liquid carries the seasoning into the beef and then leaves; stop while it still looks juicy, because it keeps tightening off the heat
- Toast3 mindry skillet or open flametortillas until spotted and pliable, held in a towel — an unwarmed tortilla cracks at the first fold, and the steam in the towel is what keeps the stack soft
- Top3 minat the tablemeat first, then cheese while it is hot enough to melt, lettuce last so it stays cold and crisp — build order is the difference between a taco and a pile