Crispy Beef Tacos With Juicy Spiced Beef and Gouda
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Servings
6
Make the meat and salsa and sauce mixtures ahead of time. Cook the tacos immediately before eating. This recipe serves six crispy beef tacos with seasoned beef, Gouda cheese, and a golden flour-tortilla shell. The recipe is suitable for serving at lunch or dinner as part of your meal plan.
The beef filling ingredients include onion, tomato paste, cumin, two kinds of paprika, chili flakes, garlic, salt, pepper, and water to make a sauce. The fresh salsa ingredients include onion, tomato, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The cold sauce ingredients include mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, onion, pickles, and smoked paprika and can be made in advance and refrigerated.
While preparing the beef filling, allow excess liquid to evaporate so the beef filling is moist. Evidence that the beef filling is properly prepared includes tortillas that are folded and cooked until crispy on the edges and melted Gouda cheese. Evidence that the beef filling is overheated includes dried beef. Preparing salsa and other toppings before coating tortillas can help prevent the tortillas from becoming crispy.
For serving, garnish tacos with fresh salsa and creamy sauce. Squeeze fresh lime juice over tacos and other side dishes, including avocado or guacamole, rice, and beans. Other side dishes include salad. Refrigerate leftover meat and sauces and store uncooked tortillas in an airtight container for future taco meals.
Why we keep this one around
- Meat, salsa, and sauce components for this dish can be prepared ahead of time. The only preparation needed before serving is to crisp the tortillas.
- The recipe makes six tacos and can be used to prepare several servings for a small group in advance without completely prepping all the tacos.
- Leftover beef and sauce are stored separately to keep the tortilla from being chilled before wrapping and reheating.
- Reheating folded tacos in a pan on low heat is a better way to restore their cooked exterior than adding salsa or other toppings when reheating.
- Batching the dressing while the beef simmers means having enough dressing to serve in several tacos and less time interrupting skillet work.
- Uncooked tortillas packed in an airtight container can be used to make tacos with other leftover taco ingredients. Uncooked tortillas are a better option than softened leftover tacos.
Ingredients
- •6 flour tortillas (15 cm)
- •200 g Gouda cheese
- •oil (for frying)
- •250 g ground beef
- •1 small onion (finely chopped)
- •1 tbsp tomato paste
- •½ tsp ground cumin
- •½ tsp smoked paprika
- •½ tsp paprika powder
- •½ tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- •1 tsp granulated garlic
- •½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- •½ tsp black pepper
- •⅔ cup water
- •½ onion (diced)
- •2 tomatoes (diced)
- •fresh cilantro (chopped)
- •lemon juice (juice of ½ lemon)
- •salt (to taste)
- •pepper (to taste)
- •½ cup mayonnaise
- •2 tbsp ketchup
- •1 tsp mustard
- •1 tbsp onion (diced)
- •1 tbsp pickle (finely diced)
- •½ tsp smoked paprika
- •salt (to taste)
- •pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Sauté the chopped onion in oil until soft.
- 2
Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
- 3
Stir in the tomato paste and spices.
- 4
Pour in the water.
- 5
Simmer until the beef mixture is thick and saucy.
- 6
Mix the diced onion, tomatoes, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and pepper for the fresh salsa; set aside.
- 7
Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, finely diced onion, diced pickle, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper for the special sauce.
- 8
Layer Gouda on a tortilla, add beef, and sprinkle with more Gouda.
- 9
Fold the tortilla and cook in a little oil until golden and crispy.
- 10
Top with fresh salsa, drizzle with creamy sauce, and serve immediately.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
460
Calories
17g
Protein
32g
Fat
30g
Carbs
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