Tacos Americanos
These Tacos Americanos are pretty much a replica of the crunchy regular tacos I always get at Del Taco, and if you’ve had them before then you know what I’m talking about. They’re ridiculously simple and super easy to make. They literally are made up of store-bought taco shells, a delicious ground beef filing, and then topped with just shredded lettuce and cheese. That’s it. Then you douse the whole thing in hot sauce and you call it dinner because there’s no greater guilty pleasure out there than these tacos right here. I love them because they’re made with ground beef, which is a relatively inexpensive cut of beef and you can really feed a crowd with it without breaking the bank. We ate a lot of ground beef growing up, so ground beef dishes always bring me back to my childhood.
Tacos Americanos
Equipment
- Skillet
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 small onion finely diced (or half of a large onion)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix recipe follows
- 1 8- oz can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 8 to 12 crunchy taco shells
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or Cheddar cheese
- Hot sauce for serving
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Once hot, add the ground sirloin and begin breaking it down with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and crispy, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water until dissolved and then stir it into the beef mixture. Cook over low, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Warm the taco shells in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes before serving. To assemble the tacos, fill the warmed shells with the beef mixture and top with shredded lettuce and cheese, or use whatever taco toppings you love!
- For the taco seasoning, mix everything together in a small bowl until well combined. Use for tacos or seasoning for chicken or steak for fajitas.
- Note: This can easily be doubled or tripled and then stored in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid, and stored in the pantry, for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
