Every year for my birthday – my twin sister Biz and I would request our favorite dinner – fried tacos! Our Mom made the best tacos too! Yummy filling with cheese, and she fried the corn tortillas and they were always super crispy. I want to show you how I make crunchy hard tacos healthy!
What kind of tortillas should I use?
For this recipe – you definitely want to choose corn tortillas – there is a favorite brand I have if you are lucky to live in the Chicagoland area called El Milagro. I’ve been lucky enough to get them at a few local stores by me, right when they are delivered, and they are still warm – I love that! Another brand is Mission Brand yellow corn tortillas.
To make mine healthier, instead of frying the in oil, I just have to spray the outside of each corn tortilla with cooking spray – that and cooking on a low heat – will make the outside super crispy without burning. This is the key to how I Make Cruncy Hard Tacos Healthy! You won’t miss frying them in lots of oil!
What kind of filling should I use?
I recenlty have been adding more vegetables to my taco meat. Using lean ground beef – adding peppers, onions, jalapeno, you can also add cooked quinoa or frozen cauliflower rice to bulk it up.
Currently I am on Weight Watchers – and I have black beans AND potatoes as a zero point food – so I added that to my recipe too without adding points!
How I Make Cruncy Tacos Healthy!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 3 fingerling potatoes, diced or 1 russet potato
- 1/2 cup white onion, diced
- 3 baby bell peppers, diced
- 1 15 oz. canned black beans rinsed well
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp. spicy mustard
- 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
Instructions
- In a large skillet – cook the vegetables on low heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, breaking it up in the pan with a spoon.
- Add the rinsed can of black beans
- Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally
- To make the crunchy tacos. Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Add a little cheese at the bottom, a few heaping tablespoons of the taco filling.
- Gently fold in half. Spray the outside generously with cooking spray.
- "Fry" in the skillet for 5-6 minutes a side on low heat – low and slow will get the outside super crispy!
Notes
What kind of taco seasoning do I use?
Earlier this summer at the Chicago Daly Plaza Farmers Market – I met the owner of LeMaster Family Kitchen. They are a small Chicago owned family business that’s making incredible spices!
To purchase any of their seasonings – check out their website HERE. I love supporting small businesses! Great for gifting for the holidays (just sayin’)!
Check out some of my other recipes for inspiration!
Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa
I hope you try this!! It makes a lot!
What else can I make using this taco filling?
Some other favorite things for me to make with leftover taco meat
Mexican Pizza, add black bean hummus to a pita, some of the taco meat, cheese and bake at 400 for 10 minutes.
Nachos! Lay a cooking sheet with parchment paper, add tortilla chips, add some of the taco meat, lots of cheese. Garnish with avocado, diced tomatoes, onions and lots of salsa!
Stuffed baby bell peppers. Slice a bell pepper in half, remove any seeds, fill each side with taco filling and cheese, bake or airfry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until the cheese is browned and melted.
Tag me on Instagram @jenncooks if you make this!
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