Crispy Beef Tacos
Whenever I’m looking for an easy weeknight dinner, I find myself steering towards tacos. They’re quick to whip up, so versatile, and always packed with flavor. I’m a big a fan of fish tacos and cheesy bean tacos, but these crispy beef tacos are a recent favorite of mine.
Seasoned ground beef gets pressed into corn tortillas then baked until crisp. They’re topped with a simple cabbage slaw and a jalapeno avocado salsa to add the perfect touch of heat. This recipe is full of vibrant colors, and makes for the perfect meal prep for the week!
These tacos are the ideal dinner recipe since you can prep them ahead of time for an easy meal prep. Simply cook the ground beef with the spices on the tacos, prep the slaw, blend the avocado salsa and assemble your tacos when ready to eat.
I love to serve these with fresh squeezed lime juice and extra hot sauce and cilantro. For an added crisp, you can pop them in the air-fryer instead of the oven.
What you’ll need to make crispy beef tacos
- Ground beef
- Soft shell tortillas– I used corn for this recipe, but flour tortillas work well too
- Homemade spice blend– I used a blend of paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder and salt & pepper. Swap your favorite taco blend seasoning for an even simpler meal
Avocado salsa
- Avocado
- Jalapeno or serrano peppers
- White onion
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
- Salt & pepper
Cabbage Slaw
- Red cabbage
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
- For the avocado salsa, roast the jalapenos and onion until charred then blend them with the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, salt & pepper and water until smooth
- Season the ground beef with the seasonings and olive oil, then flatten the meat onto the taco shells. Layer the taco shells onto a large sheet pan
- Bake the tacos on 400 F for about 15-18 minutes, until the meat has browned
- Prepare the cabbage slaw by massaging the cabbage with the vinegar, lime juice, salt & pepper.
- Serve the beef tacos with the cabbage, avocado salsa and extra squeeze of lime juice
The avocado salsa is the true star of the dish. It’s creamy, spicy and so easy to make. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days, so enjoy it all week long as a delicious topping to your meals.
I chose to roast the jalapeno and onion for the salsa. For an even richer flavor, you can add them in raw, and skip the roasting step.
These tacos are easy to make, packed with flavor, and the perfect nourishing dinner to make this week. You can tag me on Instagram if you try them!
Other hearty weeknight recipes:
Chicken Pot Pie
Salmon Farro Salad
Chicken Burrito Bowls with Harissa Honey Vinaigrette
Crispy Beef Tacos with Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
Beef taco
- 6-8 small tortillas I used corn
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Avocado Salsa
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup packed cilantro
- 2 jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers for extra spicy
- 1/2 white onion
- Juice from 1 lime
- 3/4 -1 cup water
- Salt & pepper
Cabbage Slaw
- 1/2 head purple cabbage
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- Salt & pepper
Directions
Avocado salsa
- Preheat the oven to 425 F
- Slice the onion and cut the jalapeno in half. Add them to a baking tray with a little olive oil and salt. Roast on 425 F for about 12-15 minutes until charred. You can also set them under the broiler for 5-6 minutes to char, just be sure to watch them carefully.
- Add the roasted jalapeno and onion to a blender with the avocado, lime juice, cilantro and salt & pepper. Add 3/4 cups of the water and blend everything until smooth. Add more water as needed to thin, and adjust salt & pepper to taste.
Tacos
- Lower the oven temp to 400 F. Season the beef with the spice mix and olive oil. Grab about 2-3 tbsp worth of the meat and flatten it onto your tortilla, pressing it down with your fingers. Repeat with all of the beef mixture. Drizzle a little olive oil on a large sheet-pan and place the tortillas onto the pan.
- Bake the tacos for about 15-18 minutes, until the meat has browned.
Cabbage slaw
- Thinly slice the cabbage and add it to a large bowl with the vinegar, lemon juice and salt & pepper. Massage with your hands to soften the cabbage and make sure the mayo gets evenly incorporated.
- Top the tacos with the cabbage slaw and avocado salsa.
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