It’s impossible to not love taco night (especially if it falls on a Tuesday). It’s satisfying, serves plenty, and adapts to your whims—carnitas one week, fried avocados or grilled fish the next. With a spread of salsa, guacamole, beans, and warm tortil…
It's impossible to not love taco night (especially if it falls on a Tuesday). It's satisfying, serves plenty, and adapts to your whims—carnitas one week, fried avocados or grilled fish the next. With a spread of salsa, guacamole, beans, and warm tortillas before you, it's a DIY dinner and a sanctioned chance to play with your food—something that the kids and kids at heart will love.
Oh and yes, we did say warm tortillas. And no, we won't ask you to make your own, unless that's what your heart is telling you to do. The truth is, store-bought tortillas work just fine for shuttling maximal taco fillings from plate to mouth, but try telling that to the cold, rubbery tortillas that sit neglected while you eat your carnitas with a fork. Look past the microwave—with a little know-how, you can reheat tortillas so they're worthy of the things they hold. Food52 community user MarionRose asked for your tips, and you had her back:
This taco dip recipe is fast and easy: the ideal party appetizer for a crowd! Scoop up this irresistible creamy mix with tortilla chips.
Here’s a creamy, irresistibly spiced party dip you need in your life: our perfect Taco Dip Recipe! It comes together in minutes, and we can confidently say almost no one turns this one down. This one is even better than the standard: it’s got a quick homemade seasoning blend, Greek yogurt, and a colorful mix of fresh toppings for the absolute best flavor. Here’s how it’s done!
Ingredients in this taco dip recipe
Taco dip is a party dip that’s a creamy mix of cream cheese and taco seasonings, topped with crunchy toppings like lettuce, tomato, and often black olives. Don’t think there’s anything Mexican about it: this one is solidly American or Tex Mex. It’s different from 7 layer dip in that it’s got one layer of cream cheese and one layer of veggies. But you can definitely mix it up with more layers: see below! Here’s what you’ll need for the base recipe:
Cream cheese
Greek yogurt
Salsa
Spices: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper
Mexican blend cheese
Toppings: lettuce, tomato, and black olives
Optional: red onion, cilantro, pickled jalapeños
What makes this the best layered taco dip
This recipe has a few innovations from the classic taco dip recipe that makes it even tastier! Here’s what make this the best taco dip, in our opinion:
Greek yogurt makes it taste fresh (and cuts calories). Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a deliciously creamy, tangy flavor. It also cuts calories by 1/3: 1 cup of sour cream is 445 calories vs 1 cup of Greek yogurt is 100 calories.
Homemade seasonings keep it fresh and healthy! Packets of taco seasoning can have additives and preservatives, and lots of salt. Use a quick blend of spices for mega flavor: you probably already have them on hand.
Extra toppings add color and flavor. The standard taco dip just has lettuce, tomato, cheese, and black olives. But step it up with our extra toppings that add color and flavor: red onion, cilantro and pickled jalapenos.
Secrets to the homemade taco seasoning
Sure, you can buy taco seasoning to make this dip. But as we noted above, often the packets have additives and preservatives. Here we made a shortcut to taco seasoning using ingredients you likely already have on hand. You don’t even have to make a homemade taco seasoning blend: it’s even simpler! Here’s what you’ll need:
Cumin
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt and pepper
You’ll be surprised at how these seasonings work together to provide a big pop of flavor to the taco dip. Say goodbye to taco seasoning packets!
Making a more layered taco dip
Were you looking for a dip with layers, more like a 7 layer dip? Don’t worry: you can do that too! Here’s what we’d consider adding on top of the cream cheese layer:
Refried beans seasoned with salt to taste (and/or cumin or chili powder)
Guacamole
Salsa
A quick way to soften cream cheese
One trick to this taco dip recipe: most of the time we don’t think ahead when it comes to softening cream cheese. It’s important to soften it for this recipe, since it needs to be warmed up in order to mix with the other ingredients. Here are a few notes:
Use a microwave to quickly soften the cream cheese. Place it on a plate in the microwave. Microwave 5 seconds, then flip over the block of cheese and cook another 5 seconds. If it’s not room temperature and soft at this point, try another 5 seconds but air on the conservative side. You don’t want to overcook the cheese!
When you whisk the cheese with the ingredients, it starts out chunky. It takes a few minutes to whisk up, so be patient! We prefer mixing by hand than whipping it all with a stand mixer: but you could do that too if you prefer.
And that’s it! Let us know what you think of this easy taco dip in the comments below. Grab your tortilla chips and start dipping!
In a large bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, salsa and spices until it’s fully smooth. The mixture will start out chunky, but keep whisking until the cream cheese is fully smooth. (It takes a few minutes, so be patient!)
Place the cheese mixture in the bottom of a circular glass pie plate or other circular dish. Smooth into an even layer.
Top with the cheese, chopped lettuce, chopped tomato, black olives, and other optional toppings. Serve immediately with tortilla chips, or refrigerate until serving. (Leftovers last up to 3 days refrigerated.)
Notes
*To quickly soften cream cheese, place it on a plate in the microwave. Microwave 5 seconds, then flip over the block of cheese and cook another 5 seconds. If it’s not room temperature and soft at this point, try another 5 seconds but air on the conservative side.
**You can also add more layers to the taco dip to make it like a 7 layer dip: consider topping with a layer of refried beans (seasoned with salt), guacamole, and salsa before adding veggie toppings.
Everyone loves this easy taco soup recipe! It’s full of flavor and quick to whip up, topped with all your favorite taco toppings. If you love tacos and you love soup…well, taco soup is a no brainer! It’s a Tex Mex invention like taco salad, basically a mashup between a Mexican tortilla soup and American chili. Each bowl is warming, savory and smoky, and a cozy canvas for toppings like sour cream and crushed tortilla chips. The best part: it’s done in 30 minutes and customizable for eaters of any diet! This makes it endlessly versatile and an ideal weeknight meal. This easy taco soup recipe was a hit in our house: and we hope it will be in yours, too! Let’s get cooking. Ingredients in this easy taco soup There’s nothing traditionally Mexican about taco soup: in fact, it’s a Tex Mex invention: chili meets tortilla soup. In fact, it’s closer to chili than anything: it’s just more aggressively taco-spiced. For this recipe, we put a spin on our tortilla soup to add “taco meat” and more taco seasonings. Here are the basic building blocks of this easy taco soup recipe: Taco meat: You can use either plant-based veggie crumbles […]
Everyone loves this easy taco soup recipe! It’s full of flavor and quick to whip up, topped with all your favorite taco toppings.
If you love tacos and you love soup…well, taco soup is a no brainer! It’s a Tex Mex invention like taco salad, basically a mashup between a Mexican tortilla soup and American chili. Each bowl is warming, savory and smoky, and a cozy canvas for toppings like sour cream and crushed tortilla chips. The best part: it’s done in 30 minutes and customizable for eaters of any diet! This makes it endlessly versatile and an ideal weeknight meal. This easy taco soup recipe was a hit in our house: and we hope it will be in yours, too! Let’s get cooking.
Ingredients in this easy taco soup
There’s nothing traditionally Mexican about taco soup: in fact, it’s a Tex Mex invention: chili meets tortilla soup. In fact, it’s closer to chili than anything: it’s just more aggressively taco-spiced. For this recipe, we put a spin on our tortilla soup to add “taco meat” and more taco seasonings. Here are the basic building blocks of this easy taco soup recipe:
Taco meat: You can use either plant-based veggie crumbles or ground beef for meat lovers. This makes it work for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or meat-eating diets (see below).
Onion, bell pepper and garlic: This mix of fresh veggies hits the spot
Beans and corn: We like a mix of black beans and pinto beans
Canned tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes have the best flavor, but use whatever you can find
Taco seasonings: Use a mix of cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and cumin
Adobo sauce: This smoky sauce from inside a can of chipotle peppers is the magic ingredient (see below).
Taco soup for any diet: use veggie crumbles or beef!
These days, families are balancing lots of different eating styles at a single table. So we’ve started to make our recipes versatile for many different diets. This easy taco soup recipe works with meat or for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets. Here’s how you can do it:
Use plant-based crumbles. These days there are lots of vegan meat substitutes at the grocery store: and many are less processed than in the past. But be picky when you’re at the store: look for veggie crumbles with a short ingredient list and whole food ingredients. Also, experiment with brands to find a texture you like. So far, we’ve liked Beyond Meat crumbles best: they’re made of pea protein and have a meat-like texture.
Or, use ground beef. You can simply swap in 1pound ground beef in this recipe. Cook it before you start and drain it.
The flavor secret to this taco soup recipe? Adobo sauce! This magic ingredient brings nuance, body and a lightly smoky flavor to the broth. We use this trick all the time, and it’s especially helpful in adding flavor to vegan and vegetarian recipes. Here are a few notes on what to look for at the store if you haven’t worked with this ingredient:
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are easy to find at most grocery stores near the Mexican products. The can includes chipotle chiles: smoked and dried jalapeños that are rehydrated and canned, and adobo sauce, a purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic, and other spices.
You’ll use the sauce, not the chipotle peppers. Use a spoon to remove the adobo sauce from the can, working around the hot peppers.
The quantity below adds a moderate level of spice to the soup. It’s not ultra spicy. You can add more to taste!
What to do with the leftovers? Refrigerate or freeze the remainder, and use it for more adobo sauce recipes, like vegetarian fajitas or enchilada sauce.
Taco soup toppings
Just like chili, the best part of taco soup is the toppings! It tastes great as is, but even better dressed up with garnishes. The taco soup is plant-based and vegan without the garnishes, so for a vegan meal simply add plant-based toppings. The first four are required toppings in our mind, then we’ve got some optional ideas:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Stir in the veggie crumbles (or ground beef) for 1 minute. Then add the tomatoes, beans, corn, adobo sauce, broth, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, then simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and add additional adobo sauce or kosher salt if desired.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and allow to cool to warm. Top with cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, and crushed tortilla chips.
This breakfast tacos recipe has irresistible Tex Mex flavor! Whip them up as a fast and easy breakfast idea everyone will love. When it comes to a special breakfast…this one might be our new favorite. Try this epic Breakfast Tacos recipe! These tacos are solidly in Tex Mex, stuffed to the brim with breakfast potatoes, cheesy eggs, cilantro and pickled onions. Alex was inspired by the flavors of breakfast tacos he had in Austin with our native Texan friend, and finally we’ve got a recipe that can recreate some of the magic. It’s the perfect fast and easy breakfast idea to jump start your morning. The back story of breakfast tacos…a Tex Mex tradition Breakfast tacos are a signature of Tex Mex cuisine: a fusion between American and Mexican styles. The idea of the breakfast taquito has been around since the 1950’s. But it was Austin, Texas where the phrase “breakfast tacos” was born, served at the staple Austin restaurant Tamale House. The concept caught on and spread all over Austin, and around the country. The traditional breakfast tacos were simple: a flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, bacon, salsa and cheese. For these breakfast tacos, we’ve created our own spin […]
This breakfast tacos recipe has irresistible Tex Mex flavor! Whip them up as a fast and easy breakfast idea everyone will love.
When it comes to a special breakfast…this one might be our new favorite. Try this epic Breakfast Tacos recipe! These tacos are solidly in Tex Mex, stuffed to the brim with breakfast potatoes, cheesy eggs, cilantro and pickled onions. Alex was inspired by the flavors of breakfast tacos he had in Austin with our native Texan friend, and finally we’ve got a recipe that can recreate some of the magic. It’s the perfect fast and easy breakfast idea to jump start your morning.
The back story of breakfast tacos…a Tex Mex tradition
Breakfast tacos are a signature of Tex Mex cuisine: a fusion between American and Mexican styles. The idea of the breakfast taquito has been around since the 1950’s. But it was Austin, Texas where the phrase “breakfast tacos” was born, served at the staple Austin restaurant Tamale House. The concept caught on and spread all over Austin, and around the country.
The traditional breakfast tacos were simple: a flour tortilla with scrambled eggs, bacon, salsa and cheese. For these breakfast tacos, we’ve created our own spin but kept this straightforward Tex Mex take.
Ingredients for breakfast tacos
Ready to whip up your own version of this breakfast-time delicacy? This recipe is quick and easy to make. Here are the ingredients for these breakfast tacos:
Frozen diced hash brown potatoes: The fried potatoes are reminiscent of another popular taco served at Tamale House, and add fantastic flavor and texture. You can substitute regular frozen hash browns if you can’t find the diced variety. (Of course, you can also make homemade hashbrowns out of real potatoes.)
Scrambled eggs: The other staple in a breakfast taco? Scrambled eggs! Mix them with cheddar cheese to get them nice and gooey.
Hot sauce and salsa: They’re always a necessity!
Cilantro: A little fresh cilantro is crucial for flavor.
Pickled onions: Pickled onions add a zing and a crunch. If you can, make a batch in advance.
You can also add fresh or pickled jalapenos, if you like even more heat! They’re not necessary, but they add great flavor.
More topping ideas
Of course, the sky’s the limit when it comes to breakfast taco toppings! Simple is best with this type of taco, so don’t over do it! But you can use anything else that strikes your fancy, like:
Want to make an even faster version of these breakfast tacos? Or don’t have potatoes on hand and don’t want to run to the store? Try our 5 Minute Egg Tacos! The egg filling in these tacos is incredible: adding a few simple spices makes it taste more like chorizo than eggs. We highly recommend them: head over to the recipe for more.
Vegan variation
Can you make vegan breakfast tacos? Absolutely! The best way to make this recipe vegan is to substitute our Tofu Scramble for the scrambled eggs. It magically looks and tastes a lot like eggs! Or, you can use our Vegan Taco Meat in place of the eggs. Either one makes for an incredibly tasty vegan breakfast taco.
Tip: warm your tortillas
The other most important thing to note about breakfast tacos: you must warm your tortillas! There’s nothing worse than a cold, tough tortilla. There are a few different methods for doing so. Here’s how to warm tortillas like a pro:
Place them over the flame of a gas burner (preferred!). Place each tortilla directly on a gas burner for a few seconds per side, turning with tongs. This lightly chars the edges and warms the tortillas (so they’ll look like the photos). Then throw them into a tortilla warmer!
Warm them in the oven. If you don’t have a gas burner, you can warm them in the oven. Go to How to Warm Tortillas.
More breakfast recipes
Need more inspiration to start the day? Here are some of our favorite breakfast recipes to power your morning:
Cook the potatoes: Cook the diced hash brown potatoes from frozen, according to the package instructions. Or heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet and add the potatoes, cooking 12 to 15 minutes and stirring occasionally until browned. In the last minute or so, add 1 tablespoon butter. Season with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Scramble the eggs: In a medium bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them together until well-beaten. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper. In a skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Tilt the pan to ensure the entire pan is coated in the melted butter. Pour in the eggs. Keep the heat on medium. When the eggs just start to set, use a flat spatula to slowly scrape sections of eggs, creating folds. Scrape occasionally until the eggs form soft folds, about 1 to 2 minutes total. Add the cheese and remove them from the heat just before they are fully hardened.
Warm the tortillas: Warm and char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. (See How to Warm Tortillas.)
Assemble the tacos: Place the potatoes and scrambled eggs into the warmed tortillas. Top with pickled onions, fresh cilantro, salsa, hot sauce, pickled onions, and jalapeno slices. Serve immediately.
Hello dinner tonight! This turkey taco skillet is about to become a weeknight staple! Okay so we’re in that time of year where everything is super holiday focused and it’s all cookies and peppermint and hot cocoa and chocolate everywhere! BUT. We still have to eat dinner and I’m always searching for foods that taste […]
Hello dinner tonight! This turkey taco skillet is about to become a weeknight staple!
Okay so we’re in that time of year where everything is super holiday focused and it’s all cookies and peppermint and hot cocoa and chocolate everywhere! BUT. We still have to eat dinner and I’m always searching for foods that taste “regular” and different this time of year!
You know? Regular and different? That makes a ton of sense. Ha.
But really, I find myself craving some classic dinners these days that aren’t overly heavy. Ones that are really easy, quick weeknight dinners.
There are SO many things you can do with this turkey taco skillet.
It’s super versatile!
I mean, obviously, you could spoon it directly into tortillas of course. You could even spoon it on top of a sweet potato. You could throw it on top of a salad for a quick, makeshift taco salad! Really, all the things.
BUT! My favorite thing to do with this skillet? Serve it as is with some tortilla chips on the side. Almost like a taco dip of sorts. It’s not REALLY a dip – it’s just my favorite turkey taco mix, cheese, quick pico, lettuce and guac.
However, when it’s all thrown together like this? It’s ultimate nacho perfection.
Serving this for dinner is a HUGE hit at our house. It’s fun, and while I usually reserve it for a weekend, I can’t say it hasn’t seen a Taco Tuesday rotation lately. It would also be the perfect dinner for Christmas Eve – or even New Year’s Eve. If you’re looking for something ridiculously easy, something so delicious that you can just lay back and relax after eating, this is it.
Don’t be freaked out by the long-looking ingredient list! It’s truly not long, but I always use my own spices to season our tacos. If you’re in a pinch or find yourself without a few of the spices called for, just grab your favorite taco seasoning and use that instead.
Of course, you can always use a store-bought pico or salsa instead too! I love making a quick pico at home because it’s so easy and fresh. And it just might be in Eddie’s top five favorite things that I make. But if you’re pressed for time or sanity, grab one. Same with the guacamole. The only thing you really need to make are the pickled onions, because they are the best.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the peppers, onions and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add in the ground turkey, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Season it with the cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir well, continuing to break apart the meat into small crumbles. Cook until the turkey has browned. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of flour. Toss and stir. Stir in the chicken stock. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top. You can let it melt for a few minutes or even cover the skillet so it melts quicker. Top with the lettuce and pickled onions. Top with the quick pico and guac. Top with cotija cheese if you'd like. Serve with tortilla chips!
To make the quick pico, toss the tomatoes, onion, cilantro and lime juice together in a bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. You can make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge. It’s better as it sits.
To make the quick guac, mash together the avocado, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Taste and season with more lime, salt and pepper as desired.
Fish tacos are a favorite quick and easy weeknight meal. Choose cod, tilapia, or halibut, quickly pan-sear in a skillet, and serve with a simply cabbage slaw. 20 minutes start to finish! Continue reading “Easy Fish Tacos” »
Fish tacos are a favorite quick and easy weeknight meal. Choose cod, tilapia, or halibut, quickly pan-sear in a skillet, and serve with a simply cabbage slaw. 20 minutes start to finish!
Here’s how to make the tastiest fish tacos around! Bake the fish with a dry rub of spices, then top it with tangy slaw and creamy sauce. Tacos are always a win over here, so might we introduce you to our new favorite? These baked fish tacos! We eat a mostly plant-based diet, with room for seafood occasionally (basically the Mediterranean diet). And my, are tacos the best treat! You’ll bake the white fish until it’s flaky with a dry rub of spices: no breading or frying necessary. Then top it with a quick and simple tangy slaw, and a creamy fish taco sauce. They’re delicious, easy to make and a total crowd pleaser that works for weeknights or dinner parties. Here’s what you need to know! What fish to use for fish tacos You can use any type of white fish for these healthy fish tacos! Here are some of the types of fish that are easiest to find and result in the best tacos: Tilapia: has a great mild flavor and buttery texture Cod: the flavor here is even milder! Cod is a very neutral-flavored fish and a great choice (it’s surprisingly tasty: also try grilled cod or pan fried […]
Here’s how to make the tastiest fish tacos around! Bake the fish with a dry rub of spices, then top it with tangy slaw and creamy sauce.
Tacos are always a win over here, so might we introduce you to our new favorite? These baked fish tacos! We eat a mostly plant-based diet, with room for seafood occasionally (basically the Mediterranean diet). And my, are tacos the best treat! You’ll bake the white fish until it’s flaky with a dry rub of spices: no breading or frying necessary. Then top it with a quick and simple tangy slaw, and a creamy fish taco sauce. They’re delicious, easy to make and a total crowd pleaser that works for weeknights or dinner parties. Here’s what you need to know!
What fish to use for fish tacos
You can use any type of white fish for these healthy fish tacos! Here are some of the types of fish that are easiest to find and result in the best tacos:
Tilapia: has a great mild flavor and buttery texture
Cod: the flavor here is even milder! Cod is a very neutral-flavored fish and a great choice (it’s surprisingly tasty: also try grilled cod or pan fried cod)
Mahi mahi: if you can’t find the first two, mahi mahi also works: it has a richer, meatier flavor
Other great choices? Snapper, grouper or halibut. Above all, try to find wild caught fish if you can. It’s more sustainable and higher quality than farmed fish.
Ingredients in fish taco seasoning
What makes the flavor in these easy fish tacos? The dry rub for the fish taco seasoning! You can make up a big batch of this seasoning in advance and keep it around for taco time (it keeps for about 1 year). Or just mix up what you need day of, which is what we normally do.
Here’s the cool thing: you’ll use it as a dry rub on the fish. There’s no breading and no oil! Just pat the spices on and bake for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit! The spices form a beautiful crust that’s full of zesty flavor. Here’s what’s in fish taco seasoning:
Chili powder
Cumin
Smoked paprika
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Smoked paprika is a Spanish version of paprika that infuses a hint of smokiness into each bite. If you can’t find it, use sweet paprika. If you buy a jar, use it up with these Best Smoked Paprika Recipes.
How to make the quickest taco slaw: tips!
One thing that’s essential for fish tacos: a slaw that’s actually fast to make. Many taco slaw recipes take longer than expected: they require lots of ingredients for the dressing or chopping lots of veggies. Not this one! We’ve pared it down to the essentials so that it takes only about 5 minutes to put together. Here are some tips:
Red cabbage, carrot, and green onion are all you need. This makes the quickest and easiest slaw: only a few veggies to slice.
Add lime and salt and you’re done! You don’t need to make a fancy dressing: tangy lime juice does the trick! Celery salt adds a nice nuance to the overall flavor. If you don’t have it, just use kosher salt!
Serve with a slotted spoon. This slaw picks up moisture as it sits. Serving it right away avoids this. If you let it sit for any amount of time, serve with a slotted spoon to avoid a watery taco.
5 fish taco sauce ideas
Once you’ve made your baked fish and quick slaw, all you need is the sauce! There are lots of ideas of great sauces to use. Here are our favorite sauces for these quick fish tacos:
Fish Taco Sauce This sauce makes fish tacos taste incredible! Lime, garlic and hot sauce are the ideal compliment for flaky fish.
Cilantro Lime Crema You’ll want to bathe in this zesty cilantro lime crema! It’s made with sour cream, lime, cilantro and a few spices.
Spicy Mayo Make the Mexican-style spin on this spicy mayo: it’s just 2 ingredients so you can whip it up in a flash. *Dairy free option
Chipotle Sauce This easy sauce is zesty, smoky and creamy: perfect for tacos and burritos! *Dairy free option
Shrimp Taco Sauce This one works on fish tacos too! It’s like a creamy ranch made with cilantro: quick and easy!
Sides to serve with fish tacos!
Once you’ve made these epic fish tacos, you’ll need something to serve with them! For weeknight meals, we opt for fast and easy side dishes like canned refried beans. But for a dinner party, we’ll make more side dishes to complete the meal. Here are a few ideas of sides to go with tacos:
Refried Beans: Many canned refried beans have great flavor right out of the can (or stir in some salt, cumin and chili powder). Or, make these tasty Homemade Refried Beans.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Thaw the fish, if necessary.
Make the fish: In a small bowl, mix together the dry rub: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pat the fish dry, then sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pat it in. Add the seasoning and pat it to cover the fish. Place the fish on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until tender. Then broil for 2 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
Make the slaw: Meanwhile, thinly slice the cabbage. Shred or grate the carrot (we used a handheld julienne peeler). Thinly slice the green onion. Place the cabbage, carrots and green onion in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, salt and celery salt. Serve immediately with a slotted spoon. The slaw picks up moisture as it sits; if you plan to let it sit, make sure to serve with the slotted spoon to strain out the moisture.
Warm the tortillas: If desired, char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. Or warm them according to How to Warm Tortillas.
Assemble the tacos by topping the tortillas with fish, slaw, and sauce. Top with chopped cilantro and a spritz of lime.
Notes
*If you’re serving 4 hungry eaters, you may want to increase the fish to 1.5 pounds and up the spice quantities accordingly. The slaw and sauce should work for 12 tacos. Or, make sure to serve with a filling side dish like refried beans (purchased or homemade).
Category:Main Dish
Method:Baked
Cuisine:Mexican
Keywords: Fish tacos, fish taco sauce, fish taco slaw
More tacos recipes
Tacos are one of the meals we eat the most around here! Here are a few more tacos recipes we have on regular rotation:
Crispy Avocado Tacos Destined to be your new favorite! With crunchy breading, they’ve got the vibe of a fish taco but are totally plant based.
Quick Shrimp Tacos A fast dinner recipe for weeknights or entertaining. They taste stunning drizzled in a creamy cilantro sauce!
Best Jackfruit Tacos In just 20 minutes jackfruit turns into a plant based version of pulled pork carnitas. These tacos will amaze you!
Four words for the rest of the summer: nacho cheese taco salad. It can make an appearance at your dinner table, a cookout or even in a jar taken to the beach. It’s kid friendly! You can make it ahead of time and it gets better as it sits. Weird, right?! But delicious. So! I’m […]
Four words for the rest of the summer: nacho cheese taco salad.
It can make an appearance at your dinner table, a cookout or even in a jar taken to the beach. It’s kid friendly! You can make it ahead of time and it gets better as it sits.
Weird, right?! But delicious.
So!
I’m bringing you another retro-ish recipe today with a twist! And by retro, I mean 90s. And by 90s, I mean the early 2000s.
Because believe it or not, we never had that taco dorito salad growing up! Nope. Never. Which is crazy since my mom definitely did a 90s taco night once a week.
But no, it wasn’t until I was in college that I had the chopped taco salad for the first time. The salad that I’m referencing is basically a bunch of taco ingredients – tomatoes, lettuce, corn, seasoned ground beef and onions, then drenched with bottled catalina dressing and toss with tons of crushed doritos.
Yes, 2003 me is very shocked that I would even make a version of this because I grew up loathing doritos (I know! I know! But the orange powder and smell turned me off) and didn’t have any interest in catalina dressing.
But this dressing… OMG.
Yet here we are! I ended up liking that salad with modifications and then went an extra mile to really jazz it up myself and give it a twist.
Like homemade catalina dressing. It’s so good on this!
And quinoa. Adding some bulk to this salad gave it more texture but also made it more… meal like? Even though this is usually served as a side dish at summer cookouts, you can definitely throw a scoop on some lettuce and have it for lunch.
And of course, I threw in beans, avocado, pickled onions and topped it all off with a big scoop of plain greek yogurt.
Oh hi, I’m obsessed with nacho cheese taco salad.
p.s. you can make it with lots of leftover ingredients too. Leftover taco night? Leftover quinoa from dinner? Go for it.
It may seem like an odd salad if you never had that taco salad in the 90s. The gist is that you make a huge serving and it’s easy to make ahead of time and transport, so it’s perfect for serving at a party. This can be like that too! Just add the avocado at the end.
Oh and let me tell you how my dorito hatred has laughed in my face: last year at summer camp Max had cool ranch doritos and fell in love with them. Ha! Now he requests them often. Wonderful.
When it comes to chips in this salad, I love to use these late july nacho chipotle chips which basically are a version of doritos. Like fancier trying-to-be-healthy doritos. So just ignore me saying I don’t like the doritos since I like these.
And of course, you can use regular doritos in the salad too! They make it fun and crunchy and a great dish to take to someone’s house. When we can go to someone’s house.
You know.
Obviously I love this because:
chopped salads are the best salads. YES.
Getting a bite of everything on one fork is the way to go. In fact, it’s one of the ways I learned to love salad.
No need to learn how to love this salad. It’s lovable right from the start! We adore it.
for topping: chopped avocado,plain greek yogurt or sour cream
catalina dressing
3tablespoonsred wine vinegar
2tablespoonshoney
2tablespoonsketchup
1garlic cloveminced
½teaspoonsmoked paprika
salt and pepper
⅓cupextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Note: the beef and quinoa can be made a day or two ahead of time! This is a great recipe to make with leftover taco meat or quinoa.This serves 4 to 6 as a side dish, or more if it's served with a bunch of other things.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring often, until brown. As it’s browning, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and
pepper, the cumin, garlic and chili powder. Break it apart into small crumbles and cook until brown. Remove it with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain excess grease.
In a large bowl, toss together the chopped lettuce, beef, quinoa, beans, tomatoes, cheese, onions and cilantro. Sprinkle with the crushed chips and toss. Drizzle on some of the dressing and toss well. Serve with avocado, pickled onions and greek yogurt if you’d like!
To make ahead of time, I like to layer this in a bowl. Layer the beef first, then the beans and cheese, then remaining ingredients, then lettuce. Cover and store in the fridge. Before serving, add the crushed chips and dressing, tossing well.
catalina dressing
Whisk together the vinegar, honey, ketchup, garlic, paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stream in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified. This stays great in the fridge for a few days!
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