Seriously, sometimes it seems there’s nothing more American than a taco! At least the versions with pressed shells and a packet – and truth be told, my kids inhaled those and I crave one every now and then. But if you’re looking to upgrade your taco game, check out these Picadillo tacos. They bring something that’s been lost to time in much of the US. They start with tradition.

Picadillo Tacos

Yep, tradition is the special ingredient here. While Picadillo evolved over centuries, rooted in Spanish and Mexican, and Latin American cuisine, these tacos will take about 30 minutes to make, and you’ll probably have most of the ingredients on hand.

Picadillo is a dish with many variations, so feel free to play with this recipe to suit your taste. This recipe isn’t hot as written, but I often jazz it up a bit, especially as my family is pretty much (Oh, I hope so! Crosses fingers…) finally grown. I seem to remember more a couple of years when my son looked at every food with suspicion, and I had to leave out the green olives or risk rebellion – a few dashes of the brine flew under his vegetable-hating radar.

These Picadillo Tacos are shown with a hard shell, freshly made, a bit crunchy, a bit chewy, there really is nothing like it! If you’ve only had the boxed variety of a hard shell, one made at home with a corn tortilla will blow you away. Use flour if you must.

Just a bit fussy, they are worth every single minute it takes to lovingly fry them. Best, of course, like anything fried, made at the last possible minute. Simple fried tostadas can be turned out very quickly if you’d rather shortcut, and these are wonderful in a simple soft tortilla, too. Directions are below for the hard shells.

Believe me, any way you make these, this Picadillo will be a huge hit! And isn’t it fun to have options to play with your food? With tacos, nothing is set in stone: you get to choose your shells, customize your filling, and best of all, add in all your favorite toppings!

If I have one on hand, I often add a bit of jalapeno or some red chili flakes to the Picadillo, or use a ground Chipotle powder instead of chili powder. Our favorite salsa? The Pico de Gallo on my Chipotle Chicken Copycat recipe.

Picadillo Tacos

Picadillo Tacos

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A taste of Tradition, American style.

• Author: mollie kirby
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
• Category: main dish beef
• Cuisine: Mexican or Southwestern

Ingredients

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• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 to 1 onion, minced
• 2 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano, preferably Mexican
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 medium baking potato, peeled and finely diced or grated on the large holes of a box grater. Raw or a leftover baked potato will work here
• 1/2 large tomato or whole medium, chopped
• 1/4 cup of chopped green olives
• 1 cup water or stock
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt, may omit if using canned stock
• 16 corn tortillas
• Toppings of choice: lettuce, avocado, tomato, salsa, onion, cheese, etc.

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Instructions

Add ground beef to skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. As soon as a bit of the fat melts and coats the skillet, add the onions and continue to cook until the meat is cooked through and the onions are softened. Drain the mixture, discarding fat.

Clear a bit of space in the center of the skillet and add garlic and spices, and allow to toast until fragrant, stir together. Sprinkle in flour and toast, stirring for a minute or two, then add potato, tomato, olives, and water or stock.

Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until mixture is thickened.

Hard Taco Shells:

Fill a small frying pan with oil to the depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat to about 350 degrees. Gently place tortilla in oil and leave it for about 10 to 15 seconds. Using a spatula and tongs, lift one side up and hold at an angle with the tongs while gently holding the side of the tortilla that is still in the oil down with the spatula.

Cook until the tortilla begins to crisp and lightly brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Carefully turn and repeat. Drain as much oil as possible off the taco and move the shell to a paper bag lined sheet tray. Best results are achieved when the shell is held in the “open” position to slightly cool before setting it down.

Did you know a potato masher makes short work of ground meats? And those scoops help perfectly portion?

I always break up my ground meats with the type of masher on the right. The other I use in this recipe to very finely work the ground beef into tiny bits.

Scoops portion perfectly, maximize your time and help avoid a big mess.