Beyond Tacos

When I was a kid, taco night was my favorite night of the week. It wasn’t always on a Tuesday, but we at them about once a week, I’d guess, and they were a hit every single time.

Back then, the tacos were simple — crunchy taco shells, beef seasoned with the packet of taco seasoning you get with the shells, iceberg lettuce, and taco sauce that you also get with the shells. Maybe some salsa, always shredded cheese (the pre-bagged kind, of course) and some sour cream.

These days, I still make tacos, but my “classic” version is a bit updated from that. Instead of crunchy shells, I use corn tortillas that are blistered in a skillet, Romaine lettuce, and Cholula hot sauce instead of taco sauce.

Instead of ground beef, I’ve been using Beyond ground meat, which is a vegetarian version of beef. It’s truly the best plant based meat I’ve had, and they make other products too. I can’t decide if I like the sausages or the burgers better, but both are stellar.

For seasoning, I’m not a fan of those taco packets. They’re salty, overly processed, and usually have a stale chili flavor that is not what it should be. Instead, my go to for tacos is Los Muertos Barbecue seasoning. It’s not a taco specific blend, but it is perfect for tacos, fajitas, or anywhere you might be tempted to use a packet. There are other good taco blends that are better than the packet, like Penzey’s version, so use what you can find. And if you just like the nostalgia of the packet, that’s okay too.