You know, it’s never just Tuesday. It’s got to be Taco Tuesday! And that calls for more than just ordinary tacos; bring in Tuesday’s Special Tacos! Cheesy, crunchy taco shells filled with ultra zesty and beefy taco meat was already an amazing dish, but then comes the customization. You can put any of your favorite Tex-Mex toppings on Tuesday’s Special Tacos to make them truly your own! What’s special about Tuesday’s Special Tacos is that they’re homemade and infinitely tastier than any taco you’ve had before!
Ingredients
For the tacos:
- 10 stand-up hard taco shells
- 2 cups sharp cheddar, grated, divided
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 (4-ounce) can mild diced green chilies
- hot sauce or cayenne pepper, to taste
Optional toppings:
- lettuce, to taste
- tomatoes, to taste, diced
- avocado, to taste, sliced
- guacamole, to taste
- sour cream, to taste
- cilantro, to taste, chopped
- salsa, to taste
- hot sauce, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with the taco shells.
Step 3 –Evenly divide 1 cup of the cheese between the taco shells.
Step 4 –Bake the taco shells until the cheese is melty, about 8 minutes.
Step 5 –In a large skillet over medium heat, add the beef and the onion and cook until the beef is almost browned, about 5 minutes.
Step 6 –Add the garlic, the chili powder, the cumin, the paprika, the oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, then continue to cook until the beef is completely cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Drain off the excess grease.
Step 7 –Add the refried beans, the salsa, and the green chilies.
Step 8 –Stir the beef mixture over medium-low heat until the beans are completely incorporated.
Step 9 –Season with the extra salt and the hot sauce or the cayenne pepper.
Step 10 –Evenly divide the taco meat between the taco shells.
Step 11 –Top the taco meat with the remaining cheddar cheese.
Step 12 –Bake until the cheese is completely melted, about 15-18 minutes.
Step 13 –Top the tacos with the lettuce, the tomatoes, the avocado, the guacamole, the sour cream, the cilantro, the salsa, and the hot sauce.
Step 14 –Serve.
