There are two kinds of tacos in my house: ”old school” and “new school.” “Old school” implies a crunchy taco shell, ground beef, and cheese. “New school” implies soft corn tortillas with any filling I like, including roasted veggies, grilled fish, or skirt steak. (Old school tacos win 9 times out of 10.)
If you’re looking to improve the health benefits of these traditional tacos, look for grass-fed ground beef which is readily available in most markets. Also, there are many healthier alternatives for hard taco shells, ranging from organic corn to cassava flour. Be warned: You might want to double this recipe. My two teenage sons eat this entire batch on their own!
Old School Tacos
Ingredients
For the tacos
- 1 tbsp. Olive oil
- 1⁄2 cup Diced red onion
- Kosher salt
- 1 LB Ground beef (grass-fed if possible)
- 2-3 tsp. Taco seasoning or Mexican spice blend (I like Simply Organic taco seasoning)
- 8 Hard taco shells
- 1 cup Shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese, optional
Guacamole
- 2 Ripe avocados, pits removed and flesh scooped out
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp. Lime Juice
- 2 tbsp. Minced red onion
- 2 tbsp. Chopped cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the desired temperature for heating the taco shells.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt.Cook until soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon or potato masher so it crumbles into small pieces. Cook, continuing to stir until browned, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the taco seasoning, then taste, adding more seasoning or salt if necessary. Remove from the heat.
- To make the guacamole, place the avocados in a bowl. Add a generous sprinkling of kosher salt. (The salt is a great abrasive and makes it easier to mash the avocado.) Using a fork, pastry blender, or a potato masher, mash the guacamole until smooth or to your liking. Stir in a few teaspoons of the lime juice to start, then taste, adding more salt and more lime juice to your taste. Stir in the red onion and chopped cilantro if using.
- Right before serving, heat the taco shells in the oven, watching carefully as they brown quickly.
- When ready to serve, scoop a generous portion of ground beef into each taco shell and sprinkle with cheese and other toppings. Top with guacamole and repeat until they disappear!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
