My simple and easily customizable recipe for stretching spiced taco beef with nourishing pantry staples.
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Dairy-Free, Gluten-free
Essential Ingredient beef
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 17 minutesminutes
Total Time 32 minutesminutes
Servings 6people
Calories 193kcal
Ingredients
1tablespoonolive oil
1lb organic lean ground beef
1smallonionfinely diced
114 oz canblack beansdrained and rinsed
2clovesgarlicminced
1teaspoon ground cumin
1teaspoonchipotle chili powderor to taste
1/2teaspoondried oregano
1teaspoon fine sea salt
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cupscooked quinoa
1lime
1/4cupminced cilantro stems
Instructions
Preheat a large cast iron skillet and add the olive oil. Sear the beef over high heat, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, for about five minutes or until the meat is grey and crumbed apart. Drain off excess fat or liquid.
Add the onion. Cook over medium low heat for another five minutes until onions are soft. Add the beans to the beef.
Sprinkle in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper to the pan. Stir to combine. Cook the taco meat for five minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the cooked quinoa to the beef and bean mix. Zest a lime over the top, then cut in half and juice the lime into the pan. Sprinkle over the chopped cilantro stems and stir everything together.
Cook the taco filling on low for another few minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. You may wish to add more salt or chili powder.
Serve at once with taco fixings. Alternately, cool completely, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
Notes
I make this taco seasoning medium spiced for our family but you can spice them up (or down) as much as you like with additional chili powder or crushed red chilies.You can use cilantro leaves, too. But I usually serve the leaves as a taco garnish and chop up the stems to soften in the taco meat. Zero waste!