Intolerances: Fructose, Gluten, Soy
A taco filled with flavorful beef, wrapped in a cheesy crispy shell.

Tacos are a favorite in our household. It doesn’t matter the taco shell, filling, or topping, they will never be turned down. In fact, my son will almost always ask for another before my husband and I have even finished ours. These tacos take it up a notch. The standard ingredients you would expect in a beef taco, with a twist. We are taking the cheese and putting it on the outside. This gives the taco a crispy texture with that melted cheesy flavor. They may not be your standard taco, but they are delicious and a great way to change up your weekday meals.

What to serve it with:

• Lime Rice
• Tortilla Chips (Grain Free)
• Mexican Slaw

What you need: 

• Non-Stick Sauté Pan
• Ground Beef
• Gluten Free Flour Tortillas
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Smoked Paprika
• Cumin
• Lime
• Lettuce
• Shredded Cheese (Colby Jack or Cheddar Jack)
• Avocado Crema
• Optional if tolerant: Tomatoes, Cilantro, Jalapeños, Pickled Red Onion

The Filling

Over medium heat, add the ground beef to a nonstick sauté pan. Once the meat begins to brown, use a wooden spoon or spatula to break it apart and continue moving it around. Once the meat is turning brown, drain some of the liquid off and add the juice of a lime, along with the cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix the meat with the seasoning until the meat is fully cooked. Remove the meat from the heat into a separate bowl. Wipe down the pan and set aside.

When it comes to the lettuce, you can use your favorite lettuce. In our household we typically use butter lettuce or romaine, but there really isn’t a wrong choice based your taco tase preference. Chop the lettuce into thin strips, making it easy to stuff into the taco and top onto the taco.

If you are using additional toppings that you are tolerant to, now is the time to prep them. We prefer to use cherry tomatoes in our household, so make sure to slice them into thirds or dice them into quarters. As for cilantro, make sure to rinse and dry the stems and chop the leaves finely. Finally, grab your favorite pickled red onions or slice up some jalapeños, based on your preferences. Toppings are truly up to you.

Set everything aside.

The Taco

Now is the time to build everything. If your tortillas aren’t fresh, I would recommend zapping them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make sure they are pliable. Next, add the non-stick pan to low-meidum heat and add a layer of cheese to the pan. (about the size of the taco shell). Let the cheese begin to melt slightly and then place the tortilla on top of the cheese. Press the tortilla into the cheese and let it begin to brown and melt into the tortilla. This could take about a minute or so. When you are able to get a spatula under the cheese and it pulls away from the pan, it is ready to fold over and remove from the heat.

Fill the taco with the meat, lettuce and any of your other favorite toppings. Place the taco on a plate and continue with the remaining shells.

The Finishing Touch

The tacos are ready to go. I recommend squeezing the avocado crema on top of each of the tacos or placing it on the side to dunk, followed by sprinkling additional lettuce (and cilantro) on top of the tacos.

Serve the tacos with your favorite lime rice, slaw or chips. Grab some extra napkins and enjoy!