In my house Taco Tuesday is a holiday that comes about twice a month. One of our household’s favorite meals which brings more excitement to the table than almost all others.
What I love about Taco Tuesday:
• I know what ingredients to get since I have been doing it so often- I can walk through the toppings in my head while at the grocery store to make sure I have what I need
• Super fast! It really only takes about 20 minutes to have it done from chopping the toppings, sautéing the meat, and crafting an exquisite taco!
• Nutritious! I typically use lean ground beef (90/10 and drain the fat) or ground turkey, sliced black olives, tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, avocado, taco sauce, jalapenos, limes, ranch (I prefer over sour cream), cheese and whole wheat tortillas. It has all of the food groups- protein, dairy, grains, vegetables, and even fruit (avocados and lime)!
• Variety of colors: looking at the plate it is beautiful and makes it even more enjoyable to eat!
• Spicy! I love spicy foods. I make my tacos triple spicy: hot taco seasoning, hot taco sauce and fresh jalapenos (with seeds to pack even more punch). It is important for me to remember this when having friends over for taco night, I am used to the spice and forget others don’t have that tolerance. Simply use mild in place of the triple spice if you are not one for spicy foods.
• Fun! I am a big fan of some kind of food “bar” build your own tacos, pizza, pasta, yogurt parfait- you name it! I like customizing what will go in mine.
How do I make it?
Taco Tuesday Recipes
Taco Bar Ingredients
I do the chopping while my husband cooks the meat and tortillas.
Cheese is the secret ingredient in Taco Tuesday Recipes:
At some point we discovered that putting the cheese on and melting it was far superior in taste than sprinkling it cold on top. We set up the oven and put the 2 tortillas on tin foil and melt the cheese.
I use taco seasoning for ease and follow the instructions on the back of the packet. If sodium is a concern you can make your own from these common pantry staples:
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
I get going with the chopping:
• Red onions
• Jalapenos
• Tomatoes (I like the medley with the red, purple, yellow and orange tomatoes)
• Romaine hearts
• Avocado
• Limes (this is my secret ingredient to anything Mexican- it boosts the flavors and makes the whole dish taste fresh)
Added benefit of Taco Tuesday:
Not only is Taco Tuesday one of my favorite days of the week but then we get to relive the fun with Wednesday lunch taco leftovers. We always make more tacos to take the next day and pack them up for lunch!
If you would like more information about how to prepare tasty meals like these, take a look at our
Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating book filled with tons of easy, delicious recipes!
What are you favorite Taco Tuesday Recipes?
Try some of these popular taco recipes:
Blog reviewed and updated January 2020.
Dana uses her advanced training in functional nutrition and food sensitivities to help her clients love and trust food again as they heal from years of painful symptoms that have dominated their lives. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Food Sensitivities Survival Guide.
