These hard shell beef tacos remind me of my childhood. The mince is seasoned with a simple spice mix, then served with crisp shells, fresh toppings and pico de gallo so everyone can build their own. It’s a straightforward, crowd-pleasing dinner.
Category
Dinner
Servings
4
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
20 minutes
These hard shell beef tacos remind me of my childhood. The mince is seasoned with a simple spice mix, then served with crisp shells, fresh toppings and pico de gallo so everyone can build their own. It’s a straightforward, crowd-pleasing dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500g (1.1lb) beef mince
- sea salt, to season
- 12 taco shells
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 iceberg lettuce, shredded
- coriander leaves, to garnish
- pico de gallo, to serve
Directions
Combine the oregano and spices in a small bowl.
- Heat half of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add half of the beef mince and season with some salt. Sprinkle over half of the spice mix and cook for 6-8 minutes, until well browned, stirring occasionally break up the mince with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining oil, mince and spices.
- Heat the tacos in a preheated oven according to packet directions.
- Transfer the hot taco shells to a plate and serve with the beef mince filling, avocado, lettuce, coriander and Pico de Gallo all in separate bowls or a platter for everyone to make their own.
Recipe notes
Cook support
The reason we cook the mince in batches is to avoid overcrowding the pan which can result in the beef stewing rather than frying.
Sourcing
If you can’t find Mexican oregano, then substitute with Italian dried oregano.
Storage
Store the mince mixture and any salad and salsa components in separate airtight containers, refrigerated for up to 5 days.
