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A 30 Minute(ish) Weeknight Dinner for National Taco Day

Published on October 4, 2013 By Emily. Updated on August 8, 2020

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Today is apparently National Taco Day.  As silly as it is that there are apparently holidays for every food one can think of, I kind of like it.  Especially when it’s a food that I have no problem celebrating.

I’ve been making a lot of tacos lately, like almost every week.  I’m not big on repeating recipes, so this is really strange for me.  But I love this meal because it’s so fast and so easy and leaves us with leftovers.  These tacos lend themselves to endless variations to the extent that it didn’t make sense to publish this post as a recipe, but instead as a list of choices.  I’m sure I’ve never made them the same way twice.  The time it will take to make your tacos will depend on what you choose to include in your tacos, but I find I can get them on the table (with some sort of vegetable side) in under 30 minutes.  As a result, tacos are a perfect weeknight meal.

tacos

30 Minute(ish) Weeknight Dinner Tacos

These tacos can be vegetarian or meat-eater friendly. Depending on the ingredients, they're really fast and perfect for a week night!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Servings 12 tacos

Ingredients
  

Choose a filling

  • 2 15 ounce cans beans, about 4 cups (I prefer pinto or black)
  • or 1 pound of meat/soy meat either ground or finely chopped

Choose Flavors For Your Filling

  • diced canned or fresh hot peppers
  • smoked paprika
  • cayenne powder
  • onions or onion powder
  • garlic or garlic powder
  • chili powder
  • oregano
  • salt
  • cumin

Choose Taco Toppings

  • tomatoes
  • shredded cheese
  • thinly sliced lettuce
  • sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • salsa or hot sauce
  • avocado/guacamole

Instructions
 

  • Choose a Holder For Your Filling
  • 12 taco shells or soft tortillas (you can do more or fewer, depending on how full you like them and how many you want to eat, but I find that a box of 12 shells works well for 2 meals for Brian and I)
  • OR you could make a taco salad by placing the toppings atop a bed of lettuce

The basic guidelines:

  • Cook protein - If you’re using meat, it needs to be cooked through which could result in this recipe taking a bit longer. I almost always use beans, so I just cook them until they’re heated through.
  • Add seasonings/flavors - A couple minutes after adding the protein to the pan, I add my seasons. I don’t really measure anymore, but I always include the ingredients I listed above. If a lack of recipe freaks you out, try this DIY taco seasoning.
  • Prep other toppings - As the protein cooks, prepare your other toppings. This is when I slice my tomatoes, shred my lettuce and cheese and get out the sour cream. Check your protein occasionally and give it a good stir. If you’re still prepping fillings when your protein is done, turn the stovetop to low and continue to stir once in a while.
  • Warm your tortillas - Whether you’re using hard or soft tortillas, they’ll taste better warm. Commercial tortillas include instructions for getting them ready, I usually warm my tortillas in a preheated 325 degree oven for 6-7 minutes.
  • Fill, serve and enjoy!

tacos2

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Filed Under: recipe, vegetarian, vegetarian main dish, weeknight Tagged With: Mexican, recipe

« 101 in 1001: (Less Than) One Year to Go
Highlights: Menu Planning »

Trackbacks

  1. » Recommended Recipe: Curry Tofu Tacos With Pintos & Kale Slaw says:
    February 7, 2014 at 7:02 pm

    […] the most frequently appearing items on my menu lately has been tacos.  A while back I posted this 30ish minute taco recipe and I’ve been cooking up similar dishes about twice a month since then.  But last week, as I […]

  2. Recipe Wednesday: Casseroles | Healthy Living Blogs says:
    February 19, 2014 at 8:00 am

    […] Tomato Soup from Hidden Fruits & Veggies, Favorite Chana Masala from Strength and Sunshine, and Weeknight Dinner Tacos from […]

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    […] Black Bean Tacos + sauteed carrots […]

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Emily
Last week Brian and I finally got around to hiring Last week Brian and I finally got around to hiring a sitter for a rare night out. We went to dinner at @publicna and took advantage of the opportunity with drinks, appetizers and dessert.

Pictured:
- Citrus Braised Beef Tacos
- "Chicken and Waffles"
- House Fries with Garlic Aioli
- Fried Chickpeas
- Blood Orange Cheesecake
It was no surprise that Public was close to full on a Wednesday night - everything was so good. 

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#igers413_food #igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #NorthAdams #NAmazing #PublicEatAndDrink
New year, new theme word! This year's word is "enr New year, new theme word!
This year's word is "enrich" and I'm really excited about it.

I've written more about this year's theme on the blog. Click in the link in my profile or follow the link below to read the post.
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https://www.relishments.com/blog/my-2023-theme-word-enrich/
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#YearlyTheme #MyOneWord #2023 #enrich2023 #NewYearsResolution
It's not New Year's Eve without a Top 9 post. It's It's not New Year's Eve without a Top 9 post.
It's almost all #Berkshires content this year, which is great.
1. A pasta salad reel that took longer to create than the recipe took to make.
2. A reel from North Carolina where I could have watched birds all day.
3. The @thelazygenius book giveaway.
4.@plantconnector 
5. @berkshiremuseum 
6.@sculpture.now at @themountlenox 
7. @massmoca 
8. @mountainviewfarm413 
9. The #AshuwillticookRailTrail
New on the blog: My 2022 reflections on last year' New on the blog: My 2022 reflections on last year's theme word - resume. 

I was able to get back to many activities that were meaningful to me this year and I'm calling this theme a success. Follow the link below or click the link in my profile to read more.
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https://www.relishments.com/blog/reflections-on-resuming-in-2022/
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#resume2022 #newyearsresolution #myoneword #yearlytheme
New on the blog: My Favorite Recipes of 2022. For New on the blog: My Favorite Recipes of 2022.

For the fourth year, I've recapped the best new (to me) recipes I made this year in the hope that they'll give you some new dishes to try. This year's list is short, but delicious. It includes @budgetbytes My Favorite Recipes of 2022
Published on December 30, 2022 By Emily. Updated on December 30, 2022

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is basically behind us. Though overall this year found me getting back to the person I want to be (post-babies and “post”-pandemic), I did not try nearly as many new recipes this year as I used to. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I’d made note of any new-to-me recipes I wanted to share in this post. This year’s list is short, but delicious. It includes recipes from @budgetbytes, @smittenkitchen and @howsweeteats.
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Read the post by visiting the link in my profile or 
https://www.relishments.com/blog/my-favorite-recipes-of-2022/
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#RecipeRoundUp #BestRecipes2022 #FavoriteRecipes
@coastalmainebotanicalgardens continues to be one @coastalmainebotanicalgardens continues to be one of the highlights of all my return trips to Boothbay and their annual Gardens Aglow event continues to impress. It was great to be back to walking the gardens instead of the pandemic drive through and there seemed to be more lights than ever.  I'm already looking forward to next year.
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#Boothbay #BoothbayMaine #CoastalMaineBotanicalGardens #GardensAglow #BotanicalGarden #MidcoastMaine
It has been a while, but there is finally a new CS It has been a while, but there is finally a new CSA menu plan on the blog! Visit the link below or in my profile to see how I plan to make use of some of the @mightyfoodfarm produce seen here.
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https://www.relishments.com/blog/welcome-to-winter-farm-share-csa-menu-plan-148/
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#MightyFoodFarm #EatLocal #EatSeasonal #VermontGrown #CSApickup #CSAshare #KnowYourFarmerKnowYourFood #MenuPlanning #MealPlanning #igers413 #igers413_food #BerkshireFoodies
Fall in the Berkshires is always incredible, but t Fall in the Berkshires is always incredible, but this year we've had weather that has also been outstanding. The past 2 weekends have included time at Jaeschke Orchards, the Greylock Glen, and the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail as well as stopping to photograph any random foliage I see. 
Check out the last slide for video of some feathered friends we saw on a walk.
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#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #FallFoliage #FallColors #autumn #AshuwillticookRailTrail #JaeschkeOrchards #GreylockGlen
@freshgrassfestival continues to be one of my favo @freshgrassfestival continues to be one of my favorite events each year, and it doesn't hurt that it's just minutes away from home. Enjoying the festival with my kids is definitely a different experience than without, but it's still a good time. The weather was especially cooperative today which was great for all the laps I did around the @massmoca campus pushing a stroller. I'm already looking forward to next year.
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#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #NorthAdams #NAmazing #FreshGrass #FreshGrassFestival #MassMoCA #MusicFestival
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