Taco Tuesday? Here Are Some Recipes You Can Make That Aren’t a Traditional Taco

Everyone that loves Taco Tuesday, raise your hand ✋

To be fair, you probably wouldn’t be reading this article right now if you didn’t love indulging in the Mexican fan-favorite.

But we’re not here to chitter-chatter about Tuesdays and how households should inherently have these crunchy munchies on the dinner menu every week. We’re here to give you some unique options to try out the next time “Taco Tuesday ” graces your at-home white boards. Check ‘em out below.

Taco Tuesday Casserole

Oh-My-God, they make taco casserole?! We know, we were thinking the same thing. That’s ah-mazing. An effortless Mexican dish that feeds the whole fam. This recipe is going in the cookbook ASAP.

Ingredients:

•  2 pounds ground beef
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1½ cups water
• 9 Tbsp taco seasoning mix
• 5 flour tortillas
• 10 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 corn tortilla chips
• ¼ cup diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp chopped olives

 Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the beef, stirring until almost browned and crumbly.
3. Add onion to cook, and stir until the beef is fully browned and the onion softened.
4. Mix water and taco seasoning into beef mixture and let simmer until the water evaporates.
5. Line the prepared baking dish with tortillas and top with ½ of the ground beef mixture.
6. Spoon ½ of the corn over the beef layer and top with ⅓ cheddar cheese.
7. Crush tortilla chips and sprinkle over the cheese layer.
8. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, ending with cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and olives.
9. Bake in the oven until heated through and the cheese is melted.

Chicken Taco Pockets

First we hit you with a taco casserole, now we have taco-flavored sandwiches with crescent dough?! Woah, talk about a good food lineup. This recipe is so delicious, you might want to consume it more than once a week in the beginning. Plus, it’s great for small servings OR large gatherings. All depends on how big you want to make it.

HINT: Just double or triple the ingredients list to go BIG.

Ingredients:

•  2 tubes refrigerated crescent rolls
• ½ cup salsa
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Shredded lettuce and guacamole to sprinkle in (optional)

 Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. Unroll one tube of crescent dough and separate into 2 triangles. Press on the perforations to seal. Repeat with the second tube.
3. In a bowl, combine the salsa, sour cream, and taco seasoning.
4. Spoon the chicken into the left side of each triangle and top with the salsa mixture.
5. Sprinkle with cheese and fold the dough over the filling, pinching the edges to seal.
6. Place the triangles on an ungreased baking sheet.
7. Bake until golden brown, about 13-15 minutes.
8. Cut in half and serve with additional toppings if desired.

Chimichurri Vegan Tacos

For those of you that don’t eat meat, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. With what? Only the best roasted potato tacos on the planet, that include chimichurri. Check out this recipe. With just one look at the ingredients list, you’ll be drooling.

Ingredients:

•  1 pound potatoes, cut in bite-sized pieces
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• Chimichurri
• 8 taco-sized flour tortillas
• 1 cup red cabbage, chopped
• 1 cup green cabbage, chopped
• 2 avocados, diced
• Cilantro
• 2 limes

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add potatoes, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, olive oil, and taco seasoning to the baking sheet. Toss to coat everything evenly.
3. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Flip everything, then cook for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy and the veggies are tender.
5. Remove from the oven.
6. Warm the tortillas and assemble your tacos.
7. Layer each tortilla with cabbage, potatoes, chimichurri, and avocado slices.
8. Serve with cilantro and lime wedges.

Easy Shrimp Tacos

What’s a Taco Tuesday without a seafood option? We love shrimp in our tacos, and as long as you’re not allergic, we bet you love it, too. If so, check out this awesome, decadent recipe. The subtle ingredients produce such flavor when combined.

Ingredients:

•  1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ¼ cup minced cilantro
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• ⅛ tsp plus ¼ tsp salt, divided
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium green peppers, chopped
• 4 fresh green chiles, seeded and chopped
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 8 corn tortillas warmed
• 2 cups torn lettuce

 Instructions:

1.  In a small bowl, combine yogurt, cilantro, lemon juice, lime juice, and ⅛ tsp salt; set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add peppers, chiles and onion. Cook and stir until tender and crisp.
4. Add shrimp, garlic, cumin, and remaining ¼ tsp salt. Cook and stir until the shrimp turns pink.
5. Remove from heat and serve in tortillas with lettuce, yogurt sauce, and lime wedges.

Choco Tacos

You didn’t think we’d forget dessert, did you? Every good, hearty dinner needs a dessert option, at least. Here’s the homemade choco tacos recipe.

Ingredients:

For the Shells:

• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar3 Tbsp salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 3 Tbsp heavy cream
• ¾ tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch kosher salt

For the Tacos:

• ½ gallon fudge-swirled ice cream, softened
• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1½ tsp coconut oil
• ½ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

 Instructions:

1.  For the shells: Whisk together the egg, egg whites, and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
2. Add the melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla, flour, and salt and whisk until smooth.
3. Prop either end of a wooden spoon between two cans or loaf pans.
4. Preheat the waffle cone maker and spray both sides.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of batter to the center before closing and cook the waffle until golden brown.
6. Gently lift the waffle cone with a small spatula and drape it over the wooden spoon handle to form a taco shell.
7. Let cool before setting aside on a parchment-lined sheet tray.
8. To assemble: Gently fill the taco shells with ice cream and place the tray of tacos in the freezer until the ice cream is refrozen.
9. Fill the bottom of a medium saucepan with an inch of water and bring it ot a simmer over medium-high heat.
10. Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl that’s slightly larger than the sauce pan and set it over the water.
11. Heat the chocolate, stirring occasionally with a dry rubber spatula, until mostly smooth and melted.
12. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and continue stirring until completely smooth.
13. Stir in coconut oil.
14. Dip the round edge of the taco in a rolling motion into the chocolate to coat the ice cream.
15. Immediately sprinkle with chopped peanuts and return to the freezer until fully frozen.