“Taco night” for many across the United States consists of an Americanized idea of Mexican food: ground beef cooked with a packaged seasoning mix, taco shells, lettuce, tomato and sour cream.
Let’s just say that if you’re reading this and have enjoyed a similar meal, you will be blown out of the water by this authentic version from my cookbook “Plantas: Modern Vegan Recipes for Traditional Mexican Cooking. " These tacos were a favorite of mine as a kid.
I remember watching my Tía Chela making them, and they felt like such a treat. The secret here is using salsa to season your meat, rather than dried herbs and spices. It creates much juicier, deeper flavor.
Makes 12 tacos
FILLING:
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado oil
½ medium white onion, diced small
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced small
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (12-ounce) package plant-based ground meat (such as Impossible or Beyond Meat)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
SALSA:
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado oil
2 ripe Roma tomatoes
¼ medium white onion
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded
2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ bunch cilantro
¼ teaspoon sea salt
TACOS:
12 corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade
6 to 8 tablespoons neutral high-heat oil, such as avocado oil
Guacasalsa (guacamole mixed with salsa verde), for serving
1. To make the filling, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, carrots, and potatoes and sauté for 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and add the broth. Cover and steam for 10 to 12 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender. Add the ground meat and cook, using a spatula to break up any large clumps, for 7 to 10 minutes, until browned. Season with the salt.
2. Meanwhile, make the salsa. Heat the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the whole tomatoes, onion quarter, serrano or jalapeño pepper, and garlic cloves and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until blackened and charred (the garlic might char more quickly, after 2 to 3 minutes total). Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender. Add the broth, cilantro, and salt and blend on high until smooth.
3. Add the salsa to the meat and vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and add more salt to your liking.
4. To make the tacos, heat a medium skillet or comal over high heat. Add a tortilla and cook for 30 to 40 seconds on each side, then transfer to a tortilla holder or wrap in a kitchen towel. Repeat to heat the remaining tortillas.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of the picadillo mixture to one half of each tortilla and fold to close. They should stay closed as you fry them, but feel free to use toothpicks if necessary.
6. Heat the oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Working in batches, add a few tacos and fry for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Using a spatula, transfer the tacos to a paper towel–lined plate.
7. Serve with salsa and guacasalsa.
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Alexa Soto is a Mexican-American recipe creator, mental health advocate and the creator of the blog Fueled Naturally. She lives in San Diego with her husband Chancy, son Santino and their two dogs.
Excerpted from PLANTAS by Alexa Soto. Copyright (copyright) 2024 by Alexa Soto.
