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Ground Beef Tacos with Crunchy Shells

Name: Ground Beef Tacos with Crunchy Shells
Prep time: 22 min
Total time: 23 min
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: yellow corn tortillas — 1200 g; beef — 454 g; yellow onion — 110 g; garlic — 9 g; tomato paste — 30 g; chili powder — 10 g; cumin — 5 g; smoked paprika — 3 g; dried leaf oregano — 1 g; salt — 5 g; low-sodium beef broth — 118 g; iceberg lettuce — 473 g; tomato — 237 g; shredded sharp process cheese — 170 g; lime — 65 g

Ground Beef Tacos with Crunchy Shells reads umami 7.0, richness 5.6 and citrus 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Tex-Mex main, about 23 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 7.4 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.1 / 10
Sour & Bright — 6.4 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.1 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.0 · Richness 5.6 · Citrus 5.0 · Sourness 4.8 · Allium 4.4 · Salinity 3.8 · Sweetness 3.4 · Earthy 2.4 · Fruity 2.4 · Smoke 2.0 · Heat 1.9 · Nutty 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Bitterness 1.0 · Floral 0.9

What's in it (15)

yellow corn tortillas — 1200 g
beef — 454 g
yellow onion — 110 g
garlic — 9 g
tomato paste — 30 g
chili powder — 10 g
cumin — 5 g
smoked paprika — 3 g
dried leaf oregano — 1 g
salt — 5 g
low-sodium beef broth — 118 g
iceberg lettuce — 473 g
tomato — 237 g
shredded sharp process cheese — 170 g
lime — 65 g

Time & effort: about 23 min (22 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 200.9 kcal, 8.4 g protein, 4.1 g fat, 34.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the taco shells on a baking sheet and warm until crisp and lightly toasted, 5-6 minutes; turn off the oven and leave the shells inside to stay warm and crisp while you finish the beef.
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it into small crumbles with a spoon; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink and beginning to brown at the edges, 6-7 minutes.
Drain off all but about 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt; cook, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly and the spices smell toasted, about 1 minute.
Pour in the beef broth and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces to a glossy sauce that clings to the meat, 3-4 minutes; remove from heat.
While the beef rests off heat, toss the shredded lettuce and diced tomato with a squeeze of juice from one lime wedge and a pinch of salt.
Divide the beef among the warm shells, top each with shredded cheddar, then the lime-dressed lettuce and tomato. Serve immediately with the remaining lime wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Beef and Bean Chili Verde — Tex-Mex
Tasajo Asado con Salsa de Chile Pasilla Mixe — Mexican · Oaxaca
Grilled Harissa Lamb Skewers — North African
Tlayuda con Asiento, Frijol y Quesillo — Mexican · Oaxaca
Skillet Chicken Fajita Bowl — Tex-Mex

Keep reading: what umami, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.