Your Go-To Taco Guide: Recipes for Tacos, Tortillas, Salsas, and More

Beth Lipton
·2 min read

This article originally appeared on Clean Eating

"When it's done properly, taco should be a verb," declared Jonathan Gold, the late restaurant critic of the Los Angeles Times. Tacos are much more than a meal; they're an action.

The beauty of tacos is that they're simultaneously simple and complicated. They can be filled a little or a lot. They can be crunchy or soft. They can be folded or merely held. They're customizable - add this, remove that. They fit right in at breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are never not messy, and they are always, always delicious.

So, top, fold, and start living like every day is Taco Tuesday with this guide.

How to involve kids in creating the ultimate taco

Sometimes the best way to get kids to try things is to… back off. Taco night is a perfect way to offer lots of choices and let them experiment. The key is to keep it fun and pressure-free. Have a "most creative taco" contest and make your kid the judge. Place hard shells and soft corn and flour tortillas on the table, a protein or two plus bowls of toppings and see
what happens. Try these:

  • Shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce

  • Cheddar, jack, or Cotija cheese

  • Mild salsa and/or chopped tomatoes

  • Sliced radishes

  • Chopped bell peppers

  • Chopped white onion or scallions

  • Mayo-based slaw

  • Sour cream

  • Avocado slices and/or guacamole

  • Sliced ripe olives

  • Lime wedges

  • Chopped cilantro

  • Assorted beans

Top taco destinations

There are times when you just want to go out and order tacos. A few of our top picks from around the country.

1. Maiz

Seattle, Washington

Inside this tiny, neon-lit spot at Pike Place Market, chef-owner Aldo Gongora alkalizes dried non-GMO heirloom corn (a process called nixtamalization) in order to make his own
masa. Taste the ultimate tortilla topped with any of the guisados (stews). maizseattle.com

2. Jose

Dallas, Texas

At Jose, executive chef Anastacia Quinones-Pittman highlights the food and culture of Guadalajara and Jalisco. Order whatever she has on special. If you're lucky, it'll be cilantro-lime shrimp served on a tortilla made of carrot-infused masa. jose.mx

3. Taco Maria

Costa Mesa, California

Taco Maria is known far and wide for chef-owner Carlos Salgado's blend of Mexican and Californian ingredients. Order the shiitake mushroom "chorizo" taco with queso fundido on a tortilla made with blue corn that Salgado nixtamalizes himself. tacomaria.com

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