Crispy Beef Tacos with Salsa Verde
Ground beef tacos fried until the corn tortillas turn crackling and golden, then piled with lettuce, salsa, and cool crema for a crunchy weeknight dinner.
These tacos start with a well-seasoned beef filling folded into corn tortillas and fried until the shells shatter with the first bite. Frying the tortillas after filling them, rather than baking a hard shell, is the trick that keeps the inside tender while the outside stays crisp. Pile them high with lettuce, salsa, and crema, and let everyone build their own plate at the table.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneHeat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon as it browns, about 6 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and kosher salt, and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant, then drain any excess fat from the skillet.
Warm the corn tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat, about 20 seconds per side, until pliable and lightly toasted.
Working in batches, fold each tortilla around a portion of beef filling and press gently, then fry in a thin layer of oil for 1 to 2 minutes per side until the edges turn golden and crisp.
Drain the crispy tacos on paper towels while you finish the remaining batches, keeping them warm in a low oven if needed.
Fill each crispy shell with shredded lettuce, a spoonful of salsa, and a drizzle of crema.
Scatter the diced white onion and cilantro over the top and serve immediately with lime wedges alongside.
Kitchen note
Fry the tacos in batches so the oil temperature stays steady; crowding the pan cools it down and leaves the shells greasy instead of crisp.
