Everyone loves Taco Night! Taco Tuesdays and Taco Thursday sound festive but we enjoy taco night any day of the week! Its a tasty and crowd pleasing weeknight meal. We like the option of crunchy or soft tacos and a yummy taco salad. Don’t forget Ice cold Margaritas and Ranch Waters!
The Perfect Spice Blend & Sauce
Creamy Salsa Dressing So Simple and So tasty! Simply whisk together Mayo (Dukes is best), Sour Cream, your favorite tomato salsa, salt and garlic powder. Drizzle it over your loaded taco or fresh taco salad. You may even want to serve it as a dip!
Chili Powder My go-to chili powder is a Dark Chili Powder because its a little more sweet and spicy than regular chili powder. If you are fortunate enough to have a Central Market near by, try their chili powders in their bulk spices section. The San Antonio Blend, Bolsa Chile Blend and the Dark Ancho Chile Powder are some of my favorites.
The Blend Chili Powder, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Cumin, Kosher Salt and Pepper create the perfect taco blend. I like to make a large batch so I don’t have to get all of the spices out every time. See Recipe below.
Large Batch Taco Night Spice Recipe
Large Batch Taco Spice Blend
- 1/4 Cup Chili Powder
- 4 teaspoons Paprika
- 4 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 4 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 4 teaspoons Oregano
- 4 teaspoons Cumin
- 8 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons Pepper
Combine all of the ingredients above and until evenly mixed. To make taco meat with this bulk taco spice blend, you will need 2 pounds of meat, 1/4 cup of the spice blend, 1/4 cup tomato paste and 1 cup water. In addition, this taco spice blend is great on grilled chicken, fajita meat and shrimp!
Taco Night Fixings & Pairings
Taco Fixings & Pairings For a well rounded taco night, you will need your choice of crunchy or soft tacos, shredded lettuce (plenty for those who want taco salad), tomato, red onion, pickled jalapenos, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, cheese, and chips & salsa. Spanish rice and refried beans are always great sides.
Drink Pairings We have so many margaritas to choose from! Our classic Pitcher of Margaritas is always a hit! A batch of Pineapple Margaritas will take your party to the next level. Honey Vanilla Simple Syrup makes these margaritas extra special. Our Blood Orange Margaritas and our Peach Margaritas, seen below, are also a crowd favorite!
If you like this recipe, try our Honey Chipotle Tacos, Chicken Chorizo Skillet, Carnita Tacos, Mexican Beef Stew, or cozy up with our Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Taco Night Recipe
Taco Night
Everyone loves Taco Night! This taco meat is so delicious and the Creamy Salsa Dressing is the perfect pairing! Everyone likes their tacos different so we lay out the options for Crunchy or Soft Tacos and fixings that make the perfect Taco Salad.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
- 1 tsp. Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Dried Oregano and Cumin
- 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Oil
- 2 Pounds Ground Beef, 90% lean
- 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
- 1 cup. Water
- **For the Creamy Salsa Dressing**
- 1/2 cup Mayo
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1/2 cup of your Favorite Tomato Salsa
- 1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- **Fixings**
- Crunchy Tortilla Shells or Warm Tortillas
- Shredded Iceburg Lettuce, Thinly Sliced Red Onion, Diced Tomato, Pickled Jalapenos, Cheese, Avocado
Directions
- Step 1 Combine all of the taco spices in a small bowl.
- Step 2 In a large Skillet on medium heat with oil, brown the ground beef until almost cooked through, breaking up the meat into small crumbles.
- Step 3 Add the taco spices and saute until the beef in cooked through and the spices are fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Step 4 Add the tomato paste saute until the beef is evenly coated and the tomato paste starts to darken. Pour in the water and let that simmer for 15 minutes, or until the taco meat has thickened to desired consistency. Season to taste.
- Step 5 While the taco meat simmers, make your creamy salsa dressing by combining all ingredients into a medium bowl and whisking until combined.
- Step 6 Serve with crispy taco shells or warm tortillas along with the spread of fixings and creamy salsa dressing.
- Step 7 Lastly, assemble your tacos or taco salad and Enjoy! Pairs well with Ice Cold Margaritas
About the Author
Lauren is a classically trained, professional chef. A culinary school graduate, she has spent time working organic farms in the Italian countryside and was the pastry/sous chef at a high profile restaurant in Dallas prior to becoming a full-time personal chef. Her cooking style is often referred to as “rustic.” Being a personal chef, she is not bound by a single type of cuisine and has had the opportunity to experiment with hundreds of regional recipes from all over the world.
