Crispy homemade tortilla shells filled with a Mexican picadillo Ground Beef and topped with an easy tomato sauce.
Picadillo is popular in many Latin American Countries, and you’ll find wide variations of Picadillo. Many times the picadillo mixture is served over rice or in empanadas. Like most of my Mexican recipes on Thai Caliente, this is how my Mother in law makes and serves picadillo, in a crispy fried corn tortilla shell.
I found hand frying the corn tortilla shells time consuming and of course not very healthy. I show how to make the fried version in the video below, but I actually preferred the baked method. They turned out just as crispy, and I could make a whole batch in about 10 minutes. Of course you can also buy premade crispy taco shells, but the homemade ones taste so much better!
How to Make Mexican Picadillo Tacos
The taco filling is a simple mixture of ground beef, small diced potatoes, tomatillo’s, and salt. That’s it!
Then there’s a tomato sauce that literally takes 5 min to make, and that includes boiling the water. You can add a jalapeno in this sauce, but since the kids were eating I left it out.
Traditional Mexican Picadillo tacos are served in a fried corn tortilla. To make the taco shell, place about an inch of oil in a small fry pan. Heat till the oil reaches 350 degrees. Using tongs, place half of the corn tortilla into the oil and fold the top part to create a taco shell. Once the tortilla has some color, about a minute, flip it over and fry the other side. But as I mentioned I preferred the baked method. Simple spray or brush corn tortillas with oil and hang them over 2 rungs in the oven. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until they are nice and crispy.
Assemble the tacos with the picadillo filling, a smear of sour cream or Greek Yogurt, the tomato sauce, and top with lettuce and tomato.
The whole family enjoyed these tacos and for leftovers the next day, I mixed the taco filling with the tomato sauce and had it with rice, the kids loved it!
Video-
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Crispy Mexican Picadillo Tacos
Crispy homemade tortilla shells filled with a Mexican picadillo Ground Beef and topped with an easy tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 12 Small Corn Tortillas or Crispy Taco Shells
- Oil for Frying or Baking
Tomato Sauce:
- 3 Roma tomatos
- 1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Taco Filling:
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1.5 lbs Ground Beef
- 1 Large Russet Potato peeled and diced
- 3 Tomatillos husked removed, washed well, and diced.
- 1.5 tsp Salt
Toppings:
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Tomato
Instructions
Place oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook ground beef about half way and add diced potatoes. Once beef is cooked through add diced tomatillos, and salt. Place a lid on and cook until potatoes become soft, stirring occasionally.
In a small pot, add water and bring to a boil. Place Roma tomatoes (whole with slits on the top making an X) into water for about a minute. Skin will start to peel off. Remove from water, allow to cool, peel off skin and place in blender with oregano and salt. If you want the sauce spicy, add a jalapeno here. Blend until smooth and set aside.
To fry the tortillas, place about an inch of oil in a small fry pan. Heat till the oil reaches 350 degrees. Using tongs, place half of the corn tortilla into the oil and fold the top part to create a taco shell. Once the tortilla has some color, about a minute, flip it over and fry the other side.
Baked Method- Spray or brush corn tortillas on both sides with oil and place over 2 rungs in the oven, so they drape over them. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until crispy.
Once all the tortillas are fried, assemble the tacos with the picadillo filling, a smear of sour cream or Greek Yogurt, the tomato sauce, and top with lettuce and tomato.
Brittany says
Looks delicious and easy!
Renee says
Thanks Brittany! Hope you get to try them out 🙂