Mexican and Southwestern - Cooking Classy https://www.cookingclassy.com/recipes/mexican/ with a sprinkle of fancy Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:08:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 44235149 Shredded Beef Tacos https://www.cookingclassy.com/shredded-beef-tacos/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/shredded-beef-tacos/#comments Sun, 03 Nov 2024 16:49:00 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/shredded-beef-tacos/ Crockpot Shredded Beef Tacos made with well seasoned, chili spiced chuck roast that simmers low and slow until it's melt in your mouth tender. Completely delicious layered into warmed tortillas with all your favorite toppings!

Recipe also includes stovetop and Instant Pot cooking methods.

Want to take these to the next level? Serve them over homemade corn tortillas or flour tortillas.

Close up photo of shredded beef tacos with toppings.

Shredded Beef Tacos

This is truly a family favorite recipe! I first shared it way back in 2012 it was one of my original go-to recipes and still is! I make it all the time for parties, family get togethers, weeknight meals and for freeze ahead meal prep.

It's one of the easiest things you can make, the beef is so tender and brimming with flavor, and people of all ages enjoy these tacos.

Personally I'm a total food snob and will only make this using the method of browning before slow-cooking, but for really busy people you can skip the browning method and you'll still have a tasty dinner.

The other great thing about this shredded beef taco recipe is that you can use leftover beef for so many other dishes such as enchiladas, taquitos, nachos, quesadillas, tamales or burritos. And if you are in a hurry you can just serve these street taco style with simply the beef, cilantro, onion and lime.

I've also updated this recipe with notes including a stove-top cooking option for those of you who don't have a slow cooker or just prefer it to be ready faster. And I've also included and option for cooking it in a pressure cooker. Of the three I like slow cooking the best but use what works for you and your schedule and the equipment you have.

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Taco Pasta https://www.cookingclassy.com/taco-pasta/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/taco-pasta/#comments Sat, 26 Oct 2024 03:45:09 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=73672 Taco Pasta - Comforting, cozy, creamy, cheesy, Tex-Mex spiced pasta abundantly dotted with tomatoes, chilies and tender bits of beef. It's the ultimate weeknight family dinner!

Love these types of easy dinners? Also try my one pan Ground Beef Stroganoff and American style Goulash.

Serving of taco pasta in a pasta bowl with a fork.

This hearty, cheesy taco pasta is two homestyle dishes combined into one and people of all ages love it! It's a simple one pan dinner that you can have ready in just over 30 minutes.

If you aren't familiar with this dish it may sound strange but trust me it's actually such a super satisfying, completely enjoyable dinner. It's like those pasta dishes from the 90's that maybe started with a box, but this is 100 times better!

It's a very adaptable recipe too. You can add different mix-ins to use up ingredients you may already have, or try swapping out the protein or pasta. Just stick with the base and seasonings used, and always add cheese because it's truly a main highlight of the dish.

Taco pasta shown close from overhead in a large skillet.

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Huevos Rancheros https://www.cookingclassy.com/huevos-rancheros/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/huevos-rancheros/#respond Wed, 18 Sep 2024 04:44:41 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=73374 Flavorful and hearty Huevos Rancheros - A deliciously scrumptious Mexican breakfast made with fresh ingredients, served warm and cozy, and sure to satisfy those bright spicy cravings. You'll have these devoured in minutes!

Huevos rancheros served tortillas, salsa ranchero, fried eggs, avocado, and cotija.

What are Huevos Rancheros?

Huevos Rancheros is a traditional Mexican dish made up of warmed corn tortillas, a cooked salsa (red tomato salsa or green tomatillo salsa), and fried eggs. It is pronounced way-vows-rhan-che-rohs and translates meaning rancher's eggs.

They are frequently served with refried beans or black beans on top or as a side, and you can garnish them with various toppings.

This version is easy to prepare and is fairly quick compared to other versions. That is thanks to a food processor, because we skip the option of roasting the tomatoes and veggies for speed (though there's no lack in fresh flavor), and here  the recipe calls for ground chili powder rather than managing the steps of whole dried peppers.

This Huevos Rancheros is practically perfect and such a welcome comforting way to start the day. You may even likely find you are craving it for not only breakfast but lunch or dinner too!

Make it a complete meal served with chorizo or sausage, and don't forget that side of beans.

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Chicken Fajitas https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-fajitas/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-fajitas/#comments Tue, 10 Sep 2024 18:26:45 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=51875 Chicken Fajitas - This easy, restaurant quality recipe is made with deliciously seasoned chicken, a trio of fresh bell peppers and tender crisp onions all served atop warmed tortillas. It's a family favorite recipe we've used countless times over!

Want to make the best fajitas ever? Then be sure to serve with my homemade flour tortillas if time allows (prep while the chicken marinates). Easily worth the extra bit of effort!

Three chicken fajitas in flour tortillas shown with various toppings.

Easy Homemade Chicken Fajitas

Chicken fajitas are most commonly made with chicken breasts but chicken thighs are the best, and this is my tested and perfected recipe I'm so happy to share with you!

Chicken is soaked in a seasoned, lime and oil based marinade then pan seared in a hot cast iron skillet to achieve a flavorful charred exterior with crisped edges, and juicy, tender interior.

After which fresh multi-color bell peppers, and boldly flavored onions and garlic are sautéed to a perfect tender crisp texture in the same piping hot skillet.

Then to assemble fajitas chicken is sliced, and mounded over flour tortillas along with those flavorful veggies.

It's a restaurant favorite, classic Tex-Mex recipe you'll never want to lose!

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Avocado Salsa https://www.cookingclassy.com/avocado-salsa/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/avocado-salsa/#comments Sat, 31 Aug 2024 14:59:55 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=13179 Flavorfully fresh Avocado Salsa - Made with creamy avocados, bright tomatoes, crisp onions, herby cilantro and a bright lime dressing. It's the ultimate tortilla chip dip or main dish topping!

Avocado salsa shown with tortilla chips for dipping.

This simple avocado salsa is basically guacamole mingled with salsa or pico de gallo. It's a dip that has the flavors of guacamole but more of a texture similar to a chunky salsa.

It's brimming with nutritious ingredients, and you'll love it's lively flavor. Plus who can resit that tempting blend of textures? Among them a soft bite, bits of crispness throughout, plenty creaminess, and with crunchy flakey chips a truly perfect pairing.

It's a fine-chop dunk-able chip dip, or you can use it as a topping over cooked protein such as pan seared salmon, black bean burgers, or grilled chicken. Another option of course is to heavily layer it over your favorite Mexican food - things like taco salad, chicken street tacos, fajitas, or even add a few spoonfuls to a bowlful of tortilla soup.

I think you'll really come to appreciate all the various ways you can enjoy this salsa!

It's perfectly fitting for weeknight dinner meals and always a crowd pleasing appetizer at parties! People will say it's a welcome upgrade to classic salsa, and for you it may become a go-to way to use up those ever so delicious avocados.

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Tofu Tacos https://www.cookingclassy.com/tofu-tacos/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/tofu-tacos/#respond Fri, 10 May 2024 15:07:56 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=71477 Fast, easy and flavorful Tofu Tacos! Made with inexpensive, protein rich, well seasoned tofu, corn tortillas and plenty of fresh toppings. You'll likely be surprised to find your whole family loving these!

Close up photo of tofu tacos.Healthy Tofu Tacos

For a long time tofu has had have a bad name. Not many people seem to care for it, and I used to be one of them. But I'm telling you if you season it right it can actually be really delicious and even something you'll want to make again and again!

In these tofu tacos the tofu is abundantly seasoned with a variety of Mexican spices, soy sauce and lime juice which builds up much more depth and a welcome vibrant flavor.

Believe it or not you may find you like them just as much as the classic ground beef tacos! And these are a healthier alternative to rotate with, plus tofu is about half the price of ground beef and ground turkey.

These tacos come together quickly for a simple weeknight meal, they are perfectly filling, and they make a great leftover lunch the next day if you have any left.

If you haven't given tofu a chance yet I'd say this is an excellent place to start. And as always with tacos, just be sure to pile high all those tasty toppings!

Row of ground tofu tacos shown from the side with lime wedges for serving.

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Chicken Taco Salad https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-taco-salad/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/chicken-taco-salad/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:58:36 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=68314 Loaded Chicken Taco Salad - Made with protein rich chicken and black beans, fresh veggies, tortilla chips, and all the best toppings. It's brimming with goodness and completely delicious!

Chicken taco salad shown with blue and yellow tortilla chips, corn, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, chicken, cilantro, cheese and sour cream.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

In this bountiful salad you find it's rich in Tex-Mex flavor and has so much freshness in every bite. There's a beautiful variety of color, flavor and textures, with each ingredient enhancing the dish.

It's layered with nutritious Romaine lettuce, crispy tortilla chips, a zesty citrus marinated chicken, salsa coated beans and veggies, plus rich cheese, sour cream, and avocado.

The chicken is pan seared then the taco salad filling is cooked in that same pan. And it's convenient that you don't need a grill for this recipe and it can be made any day of year no matter the season.

If you happen to have any leftover filling you can use it in tacos, quesadillas or burritos the following day for lunch. There's just so much to love about this delicious Chicken Taco Salad!

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Vegetarian Chili https://www.cookingclassy.com/vegetable-chili/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/vegetable-chili/#comments Tue, 06 Feb 2024 17:46:30 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=36129 Healthy Vegetarian Chili is jam-packed with fresh nutritious veggies, two types of beans, and it's all simmered in a deeply spiced tomato base. It's a delicious stew-like soup, ideal for those chilly autumn and winter days and it's so tasty served with homemade cornbread.

Vegetarian chili in a large white pot.

Easy Vegetarian Chili

You'll love that this is a vegetable chili you can feel great about eating and feeding the family, and it doesn't taste too much different than a meat-heavy chili thanks to all those flavorful Mexican spices.

It comes together quickly, it's just a bit of chopping and has a fairly short simmer time compared to that of traditional chili. It's hearty and filling thanks to the beans and fiber rich vegetables and it's still a great base for piling on all the best chili toppings.

We love it with avocado, cheese, and sour cream atop but if you if you want to make this a vegan chili then opt for a vegan cheese and sour cream, or just omit them both altogether.

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Texas Chili Con Carne https://www.cookingclassy.com/texas-chili-con-carne/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/texas-chili-con-carne/#comments Thu, 19 Oct 2023 22:00:10 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=68821 Texas style Chili Con Carne - Bite size pieces of chuck roast are browned then simmered in a homemade thick chili puree until flavors have well developed and beef is perfectly tender. From there you can top it with all your favorite toppings and pair it with tortilla chips or cornbread for the ultimate cozy meal! 

Chili con carne in a serving bowl topped with shredded cheese, cilantro and chopped onion.

Chili Con Carne

Chili con carne is a robust and rich chili made with beef roast that includes deeply flavored Mexican chilies and spices all simmered together in a stew-like dish. This is a Texas style chili and it's made of mostly beef and chili sauce without lots of added fillers.

It uses a generous amount of browned beef chuck chunks rather than ground hamburger and this really builds up the meaty flavor. Whole dried chilies are used in place of pre-ground store-bought chili powder, and those chilies are toasted in a skillet then soaked in liquid and pureed in a blender to build the base of this hearty chili.

The chili is simmered low and slow on the stovetop for well harmonized depth of flavor and to tenderize the beef.

It's an impressive made from scratch chili that may seem intimidating at first but once you try it you'll see it's easier to make than you'd think.

It's also a tasty change from the original style chili and you may find tasters to love it even more, especially meat lovers! Plus it could just win your next chili cook off!

Pot filled with Texas style chili con carne.

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Corn Salsa https://www.cookingclassy.com/corn-salsa/ https://www.cookingclassy.com/corn-salsa/#respond Sat, 12 Aug 2023 04:54:06 +0000 https://www.cookingclassy.com/?p=68395 Fresh Corn Salsa - made with fresh ears of crisp corn, sweet bell pepper, vibrant red onion, herby cilantro, and a zesty spiced lime dressing. It's makes a perfect chip dip or a topping to pair with a main protein.

Corn salsa with corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro and onion.

A Summery Corn Salsa Recipe

Corn salsa that's much better than Chipotle! It's a healthy dip that also doubles well as a side dish.

Fresh corn and bell pepper are fire roasted over a hot grill or gas stove flame for a beautiful smokey char, then it's tossed with a colorful plethora of other complementary fresh Mexican-style ingredients.

It has such a tantalizing blend of flavors that's is makes the perfect chip dip, or its delicious served over salmon, shrimp, chicken or beef (we love the salmon option).

Plus it's a versatile salsa with lots of ways to switch things up (see ideas below).

It's best made in season when you can get prime sweet yellow corn, but during the colder months try it with frozen corn too.

Rainbow of corn salsa ingredients chopped in a mixing bowl before tossing.

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