Seasoned ground beef meatballs, simmered in a roasted tomato sauce, are added to corn tortillas with melty cheese for an easy dinner that will change your Taco Tuesday night!
Time to play, "Cooking Without A Recipe"! I am always looking for a new dinner idea for Taco Tuesday. One evening, I came up with this dish of Mexican style meatballs nestled into corn tortillas, covered in cheese, and then baked in the oven. The corn tortillas get crispy on the top, and this becomes a casserole type of dish. You don't eat them like tacos. Get a fork and knife and dig into the cheesy, flavorful goodness.
Meatball Taco Skillet
Makes 5 tacos
For the meatballs:
1 pound ground beef (80/20)
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 14 ounces can roasted tomatoes (I used Muir Glen)
For Tacos:
Soft corn tortillas
Sliced avocado
8-ounce bag Shredded Mexican style cheese
Crumbled Cotijas cheese
Sour Cream (optional)
Tapatío Hot Sauce (optional)
In a small food processor, purée tomatoes. Set aside. Combine the ground beef with all the seasonings, and form 10 small meatballs. In a non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the meatballs on all sides. Reduce heat, and add pureèd tomatoes. Cover and turn off the heat.
Spray canola or vegetable oil on the bottom of a 10-inch iron skillet. Put two tortillas together and place in skillet, and follow with 3 or 4 more (depending on if you are making 5 tacos). You can fit the 5th one on either side.
Place two meatballs with some sauce in each tortilla. Top with about 3/4 of a bag of shredded Mexican style cheese. Place on the lower rack of the oven and bake at 400° for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then, move to the upper rack for a few minutes. The total cooking time should be 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Top with crumbled Cotijas cheese, sliced avocado, sour cream, and Tapatío, if using. This is more of a casserole dish than a taco. Get a fork and knife out and enjoy.
