But First, What is Taco Rice?

Taco Rice is a take on a Japanese inspired, Okinawan dish with the ingredients of a Tex-Mex taco. Ground beef, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes are served on a bed of rice and salsa on top. This version of Taco Rice is amazing and sure to be a new family favorite.

What to Serve with Taco Rice

Taco Rice is pretty versatile – serve it with chips, add it to tortillas as burrito filling, add it to hard or soft taco shells as taco filling, or in a tostada shell or taco salad. Taco Rice can also be made meatless for a vegetarian option. If you want to use ground turkey or pork, that works fine too.

How to Make Taco Rice

In just 30 minutes and a handful or ordinary ingredients, you’ll have dinner on the table! For full recipe details including an ingredients list and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is what you can expect when making this recipe.

Cook Ground Beef, Onion + Garlic

Brown ground beef and onion together in a large skillet. Once that has browned, add garlic and saute a couple minutes longer.

Stir in taco seasoning, rice, broth (or water), and tomato soup.

Do I have to use canned soup?

No. This is just how my mom always made it, but feel free to substitute with tomato sauce, diced tomatoes or even salsa in a pinch.

Simmer Until Rice is Cooked

Place lid on skillet and simmer on low until rice is cooked through (follow your package directions). It’ll be about 15 minutes.

Can I use Minute Rice?

Yes. Minute Rice will work with this recipe. Just adjust your cook time according to the package directions. You can also use brown rice, if you prefer.

Top with Cheese + Serve with Optional Toppings

Add shredded cheese and give everything one last stir.

Serve over a bed of lettuce, with tortilla chips and/or you choice of optional toppings listed below.

Optional Topping Ideas

While these are all optional, here are few topping ideas that go great with Taco Rice.

• lettuce, shredded
• tortilla chips
• tomato, diced
• sour cream
• green onion, diced
• My Classic Guacamole Recipe

Storage Directions

Place any leftover Taco Rice in an airtight container and into the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

To Reheat, microwave until heated through.

To Freeze, place in a freezer safe, airtight container. Taco Rice will stay fresh for up to a month. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

More Delicious Recipes a Try…

• Taquitos
• Chicken Flautas
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Mexican Street Corn
• Chicken Fajitas

Enjoy this tasty dinner! It’ll be a great addition to your meals this week. Have a great day, friends!

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Taco Rice

With just a handful of every day ingredients, you can have dinner on the table lickety split. Taco Rice is ground beef, rice, tomato soup, seasoning and cheese made all in one skillet. Serve with tortilla chips, tomato and lettuce for a well rounded meal.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword taco rice

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 med onion diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 cup rice uncooked
• 2 cups chicken broth or water
• 1 can condensed tomato soup (or substitute salsa)
• 1 cup cheese grated, any (sharp cheddar, mexican blend, etc.)

optional toppings

• lettuce shredded
• tortilla chips
• tomato diced
• sour cream
• green onion diced
• guacamole

Instructions

• Brown onion and ground beef together in a skillet.
• Add garlic and saute a few more minutes.
• Stir in taco seasoning, rice, broth (or water), and tomato soup.
• Place lid on skillet and simmer on low until rice is cooked through (follow your package instructions)…about 15 minutes.
• Add cheese and give everything one last stir.
• Serve over a bed of lettuce, with tortilla chips and/or your choice of optional toppings listed above.

The post Taco Rice appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Beef Stew Basics

This beef stew is amazing. It’s stellar on its own {cough cough; super tender meat, gravy aka liquid gold and sweet carrots & peas} but totally life changing with mashed potatoes. Who doesn’t love a creamy spud? Honestly. Give it a try!

How to Make Beef Stew

For full recipe details, including an ingredients list and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is what you can expect when making this Beef Stew recipe.

Brown Stew Meat

Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. In a large pot or deep skillet, brown stew meat in olive oil until browned on all sides.

Add Onions, Carrots, Garlic + Spices

Add in onions, carrots, garlic, and spices, including Bay Leaf. Cook another 5 minutes or so.

Deglaze pan with beef broth. Cover and simmer 2-4 hours or until meat is very tender.

Thicken Stew + Serve

Once meat is tender and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, remove bay leaf.

In a small bowl, stir softened butter and flour together until smooth and incorporated. Add butter mixture into the stew with the frozen peas. Stir to combine. Once the gravy thickens slightly, it’s done. Serve hot and over mashed potatoes (optional).

Consider Mashed Potatoes

While this is completely optional, adding a heaping scoop of stew poured over mashed potatoes is amazing! Make sure your mashed potatoes are extra creamy, buttery and tangy! Find out my secret ingredient here.

Storing Leftovers

Allow stew to cool completely. Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge. Beef Stew will be good for 4-5 days.

To Freeze: Place stew in a freezer safe container, or freezer ziploc bags. Using quart size bags would allow you to freeze single size serving portions to heat up for lunch!

Love Hearty Soups? Give These Recipes a Try!

• Easy Taco Soup
• Hamburger Soup
• The Best Chili Recipe
• Vegetable Beef Soup

I hope you love this classic dinner beef stew! It feeds a small crowd and is so comforting. The printable recipe card is below. Be sure to save, print, bookmark and share this recipe to keep it handy! Have a great week, friends!

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Beef Stew Recipe

This Beef Stew is a classic dinner that is essential in the cooler months! Warm, comforting, super tasty and perfect for dinner. Tender beef simmered in beef broth with red potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic and warm spices, cooked on the stovetop.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Beef Stew, Beef Stew Recipe, How to Make Beef Stew, Stew Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Servings 4 servings

Calories 341kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb. stew meat
• 4 large carrots peeled & chopped
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 large bay leaf or 2 small
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/3 cup frozen peas
• mashed potatoes

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Season beef with salt & pepper. In a large pot or deep skillet, brown stew meat in olive oil until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Pour in onions, carrots, garlic, and spices. Cook another 5 minutes. Deglaze pan with beef broth. Cover and simmer 2-4 hours or until meat is very tender.
• When you are ready to serve, remove bay leaf. In a small bowl, stir softened butter and flour together until smooth and incorporated. Stir butter mixture into the stew with the frozen peas. Once the gravy thickens slightly, it’s done. Serve hot over mashed potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 604mg | Potassium: 716mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 10460IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3.1mg

The post Beef Stew Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Best Rolls for Sliders

The best rolls for sliders that I have found is Sweet Hawaiian Rolls. You can find these in 12 or 24 ct packages at most groceries stores. For this recipe (unless you’re doubling the recipe) you’ll need a 12 ct package. These particular rolls make making sliders super easy. Keeping the rolls together, I like to run my knife through the entire tray of rolls, and peel back the top like opening a book. You can also use dinner rolls.

Best Ground Beef for Sliders

I like to stick with a leaner ground beef (90/10) or (97/3) fat content. You can use what you have on hand of course. Ultimately, you’ll be draining the fat and liquid before adding to the rolls anyway.

How to Make Cheeseburger Sliders

Start to finish, you’ll be sitting down to eat these in under 30 minutes! For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is what you can expect while making the Cheeseburger Sliders.

Preheat Oven, Prep Baking Sheet + Slice Rolls

Preheat the oven to broil (low). Line a baking sheet with foil. Place Hawaiian sweet rolls onto foil and slice entire slab of rolls across lengthwise. Open like a book and set aside.

Brown Ground Beef

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Once it’s mostly browned, stir in green onion, garlic powder, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until completely browned. Drain most of the grease. Spoon ground beef overtop the bottom half of the rolls and spread evenly. Top with cheese and place under the broiler on low until the cheese is just melted. Remove from oven. Turn broiler off.

Cook the Bacon

Cook bacon until crispy and cut into smaller pieces to fit on each slider. Add bacon pieces on top of melted cheese and add the tops of the rolls.

Return to warm oven and keep warm until ready to serve. (You just want to warm the tops of the rolls a touch, about 3 minutes.

Serve Warm

Remove from oven and serve with any desired toppings.

Helpful Cheeseburger Slider Tips

• To make this recipe go REAL quick, use precooked bacon that you just have to crisp up in the microwave. It’s just SO easy and it tastes good too! Of course, you can cook your own on the stove, oven or airfryer. If you do choose to cook your own bacon instead of using precooked, look for the thick cut pepper bacon. That stuff is what dreams are made of.

• You can definitely form the ground beef into patties and cook them individually for each slider to make a prettier presentation. Just cover the ground beef mixture in a ton of cheese so it all stays put on the roll.

Storing Leftover Sliders

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Beyond this time, the bread either dries out or becomes soggy.

Other recipes you might like:

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Cheddar Sliders

Tuna Lemon Pepper Sliders

Sweet Potato Pulled Pork Sliders

Homemade Mini Hamburger Buns

The Best Burger Recipe

Add these to your menu this week! You’ll be glad you did. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends!

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Cheeseburger Sliders

Cheeseburger Sliders are a yummy and lightning quick dinner that everyone (and I mean everyone!) will love!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 12 sliders

Calories 308kcal

Ingredients

• 12 ct Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
• 1 lb ground beef 97/3
• 2 green onions finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire
• salt & pepper to taste
• 8 oz cheddar cheese slices or grated
• 6 thin slices bacon

any desired toppings:

• lettuce
• tomato
• pickle
• ketchup
• mustard etc.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Line a baking sheet with foil. Place Hawaiian sweet rolls onto foil and slice entire slab of rolls across lengthwise. Open like a book and set aside.
• In a large skillet, brown ground beef completely. Once it’s mostly browned, stir in green onion, garlic powder, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until completely browned. Pour overtop the bottom half of the rolls and spread evenly. Top with cheese and place under the broiler on low until the cheese is just melted. Remove from oven. Turn broiler off.
• Cook bacon to crisp up and cut into smaller pieces to fit on each slider. Add bacon pieces on top of melted cheese and add the tops of the rolls. Return to warm oven and keep warm until ready to serve. (You just want to warm the tops of the rolls a touch, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from oven and serve with any desired toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 153mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 210IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Cheeseburger Sliders appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Perfect for Summer Grilling

Man, do I love a good burger and this Blue Cheese Burger (or Bleu Cheese if you’re faaaaancy) will not disappoint! Or this could be called a Blue Cheese BACON Burger if you add bacon, like me. Sometimes you just gotta give into those cravings. Speaking of bacon, have you tried cooking it in the oven? It’s one of my most loved methods for bacon. You can see How to Cook Bacon in the Oven here.

Get Juicy Burgers Every Time

Here are a few rules I like to live by in order to get and keep a juicy burger.

• Start with good quality meat! This sort of seems like a “duh” tip, but it makes such a difference! For best results, use 1 pound of grass-fed 80/20 ground chuck. The fat content will add not only moisture, but great flavor as well. 
• Add minimal salt to your meat mixture, and then salt burgers right before they come off the grill. Salt draws out moisture, so if you salt the meat ahead of time, it will work against you!
• Form even, wide patties for quick and even cooking versus smaller, thicker patties.
• While grilling, don’t press on or try to flatten your burger. This is the exact reason why thermometers were invented! You are getting rid of all that moisture every time you press on your burgers!  Yes, it helps you see if your burger has clear juices running through it, but it also defeats the purpose of maintaining the moisture in the meat. This digital thermometer would be good to have.
• Preheat your grill to moderate heat. You don’t want your grill blazing away over the high heat. ROOKIE MISTAKE! The outside will be nearly black by the time the inside is even close to being cooked. Keep your heat even and on medium.
• Use Residual Heat. Cook burgers on the one side, flip, then cook briefly on the other. Turn the grill off and let them finish cooking in the residual heat with the lid closed. It seems a little odd, but it helps keep things extra moist and that’s the whole point of this list.

Common Burger Toppings to Consider

When it comes to toppings on a good burger, the sky is the limit. I prefer the usual lettuce, tomato, mayo. This burger recipe calls for BBQ sauce in the meat mixture! Yum! Here are some other topping ideas you might try.

• Grilled Mushrooms
• Caramelized Onions
• Pickles
• Fries
• Onion rings
• Jalapeños

A Note About Buns

There are a ton of different hamburger buns out there. I opted for a potato bread buns, which are soft and full of flavor. Consider toasting it for a slight crunch too! If you have a favorite bun that you already use, feel free to use that instead.

How To Make Blue Cheese Burgers

This Blue Cheese Burger is really easy to whip up. It was probably 20 minutes from start to finish. Cook the bacon, cook the burgers and then put everything together. And, let me tell you that burgers are so delicious when made with BBQ sauce. Perfect for summer barbecues. You’ll find the full printable recipe card down below.

Cook Bacon

In a large skillet, cook bacon to personal preference. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off excess bacon grease leaving 1 tablespoon. If you want to try cooking the bacon in the oven, I highly recommend it!

Mix Ground Chuck + Onion + BBQ Sauce

In a large bowl, mix ground chuck ( I used 80/20, but use what you prefer or can find), minced onion, BBQ sauce, salt, and pepper until well combined. Divide into 6 equal patties that are 1/2 inch thick.

Turn skillet up to medium-high heat.

Cook or Grill Burgers

Cook burgers for 3 minutes then flip and top with blue cheese crumbles. Cover and cook for 2 more minutes or until the burgers have reached 160 degrees F.

If you’re grilling these burgers, see the section below about grilling the perfect burgers. You’ll never grill differently ever again!

Assemble Burgers + Serve

To assemble, spread mayonnaise on one half of the bun, and top with lettuce, cooked burger, and bacon.

How to Grill the Best Grilled Burgers

Once you try grilling burgers this way, you’ll never go back to your old ways. Promise.

Preheat Grill

Place each burger onto the preheated grill. Cook 3 minutes per side.

Add Cheese

Add blue cheese crumbles to each patty, cover, and cook 1 minute.

Turn off Grill + Continue to Cook

Turn grill off and then continue cooking another 3 minutes or until burgers register 160 degrees F.

What Should I Serve with Blue Cheese Burgers?

Here are a few ideas to serve as a side dish with Blue Cheese Burgers:

• Air Fryer French Fries – have you jumped on the air fryer band wagon yet? Amazing fries every time!
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries – get crispy, perfect sweet potato fries every time!
• My Grandma’s Potato Salad – cold potato salad tastes so much better on a hot day.
• Caesar Salad – a cool, crisp salad is always welcome.
• Macaroni Salad – classic side dish welcome at any summer BBQ.

Storing Leftover Blue Cheese Burgers

Cooked hamburger tends to last in the fridge for 4-5 days before it dries out. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. I’d suggest assembling these blue cheese burgers when you are ready to serve!

More Burger Recipes to Try!

• The Best Homemade Burger Recipe
• Green Chile Cheeseburger
• Greek Burgers
• Onion Ring Burgers
• Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders

I hope you love these and make them this weekend! Make these at your next get-together with friends! The printable recipe card is below. Enjoy, friends!

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Blue Cheese Burger

This classic Bacon Blue Cheese Burger recipe can be made, start to finish, in about 20 minutes! Perfect for summer barbecuing.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword blue cheese burger

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 6 Burgers

Calories 459kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chuck 80/20
• 1/4 cup onion finely minced
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• salt + pepper
• 6 slices bacon
• 1/4-1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• lettuce
• tomato
• mayonnaise
• 6 whole wheat rolls

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In large skillet, cook bacon to personal preference. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off excess bacon grease leaving 1 tablespoon.
• In large bowl, mix ground chuck, onion, BBQ sauce, salt and pepper until well combined. Divide into 6 equal patties that are 1/2 inch thick. Turn skillet up to medium high heat.
• Cook burgers 3 minutes then flip and top with blue cheese crumbles. Cover and cook 2 more minutes.
• To assemble, cut rolls in half, spread mayonnaise on one half of the bun and top with lettuce, cooked burger and bacon. Party in your mouth.

Nutrition

Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 855mg | Potassium: 372mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 103IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Blue Cheese Burger Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

What Makes the Best Burger?

A good hamburger recipe is made up of a couple of different sections that all work beautifully together. One doesn’t overwhelm the other and you get a perfectly juicy and balanced burger. For the Best Grilled Burger, I’m going to break down each of these sections so you can have summer grilling success!

Looking for a healthier burger? Check out my turkey burger recipes: The Best Turkey Burger Recipe, Cheddar Ranch Turkey Burgers, Southwest Turkey Burgers, and Greek Turkey Burgers.

How to Make Burger Patties

These homemade burgers will make you never want summer to end! For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card down below.

Make Ground Beef Mixture

In a large bowl, mix together Ground Chuck or Ground Beef, Gourmet Burger Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and BBQ sauce together until well combined. Do not over mix.

Form Hamburger Patties

Line a 4-inch wide lid with plastic wrap. Add a few spoonfuls of ground beef mixture to the lid and fold the plastic wrap over the top to press and mold the burger patty. Unwrap from plastic wrap and place onto a plate or platter. Continue this process until you have created 8 patties, about 1/4 pound each, 1/3-1/2 inch thick, 4 inches across.

Refrigerate Until Ready to Grill

Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. (This will help the burgers keep their shape on the grill.)

Get Juicy Burgers Every Time

Here are a few rules I like to live by in order to get and keep a juicy burger.

• Start with good quality meat! This sort of seems like a “duh” tip, but it makes such a difference! For best results, use 2 pounds of of grass-fed 80/20 ground chuck. The fat content will add not only moisture, but great flavor as well.
• Add minimal salt to your hamburger mixture, and then salt burgers right before they come off the grill. Salt draws out moisture, so if you salt the meat ahead of time, it will work against you!
• Form even, wide patties for quick and even cooking versus smaller, thicker patties.
• While grilling, don’t push or press on your burger. This is the exact reason why thermometers were invented! You are getting rid of all that moisture every time you push on your burgers!  Yes, it helps you see if your burger has clear juices running through it, but it also defeats the purpose of maintaining the moisture in the meat. This digital thermometer would be good to have.
• Preheat your grill to moderate heat. You don’t want your grill blazing away over the high heat. ROOKIE MISTAKE! The outside will be nearly black by the time the inside is even close to being cooked. Keep your heat even and on medium.
• Use Residual Heat. Cook burgers on the one side, flip, then cook briefly on the other, turn the grill off and let them finish cooking in the residual heat with the lid closed. It seems a little odd, but it helps keep things extra moist and that’s the whole point of this list.
• A Lighter Recipe. To lighten up the recipe, make your burger with only one lean beef patty.

How to Grill the Best Grilled Burgers

Once you try grilling burgers this way, you’ll never go back to your old ways. Promise.

Preheat Grill + Bring Burgers From the Fridge

Place each burger onto the preheated grill. Cook 3 minutes per side.

Add Cheese to Each Burger

Add cheddar cheese slices to each patty, cover, and cook 1 minute.

Turn Off Grill + Continue to Cook

Turn grill off and then continue cooking another 3 minutes or until burgers register 160 degrees F.

My Secret Sauce

While the burgers are resting, make up the secret sauce! Whisk mayonnaise together with ketchup, pickles, pickle juice, ground pepper, and garlic powder. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Prep Toppings

After making the secret sauce, don’t forget to prep your burger toppings while the burgers are resting. Slice tomatoes, wash and tear lettuce, slice the onion, etc.

Other Common Burger Toppings to Consider

Now this is totally up to you because it’s your dinner! Some of my favorite toppings are lettuce, tomato, and red onions.

• Mustard
• Mayonaise
• Mushrooms
• Caramelized Onions
• Bacon
• Pickles
• Fries

A Note About Buns

There are a ton of different hamburger buns out there. I opted for a potato bread buns, which are soft and full of flavor. Consider toasting it for a slight crunch too! If you have a favorite bun that you already use, feel free to use that instead.

Assemble Your Burger

To assemble your burger, take a bun and add plenty of secret sauce and lettuce. Then stack two burgers together and place them on top of lettuce. Now pile on any other desired toppings and close it off with the top of the hamburger bun. Enjoy!

Side Dishes to Have with this Burger Recipe

Now that you have the perfect summer burger you’re going to need some side dishes. Don’t worry…I got you covered with these easy ideas.

• Garlic Fries Recipe – this recipe takes very little prep and can be done in 25 minutes or less!
• Grandma’s Best Potato Salad Recipe – cold potato salad tastes so much better on a hot day.
• Amazing Pico de Gallo Recipe – serve alongside chips.
• High Protein Ranch Dip & Dressing – break out the veggies with this delicious ranch dip!
• Classic Coleslaw Recipe with Homemade Coleslaw Dressing – the perfect coleslaw to go with your main course.
• Cucumber Salad Recipe – so refreshing!

Storing Leftover Burgers

Store leftover burgers in the fridge, in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freezing Directions: Grilled hamburgers freeze well, while maintaining their flavor for up to 4 months! Allow burgers to cool completely. Wrap each burger individually in foil, and then place in a sealed freezer safe bag.

More Burger Recipes to Try!

• Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders
• Blue Cheese Bacon Burgers
• Onion Ring Topped BBQ Bacon Burger
• Chicken Parm Garlic Bread Burgers
• Green Chile Cheeseburgers

This burger recipe is quite straightforward, so the photos should help send you down the right path! Plus, this recipe can be dressed up or dressed down for all your burger needs. Just be sure to print the recipe so you have it on hand

The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends!

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The Best Burger Recipe

The Best Burger Recipe is grilled, juicy, and slathered in secret sauce. These homemade burgers will make you never want summer to end!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword best burger recipe, burger recipe, homemade burgers

Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 923kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

for the burgers-

• 2 lbs. 80/20 Ground Chuck or Ground Beef of choice
• 2 tablespoons Gourmet Burger Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce

for the secret sauce-

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup dill pickles finely diced
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 8 slices cheddar cheese
• 4 potato hamburger buns
• lettuce
• tomato
• red onion etc.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix Ground Beef, burger seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and BBQ sauce together until well combined.
  
• Line a 4-inch wide lid with plastic wrap. Add a few spoonfuls of hamburger mixture to the lid and fold plastic wrap over the top to press and mold the burger patty. Unwrap from plastic wrap and place onto a plate or platter. Continue this process until you have created 8 patties, about 1/4 pound each, 1/3-1/2 inch thick, 4 inches across.
  
• Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. (This will help the burgers keep their shape on the grill)
  
• While burgers are resting, make the secret sauce: stir mayonnaise together with ketchup, pickles, pickle juice, ground pepper, and garlic powder. Place in refrigerator.
  
• Also, prep your burger toppings: slice tomatoes, wash and tear lettuce, slice the onion, etc.
  
• To grill, place each burger onto preheated grill. Cook 3 minutes on one side and then flip. Add cheddar cheese slices on each patty, cover and cook 1 minute. Turn grill off and then continue cooking another 3 minutes or until burgers register 160 degrees F.
  
• Stack two burgers* together and place onto hamburger buns. Add plenty of secret sauce and any other desired toppings. Enjoy!
  

Notes

*To lighten up the recipe, make with only one lean beef patty.

Nutrition

Calories: 923kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 211mg | Sodium: 1387mg | Potassium: 1067mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 905IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 586mg | Iron: 10.3mg

The post The Best Burger Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

What is Sous Vide Steak?

Have you ever heard the term Sous Vide and not fully understood what the heck that meant? Sous Vide is a french term that means ‘under water’. So when I say we will cook this steak “sous vide” I mean, we will cook it in water using a sous vide machine which will hold the water at the same temperature for an extended period of time, cooking the steak your preferred temperature without overcooking. While I get that may seem gross or weird, I assure you its a fantastic way to get steak perfectly cooked every single time.

Using a Sous Vide Machine

I found my Sous Vide Machine off of Amazon for a reasonable price. I have the Anova Culinary Sous Vide Nano and it works extremely well. I also got some vacuum sealed bags for the steak which removes the air, preventing it from floating. You want the steak fully immersed in the water to have it cook evenly. Zip top bags with all the air removed manually also can work, as long as you have something heavy holding the steak down in the water.

Main Ingredients Needed

Just like you would cook a steak on the grill with a lot of the same ingredients, this is very similar! I love flavoring my steak with garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. The slower cook time keeps the meat moist and ensures it won’t over cook, letting the flavorings work their way into the meat.

• Steak (see notes below)
• Salt, Pepper
• Fresh Herbs (thyme and rosemary are always classic choices)
• Garlic

Best Steak for Cooking Sous Vide

Depending on the occasion and price you are willing to spend, here are some great cuts that will work beautifully in the sous vide machine. A good rule of thumb is if it’s good to grill, it would be great to cook sous vide.

• Filet Mignon – pricey but extremely tender
• Ribeye – easy to find, great flavor
• NY Strip – more affordable, middle of the road great steak
• T-Bone – best of both worlds! Gives you Filet Mignon and NY Strip Steak
• Sirloin – cheapest option on this list, also not as tender as the others listed

How to Sous Vide Steak

You know how when you cook something low and slow, it becomes more and more tender? That’s sort of the idea with this. If you keep it cooking steadily at a temperature that will get it to be medium rare, it will stay medium rare for hours. It’s a great make ahead option.

Bring Water to Temperature using the Sous Vide Machine

Fill large container or pot with water. Add sous vide machine and set to desired temperature. It will take some time for the water to come up to temperature, depending on how efficient your machine is.

Season Steak

Remove steak from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 30-45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then rub with fresh herbs and chopped garlic. Place meat into plastic bags and vacuum seal. Alternately, place in gallon-size ziploc bags, remove all the air and seal.

Cook Steak Sous Vide

Add steak to the preheated water and cook according to the times and temperatures you’d like your steak to cook at. Plan for at least an hour.

Cooking Times and Temperatures

These cooking directions are based on a steak that is 1-1 1/2 inches thick. If your steak is less than 1 inch thick, you can shorten the initial cooking times to 40 minutes to start. Also, please keep in mind that steaks cooked below 130 degrees F should not be cooked longer than 2 1/2 hours for food safety reasons.

• Very rare to rare: 120°F / 49°C to 128°F / 53°C Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum of 2 hours 30 minutes
• Medium-rare:129°F / 54°C to 134°F / 57°C Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum of 4 hours
• Medium: 135°F / 57°C to 144°F / 62°C Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum of 4 hours
• Medium-well: 145°F / 63°C to 155°F / 68°C Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum time of 3 hours 30 minutes
• Well done: 156°F / 69°C and up Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum of 3 hours

Sear Cooked Steak

Once your steak has cooked as long as you’d like, remove it from the water and open the bag. It will look brown, questionable and be very juicy. Dab the extra juices off the steak and set aside. While you can totally eat the steak as is right now, we want it to look like a steak so we will sear it off quickly in a hot pan.

Place a cast iron pan over medium high heat until its very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or butter and sear the steaks until browned on both sides. You’re only searing the meat to get color on it since it is already cooked through perfectly to temperature.

Remove from pan, rest 10 minutes, then slice and enjoy!

Can you Sous Vide Frozen Steak?

Yes, you can absolutely cook steak sous vide from frozen. Pull it from the freezer and add it directly to the hot water. Because it’s a frozen piece of meat, add an extra 60 minutes of cook time. Before searing, you may want to add some seasonings for flavorings, but beyond that, the directions stay exactly the same.

What to Serve with Sous Vide Steak?

I have tons of side dishes that you could look through but here are just a couple that go well with Sous Vide Steak:

• Add it to this Steak Salad
• Pear Salad
• Roasted Green Beans
• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Scalloped Potatoes

More Meaty Main Dishes to Try!

• How To Cook Steak On The Stove
• The Best Steak Marinade
• Garlic Steak
• Cast Iron Steak with Bourbon Pepper Cream Sauce

Anyways, I hope you come to love this recipe and come to realize that Sous Vide Cooking is precision cooking at its finest, especially when it comes to steak! Yum!! Have a great day, friends!

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Sous Vide Steak

An easy-to-follow guide on how to Sous Vide Steak! With this method you get perfectly tender steak every time, perfect for a special dinner.

Servings 4 servings

Calories 356kcal

Equipment

• 1 sous vide machine
• 1 vacuum sealed bag

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds steak such as filet mignon, ribeye or NY Strip
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Fill large container or pot with water. Add sous vide machine and set to desired temperature. It will take some time for the water to come up to temperature, depending on how efficient your machine is.
• Remove steak from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 30-45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then rub with fresh herbs and chopped garlic. Place meat into plastic bags and vacuum seal. Alternately, place in gallon-size ziploc bags, remove all the air and seal.
• Add steak to the preheated water and cook according to the times and temperatures you'd like your steak to cook at. Plan for at least an hour. Refer to cooking times and temperatures below.
• Once your steak has cooked as long as you'd like, remove it from the water and open the bag. It will look brown, questionable and be very juicy. Dab the extra juices off the steak and set aside. While you can totally eat the steak as is right now, we want it to look like a steak so we will sear it off quickly in a hot pan.
• Place a cast iron pan over medium high heat until its very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and sear the steaks until browned on either side. You're only searing the meat to get color on it since it is already cooked through perfectly to temperature.

  Remove from pan, rest 10 minutes, then slice and enjoy!

Notes

• Medium-rare:129°F / 54°C to 134°F / 57°C Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum of 4 hours
• Medium 135°F / 57°C to 144°F / 62°C Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum of 4 hours
• Medium-well 145°F / 63°C to 155°F / 68°C Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum time of 3 hours 30 minutes
• Well done 156°F / 69°C and up Cook for a minimum of 1 hour; for a maximum of 3 hours

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Sous Vide Steak appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

A Few Notes About the Ingredients I Used

Easy, fast, and delicious with a capital D! Cheesy southwest goodness on your fork. Yes, please! You can totally tweak this recipe to your liking. Here is what I prefer to use:

• Ground Beef – I used 80/20. If you’d like to make this recipe even healthier, opt for ground turkey instead of ground beef!
• Taco Seasoning – either use store-bought or use homemade taco seasoning.
• Southwest Salsa – use whatever brand you like best. Also if you like things spicy, get a spicier salsa! Don’t be afraid to change this pasta recipe to your liking.
• Pasta – I used a corkscrew pasta but feel free to use what you have on hand (pasta, bowtie, macaroni). I wouldn’t recommend spaghetti or fettucini noodles though!
• Cheddar Cheese – freshly grate your cheese for best results! Feel free to use less or more cheese as well!
• Cream – this can be whole milk, heavy cream, or half & half.

How to Make Taco Pasta

Cheesy Taco Pasta is incredibly easy to make which only adds to its charm! Simply cook your pasta and while the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce! Once the pasta is finished, throw together the sauce and top with cheese and cream. SO GOOD! For full details see the recipe card below.

Cook Pasta

Bring water to a boil then cook the pasta until al dente (look at the packaging for cook times).

Make the Meat Sauce

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet cook ground beef. Once cooked, drain the meat in a colander and run under hot water to get rid of extra fat. Replace the beef into the wiped out pan with taco seasoning, salsa, and water. Simmer until the pasta is done.

Drain Pasta + Combine with Sauce

Drain pasta and add to the ground beef mixture. Toss to coat, then top with cheese, cream, salt, and pepper. Stir to melt cheese, then serve immediately.

Topping Ideas

Here are a couple of great ideas to top your taco pasta with (totally optional):

• sour cream
• sliced avocado
• diced tomatoes
• cilantro
• tortilla strip chips
• sliced jalapenos

Leftovers + Storage

Any leftovers you have can be enjoyed for up to 5 days! Be sure to store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Can I freeze Cheesy Taco Pasta?

Yes! Not only is this meal delicious and kid-friendly, but it also freezes like a dream! Be sure to allow to cool completely to room temperature before placing it in the freezer. Store in an airtight freezer safe container. Taco Pasta will stay fresh in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Love Cheesy Taco Pasta? More Taco Recipes to Try!

Be sure to check out all my other taco recipes. Here are a couple of highlights:

• Easy Taco Casserole
• Easy Taco Soup
• Taco Noodle Casserole
• Taco Sloppy Joes
• Birria Tacos

You all are going to love this Taco Pasta Recipe! Printable recipe card is below. Enjoy, friends!:)

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Cheesy Taco Pasta

This Cheesy Taco Pasta is a delicious step up from boxed dinners, using 7 basic ingredients try this easy dinner out tonight!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Southwestern

Keyword taco pasta

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 822kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef I used 80/20
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 1/2 cups southwest salsa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 lb pasta I used rotini
• 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
• 1/4 cup cream
• salt & pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Bring water to boil to cook the pasta. Salt it and cook pasta until al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, cook ground beef, breaking apart as you go. Once thoroughly cooked, drain meat and run under hot water to remove any fat. Wipe out pan with paper towel and place back on heat. Pour cooked beef into hot pan with taco seasoning, salsa and water. Simmer until pasta is finished cooking.
• Once pasta is cooked, drain well and pour into skillet. Top with cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Stir until cheese melts and noodles are coated in sauce. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 822kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 1830mg | Potassium: 777mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2075IU | Vitamin C: 5.8mg | Calcium: 479mg | Iron: 4.3mg

The post Cheesy Taco Pasta appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Birria Tacos: An Overview

Like I mentioned above, Birria Tacos are based off of Birria, a mexican stew, that is slow cooked in a flavorful savory and slightly spicy sauce. While you can enjoy this recipe just as a stew, I like to take it to the next level and turn it into tacos by frying corn tortillas in a pan with Oaxaca cheese and the birria beef. Top it with some white onion and cilantro, then dip away in the cooking liquid it braised in. Truly heaven in a tortilla.

Traditional Birria vs. Birria Tacos

Birria is a slow cooked stew, traditionally made with goat. While this recipe certainly would work by substituting out the beef for the goat, it is harder to find and will certainly have a different flavor. Most of the recipes online call for beef chuck roast and sometimes short ribs (to help thicken the sauce and add flavor). Feel free to use any combination of these cuts of meat.

Birria Tacos are simply this same meat taken from the stew and fried in corn tortillas and turned into tacos. It’s a slightly crispy exterior with a creamy and flavorful filling. Topped with the much needed freshness of the onion and cilantro, it’s the perfect balance between salty, spicy and flavorful.

Birria Tacos: Flavor Packed, Slow Cooked

There is a reason this recipe is super popular on TikTok and Instagram….it’s a delicious, decadent taco that is flavor-city. Building that flavor takes time and the right ingredients, but it is SO worth it. These Birria Tacos do not disappoint.

Peppers to Use

• Dried Guajillo Peppers – these are sweeter peppers and are added for flavor and not spice. Found in the Mexican food aisles or online. I paid $2.99 for a bag. If you can’t find Guajillo peppers, try dried ancho chiles. But be warned anchos do have a little more heat that the Guajillos.
• Dried Chiles de Arbol – these are added for flavor, but mainly for heat. A little goes a long way! These are about 6 times spicier than jalapeños. I marked these as optional on the recipe card. I did not use these the first time I made this because I was feeding it to my children and they don’t handle spicy foods well.
• Jalapeños – I love the flavor of cooked jalapeno, plus it adds a little heat to the overall dish. I remove the ribs and seeds for the least amount of heat.

Lots of Spices, But all Important!

The flavor profile of the cooked Birria is layered and complex and that is thanks to all of these spices! They are all fantastic and I used everything for a reason:

• Cinnamon – adds warmth; you won’t taste cinnamon in the finished dish
• Smoked Paprika – love the light smoky flavor this adds
• Cumin – a classic Mexican spice
• Oregano – really common in Mexican cooking…look for Mexican Oregano for bonus points
• Bay Leaves – adds a mild and light undertone. Again, you won’t notice that it’s been added, but it makes a difference.

How to Make Birria Tacos

Slow and steady wins the race…or in this case enjoys the tacos. Here’s how to make Homemade Birria Tacos from scratch:

Toast & Reconstitute Dried Chiles

Cut open dried guajillo chiles and chiles de Arbol (if using; see notes below) using scissors and remove seeds and dried stems. Add to a dry skillet and toast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, careful not burn. Once they start becoming fragrant, add water to cover and bring water to a boil. Once water has boiled, turn off completely and let chiles sit 15-20 minutes. Discard water and reserve reconstituted chiles. This water can be bitter, so I prefer to discard.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown the Meat

In a large dutch oven pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Pat all pieces of meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper. Brown meat in batches, searing a few pieces at a time as to not crowd the pan. Place browned meat onto a plate and continue browning until all meat has been seared.

Make the Sauce

Cut 3/4 of the white onion into large chunks. Finely dice the remaining 1/4 onion and reserve for serving. Crush the garlic. De-seed the jalapeno peppers and chop roughly.

In the same hot pot, reduce heat to medium and add in onion, jalapeno and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and cook 2 minutes to brown slightly and get a little color. Add in cinnamon, smoked paprika, oregano and cumin. Stir and cook another minute. Deglaze pan with beef stock and vinegar. Remove from heat.

Spoon pot contents into a blender. Add in reconstituted peppers and a can of fire roasted tomatoes. Blend until smooth. Taste sauce and add salt if necessary.

Braise Birria

Add browned meat back to the dutch oven and pour sauce overtop. Add bay leaves. Bake covered 3-3.75 hours or until meat is very tender.

Shred the Birria for Tacos

Remove meat from braising liquid and shred using two forks. Remove excess fat and gristle and discard. Meat should be moist, but feel free to add in a little extra cooking liquid.

Spoon off excess fat from the top of the cooking liquid and reserve for frying tacos. Add extra beef stock to thin out sauce, if desired. Set aside and keep warm.

Make Birria Tacos

Place 8″ nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush both sides of corn tortilla with reserved fat. Place tortilla onto hot skillet. Top tortilla with 3-4 tablespoons of shredded oaxaca cheese and warm shredded birria.

Once cheese has melted completely and tortilla is starting to get crispy, fold into a taco and remove from pan. Continue frying tacos.

Serve Birria Tacos with Consommé (cooking liquid)

Top birria tacos with reserved white onion and cilantro. Ladle warm consommé into a bowl and serve tacos on the side with lime wedges. I find that these tacos by themselves are fine, but are so much more delicious with the fresh hit of the onion, cilantro and the squeeze of lime juice. The acid and freshness really goes a long way.

What Cheese To Use for Birria Tacos

I would recommend using a good Mexican melting cheese like Oaxaca or Queso Asadero. Mozzarella or Monterey Jack is a great substitute, but honestly you can use what you have. As long as it melts and is mild in flavor, it should do the trick in these tacos.

Making Birria Ahead

The beauty of this recipe is you can easily make the Birria (stew portion) of this recipe days in advance and then fry up the tacos as you’d like. It will last up to five days in the refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer as long as it’s wrapped well. Reheat meat on the stove or in the microwave and then fry the birria tacos according to the recipe card below.

What to Serve with Birria Tacos

Here are some of my favorite Mexican Sides. While you can fill up completely just on these tacos, having a delicious variety is great!

• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Grilled Corn Salad
• Pico De Gallo
• Homemade Salsa
• Classic Guacamole

Anyways, there you have the crazy-amazing, super popular Birria Tacos! It’s a delicious recipe I hope you will try this week! Be sure to save/bookmark/print/pin/share this recipe. It’s a good one you will want to make again and again. Have a great day, friends!

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Birria Tacos (Tacos di Birria)

These Birria Tacos are a slow braised beef that is cooked then shredded and fried in corn tortillas with cheese.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword birria tacos

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 24 tacos

Calories 340kcal

Equipment

• 1 dutch oven
• 1 8" nonstick skillet

Ingredients

For the Birria

• 3 dried guajillo chiles
• 1-2 dried chiles de Arbol optional; see notes below
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3.5 pounds chuck roast cut into large pieces
• 3 pounds short ribs 4-5 ribs
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 medium white onion
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
• 14.5 oz fire roasted tomatoes
• 2 large bay leaves

For the Tacos

• 24 corn tortillas
• 16 oz oaxaca cheese grated
• chopped cilantro, white onion, lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Toast & Reconstitute Dried Chiles

• Cut open dried guajillo chiles and chiles de Arbol (if using; see notes below) using scissors and remove seeds and dried stems. Add to a dry skillet and toast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Once they start becoming fragrant, add water to cover and bring water to a boil. Once water has boiled, turn off completely and let chiles sit 15-20 minutes. Discard water and reserve reconstituted chiles.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown the Meat

• In a large dutch oven pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Pat all pieces of meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper. Brown meat in batches, searing a few pieces at a time as to not crowd the pan. Place browned meat onto a plate and continue browning until all meat has been seared.

Make the Sauce

• Cut 3/4 of the white onion into large chunks. Finely dice the remaining 1/4 onion and reserve for serving. Crush the garlic. De-seed the jalapeno peppers and chop roughly.
• In the same hot pot, reduce heat to medium and add in onion, jalapeno and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and cook 2 minutes to brown slightly and get a little color. Add in cinnamon, smoked paprika, oregano and cumin. Stir and cook another minute. Deglaze pan with beef stock and vinegar. Remove from heat.
• Spoon pot contents into a blender. Add in reconstituted peppers and can of fire roasted tomatoes. Blend until smooth. Taste sauce and add salt if necessary.

Braise Birria

• Add browned meat back to the dutch oven and pour sauce overtop. Add bay leaves. Bake covered 3-3.75 hours or until meat is very tender.

Shred the Birria for Tacos

• Remove meat from braising liquid and shred using two forks. Remove excess fat and gristle and discard. Meat should be moist, but feel free to add in a little extra cooking liquid.
• Spoon off excess fat from the top of the cooking liquid and reserve for frying tacos. Remove and discard bay leaves. Add extra beef stock to thin out sauce, if desired. Set aside and keep warm.

Make Birria Tacos

• Place 8" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush both sides of corn tortilla with reserved fat. Place tortilla onto hot skillet. Top tortilla with 3-4 tablespoons of shredded oaxaca cheese and warm shredded birria.
• Once cheese has melted completely and tortilla is starting to get crispy, fold into a taco and remove from pan. Continue frying tacos.

Serve Birria Tacos with Jus

• Top birria tacos with reserved white onion, cilantro. Ladle warm cooking liquid into a bowl and serve tacos on the side with lime wedges.

Notes

Dried Chiles de Arbol are very spicy peppers- they run around 15,000-30,000 Scoville Units. This is six times hotter than a jalapeno. I marked them as optional. I did not use them because I was feeding this to children, but feel free to make this as spicy as you’d like.

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 338mg | Potassium: 482mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Birria Tacos appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Taco Soup is one of those recipes where you can adjust and change based on what you have on hand. Don’t have the right kind of beans? No problem. Don’t have ground beef? No big deal. We’ve got lots of options for ya. As long as the seasonings are the same, everything you throw into the soup will taste all the same. (Like how Chili tastes the same no matter what you throw in.)

Ground Beef

If you want to make this meal vegetarian, simply replace ground beef with another can of beans or lentils. You can also replace beef with ground turkey or shredded chicken, if desired.

Zucchini, Squash & Carrots

All these veggies are chopped and included in this taco soup recipe for a healthier meal. They end up tasting like everything else in the soup, so most of the time can go undetected, but if you have picky eaters, feel free to substitute with veggies that your family would like, or omit completely.

Canned Beans

For this Taco Soup Recipe, I used black, garbanzo, and white beans. Any three cans of beans will work! Use what you have. As long as you rinse them well before adding, you should be good to go.

Tomato Sauce

A can of tomato sauce adds that red color plus a light tomato flavor without having chunks of tomatoes in the soup. You can alternately add in a can of petite diced tomatoes. If you do end up using a can of diced tomatoes, the soup won’t end up getting as thick.

Taco Seasoning

Use store-bought or homemade taco seasoning. Yes there’s a lot in this recipe (1/4 cup!) but this recipe makes a big pot so don’t be alarmed. Once packet you buy at the store is about 1/4 cup. If you’re worried about the sodium levels, feel free to start with half this amount.

How to Make Taco Soup

Throwing this taco soup together is a pretty easy chop-and-dump type of recipe! I love this for a quick weeknight dinner! Here are the step-by-step directions. The full printable recipe card is down below.

Cook Ground Beef and Veggies

Preheat large pot over med-high heat. Add onion and ground beef. As the beef browns, break it apart. Stir in chopped onion, zucchini, squash, and carrot and cook until veggies soften slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add Remaining Soup Ingredients

Pour in remaining ingredients, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 35-40 minutes.

Add Toppings and Serve

While the soup is cooking prepare your desired toppings. Scoop into a bowl and top with whatever

Can I Make Taco Soup in the Crockpot?

Yes, you can absolutely make this taco soup recipe in the crockpot! Here’s how to do it: Start by browning the onions and beef on the stove top, then add the mixture to the slow cooker. Add in the remaining veggies, beans and seasonings. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.

Divide between serving bowls and top with any desired toppings.

Topping Ideas

Taco Soup is great for many reasons. One is all the toppings you can load on top! My favorite toppings are:

• lime juice
• Doritos
• salsa
• sour cream
• green onion
• lettuce
• cheese
• tortilla chips
• cilantro
• guacamole
• diced tomatoes
• fresh avocado

What to Serve with Taco Soup

If you’re looking for some side dishes to this taco soup recipe I’ve got a couple of suggestions!

• *BEST* Cornbread
• Mexican Street Corn
• Homemade Bread Bowl
• Cilantro Lime Rice

Leftovers

This Taco Soup makes quite a lot and I 100% crafted it this way because I love having leftovers, especially when it reheats so well and is filled with nutrition like this dinner is. Normally I run out of time/am too busy to eat an actual lunch most days, so I’ve been doubling my dinners so I have something on hand I can microwave quickly for lunch.

Refrigerating. Simply keep your cooled-down soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezing. I recommend dividing any soup you want to freeze so that you can more easily thaw a reasonable amount when the time comes. Thaw in the fridge overnight then warm up on the stovetop or in the crockpot. This method is good for up to 3 months.

More Taco Recipes to Try!

• Taco Casserole
• Dorito Taco Salad
• Taco Sloppy Joes
• Taco Lettuce Wraps
• Taco Pizza Recipe {with Doritos!}
• Skirt Steak Tacos

Anyways, below is the printable recipe card!

Enjoy, friends! Have a great day! xo

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Taco Soup Recipe

This Taco Soup Recipe is healthy, hearty, easy and delicious, it will make you want to give up tacos completely and commit to just soup! It really is that good.

Course Dinner, Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword easy taco soup, taco soup, taco soup recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 299kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 1.25 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 small zucchini diced
• 1 small yellow squash diced
• 1 1/2 cups carrot grated or diced
• 15 oz. beans 3 cans, rinsed (I used black, garbanzo and white)
• 4.5 oz. diced green chiles 1 small can
• 15 oz. tomato sauce 1 can
• 1/4 cup taco seasoning store-bought or homemade
• 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning
• 6-8 cups beef broth or chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn or canned corn
• Desired toppings: cheddar cheese, cilantro, green onion, sour cream, guacamole, tortilla chips, etc..

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat large pot over medium-high heat. Break apart ground beef as it browns. Stir in onion, zucchini, squash, and carrot to soften slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Pour in remaining ingredients, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 35-40 minutes.
• Serve with any desired toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1898mg | Potassium: 839mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5022IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Taco Soup Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

A Note About Meatballs

I used Abruzzese Style Italian Meatballs for this dish. These were new to my grocery store, so I gave them a whirl. SO GOOD! They come packaged raw and can be found in the meat section at your local grocery store. I used two packages of this kind of meatballs. Feel free to use frozen, cooked meatballs, or if you’re up to it, I also have a killer Meatball Recipe you can try.

How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs

I know the ingredient list looks daunting, but don’t worry! I promise this is truly a quick recipe to whip up for a delicious Italian dinner. Here’s the step by step directions to make this Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe. For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card down below.

Bake Meatballs

Bake meatballs according to package directions.

Saute Veggies

In a large pot, saute onions and mushrooms on medium heat in olive oil. After they become tender, stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add in Marinara, Water + Spices

Pour in 2 jars of marinara sauce ( I used the Classico brand Tomato Basil Marinara), water, and spices. Stir and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add in cooked meatballs and cover.

Cook the Spaghetti + Serve

Cook spaghetti to al dente, then toss with sauce and meatballs. Serve hot!

Side Dishes Perfect for Spaghetti and Meatballs

Because you are saving so much time actually making the main dish for dinner, why not prepare some equally easy and delicious side dishes. Here are some of my favorite side dishes to have with this Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe:

• Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
• Caprese Salad
• Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe
• Cheesy Garlic Bread Pull-Apart Rolls

Leftovers

Good news! This Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe is perfect for leftovers! Make sure to cover in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply pop a plate into the microwave and gently nuke it (start with one minute, stir, then continue in 3o second intervals until heated through).

More Recipes to Try!

• Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
• Swedish Meatballs
• Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe
• Skinny Baked Spaghetti

Printable recipe below! Have a great day, friends!

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45 Minute Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe

If you want a comforting meal fast, this Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe is for you! Get that slow-cooked flavor with some store shortcuts.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword how to make spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti and meatballs recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 827kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 24 Abruzzese Style Italian Meatballs {raw}*
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 cup baby bella mushrooms diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 24 oz. marinara sauce** 2 jars
• 14.5 oz. petite diced tomatoes 1 can
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 bay leaves
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 lb. spaghetti
• parmesan cheese to garnish, optional
• parsley to garnish, optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Bake meatballs according to package directions.
• In a large pot, saute onions and mushrooms on medium heat in olive oil. After they become tender, stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Pour in 2 jars of marinara sauce, water, and spices. Stir and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add in cooked meatballs and cover.
• Cook spaghetti to al dente, then toss with sauce and meatballs.

Notes

*I used two packages of this kind of meatballs. They were new to my grocery store so I gave them a whirl. SO GOOD!! Feel free to use frozen, cooked meatballs.

**I used the Classico brand Tomato Basil Marinara.

Nutrition

Calories: 827kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1088mg | Potassium: 1478mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 955IU | Vitamin C: 24.4mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 5.8mg

The post 45 Minute Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.