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Mexican Street Tacos
Don’t know what to make for dinner? Tacos. You should definitely make tacos. Specifically these, authentic Mexican Street Tacos! Simple yet tasty cubed steak, sweet crispy onions, zesty radish pico and all the toppings, tucked into warm delicious little tortillas. How can you possibly say no to that?
If you haven’t caught on by now, I’m a big fan of all tacos. Birria Taco, fish tacos, tofu tacos, beet tacos, all the tacos. We don’t discriminate here! So naturally, this street taco recipe was a welcomed addition to our taco collection!
Authentic Mexican Street Tacos Recipe
To ensure an authentic street taco recipe, I referred to Zested Lemon’s newest resident expert for Mexican cuisine, JAVIAR!!!! Originally from Mexico City, Javi is my spicy brother from another mother. We met at work several years ago, became friends, went to Brazil and have been besties ever since.
Ok, back to the tacos. When I asked about Mexican street tacos, the very first thing Javi said was, “Well no ground beef. Ground beef is NOT for tacos in Mexico”. For starters there was obviously some strong (and HILARIOUS) opposition to ground beef tacos. Second, I was like come on Javi! How basic do you think I am? Give a girl a little credit, am I right?
Anyway, Javi gave me the lowdown on authentic Mexican street tacos. I stayed true to the ingredients and overall preparation. However, I did venture off track by combining a few things to simplify the recipe as much as possible which I try to do for most Zested Lemon recipes. So, hopefully Javi approves!
Ingredients for Street Tacos
The recipe has a relatively short list of ingredients, all of which are simple and easy to find!
How to Make Street Tacos
Watch this quick 60 second video to see how its done!
What are street taco tortillas?
Street taco tortillas are simply really small tortillas. Generally, they are about four to five inches in diameter. You can easily find them at most stores. They’re usually labeled as street taco tortillas or mini taco tortillas. I love them because I can eat 5-6 street taco tortillas for less calories than one medium sized tortilla.
If you don’t have street taco tortillas, who cares? Use whichever kind of tortillas you have!
Which cut of beef to use in tacos?
I’m going to give a vague answer and then a really specific answer.
Vague Answer – It is up to you. If you want to spend a little money on a higher quality piece of steak, go for it! If you’re looking to save your pennies, buy a budget friendly steak and just be sure to tenderize it at home. Below are a few tenderizing tricks.
- Beat it with a meat mallet. It’s a great stress-relieving activity.
- Soak it in something acidic like lemon juice or vinegar for 30 minutes (no more!). Then rinse and pat dry before seasoning and cooking.
- Rub a bunch of coarse salt into the steak and let it sit for an hour. Then rinse off the salt. Pat dry before seasoning and cooking.
Also, if you already have a steak on hand, just do yourself a solid and use whatever you have.
Specific Answer – This tip came directly from our Mexican Street Taco expert, Javi. Buy sandwich steaks that are already cut thin (no more than 1/2″ thick). This is an AWESOME tip because sandwich steaks make perfectly sized and uniform cubes of steak for steak tacos with very little effort and almost no waste.
What to serve with tacos?
Serve up your street tacos with some Loaded Guac or Wonton Nachos (oh my god one of my favorite recipes!). Then wash it down with a Caipirinha or Frozen Jalapeño Margarita because you deserve it!
Quick Knife Skills
Don’t know how big (or small) to cut the ingredients? Don’t worry. I got your back. See the videos below!
Radish Pico de Gallo Ingredients
Steak Filling Ingredients
Mexican Street Tacos
Ingredients
Radish Pico de Gallo Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced (see note 1)
- 1 cup radishes, quartered and thinly sliced (see note 2)
- 1/4 white onion, minced
- 1 large jalapeño, minced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Steak Filling Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. oil
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 lb. steak, cubed (see note 3)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 dried bay leaves
Tortillas & Optional Toppings:
- 16 street taco tortillas
- Salsa,
- Greek yogurt or sour cream,
- jalapeño slices,
- lime wedges,
Instructions
Radish Pico de Gallo
- In a medium bowl, combine all Radish Pico de Gallo Ingredients (see note 4). Set Aside.
Steak Filling
- Add 1/2 Tbsp. of oil and the roughly chopped onion to a large skillet over medium to medium/high heat. Cook until the onions are slightly golden brown (about 5-7 minutes).
- Then push the onions to the perimeter of the skillet to make room in the middle of the skillet.
- Add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of oil, cubed steak, salt and bay leaves to the skillet. Cook for 4-6 minutes or until the steak cubes have browned. Remove from heat. Remove bay leaves from skillet and discard.
Assemble & Eat
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make them more pliable.
- Load up the tortillas with the steak filling and radish pico de gallo. Finish the tacos with salsa, Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and other toppings. Serve immediately.
And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all, and I stood tall
And did it my way
I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh, no, oh, no, not me
I did it my way
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way
Yes, it was my way
What size of tortilla? There is a real small one now. Would that one be considered as “Street Taco”?