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Spatula Diaries: Five fast tips for keeping taco night interesting


Good or bad, right or wrong, Taco Night has become a thing—an irreversible trend commanding us to serve tacos and trimmings on an appointed night each week. I can totally get behind this trend for its ease, but also for its invitation to get creative within the guardrails. It’s simple to elevate Taco Night with a tiny bit of planning and leave behind the prosaic boxed formula for something memorable and real.

So here are five tips for keeping Taco Night interesting:

Get soft

Soft tacos outmatch hard ones any day. Local brand Hola Nola makes soft tortilla shells that are just right for holding fixings. The perfectly textured corn tortillas are sturdy enough for braised meats while still being pliable, and the flour tortillas make great burritos and quesadillas.

Sweep the market

Way too often, tacos are meat-centric, but why not fill them with a variety of roasted or sauteed vegetables? Check out the Red Stick Farmers Market for inspiration. This time of year, use baked sweet potato planks, roasted florets of broccoli and cauliflower and sautéed fresh mushrooms, winter greens, onions and peppers. Like proteins, vegetables pair well with classic taco toppings, including cheese, avocado, shredded cabbage and fresh salsa.

Lose the packet

You don’t need that seasoning packet. Seriously. Create your own spice blend for sautéed proteins or vegetables using base dry spices like chili powder, garlic salt and cumin. Rather than adding water to the pan to thicken, incorporate homemade beef or chicken stock. Or visit local spice store Red Stick Spice Company, which has great seasoning blends prepared on site that will add new twists to your tacos.

A different kind of cheesy

Take a break from that pre-grated packet of cheese in the grocery store and incorporate cheeses that bring authenticity or intense, diverse flavor profiles. Crumbled cotija cheese is a somewhat hard cheese like Parmesan that’s perfect for grating on tacos. It’s also fun to experiment with unexpected cheese like smoked Gouda, feta or honeyed goat cheese to add a different dimension of flavor.

Gold rush

Beans and rice are a winning accompaniment to tacos of all sorts. Canned beans are easy to jazz up with sautéed onions, tri-colored bell peppers, reconstituted dried peppers and dry spices. Spruce up white rice with the addition of turmeric, which brings a beautiful golden hue and earthiness to the dish while also delivering natural anti-inflammatory properties.


Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey. Reach her at [email protected].