Recipe File: Homemade Taco Bowls

Add a twist to your Taco Tuesday with crispy tortilla bowls and a choice of toppings.

Every parent knows that mealtime with kids is all about control. Kids love to have control over what they eat, when they eat it, and how they eat it — which is why I love a good ol’ DIY dinner option. Enter these easy and customizable taco bowls made from large flour tortillas, which are baked instead of fried. (You can use white or whole wheat tortillas, but I recommend flour instead of corn to prevent breakage.) Also make sure to use plenty of olive oil to get your bowl nice and crispy.

Once everything is cooked and it’s go time, set all the fixings on the table and let each family member construct his or her own. I usually put out bowls of shredded cheese, sliced avocado or guacamole, salsa, sour cream, olives, and anything else I may have on hand. It’s a fun dinner because everyone’s bowl looks unique, and the kids are proud because they “made” it.

HOMEMADE TACO BOWLS

Makes 4 bowls

4 large (10-inch) flour tortillas, such as burrito-size Mission brand

Olive oil

½ cup quinoa

½ medium red onion, chopped

1 red or orange pepper, diced

2-4 links chicken sausage, casings removed

1 teaspoon taco seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup corn kernels

Topping options:

Shredded Mexican cheese or queso fresco

2 avocados, sliced

Sliced black olives

Prepared salsa

Sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ F.

2. Line a small (4-inch) square, ovenproof bowl with one of the tortillas and coat the tortilla generously with olive oil. Repeat this step three more times. If you have four bowls, you can prepare everything at the same time.

3. Place in oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. For a less crispy bowl, bake for 10 minutes. For a very crispy bowl, bake for 12-15 minutes.

4. Cook quinoa according to the directions on the packaging.

5. Sauté the onion and pepper together with the chicken sausage until cooked through — about 8 minutes. Season with taco seasoning, salt and pepper.

6. Combine the meat-and-veggie mixture with the cooked quinoa, and then add in the corn kernels.

7. Once taco bowls are out of the oven, place all the fixings (including the quinoa mixture) on the table and let everyone construct their own bowls.

Author
Recent Posts

Judith Rich

Judith Klein Rich has been blogging about food since 2007. Born in Slovakia, her enthusiasm for food experimentation and creation stems from her deeply seated Eastern European roots. Currently writing under the alias of Eaty Pie (eatypie.com), her blog explores dining experiences, meal creation and travel adventures from a kid and a grown-up perspective.