This Taco Hack Sneaks More Veggies Into Your Dinner And Tastes Amazing

Whether you prefer grilled flank steak tacos with stone fruit salsa or plain tortillas with seasoned ground beef, most taco recipes can easily accommodate extra ingredients. If you already love veggie-packed variations like roasted cauliflower tacos with walnuts, roasted peppers, and red cabbage, why not upgrade your favorite meat-based taco filling with more vegetables? Sure enough, there are a number of creative ways to incorporate extra veggies into your next platter of tacos.

When it comes to doctoring your go-to taco filling, start by finely chopping a variety of different options. Combine neutral vegetables like carrots and celery with produce that has more taco-inspired appeal such as bell peppers or poblano peppers. Use a box grater to easily shred carrots, onions, and zucchini. You can also save time by utilizing a food processor to achieve a more uniform consistency throughout your selection.

If you want to only add one veggie that blends in well with your choice of meat, riced cauliflower is a great option since it's small in size and soaks up various herbs and spices with ease. Start by breaking up the meat over medium heat. When you're ready to add in your seasonings, pour in the prepared vegetables and cook everything together until most of the excess moisture in the pan evaporates. Taste before serving and adjust the spices if necessary. Next to upgrading an assortment of meat-based fillings, there are other ways to add more vegetables to your next taco-inspired meal.   

Believe it or not, there are actually more than five tortilla swaps to try on your next Taco Tuesday. Beyond building tacos with nori or thin sheets of seaweed, use hearty greens such as green cabbage or collard greens to replace traditional corn or flour tortillas.

Start by peeling the largest leaves from the bunch and add them to a shallow pan of water. Steam the leaves until they soften slightly. Green cabbage leaves should boil no longer than a few minutes while collard greens may take up to six minutes to steam. Once the cabbage or collage leaves have cooled, you're ready to build a delicious taco platter. While cabbage leaves may work better as taco shells, collard greens are large enough to fold into makeshift burritos.

In addition to giving your taco shells a veggie-inspired twist, you have many options when it comes to adorning your tacos in select toppings. Serve tacos with refreshing five-ingredient pico de gallo or make store-bought salsa 10 times better by adding in more fresh ingredients like chopped tomatoes and extra lime juice.

You can also serve tacos with a variety of hold-and-cold extras. For something warm, roast an assortment of finely chopped veggies like broccoli and sweet potatoes. Then, right before serving, top your plate with a combination of shredded lettuce, raw bell peppers, and pickled onions.