There’s a place in Los Angeles where you can drink feisty margaritas made by half-rude actor/bartenders, munch on half-bad chips and salsa, and watch awkward Tinder dates buzz around you. It’s happy hour, half-dark at your table, and there is tequila, so… most anything is tolerable.
The bright spot, the salvation from the meh bartenders and awkward dates around you, the comfort supreme: Beef and Pickle Tacos! Crunchy, salty, and cheesy. Simple flavors and textures combine to make everything right in the world. Well.. not everything, but most things. The wonders a pickle can provide.
See: Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich
Here’s what we’ll need for taco dinner, at home, where it’s cozy.
Ground beef: lean is cool.
A big ol’ boiled Russet Potato: help extend the meat with cheap potato starch.
Sharp cheddar cheese: finely shredded
Kosher dill pickles: sliced and snacked on.
Spices: cumin, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, and smokey paprika. It’s like making your own taco seasoning. Extra delicious.
Tequila: a sip for us and for good measure.
While you’re at it… maybe make a full jar of taco seasoning for future taco adventures? Yes: Taco Seasoning + Charred Corn Tacos.
Ground beef is browned until cooked through. Spices are added and the mixture becomes fragrant and flavorful. Good spice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Don’t be shy, we’re adding a potato to the mix that will such up lots of flavor, too.
A boiled potato (skin on and coarsely chopped) is added to the seasoned beef mixture. Stirring the potato into the taco meat will break the potato down perfectly. No need to formally dice it.
The meat mixture is browned and just slightly crisp and now it’s time to fry the corn tortillas! I like to pan-fry my tortillas in a bit of oil. Feel free to char them over an open flame if your prefer a more fresh, less fried taco.
ps. These tacos are really good with a little fry action.
Crisp tortillas and it’s time to assemble.
Ready the pickle slices. Grate some extra cheese. More is more when it comes to these tacos.
These tacos are crispy and spicy, savory and salty. The pickles add just the right amount of salty crunch. Like pickles on a cheeseburger, in a taco, with hot sauce.
I consider this comfort food and I’d like some privacy while I eat waaaay too much.
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Malo’s Beef and Pickle Tacos
Ingredients
- 1lb ground beef
- 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large boiled russet potatoes, peel left on, sliced
- 1 heaping teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 heaping teaspoon dry oregano
- 2 tablespoons paprika (I used smoky paprika)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Corn tortillas
- Canola oil for frying tortillas
- Kosher dill pickle slices
- Finely grated cheddar cheese
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- In a medium saute pan over medium heat, sauté ground beef in olive oil until browned through. Use a spoon or spatula to break the ground beef up as it cooks.
- Add all the dry spices and cook for 3 minutes more making sure that the ground beef is cooked though completely.
- Add the sliced potatoes and toss to combine. Remove from heat and place in a bowl. Clean the saute pan.
- Add a few tablespoons of canola oil to the saute pan and place over medium heat until oil heats through. Fry tortillas until each side is crisp and lightly golden brown. Drain tortillas on a paper towel.
- To serve, spoon beef mixture into fried tortillas. Add a few slices of kosher pickles and grated cheese. Add hot sauce. Fold and enjoy!
36 Responses
This is the best beef pie I have ever had in my life. The only change I made was to use Guinness Stout instead of red wine. I used a home made beef stock and made my own crusts (top and bottom). Your instructions were especially helpful on technique.
Oh wow, those look so good! I’m a huge pickle fan & definitely need to try making these with some Bubbies!
The tortillas in this look amazing. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
For some reason, my abuelita liked to put chopped pickles on her tacos, so that’s how we do it. We also add parmesan cheese because it’s the closest thing to cotija, which wasn’t always available when my abuelita first came here. Now I need a taco.
Thank you good sharing…
Thank you good job.
My mouth watered when I saw thanks
Looks like Taco Tuesday might get and update. Thanks for this one, I am really excited to spice things up.
Ugh yes!!! These look unreal and I am thanking you in advance!
I would never have thought about putting pickles on tacos, but this looks delicious!
Laura
https://laurahager.blogspot.com/
So I’ve had these tacos at Malo and they’re good, but I definitely preferred their other street style offerings. So when I saw this on your blog I thought, looks good, but I dunno–nothing to run home and make. Then I ran home from work today, looked at my fridge, and realized the trifecta of cheese, leftover taco meat and pickles were there–so I thought, what the hell. Don’t know if it’s because I didn’t pay for a plate, if it’s because it took 5 minutes to assemble, if it’s because I was actually kind of craving a cheeseburger and this was the next logical thing, but this was PURE. JOY. (Pun so intended.) My new quick dinner staple for sure…thanks for jogging my memory.
I kinda have a love/hate relationship w Malo’s Chewy Chips
You had me at pickles. Interesting combination! Just simple curiosity makes me want to try this.
would it be sacrilege to add tofu instead of a potato to make the meat go farther? have to watch the carbs for unfun diabetes reasons
lookin’ good. def making this weekend!
Yep, that’s totally Malo. I do miss their potato tacos, but not the attitude.
I made these tonight for my family (a husband and 4 kids 7 -15) and we all agree, they’re addictive!! Thanks for the recipe, we’ll be adding the leftovers to scrambled eggs in the morning :) I did make 2 alterations, I used 1/2 a lb of g.beef and added black beans to make up the difference and I also added a tsp of chili powder to the seasoning. I never would have guessed pickles would be so good in tacos. Mind blown!
Pickles are the best – I’m the only one who eats them at home so I get ALL the pickles.
What a neat combination! Sourness of the pickles to cut through the beef fat, mmmmmm. Sound so easy to make, too!
Juju Sprinkles
https://www.jujusprinkles.com
Sounds like you might be thinking of coming back to Cali?
I love Malo’s beef and pickle tacos! I haven’t been there in way too long. YUM!
This looks great! I love tacos.Yum. I use a potato masher to break up the meat as it’s being sauted. Makes quick work of the potato too. Now if only I could find corn tortillias in Canada.
Not sure what city/province you are in, but I picked up some corn tortillas from Farm Boy last week.
Thanks. I live in Toronto, Ont.If Farm Boy is here I will find it.
I need a plate of these right now. #prego #juiceinsteadoftequila
Is this post for me? I feel like it’s for me. Pickles!! :)
I love pickles in fact I am obsessed. I never thought to add them to tacos. Gotta try this recipe soon!
i am with you. All the way. This looks delicious and fun.
I’m pregnant and so, so with you on this! Is it a hamburger? Is it a taco? It doesnt matter! This will be happening pronto at our house!!!
Wow! What an interesting idea, I never would have thought of putting pickles in my taco!
Please tell me you are referring to the one in Silver Lake because, YES! I lived just down the road and worked even closer to said establishment. These tacos with their spicy crema hot sauce were the definition of divinity. I loved how they were fried up almost like an empanada. Made it so much easier for the drunk and clumsy hipster in all of us to devour.
Their guacamole flight was also pretty amazing.
I miss LA.
My kids and I would love these…thanks for such a great idea!
Joy, how do you think this would be with ground turkey, given that I don’t eat much beef?
It looks very tasty. My mouth watered
These look awesome! And they remind me that I need to get myself over to Los Angeles (for the first time!) for a taco & burrito tour.
Great tip about using potato to make the meat stretch a bit further – hadn’t thought to do that before! x
http://www.ellebloggs.com