Taco Night is a once a week thing over here, but I use the word “taco” loosely and should probably just say “Mexican”. Taco night for us can consist of anything from actual tacos, to quesadillas, to any sort of concoction that involves taco seasoning. Whatever it is, you know it doesn’t take long. We have so many other activities going on after school that dinners are required to come together quickly. Some days those activities may be a screaming, teething baby who will NOT let their mom put them down.
This Mexican Quinoa skillet made dinner & clean up super easy and just like tacos, everyone designed their own plate. I used it for a salad topper, the husband ate a huge portion by itself (and hot sauce), and the kid’s ate the ground beef and quinoa inside tortillas. I took about ½ cup out of each before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. I also served it to the kids a long side watermelon and strawberries to give it a completed meal look.
This meal can easily be customized to your families taste as well: add corn, subtract beans, you get the idea!
A quick dinner choice for taco night that can be used inside tacos, burritos, or on top of salads,but also delicious by itself!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked
- 1 lb organic ground beef
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- Optional toppings: avocado, black olives, hot sauce, sour cream, cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat, until thoroughly cooked.
- Stir in water and taco seasoning.
- Mix in chopped peppers and black beans, and lower temperature to let simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Mix in cooked quinoa until mixed evenly.
- Sprinkle with cilantro & serve.
- Topping options: avocado, black olives, hot sauce, sour cream, cheddar cheese.
