Ingredients
- Water
- 2 cups dry pinto beans (about 1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- Optional: 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 2 cups tomato sauce, no salt added
- 24 taco shells, any variety
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1 cup cheese, shredded
Directions
- Add 1 1/2-2 quarts of water to a large pot with a lid. Bring water to boil.
- Wash and sort beans. Add beans to the water and boil for 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the beans stand for 1-4 hours.
- In a large pot, combine drained soaked beans, salt, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 90 minutes.
- Drain the beans. Mash beans and set aside.
- In saucepan or skillet, fry beef with chopped onions and peppers until well done. Drain off any excess fat and set aside.
- Place the mashed beans in a saucepan or skillet. Add chili powder, cumin, and tomato sauce. Cook slowly for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mix in fried beef mixture.
- Fill taco shells with hot filling and bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F. Top with lettuce and cheese.
Tips and variations
- Substitute chicken or ground turkey for the lean ground beef, or black beans for the pinto beans.
- Use canned beans instead of dried beans to reduce cooking time. Use low sodium canned beans, and rinse off the beans before using to remove additional sodium.
- Serve with salsa.
Nutritional info
Calories
414
Total fat
17 g
Saturated fat
6.4 g
Cholesterol
61 mg
Sodium
419 mg
Total carbohydrates
38 g
Dietary fiber
7.5 g
Protein
27 g
Total sugar
3.5 g
Allergens
Dairy
Wheat