I’m sensing a theme here – I can’t seem to NOT make Tex-Mex style dishes as of late. I even thought recently that we were already at Cinco-de-Mayo…turns out it was the other “M” month… March, not May! On a level, I was disappointed somehow…
The silver lining, I sorta added two whole months to my year! AND, fortunately, I can make Tex-Mex anytime I want, Cinco-de-Mayo or not. So here is my latest addition….a “baked” taco salad!
Now let’s chat about that sweet potato crust for a second. First of all…yum. I love it when my potatoes get nice and crispy, especially around the edges. You too? Great! Then you’ll love how this crisps up! But in order for that crisp to happen, you absolutely MUST get the excess moisture out of the potatoes. So don’t skip that step.
I know it sounds contrary since we’re just adding oil to them…but trust me. The oil will help them crisp up, and the tapioca flour it’s mixed with will help them form more of a crust.
Now a word about the avocado lime sauce. It’s probably one of my favorite sauces, and this recipe will make you enough to have some leftover. It keeps rather well for up to two days refrigerated in a sealed container; it will still taste great after 2 days but the color may begin turning a bit due to avocado base. So just a head’s up, use it quickly…great opportunity for more Tex-Mex!
Happy cooking, friends! – This recipe was created by Amanda Runnels (from Unrefined Junkie) for A Squirrel in the Kitchen.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Wash your sweet potato, then use a grater to shred.
- Use a cheesecloth or paper towels to remove excess moisture from the sweet potatoes…do not skip this part! When done, place the sweet potato shreds into a mixing bowl.
- Melt the coconut oil and whisk the tapioca flour into it. Pour it over the shredded sweet potatoes, add ¼ teaspoon of salt and combine thoroughly.
- Lightly grease your sheet pan with coconut oil. Place the sweet potato shreds onto the sheet pan and use your fingers to “press” them together while flattening them into a crust. Place the pan in the oven and set a timer for 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, look for any separation in the sweet potatoes. Carefully use your fingers to “smash” them back together; this will also let you uncover any potatoes that need to crisp.
- While the potatoes are cooking, combine the ground beef with 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon sea salt (you may choose to add a bit more).
- Place the beef in a cast iron skillet and bring to medium heat. When the beef has begun to produce juices in the pan, add ¼ of the diced onion. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the beef has browned and the onions are soft, approximately 15 minutes. Remove the lid and allow most of the juices in the pan to evaporate.
- Add the bone broth to the beef. Reduce heat, and cook for 5 minutes. This will give the beef that “taco meat” texture that we’re looking for.
- While the potatoes and beef are cooking, prepare the avocado lime sauce by combining in a blender: avocado, remaining diced onion, cilantro, minced garlic, coconut cream, lime juice, water and ½ tablespoon salt.
- OPTIONAL STEP: At the end of cooking your sweet potatoes, turn on the broiler for about 3 minutes to get them extra crispy (this is what I prefer, but is completely optional).
- Remove the potatoes from the oven. Top with the beef and additional toppings plus any other toppings you’d like! When serving, use a spatula to “break” up the crust into portions.
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