Upgrade Your Next Taco Tuesday With Steak Picado

If your taco Tuesday spread solely consists of ground beef tacos, it's time to switch up the offerings. There are many ways to upgrade tacos but steak picado is an easy way to pull it off. Steak picado is a Mexican stir-fry-style dish that's popular in many countries made of steak and vegetables — one reason it works so well for your next taco Tuesday.

Not unlike with fajitas, these tacos pack meat, peppers, and other vegetables all in one bite. Picado's traditional ingredients include peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic — all of which pair quite deliciously on a corn (or flour) tortilla with your go-to taco toppings. Even better, you can cook down the vegetables and steak pieces in one pot for less clean-up. That means it's also easy to make a large quantity to feed a crowd — and you can reserve some of the peppers and onions for those who want a vegetarian option. The steak is cut into small pieces, so the meat is already the ideal size for filling tacos. And to keep it traditional, cook cactus pads, or Nopalitos, to serve alongside the dish to impress the dinner guests.

There are many traditional recipes online for steak picado, but here are some tips to pull it off for your next taco Tuesday. The steak is often tenderloin, top round, or chuck steak — but you can use what's in the fridge or available at the butcher. The key is to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces so it's easy to fill the tacos and the meat doesn't fall out of the tortilla with each bite. Don't forget to use bold spices like cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, or even carne asada seasoning. Use canned tomatoes to make it easier, squirt in lime juice for acidity, or keep up the heat with dried ancho chilis.

Steak picado is delicious, but you'll still want traditional taco toppings to complete the dish. Go with crave-worthy guacamole for creaminess or use diced avocado for a little more texture. Add these sugar-free pickled red onions for some acidic tang to the top of each bite. Your favorite salsa recipe, fresh pico de gallo, your go-to hot sauce, and lime wedges are also great options with these tacos.

Consider Tasting Table's tri-tip steak tacos recipe and replace the tri-tip roast with steak picado. And the honeydew salsa in these grilled shrimp tacos will also complement the rich meat and vegetables in your steak picado tacos. Now, you're really ready to host your upgraded taco Tuesday.