Paleo Recipe: My Favorite Tacos

These tacos are based off of a recipe I found in Bon Appetit several years ago. The magazine version used mashed black beans instead of meat, and everything was piled on a traditional corn tortilla. While the original recipe is certainly tasty, it’s far from Paleo. Here I’ve adapted it using ground beef (grass fed is best) and that Paleo all-star, butter lettuce.

We always keep a container of fresh butter lettuce around because it’s so versatile. Use it as a garnish for a plate of shrimp Waldorf, or make lettuce wraps with chicken a la P.F. Changs, substituting coconut aminos for soy sauce, which is not Paleo. This “Happy Living” lettuce is my favorite because it stays fresh forever, and the leaves are huge and intact–perfect for taco shells.

Paleo TacosServes 2

• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• Your favorite taco seasoning (check for wheat and sugar)
• 1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
• 2 to 3 carrots. shredded
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 tbsp. olive oil
• Juice from one lime
• Salt to taste
• Feta cheese, crumbled
• Your favorite hot sauce (optional)
• Butter lettuce

Cook the ground beef in a skillet with the taco seasoning until fully cooked. If you’re using grass-fed beef or buffalo, you’ll need to keep the heat on medium low to avoid drying out the meat. I love adding a little brown onion and maybe a few whole dried chile peppers to the pan. Toss the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and red onion in the olive oil and lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Next, assemble the tacos by spreading a little bit of meat on a butter lettuce leaf, following by a little of the cabbage slaw, feta, and hot sauce, if using.

With such a tasty taco option, you’ll never miss the tortillas!