Elevate Taco Night With A Mess-Saving Tortilla Trick

Taco night is a beloved tradition, no matter what tasty taco recipe you choose to whip up. But it is hard to avoid the annoyance of filling spillage. The very nature of a taco invites us to stuff the shell to the brim with juicy meats, fresh herbs, and a medley of toppings. When it overflows, we're faced with the choice of either scaling back our enthusiasm or accepting the messy consequences.

Here's a solution that's as clever as it is simple: Place a soft tortilla on your plate beneath your traditional hard shell taco. This soft tortilla acts as a safety net, catching any fallen fillings during eating. Now, every dropped morsel is not a loss but an addition to a bonus taco waiting to be enjoyed. Load it up with extras or keep it as is; either way, you've got a mess-free path to double the tacos and double the fun. This tactic changes the game for avid taco lovers, allowing the indulgence of a fully stacked taco with none of the cleanup worries.

The tortilla is a perfect catch-all, but why not get creative? Eating your taco over a dish like nachos serves dual purposes — each fallen piece adds another layer of flavor to your nachos, creating a delightful combination of textures and tastes. Rice too can be an excellent base, especially when it's flavored with herbs like cilantro and a zesty twist of lime. Classic Mexican rice is another delicious choice to serve as a landing zone for all that excess taco filling. These pairings don't just catch spills; they create whole new meals!

Oftentimes we overestimate the amount of toppings needed for our tacos. Instead of storing the excess items and forgetting about them in the fridge, mix the leftover toppings into rice or nachos from the start. Better yet, stir toppings such as onion and cilantro into some salsa or queso to create a delicious dip. It's a resourceful way to save on waste and maximize flavor. Late-night cravings? That improvised dip is ready to satisfy. This approach to taco night turns excess into opportunity, ensuring that every bit of your prep ends up on the plate, not in the trash.

The path to a clean and enjoyable taco night begins with a well-set kitchen. Clutter is the enemy of efficiency, so clear your workspace and have every utensil at hand before the first shell is filled. When filling hard shells, it can make sense to utilize taco holders to keep your shells steady as you load them, and don't forget the splatter guard when cooking your meat — it's indispensable for keeping your stove top clean.

Dish buildup is an inevitable part of cooking, but it doesn't have to be a chore. Ensure your dishwasher is empty to accommodate the night's load. A quick soak for pans and utensils makes the aftermath a much easier process. With kitchen mess minimized, the only thing you'll need to worry about on taco night is how to make them even more delicious the next time around. You'll spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying every last morsel of that irresistible taco.