Okay, confession time: Sometimes I miss Taco Bell; specifically, the Double Decker taco. Yes, I know both Taco Bell and said taco still exist, but after going vegetarian so many years ago, I’ve hardly crossed the border since there aren’t many meat-free options. So for those nights that I want that wondrous combination of crunchy and soft, I make the following recipe, subbing a combination of meatless crumbles and chickpeas for the ground beef and leaving everything else pretty much the same. Just be sure and check the tortilla ingredients to make sure they’re not made with lard.
Double-Decker Tacos
Makes 8 tacos
1 lb. meatless ground beef crumbles
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 can chickpeas
1 can vegetarian refried beans
½ cup milk
8 soft taco-size tortillas
8 hard taco shells
1 large tomato, diced
Lettuce, shredded
Shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
Sour cream
Sriracha
• In a lightly oiled medium nonstick skillet, cook the meatless ground beef crumbles until they begin to brown.
• In a large nonstick skillet, prepare the taco seasoning mix according to directions, subbing the meatless crumbles and chickpeas for the ground beef.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the refried beans and the milk. Stir to combine and cook until heated through. If the mixture is ready before the taco filling, cover and turn heat to lowest setting until ready to serve.
• To assemble the tacos, spread about 2 tablespoons of refried beans on a soft taco shell and then wrap the taco shell around one hard taco shell. Place the taco filling inside the hard shell, followed by the tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream and Sriracha (all amounts to taste).
This article appears in April 2013.