Pitacos – Pita bread tacos with minced beef and beans

No one has ever said no to these delicious 30-minute tacos with pita bread which get filled with spicy minced beef, beans, and some grated cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean, Mexican

Keyword beans, beef, Pita bread, tacos

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 630 kcal

Author The Hungry Bites

For the minced beef:
1 pound (450 grams) minced beef
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1/2 – 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
For the pitacos:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cups frozen corn kernels (place on a colander and rinse very well to thaw)
1 red sweet pepper, chopped
1 green sweet pepper, chopped
1 can red kidney beans
1 large tomato, chopped [or a little less than 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes]
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped scallions or green onions
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 avocados, chopped
14 oz (400 grams) grated cheese (Monterey Jack, Greek gruyere, cotija, manchego, cheddar, feta or mastelo)
10 pita bread
Lemon wedges and extra parsley for serving

Make the spicy minced beef: Heat a large pan or saucepan over high heat and when it’s hot enough add the minced meat and the olive oil. Cook the beef stirring often with a wooden spatula, breaking up any lumps, until it is browned and all the juices have evaporated (about 10 minutes). Add the spices and stir for 1 more minute, then add the wine and cook for another minute until it’s evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a plate.
Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C).
Make the filling: Reduce heat to medium/high and transfer in the same pan the olive oil, the onion, the corn, the red pepper, and the green pepper. Cook until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes) and then add the minced beef, the beans, the parsley, the green onions, and the tomato. Cook for 2 more minutes and turn off the heat. Add half of the grated cheese, the yogurt and the avocado and mix.
Make the pitacos: Divide the filling to the pitas, fold them in the middle and transfer them to a pan so that the one is next to the other, in order to retain their shape. Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese at the top melts.
Eat!

Don't be afraid to brown (caramelize) the meat very well. The dark color means great flavor! Remember that the caramelization will start when all the juices of the meat have evaporated.