Lone Star Breakfast Taco From 'Tacolicious'

By
Maggie Mariolis
Maggie Mariolis is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Mariolis

Maggie Mariolis is a freelance writer and recipe wrangler. A pastry gal by training, she spent three years at Food & Wine magazine.

Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated March 13, 2019
20140910-tacolicious-lone-star-breakfast-taco-alex-farnum.jpg
Roasted poblano peppers, bacon, and tiny cubes of potatoes cooked with onion in that bacon fat, scrambled up with eggs and just the right amount of cheese. . Alex Farnum

One of the great discoveries of my life, made on an epic family road trip through Texas when I was in the eighth grade, was the breakfast burrito. All the greatest hits from a good Southern breakfast—eggs, sausage or bacon, potatoes, plus cheese and hot sauce or salsa—wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla. We sought one out every morning, not that we ever had to look very far. Truly, most of the rest of the trip is a fog, but those breakfasts are crystal clear. Shows where my priorities have always been.

This breakfast (or lunch, or dinner, or midnight snack) taco from Sara Deseran and Joe Hargrave's new book, Tacolicious, tickles those memories in a wonderful way. It's a spot-on version of the Texan tradition, with strips of roasted poblano peppers, good-sized bites of bacon, and tiny cubes of potatoes cooked with onion in that bacon fat, all scrambled with eggs and just the right amount of cheese. A little cilantro and hot sauce, and I'm 13 again (oh, wait, noooooo....).

Why I picked this recipe: Sentimental and delicious—could I want any more?

What worked: It was my favorite taco of the week, hands down.

What didn't: I wished I had taken the bacon a little further than I did when rendering the fat for the potatoes. The bacon and onions get added back to the pan to finish cooking, but by that point, the pan was too crowded to get even cooking on the bacon. Other than that nitpicking, this taco gets no complaints from me!

Suggested tweaks: The instructions read, "Put the bacon in a ...skillet...and leave to cook for a few minutes, until some of the fat has rendered." I would say to remove the bacon only just before it's completely cooked through.

Reprinted with permission from Tacolicious, by Sara Deseran and Joe Hargrave, copyright © 2014, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC.

Recipe Details

Lone Star Breakfast Taco From 'Tacolicious'

Active 45 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 small poblano chile peppers
  • 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 5 small new potatoes (about 8 ounces total), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 6 eggs, whisked
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • Kosher salt
  • 6 small flour tortillas
  • Chopped fresh cilantro and hot sauce, for serving

Directions

  1. Place the poblano chiles directly over the flame of a gas burner and turn with tongs for about 3 minutes, until charred and blistered all over. Alternatively, place the chiles in a dry, heavy skillet over high heat and turn with tongs for about 3 minutes, until charred and blistered all over. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes. Remove the chiles and gently peel or scrape away the skin. Slice each chile in half lengthwise, remove the stem and seeds, and cut into strips 1 inch long by 1/8 inch wide. Measure out 1/3 cup. Set the rest aside for another day.

  2. Put the bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and leave to cook for a few minutes, until some of the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate. Add the potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until cooked through. Add the onion and return the bacon to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another few minutes, until the bacon is cooked and the onion is soft.

  3. Turn down the heat to low. Add the eggs, chiles, and cheese and stir for a few minutes until the eggs are gently scrambled (taking care not to overcook) and the cheese is melted. Season with salt. Remove from the heat.

  4. One at a time, warm the flour tortillas directly over the low flame of a gas burner for 10 to 15 seconds on each side, until puffed. Alternatively, warm them in a heavy, dry skillet over low heat on both sides for about the same amount of time.

  5. Serve the eggs with the tortillas, cilantro, and hot sauce.

More Serious Eats Recipes