Diablo To Go Recipe

Prep

Finely dice the yellow onion and red bell pepper, mince the garlic, and finely chop the jalapeño (remove seeds if you want less heat). Drain any excess liquid from canned tomatoes if very watery.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil if using very lean meat (optional). Add the ground beef (or turkey) and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until mostly browned, about 5–7 minutes.

Push the meat to one side of the pan, add the diced onion and red bell pepper to the cleared side and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and chopped jalapeño and cook until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds.

Stir the vegetables and meat together. Add the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, to caramelize and deepen flavor.

Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, minced chipotle in adobo, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered 10–12 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt, heat (add more adobo or red pepper flakes), or sweetness as desired. The filling should be saucy but not watery so it will hold in a tortilla or to-go container.

While the filling simmers, whisk together the olive oil, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, and lime juice in a small bowl. Let sit 2–3 minutes to bloom the chili flakes. Taste and adjust acidity or heat. This will be drizzled over the filling for the 'Diablo' kick.

Warm the tortillas for pliability: 15–20 seconds per side in a hot dry skillet or 20 seconds in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel. If packing to-go in bowls, skip this step.

If using tortillas: spoon about 3/4 to 1 cup of the hot Diablo filling down the center of each tortilla. Top each with a 1/4 cup mixture of the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack, a tablespoon of pickled red onions, a few slices of avocado or 2 tablespoons mashed avocado, a drizzle (about 1 teaspoon) of the spicy oil/diable sauce, and a dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of sour cream. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of salt. Fold or roll tightly and place seam-side down in a to-go container or wrap in foil.

If packing to-go bowls: divide the filling evenly among 4 containers (about 1 to 1¼ cups each). Top each with 1/4 cup cheese, pickled red onions, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, and a drizzle (about 1–2 tsp) of spicy oil. Serve lime wedges on the side to be squeezed before eating.

For best results, keep hot filling separate from wet toppings (sour cream, avocado) during transport; pack in separate small containers if needed and assemble just before eating.