Feel like putting that spaghetti in a taco? Image: avlxyz / Flickr / CC-BY-SA
Fans of iCarly have long known of spaghetti tacos. Thanks to a New York Times feature, this kids food item is becoming ever more popular. Though spaghetti tacos were originally a joke, there is a way to make them palatable.
The origin of spaghetti tacos
The Nickelodeon TV series iCarly featured the first major appearance of a spaghetti taco. One of the characters is obsessed with the “Italio-Mexican treat.” It’s layered pasta, tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese in a taco shell. An article published in the New York Times on October 5 launched this kids food into the wider culinary world.
How to make palatable spaghetti tacos
The challenge of spaghetti tacos is that the food started as a joke. Purposefully unappealing, spaghetti tacos can be carb-heavy fusion cuisine. The good news is, though, that spaghetti tacos can be made right. The best part is that rather than paying a “children’s chef” to do it for you, you can save money by doing it yourself.
Balancing the carbs of spaghetti tacos
The biggest challenge of spaghetti tacos is that they are full of carbs that compete with one another. The way spaghetti is traditionally made, the tomato sauce would also soak through the shell, making everything a sloppy mess. The way around this is easy and cheap. Turn the sauce into a salsa, and keep things balanced.
Spaghetti Taco recipe
- 6 – 8 corn taco shells
- 4 – 5 large Roma tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 8 ounces (1/2 package) cooked spaghetti noodles
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
Wrap taco shells in foil and place in a 200 degree oven to warm.
Chop together the tomatoes, basil, oregano and garlic until they reach a salsa-like consistency.
In a large frying pan, melt the butter until bubbly. Saute cooked spaghetti noodles with butter and Parmesan cheese, until warmed through and well-coated. Remove from heat.
Using tongs, remove taco shells from the oven. Layer a small amount of the cooked spaghetti in the bottom of the shell, and top with savory salsa. Top with additional Parmesan or asigo cheese, if desired.
