Pack Stew Tacos with Roasted Papaya Salsa
A tomato-free taco night built on what's already in the fridge
Born from a combination of what was in the fridge and a need to avoid tomato-based salsas (heartburn). Papaya has enough sugar to caramelize beautifully at 400°F, and gives you that bright, fruity contrast you'd normally get from a pico de gallo — without the acid. Half roasted, half fresh gives you two textures.
Ingredients
- Pack Stew (leftover batch), as much as you want
- Cumin
- Smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- Cayenne, pinch
- Salt
- Small flour or corn tortillas
- Shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or similar)
- Cut papaya (about 1–1.5 cups)
- Lemon or lime juice
- Neutral oil (for roasting)
Steps
- 1
Prep the papaya
Dice papaya into ½-inch cubes. Divide into two equal portions. Toss one portion with a tiny drizzle of neutral oil, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lemon or lime. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Leave the other half raw and set aside.
- 2
Roast the papaya
Roast at 400°F for 12–15 minutes until edges are golden and slightly caramelized. Let cool slightly.
- 3
Season the Pack Stew
Warm Pack Stew in a pan over medium heat. Season with cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, and salt. Taste and adjust — you want it to read like a taco filling, not a stew.
- 4
Assemble
Warm tortillas. Fill with seasoned Pack Stew, shredded cheese, a spoonful of roasted papaya, and some of the fresh diced papaya on top. A squeeze of lemon over everything at the end is nice.
Notes
This works especially well if your Pack Stew batch includes both shredded chicken and pulled pork shoulder — the mix of textures in the filling is great.