The house feels unusually quiet—only the TV murmuring in the background and the soft cooing of morning doves by the bird feeder. My husband left yesterday on a business trip, so it’s just me and our fur baby Gilbert, and whatever mischief we can stir up today. I’m hoping the next four days pass smoothly, that I get everything done without procrastination, and that this beautiful weather holds.
After several heatwaves, it’s been a relief to open the windows and let fresh air circulate. That same idea of refreshing extends to leftovers. We loved the Italian Herb French Dip we had recently, but by the third night there was only a single sandwich’s worth left because my rolls were 5″ instead of 6″. Time to reinvent.
When we installed the new fridge, I remembered a small package of mini tortilla shells tucked away. I found them and imagined tiny French dip tacos—perfect for using up the remaining meat and au jus. They turned out fantastic.
The package contained four 4″ flour mini tortillas—just enough for the leftover meat. I topped them with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, a bit of cheese, and sliced pepperoncini. I added sour cream; my husband skipped it but was skeptical about dipping them into the au jus. By the end, hardly a drop remained. They were delightful.
These mini tacos would make a fun appetizer for a party—Super Bowl, New Year’s Eve, or any casual gathering. They’re also a great twist on the traditional French dip sandwich. Meats like this freeze well, especially with a little of the broth to keep them moist. Leftover au jus freezes nicely in ice cube trays; once frozen, store the cubes in a labeled freezer bag so you can add a cube or two to gravies, stews, and sauces later.
The same freezing trick works for leftover red wine: freeze in ice cube trays, then store the cubes in a zip-top bag. It’s a simple way to avoid waste and have measured amounts ready for cooking.
This post is about reinvention—using what you have on hand to create something new and delicious. Using the last bit of meat and broth, we made a small batch of mini tacos that were satisfying for two. If you want to scale up, a full batch could make roughly 24–30 mini tacos or about 10–12 regular tacos, depending on filling amounts. Multiply the toppings accordingly.
We finished every bite, and now there’s nothing left—except maybe some red wine waiting in the fridge for the next idea. Have fun experimenting in the kitchen. Play with your food—it’s enjoyable and often rewarding!
*I used my leftover Italian Herb French Dip with Red Wine for this recipe.
French Dip Mini Tacos!
Ingredients
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups leftover Italian Herb French Dip with Red Wine
- 1/2 – 1 cup leftover broth (au jus), whatever is left
- 4 (4″) mini tortilla shells
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1/2 of a roma tomato, halved lengthwise, sliced and chopped
- 2 slices provolone cheese, halved
- 2 pepperoncini peppers, sliced and de-seeded
- 4 tsp. sour cream
- Hot sauce, optional