Make your leftover roast dinner work overtime with these Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos, the perfect fusion of comfort food and weeknight convenience.
Save This Recipe to Your Inbox
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you’ll join our email list and can unsubscribe anytime.
Whether you're meal prepping for the week or transforming Sunday dinner into something new, these cheesy, crispy Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos are about to be your new obsession.
These tacos use the same tender shredded beef from my Instant Pot Mississippi Roast and reimagine it with a taco twist! This is a genius way to reuse leftovers without it feeling like leftovers. Want more ideas? Check out How to Reuse Leftover Food for even more creative ways to stretch meals.
I love using a Slow Cooker Beef Roast for this too, especially on busy days. And if you're craving something fancier, my Poor Man's Prime Rib is another affordable roast worth repurposing.
Jump to:
💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Bold, rich flavors from ranch and au jus seasonings pair perfectly with the tang of pepperoncini, turning a simple roast into something unforgettable.
- Quick and easy, especially if you're using leftover Mississippi Pot Roast, just shred, stuff, and crisp!
- Super versatile and crowd-pleasing. Customize with your favorite cheese, toppings, or tortillas to fit any taste or dietary need.
🛒 Ingredients
Beef Chuck Roast: This cut is ideal for slow cooking. Its marbling breaks down beautifully over time, giving you juicy, pull-apart meat perfect for stuffing into tacos.
Banana Peppers (or Pepperoncini Peppers) + Juice: Banana peppers are a great non-spicy alternative to pepperoncini. They still offer that tangy, vinegary bite but with much less heat. Perfect for families or anyone who prefers a milder kick.
Corn Tortillas: Their toasty, slightly sweet flavor complements the savory meat. When pan-fried until crispy, they bring the perfect crunch to each bite.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Beef Chuck Roast: You can use a pork shoulder or chicken thighs instead. Pork will still give you that rich, shreddable texture, while chicken is a lighter option that cooks faster and absorbs flavors well.
Banana Peppers: If you prefer more heat, swap with traditional pepperoncini peppers. For even more spice, toss in a few sliced jalapeños or hot cherry peppers.
Ranch Seasoning: If you're out of the packet, you can make your own with a blend of dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and dill. It's a great way to control the salt level too.
Corn Tortillas: Flour tortillas will also work, though they'll be softer and less crispy when pan-fried. Great for a more burrito-like vibe.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Stretch your roast: A single 3-4 lb chuck roast can make up to two full meals. Enjoy it once as a traditional Mississippi Pot Roast and again as these tacos.
Use cheaper cuts: Chuck roast is already budget-friendly, but you can also use bottom round roast or beef shoulder for similar results at a lower price.
Repurpose leftovers creatively: Turn extra meat into sandwiches, burritos, quesadillas, or rice bowls throughout the week. No one will notice it's the same roast!
DIY seasoning: Mix your own ranch blend from pantry staples (parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder) to save money and reduce sodium.
🥄 Instructions for Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos
Please note that searing your Chuck roast is completely optional and can be skipped, if desired. If your roast fits neatly in your Instant Pot, you can sear it inside your IP using the Searing option.
Step 1: Preheat your Instant Pot's Saute setting or warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil, and then place your raw Chuck roast inside. (Image 1). Cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until there's a nice golden color on each side of your roast. (Image 2).
Step 2: Remove your roast and place it into the Instant Pot (if not there already). (Image 3).
Step 3: Add in all of the remaining ingredients. You can use a full jar of peppers plus their juices, or use as little as half the jar if you want less spice. (Image 4).
Step 4: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to High Pressure for 65 minutes. After cooking, let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before removing the rest. (Image 5).
Step 5: Open your Instant Pot and behold your glorious meal.
Step 6: Remove the chuck roast and place it on a cutting board. Shred the meat with two forks. (Image 6). Return the shredded meat to the Instant Pot and stir to mix with the juices.
Step 7: To make the tacos, heat a clean skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Step 8: Place a tortilla in the pan, add cheese, shredded pot roast, and more cheese. (Image 7). Fold and press gently. (Image 8).
Step 9: Cook each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
Step 10: Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and diced onion if desired. Dip in the slow cooker gravy or add a dollop of sour cream. These are fantastic just as they are!
Enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Sear for Flavor: Don't skip the sear! Browning the roast in a hot skillet before cooking adds a deep, rich flavor that you just can't replicate otherwise. Aim for a golden crust on both sides, this caramelization makes a big difference.
- Tortilla Trick: For ultra-crispy tacos, lightly warm the tortillas before frying. Microwave them for 20-30 seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel to keep them pliable, which helps prevent cracking or tearing when folding in the pan.
- Cheese First = Less Mess: Sprinkle cheese onto the tortilla before adding the meat. As it melts, it acts like a glue, helping the filling stick together and making it easier to fold and flip your taco without spilling.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage:
Keep leftover shredded roast in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store any cooked tacos separately to keep the tortillas from getting soggy.
Reheating:
- Oven: Preheat to 350°F and bake tacos for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through for even crispiness.
- Air Fryer: Heat at 350°F for 4-6 minutes until hot and crunchy.
- Microwave: If you must, wrap in a paper towel and heat for 30-45 seconds, just note the tortilla will be softer, not crispy.
Make Ahead:
Cook and shred the roast up to 1 day in advance and store it in its cooking juices to keep it moist. When ready to serve, simply warm the meat, assemble your tacos, and fry fresh for that perfect golden crunch.
Prep toppings like diced onion, cilantro, and cheese ahead of time for a lightning-fast taco night.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
These Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos pair beautifully with Mexican rice, refried beans, or a simple avocado salad for a balanced meal. For something fresh and light, serve them with corn salsa, tomato jalapeño salsa, or Air Fryer Tortilla Chips and Guacamole.
- Fajita Taco SaladRecipe $16.91 / Serving $2.82
- Air Fryer Tortilla ChipsRecipe $0.90 / Serving $0.23
- Tomato Jalapeno SalsaRecipe $3.67 / Serving $0.61
- Easy Salsa RiceRecipe $2.43 / Serving $0.41
❓ Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos FAQs
Absolutely! This recipe is slow cooker friendly. To make Mississippi Roast in a crockpot, sear the beef in a skillet as directed, then place it in the slow cooker. Add the sliced onions, ranch dressing mix, au jus (or onion soup) mix, pepperoncini peppers and juice, minced garlic, and butter on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours, until the meat is tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
Banana Peppers: A mild, tangy alternative with less heat, perfect for a non-spicy version.
Jalapeños: A spicier option, adding heat and a bold kick to the roast. Remove seeds to reduce heat.
Dill Pickles: Adds a tangy, briny flavor, though not as peppery, for a unique twist.
The best cut of meat for a Mississippi Roast is a beef chuck roast. This cut is ideal because it's tender, juicy, and flavorful when slow-cooked, thanks to its marbling of fat. The fat breaks down during cooking, making the meat incredibly moist and easy to shred. It's also affordable and readily available, making it a popular choice for this dish.
Other alternatives include brisket or round roast, but chuck roast remains the top choice for its balance of flavor and texture when slow-cooked or pressure-cooked.
No, banana peppers and pepperoncini are different, although they are similar in some ways.
Banana peppers are typically milder and sweeter with a tangy flavor, often yellow or pale in color. They're commonly pickled and used in salads or sandwiches.
Pepperoncini peppers are usually slightly spicier and have a more distinct tangy, sour flavor, and are often used in Mediterranean dishes or pickled for use in recipes like Mississippi Roast.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Taco Mac and Cheese (with Rotel)Recipe $7.69 / Serving $0.96
- Tomato Soup ChiliRecipe $10.48 / Serving $2.62
- Blackened Chicken AlfredoRecipe $8.11 / Serving $1.35
- Meatloaf Without EggsRecipe $6.99 / Serving $1.16
🐝 If you tried this Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos
Ingredients
Roast
- 3 pound beef chuck roast, excess fat trimmed - ($26.01)
- 1 jar (12 ounces) pepperoncini peppers, with juice - ($1.97)
- 1 packet (1 ounce) ranch dressing mix - ($0.54)
- 1 packet (1 ounce) onion soup mix - ($0.49)
- ½ cup beef broth, low sodium - ($0.13)
Tacos
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 10 corn tortillas - ($0.83)
- 8 ounces shredded cheese, Cheddar or Mexican blend - ($1.97)
Optional Toppings
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- onion, diced
Instructions
- Optional sear. Searing the chuck roast is optional and can be skipped. If desired, heat the Instant Pot on Sauté or a skillet over medium-high heat with a small amount of oil. Sear the roast for about 2 minutes per side until browned.
- Pressure cook. Place the chuck roast in the Instant Pot. Add the pepperoncini peppers with juice, ranch seasoning, onion soup mix, and beef broth. Secure the lid, seal the vent, and cook on High Pressure for 65 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then carefully vent remaining pressure.
- Shred. Remove the roast to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return the shredded beef to the pot and stir to coat evenly in the juices.
- Assemble tacos. Heat a skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place a tortilla in the pan, sprinkle with cheese, add a scoop of shredded beef, then top with a little more cheese. Fold in half and press gently.
- Crisp. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Serve. Serve hot with optional cilantro and onion. Dip in the cooking juices or add sour cream if desired.
Notes
- Recipe Tips. Chuck roast is the most tender option. Use low-sodium seasoning packets or homemade mixes to control salt.
- Cooking Options. Slow cooker on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 to 5 hours. Instant Pot averages about 20 minutes per pound with sufficient liquid.
- Storage & Make-Ahead. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Beef can also be prepped as a freezer meal and cooked later.
- Spice Variations. Adjust heat by reducing pepperoncini or swapping in banana peppers, jalapeños, or dill pickles for a different flavor profile.
Nutritional Information
Save This Recipe to Your Inbox
Enter your email and we'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you'll join our email list and can unsubscribe anytime.
Nicole Durham says
Load up your tacos with all of your favorite toppings and enjoy a fun twist on Taco Tuesdays!