Crispy Baked Beef Tacos Recipe
Crispy baked beef tacos made with seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and corn tortillas using a simple two-step oven method. These easy oven-baked tacos stay crunchy without frying and are perfect for weeknight taco night.
Servings: 8 tacos
Calories: 256kcal
Equipment
- Skillet
- Sheet Pan or baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
- 8-12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Mexican blend cheese shredded
- ½ cup Roma tomato chopped
- ½ cup iceberg lettuce shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- For the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion, breaking the meat apart as it cooks. Once browned, drain any excess fat. In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, then stir it into the beef along with the taco seasoning, stirring to mix well. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Prepare tacos: Arrange corn tortillas on the baking sheet (you may need to work in batches). Cover each tortilla with shredded cheese, then spoon about 2 tablespoons of beef onto one side of each tortilla.
- Bake tacos: Bake the open-faced tacos for about 2 minutes, just until the cheese melts and the tortilla softens. Remove from the oven and carefully fold the cheese side over the beef, pressing gently to form a taco shape. Lightly spray or brush the tops of the tortillas with remaining olive oil. Return tacos to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the tortillas are golden and crisp.
- Assemble tacos: While the tacos are still warm, gently open each taco and fill with lettuce and diced tomatoes. Serve warm.
Notes
- Don’t overfill the tacos. About 2 tablespoons of beef per tortilla keeps the shells crisp and easy to fold.
- Lightly brush or spray tortillas with oil after folding to help them turn golden and crispy. Take care as too much oil can make the tacos soggy.
- You may need to turn on your ovens broiler and broil tacos for 1–2 minutes at the end for extra crunch, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Option to serve with salsa or a taco sauce like chipotle crema or jalapeno sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 350mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 354mg | Iron: 2mg
