Description
These Favorite Baked Crispy Beef Tacos are a delicious and easy-to-make meal featuring seasoned ground beef with onions, garlic, green chilis, and melted cheese baked inside soft corn tortillas until perfectly crispy. Finished with fresh cilantro, lime juice, and served alongside guacamole or avocado lime crema, these tacos deliver bold flavors and satisfying textures for any taco night.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Tacos:
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, mashed
- 1 Pound Ground Beef (90/10)
- 3 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning (or homemade: 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper)
- 1 4.5 Ounce Can Chopped Green Chilis
- ½ Cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1 Lime, juiced
- 1 ½ Cups Shredded Mexican Cheese, divided
- 8 6 Inch Corn Tortillas, very soft (wrap in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute)
For Serving:
- Guacamole
- Avocado Lime Crema
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400°F (205°C) to prepare for baking the tacos later.
- Sauté onions and garlic: Heat a pan over medium heat on the stovetop and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onion and garlic, cooking for 3-4 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent.
- Cook the ground beef mixture: Add the ground beef, taco seasoning, and chopped green chilis to the pan. Break the beef apart with a spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fully browned and cooked through.
- Mix in cilantro, cheese, and lime: Remove the pan from heat, then stir in the chopped cilantro, 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese, and the lime juice until well combined and the cheese melts.
- Prepare tortillas: Wrap the corn tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to soften. If not pliable enough, microwave for an additional 30 seconds after re-wetting the towels.
- Assemble the tacos: On a baking sheet, quickly fill each soft tortilla with a scoop of the beef mixture, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and gently fold or close each taco carefully to avoid breaking.
- Bake the tacos: Place the assembled tacos in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes to warm through and meld flavors.
- Broil for crispiness: Switch the oven to broil and cook the tacos for an additional 2 minutes, watching closely to achieve a crispy finish without burning.
- Serve and garnish: Remove tacos from the oven. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro and serve with guacamole and avocado lime crema as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure tortillas are very soft before filling to prevent breaking during assembly.
- If you don’t have taco seasoning, mixing your own with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper works great.
- Keep an eye on the tacos during broiling to avoid burning.
- You can substitute beef with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- Leftovers can be stored refrigerated and reheated in an oven or air fryer for best crispiness.
