Baked Tacos are a quick and easy delicious dinner that the whole family will love. Once you make these, they will be a regular in the rotation.
Tacos are pretty much my favorite food group, and baked tacos are such a delicious and fun spin on them. They are pretty much exactly what they sound like. We fill hard taco shells with the perfect filling, top it with cheese, and bake it. This is a great way to feed your family!
How to Make Baked Tacos
Here is a brief overview of how this baked tacos recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all ingredients and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cook the ground beef. Cook the ground beef in a skillet, adding the garlic and onion as the meat begins to brown. Cook until the onion is translucent and the meat is no longer pink.
- Make the taco meat. Stir in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce to the ground beef. Turn the heat down and let simmer for five minutes.
- Put the tacos together. Divide the beans among the shells. Then divide the ground beef mixture and top with the shredded cheese.
- Bake the tacos. Bake the tacos in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the shells begin to brown. Top with chopped lettuce and tomatoes and enjoy!
What Taco Shells to Use
When making baked tacos, it’s important to use hard taco shells for that satisfying crunch. Whether you are making these baked beef tacos or my BBQ Chicken Baked Tacos, corn taco shells are a great option because they not only hold up well in the oven but also make this recipe gluten-free!
I recommend buying an 18-count box, even though you’ll only need 12 for the recipe. This way, you can select the shells with a wider bottom, which stand up better when filling and baking. Plus, there are always a few broken shells in the box, so having extras ensures you’ll have the perfect ones for your tacos.
How to Make Taco Meat
We flavor the ground beef with taco seasoning and tomato sauce, essentially making my Taco Meat Recipe which can be used in many different ways, from taco pizza to these baked ground beef tacos. I always keep my homemade taco seasoning on hand. The flavor is perfect and I can whip up a batch with seasonings I already have on hand, skipping the extra preservatives and additives that can be in store-bought seasoning packets.
You could also make this recipe with ground turkey instead of ground beef if your family prefers that. Follow the recipe as written, skipping the step to drain any grease.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Homemade Refried Beans
Refried beans are another part of these baked beef tacos that is easy to make at home. Simply make my recipe for pinto beans in the Instant Pot or Crockpot and toss them in the blender or food processor to get a smooth texture.
Flavor Packed Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover tacos (without toppings) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the tacos you plan to eat in the air fryer or oven until heated through.
Variations
This is a great starting point for so many spins on oven-baked tacos. I absolutely love coming up with more baked taco recipes.
- BBQ Chicken Baked Tacos: This is probably may favorite. Imagine BBQ Chicken Pizza but in taco form.
- Philly Cheesesteak Baked Tacos: This is a fan favorite!
- BLT Baked Tacos: A fun spin on blt sandwiches, you will love this easy recipe.
- Buffalo Chicken Baked Tacos: I love all things buffalo and these are delicious!
Other Taco Recipes With Ground Beef
If you make this ground beef taco recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think! Reading your comments makes my day.
Baked Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef I used 80/20 (458.59 grams)
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces tomato sauce (227 grams)
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning or 1 ounce store bought packet
- 12 hard shell tacos
- 1 cup refried beans
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded (226 grams)
- shredded lettuce
- tomatoes diced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef. Once it begins to break up, add in the onion and garlic. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.1 pound ground beef, 1 small yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the tomato sauce and the taco seasoning. Turn the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes.8 ounces tomato sauce, 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- Divide the beans amongst the hard shell tacos. Then divide the meat mixture. Top with the shredded cheese.12 hard shell tacos, 1 cup refried beans, 2 cups cheddar cheese
- Bake the tacos for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the shells begin to brown. Top with chopped lettuce and tomatoes and enjoy!shredded lettuce, tomatoes
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