Mini Taco Cups Baked (Printable)

Crispy tortilla cups loaded with seasoned beef, cheese, and fresh garnishes for delightful bites.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat

01 - 9 oz ground beef (or ground turkey/chicken)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 small onion, finely diced
03 - 1 garlic clove, minced

→ Seasonings

04 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Base & Dairy

09 - 12 small flour tortillas (street taco size or 4-inch rounds)
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Toppings (optional)

12 - 1/2 cup salsa
13 - 1/4 cup sour cream
14 - 1 small avocado, diced
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
16 - 1 small tomato, diced
17 - Jalapeño slices (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
02 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes.
03 - Add diced onion and cook 2 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
04 - Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.
05 - Press each tortilla round into the muffin tin cups, folding edges to form a cup shape.
06 - Divide the cooked beef mixture evenly among the tortilla cups. Top each with shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
07 - Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until tortillas are crisp and cheese is melted.
08 - Allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Add salsa, sour cream, avocado, tomato, cilantro, and jalapeño slices as desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're crispy on the outside, loaded in the middle, and somehow feel more elegant than regular tacos without any extra work.
  • You can prep them ahead and bake them right before guests arrive, which means you're actually hanging out instead of cooking when people show up.
  • Everyone gets to build their own topping combinations, so there's no arguing about cilantro or jalapeños.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step—those first few minutes let the tortillas crisp up and hold their shape so they don't collapse when you add toppings.
  • If your tortillas seem thick or stiff, you can microwave them for 15 seconds wrapped in a damp towel before pressing them into the cups, and they'll mold so much more easily.
03 -
  • Don't overstuff the cups—the goal is a balanced bite, and overloading will make them harder to eat and the toppings slide off.
  • If you're batch-making these for a crowd, you can bake multiple tins at once on different racks; just rotate them halfway through so they brown evenly.
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