Description
These crispy beef tacos are baked instead of fried, offering a deliciously crunchy texture with flavorful seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and a tangy chipotle crema. Perfect for a quick and satisfying meal, they are easy to prepare and customize with your favorite taco toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the tacos
- 1 Tbsp oil (canola, vegetable, or olive oil)
- 1 lb. ground beef (85% lean/15% fat or 90/10)
- 2 Tbsp taco seasoning (packet or homemade)
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz. colby jack cheese, shredded, divided
- 8-10 (6-inch) white or yellow corn tortillas
Chipotle crema
- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt to taste
For serving (optional)
- Sour cream
- Shredded lettuce, finely chopped
- Fresh cilantro
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Pickled red onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil or spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Cook beef: Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
- Season beef: Return skillet to burner. Add taco seasoning, water, minced garlic, lime juice, diced green chiles, salt, and pepper. Cook until most moisture evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Add cheese to beef: Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese until combined. Turn off burner and remove from heat.
- Prepare tortillas: Wrap tortillas in slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 60 seconds, flipping halfway. If still not pliable, microwave for an additional 10 seconds.
- Assemble tacos: Spread about 1/4 cup beef mixture on one half of each tortilla. Top with a little shredded cheese, then fold the tortilla over to seal. Lightly brush the top with a little oil. Repeat for all tortillas, careful not to overfill.
- Bake tacos: Place tacos on prepared baking sheets, about 6 at a time. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and crispy. No need to flip.
- Make chipotle crema: While tacos bake, combine Mexican crema or sour cream, chipotle peppers, honey or sugar, lime juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Blitz until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve: Serve tacos hot with your favorite toppings and a drizzle of chipotle crema.
Notes
- Store leftover tacos in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat tacos in the oven for about 10 minutes to maintain crispiness or microwave for 1 minute for convenience.
- Use corn tortillas for authentic flavor, but flour tortillas can be substituted if preferred.
- You can adjust the spice level of the chipotle crema by adding more or fewer chipotle peppers.
- For a lower fat option, use leaner ground beef (90/10) and reduced-fat cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
