Delicious Taco Cups
These fun size taco cups will add color to your food table. This is an incredibly easy and fun recipe to make for taco nights at home or even a great game day appetizer. The best part is that you can customize this to your liking. In my family, some of us like onion and some don’t so I end up making half without onion and the other half with it. If you have little kids at home, you can even have them help you assemble these. Check out the recipe card below. If you end up making these, please let me know in the comments how you liked it! Enjoy!
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How do I make the cups for the taco cups?
Any muffin tin should work to shape the cups. Take a round tortilla and cut off the sides so you get one big square. Then cut the square even further to make 4 additional squares. Lay the pieces so it is shaped like a boat with a base. That base will hold all your fillings. Now make sure whatever size tortilla you have actually fits your muffin tin. You may not need to cut the tortilla farther if it’s small and entirely fits the muffin tin. Watch the video in the recipe card below for visual instructions on how to make the taco cups!
Can I use wonton wrappers instead of tortilla?
Absolutely! wonton wrapper is a great alternative to using a tortilla for this. Wonton actually crisps up nicely in the oven. Use the same time and temperature suggested in the recipe card below to cook them. I used tortillas here since it is easier to find these in the grocery stores.
What fillings and toppings are used to make these?
Use the fillings you would normally use to make tacos. I also try to use different fillings in each up to make it different. In this recipe, I use refried beans, ground meat, and cheese. Please note that the meat needs to be cooked prior to placing it in the taco cup. Then I top it off with pico de gallo, avocados, and sour cream. You may also set the toppings aside for everyone to choose from.
How can I make a healtheir version of taco cups?
You can make a healthier and leaner version of taco cups by using ground turkey or ground chicken instead. The meat does not have to be ground, you may also use shredded or cubed meat for these. You may also skip the meat and make a vegetarian version by using refried beans and cheese. I also use a low-carb wheat tortilla to cut on carbs. Instead of sour cream, use Greek yogurt.
What seasoning blend should I use to make taco cups?
To make things easier, I use the pre-made envelopes of taco seasoning blend. These are cheap and you do not need to buy additional ingredients especially if space is an issue in your kitchen. Please read the back label and directions to see how much seasoning to use per pound of meat. These seasoning blends already have salt added so be careful if you are on a low sodium diet. If for some reason you are unable to go to the store and get the taco blend, you may use 1 tsp of each for one pound of meat: chili powder, cumin powder, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper (1/2 tsp), and salt (per taste).
Taco Cups
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Oven
- Muffin Tin
Ingredients
- 3 tortillas soft taco size will fill 6 cup muffin tin
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 packet taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1/2 cup refried beans
Toppings – optional
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1/4 -1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 -1/2 cup guacamole or avocados
- cilantro as needed
- 1/4 cup pico de gallo
Instructions
Ground Meat Preparation
- Saute onion in oil until translucent.
- Add ground beef and minced garlic. Saute until brown.
- At this point meat will release liquid. Add taco seasoning and give it a quick mix.
- Cover the lid and let the meat cook in the liquid for about 5 mins. Note: If there is no liquid you may add water.
- Remove the lid and saute the meat until water dries up and oil separates.
- Drain the grease from the meat and set the meat aside.
Tortilla Cup Preparation
- Cut off all four sides of a tortilla so it becomes a square. Now cut the square to get four additional pieces. (see video below)
- Grease the muffin tin with cooking spray. To each cup, lay two squares so its shaped like a boat. (see video below)
- In each cup, add shredded cheese, refried beans, meat and shredded cheese over the tortilla cups.
Baking Instructions
- Follow all the steps above.
- Bake for 350 F for 10-15 minutes in the oven or until golden brown.
- Add any of your favorite toppings from the ingredients list above and serve!
Air Fryer Instructions
- Follow all the steps excluding the baking instructions.
- Bake for 370 F for 5-8 minutes until golden brown.
- Add any of your favorite toppings from the ingredients list above and serve!
Video
Notes
- Use any of your favorite fillings and toppings in this recipe.
- You may use any kind of ground meat and even make this without meat.
- I used a 6 cup muffin tin here. Adjust the quantities of the ingredients accordingly.