The Trick To Making a Dozen Tacos in 20 Minutes

Plateful of cheesy baked taco at a table setting with a bowl of lime wedges, glass of water, a bunch of cilantro on the counter, bowl of refried beans, bowl of guacamole, and shredded lettuce on a wooden board — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Tacos and quesadillas are a popular meal at my house thanks to their versatility and sheer tastiness. My only complaint is that I frequently end up standing over the stove, babysitting one after another as they get melty and crispy. No one gets their serving at the same time, and I end up manning the skillet.

This fueled my quest to perfect a baked taco recipe. After about a dozen taco nights (my husband did not complain), I’ve landed on an easy recipe that produces warm, melty, cheesy, crispy tacos in less than 20 minutes. Make six or 12, it's up to you—the cooking time remains the same.

Gone are the days of standing over a measly skillet and making one, maybe two little tacos at a time, as your dinner companions bicker over who gets the first batch. Making oven tacos means you, the cook, can eat at the same time as everyone else! Imagine that.

Why Crispy Tacos in the Oven

While oven-baked tacos will never be quite as crispy as fried ones, they have a lot of things going for them that make them my preferred choice. For one, cleaning up after frying at home is a bit of a pain. I’m just not willing to do it any old night of the week. Also, baking is typically lighter on the oil and less greasy overall.

My top reasons for baking tacos are ease and crispy cheese. It’s flat-out easier to toss a bunch of tacos in the oven instead of flipping them in a skillet, and they all cook at once. And while the tortillas come out lightly crisp thanks to a high-heat oven and a bit of cooking spray, the real treasure here is the cheese that seeps out of the sides of the tacos and onto the hot baking sheet. So delicious.

Bowl of cheesy baked tacos on a plate topped with sour cream and cilantro at a table setting with a bowl of lime wedges and shredded lettuce, bowl of sour cream, bowl of salsa, bowl of salsa, and a bunch of cilantro — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

How To Feed a Crowd

This recipe makes six small tacos, perfect for a meal for two or three with sides. If you need more, it’s easy to make two pans at once so you have 12 tacos, feeding four to six people. Just swap the pans on the oven racks once or twice so they all brown evenly.

Endless Recipe Variations

The basic recipe below includes the classic combo of refried beans and Mexican-style cheese. You can switch up the cheese (just make sure whatever you choose is super melty!) and even use vegan cheese shreds.

Here are some of my favorite fillings other than refried beans. Instead of adding the filling before the cheese as I do with the refried beans, sprinkle on half the cheese, add one of these toppings, and then top with the remaining cheese.

2/3 cup cooked, seasoned ground beef, turkey, or vegan meat
2/3 cup cooked, shredded chicken
8 ounces sliced mushrooms, sautéed
2/3 cup seasoned mashed potatoes (leftovers are great for this)

Cheesy baked tacos on a parchment paper lined baking sheet with lime wedges — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Tacos, Tacos, Tacos

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Measure a piece of parchment paper big enough to line the bottom of a big, heavy baking sheet and set it aside.

Place the unlined baking sheet in the oven to heat up as the oven preheats.

Make the tacos:

Spread refried beans on one side of each tortilla, about 1 heaping tablespoon per tortilla, and arrange in a single layer on a platter or another baking sheet. Dust each one with chili powder, if using. Put the cheese in a convenient location so that you’re ready to go.

Once the pan has preheated for 10 minutes or so, remove it from the oven. Carefully line with the piece of parchment and spray generously with cooking spray. Arrange the tortillas on the baking sheet in a single layer, bean side up.

Top each tortilla with cheese, about 1/4 cup per taco mounded in the center.

Corn tortillas with refried beans smeared on one side, all on a baking pan for cheesy baked taco recipe — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Bake:

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and the tortilla is soft, just 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately fold each tortilla over using a spatula to make little tacos. Use the back of the spatula to lightly press each one down to adhere.

Place back in the oven and bake until lightly crisp on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook until gooey with crispy cheese bits, 5 to 7 more minutes.

Baked cheesy tacos (not folded yet) for cheesy baked taco recipe — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Cheesy baked tacos on a baking sheet for cheesy baked taco recipe — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Cheesy baked tacos on a baking sheet after third bake for cheesy baked taco recipe — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Serve:

Let cool for a few minutes. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole for dipping or topping.

Cheesy baked tacos are best served fresh, but you can reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven or in the air fryer.

Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a review below!

Plateful of cheesy tacos topped with sour cream and cilantro — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

https://ift.tt/tBpQZEl https://ift.tt/BbDZl7w

COOKING

Search This Blog

Trader Joe’s 15th Annual Customer Choice Awards Winners Are Here