Julie Clark
Updated:
Baked Tacos
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Make oven baked tacos with hard shells for your next party! This guide will help you prepare an easy taco dinner, perfect for game day or busy weeknights.
If there is one recipe request we always receive, it is for quick and easy dinner ideas. Some of you are feeding just 2 or 3 people, and others are serving a crowd of teenagers. But either way, easy is always the best way to go!
Today we’re sharing how to make oven baked tacos in both hard or soft shells. And they are delicious. The family loves these just as much as our crockpot chicken tacos.
Why you’ll love this baked tacos recipe:
- It’s a great grab and go taco recipe. Ready in 30 minutes!
- Perfect for parties!
- Make as many or as few as you’d like.
- Delicious flavored taco meat that you can top with just about anything.
- Tips for both hard corn shells and and soft flour tortillas. Soft corn tortillas work, too!
How to Make Oven Baked Tacos
- Preheat the oven to 400º Fahrenheit.
- In a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, brown and crumble the ground beef until it is no longer pink. Drain off any fat. Make sure this is drained as much as possible so the tacos don’t get soggy.
- Add the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Stir the ground beef mixture well and let heat through for 5 minutes on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- Place the taco shells in baking pans or a baking sheet. This can be 8×8 or 9×13 baking pans, depending on how much you are making.
- Bake the empty taco shells for 5 minutes. This will help the shells stay crisp.
- Divide the meat between the taco shells and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Watch them closely so they don’t get too brown. If they seem to be browning unevenly you can rotate the pans. Remove from the oven and serve!
My tacos ended up soggy. Why?
The moisture from the meat may cause the shells to get slightly soggy on the bottom. I recommend making sure the meat is drained as much as possible. Fill the tacos right before baking, and serve the tacos right when they come out of the oven.
Recipe Variations
- Beans are optional. If you like them, try refried or black beans.
- Drained green chiles add flavor and make the filling go further. Just like in our roast beef enchiladas.
- Instead of ground beef, try ground chicken or ground turkey. Even chorizo would be a great idea!
- Use shredded chicken or shredded beef as a filling.
- The tomato sauce helps the filling “stick” together and be easier to fill. You can use drained canned tomatoes (or Ro*tel) if you’d like.
- Make homemade tortillas for an extra special touch.
Baked Taco Toppings
Add your favorite toppings after the baked tacos come out of the oven.
- jalapenos
- tomatoes
- pico de gallo
- lettuce
- guacamole
- salsa verde
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro or fresh lime juice
What to Serve with Baked Tacos
Looking for side dishes for tacos? Try one of these:
Storage Instructions
The baked tacos are best served right away, but if you have leftovers, wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Consider reheating in the air fryer for the best results, but the microwave works in a pinch.
Baked Tacos
Make oven baked tacos for your next party! Whether you choose hard shells or soft shells, this guide will help you prepare an easy taco dinner.
Servings 12
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the tacos:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 3-5 tablespoons taco seasoning depending on how much flavor you like
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 12 taco shells hard or fajita size soft shells
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese
Toppings:
- lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeno, salsa, etc
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º Fahrenheit.
- In a skillet on the stovetop, brown and crumble the ground beef until it is no longer pink. Drain off any fat. Make sure this is drained as much as possible so the tacos don't get soggy. 2 pounds ground beef
- Add the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Mix well and let heat through for 5 minutes on the stovetop over medium-low heat. 3-5 tablespoons taco seasoning, 8 ounces tomato sauce
- Place the taco shells in baking pans. This can be a 8×8 or 9×13 baking dish, depending on how much you are making. Line with parchment paper for easy cleanup. 12 taco shells
- Bake the empty taco shells for 5 minutes.
- Divide the meat between the taco shells and top with cheese.
- Bake for 5-10 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Watch them closely so they don’t get too brown. If they seem to be browning unevenly you can rotate the pans.
- Top with any of your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 12 tacos with cheese, with 1 serving being 1 taco. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 358mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2mg
I love it! Soo goodd 😋