Description
Homemade crunchy taco cups deliver a delightful twist on classic Mexican street tacos. Crisp tortilla shells cradle seasoned ground beef, fresh toppings, and melted cheese for a quick, satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef or turkey
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix (or 1 tbsp homemade taco seasoning)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) water
- diced tomatoes
- shredded lettuce
- sour cream
- guacamole or diced avocado
- sliced black olives
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and thoroughly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray to ensure easy release.
- Meat Seasoning: Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, crumbling into small pieces. Drain excess fat, then mix in taco seasoning with water, simmering until the mixture thickens and becomes fragrant.
- Wrapper Assembly: Carefully press wonton wrappers into each muffin cup, creating a crisp base layer. Layer seasoned meat, followed by a sprinkle of shredded cheese, then top with a second wonton wrapper. Repeat the meat and cheese layering for a multi-dimensional flavor profile.
- Baking Process: Slide the muffin tin into the preheated oven, baking for 10-12 minutes until the wrappers transform into a golden, crispy shell and the cheese melts completely.
- Finishing Touch: Remove from the oven and let the taco cups rest briefly. Carefully extract from the tin and adorn with vibrant toppings like diced tomatoes, crisp lettuce, tangy sour cream, and creamy guacamole.
- Serving: Present the taco cups immediately while piping hot, ready to delight taste buds with their crunchy exterior and savory interior.
Notes
- Optimize Meat Seasoning: Use fresh taco seasoning and let it simmer longer for deeper flavor absorption, ensuring every bite is packed with robust taste.
- Prevent Wrapper Sogginess: Pat ground beef completely dry before adding to prevent excess moisture from making wonton wrappers soggy and losing their signature crunch.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Use a blend of cheeses like cheddar and monterey jack for enhanced melting and richer flavor profile, creating a more complex taste experience.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for lighter versions, and use gluten-free wonton wrappers to accommodate different dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg