Mini Taco Cups (Printable Version)

Bite-sized crispy taco cups filled with seasoned beef, cheese, and fresh toppings for easy, flavorful meals and snacks.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meat

01 - 9 oz ground beef (or ground turkey/chicken)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 small onion, finely diced
03 - 1 garlic clove, minced

→ Seasonings

04 - 1 tsp chili powder
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1/2 tsp paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Base & Dairy

09 - 12 small flour tortillas (street taco size or cut into 4-inch rounds)
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

→ Toppings (optional)

12 - 1/2 cup salsa
13 - 1/4 cup sour cream
14 - 1 small avocado, diced
15 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
16 - 1 small tomato, diced
17 - Jalapeño slices (optional)

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
02 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, stirring to break up meat, until fully browned, about 4–5 minutes.
03 - Add diced onion to the beef and cook for 2 minutes until softened, then stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
04 - Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper over the beef mixture. Stir well and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.
05 - Press each tortilla round into the muffin tin cups, folding edges as needed to form a cup shape.
06 - Distribute the cooked beef mixture evenly among the tortilla cups. Top each with shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until tortillas are crisp and cheese is melted.
08 - Allow taco cups to cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with salsa, sour cream, avocado, diced tomato, fresh cilantro, and jalapeño slices as desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together in under 40 minutes from raw ingredients to your plate, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore.
  • Everyone builds their own toppings bar, so picky eaters and adventurous ones are equally happy without you cooking two separate meals.
  • The crispy-chewy texture contrast is genuinely addictive—it's not just food, it's something you'll find yourself reaching for a second time around.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step after baking—removing them too soon while they're hot and soft will cause them to collapse, but waiting those few minutes lets the tortilla set so you can actually pick them up.
  • If you're making these ahead, you can bake them without toppings, let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container for a couple of days; just add fresh toppings right before serving to keep everything crisp.
03 -
  • Don't use ultra-thin tortillas or they'll crisp up too fast and turn brittle before the cheese melts—look for ones with a little substance that can hold up to baking.
  • If your muffin tin is older or uneven, place it on a baking sheet first so everything bakes at the same rate and you don't end up with some cups crispy while others stay soft.
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