Description
These Baked Beef Tacos offer a delicious and easy way to enjoy classic taco flavors with a baked twist. Ground beef is seasoned with a blend of spices, cooked on the stovetop, then stuffed into hard taco shells, topped with melted cheese, and baked until bubbly and savory. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a casual gathering, these tacos can be customized with your favorite toppings like salsa, sour cream, avocado, and lettuce.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
- 10 hard taco shells
- 1 cup shredded cheese (e.g. Tex-Mex blend or cheddar)
Optional Toppings
- Salsa (to taste)
- Sour cream (to taste)
- Avocado (to taste)
- Red onions (to taste)
- Lettuce (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F and position the rack in the middle to ensure even baking of the tacos later.
- Cook the beef and spices: Place the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. As it begins to brown, break it apart with a spoon. Add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and chili powder. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully cooked and spices have blended in.
- Adjust seasoning: If there’s excess fat from the beef, carefully spoon it out. Taste the meat and adjust seasonings accordingly by adding more smoked paprika, salt, or pepper if needed. Remember chili powder may already contain salt, so add seasoning cautiously.
- Fill taco shells: Arrange the hard taco shells standing upright in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Evenly distribute the cooked beef mixture among all the shells, filling each one generously but without overflowing.
- Add cheese topping: Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the filled taco shells to cover the beef layers.
- Bake the tacos: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.
- Serve with toppings: Remove the tacos from the oven, add your preferred toppings such as salsa, sour cream, avocado, red onions, and lettuce, then serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Adjust the level of chili powder to control the spiciness of the beef mixture.
- You can substitute hard taco shells with soft tortillas if preferred, but baking times may change.
- For leaner tacos, choose ground beef with lower fat content or drain excess fat carefully.
- Feel free to customize toppings as desired for different flavor profiles.
- Ensure the taco shells are arranged securely in the baking dish to prevent tipping during baking.
