Easy Beef Baked Tacos - Crispy Oven-Baked Taco Recipe

Try making these Ground Beef Baked Tacos for your next taco night. They're quick and easy to prepare with taco seasoned beef, shredded cheese, and crunchy taco shells. Serve with your favorite toppings for the ultimate taco Tuesday the whole family is sure to love!

If you're craving another taco recipe, then be sure to try making some Jerk Chicken Tacos. Also, try making some Ground Pork Nachos or Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta.

Crispy baked beef tacos offer a delicious and satisfying way to enjoy the flavors of Mexican street tacos in an easy peasy and convenient baked form.

Whether you're looking for a tasty weeknight meal or planning a fun taco night with family and friends, these crispy baked beef tacos with corn tortillas are sure to be a hit!

Let's get started!

Why You'll Love Crispy Beef Tacos

• Easy to Make! This taco recipe comes together in minutes with just a few simple ingredients. 
• Crispy and Cheesy. The crispy texture of baked corn tortillas in combination with tender and flavorful beef filling with melted cheese in each bite is amazing. 
• Perfect Game Day Recipe. They're a great way to feed a crowd on game day. Adults and kids will love these tacos. 

What Ingredients to Make Ground Beef Taco Recipe 

1. Ground Beef - Use any ground beef that you prefer, but I like to use a lean ground beef mix that is at least 10% to 25% fat. You may substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken. This recipe is also a great way to use leftover cooked chicken, beans, or vegetables instead that you may already have on hand. 
2. Taco Seasoning - You can use any package of taco seasoning that you prefer or make your own homemade taco seasoning blend with spices that you already have in your kitchen, like garlic powder, chili powder cumin, onion powder, and smoked paprika. 
3. Water - Needed to combine with the seasoning to finish cooking the meat mixture. 
4. Oil - Almost any oil can be used to coat the tortillas to make them crispy as they bake in the oven. I prefer to use olive oil or canola oil, but avocado oil and any vegetable oil will work well.
5. Corn Tortillas - When it comes to baked tacos, I prefer to use corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas (soft tacos) or hard taco shells. Yellow or white corn tortillas, either can be used. Check each tortilla to make sure that it doesn't have any cracks or spits in it before using. Also, use extra thin corn tortillas that are soft and flexible, they will work the best and won't tear while baking. 
6. Shredded Cheese - Any melty cheese that you love, works! I like to use sharp cheddar cheese or a Mexican shredded cheese blend, but colby jack, pepper jack, and monterey jack cheeses are also great options. Be sure to shred the cheese fresh yourself instead of using the store-bought pre-shredded cheese that comes in a bag because it usually contains additional ingredients that prevent it from melting well. 

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and instructions.

How to Make Baked Beef Tacos

Crispy beef taco prep is easy and takes minutes. Once the beef is prepped, assembly and baking is a breeze. The whole process from start to finish takes about 30 minutes. 

Step 1: Prepare the Taco Filling

Using a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef, break it into crumbles, and allow it time to brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully drain any excess oil/grease off the beef if needed. Add the taco seasoning, and water, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes. 

Step 2: Assemble the Beef Tacos

Preheat the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Grab a large sheet pan and add the oil directly to the sheet pan.  Loosely wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Remove the warm tortillas from the microwave. Unwrap them one at a time and place the tortilla on the sheet pan. 

Rub both sides of the tortilla in the oil on the sheet pan. Fill half of each tortilla with the beef mixture. Top with shredded cheese and fold the tortilla in half to close. Grab another tortilla and continue the process of adding beef and cheese until you run out of tortillas. Space the tacos out on the baking sheet, leaving room between each of them. 

Step 3: Bake the Ground Beef Tacos 

Place the prepared baking sheet with the tacos into the preheated oven and bake for 5-7 minutes. Flip each taco to the opposite side and continue baking for another 5-7 minutes. Flipping the tacos mid-baking ensures that both sides of the baked tacos get evenly crispy and golden brown. 

Carefully remove the oven baked tacos from the oven and serve warm with your favorite taco toppings such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and some fresh pico de gallo. Enjoy! 

Recipe Variations

• Make spicy beef tacos by adding diced jalapenos or green chiles to the seasoned ground beef mixture. You may also increase the amount of chili powder or add a dash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper for extra spice. 
• For extra cheesy tacos add a layer of shredded cheese to the flat bottom half of the corn tortilla before topping with the beef mixture and another layer of cheese.  
• Use cooked beans for a vegetarian option. Try using black beans, pinto beans, or refried beans.  
• Try making baked chicken tacos instead by adding cooked shredded chicken.  

Best Beef Taco Recipe Tips & Tricks 

• Opt for lean ground beef such as 90/10 or 85/15 to minimize excess grease in your taco filling. 
• After cooking the ground beef, fully drain off any excess grease to prevent the tacos from being soggy. 
• If you're short on time, make the ground beef filling in advance, a day or two, and store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble your tacos. 
• Be sure to coat both sides of the tortilla in oil before adding the filling. If you need to add a little additional oil, then be sure to add more if needed.

Storage Tips 

Oven tacos are best served immediately after they're made for crispy taco shells with warm meat and melted cheese. I recommend making enough tacos to enjoy after baking and storing the seasoned beef in an airtight container separate from the cheese and tortillas. When ready to serve again, assemble the tacos and bake them fresh instead of reheating. 

Storage. If you have any leftover tacos allow them to cool to room temperature before placing them into an airtight container or wrapping them in parchment paper or aluminum foil and storing them in a plastic storage bag. Store them in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. 

Reheating. When ready to serve again, reheat them in the oven on a sheet pan at 300 degrees F. until warm. Keep in mind they may not be as crispy, but you can also reheat them in the air fryer to make them crispy again. 

Want More Simple and Delicious Recipes? Try These:

• Ground Beef Tacos
• Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta 
• Chorizo and Sweet Potato Enchiladas 
• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Pineapple Mango Salsa 
• Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing 
• Quick Pickled Red Onions
• Easy Lasagna Recipe
• Southern Meatloaf Recipe

Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ideas and ways to enjoy this Baked Tacos Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!

📖 Recipe