Crispy Beef Tacos
Craving something crispy, cheesy, and satisfying for dinner? These baked crispy beef tacos are a high-protein, flavor-packed recipe you’ll want to put on repeat. They’re crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and come together fast with minimal effort — no chopping required.
Each serving delivers 41 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber to help you feel full and satisfied. Whether you’re making dinner for the family or meal prepping for the week, this recipe makes healthy eating easy and delicious.
Want more fun and healthy dinner recipes? Try my easy taco cups, buffalo chicken taquitos, or these nutritious bell pepper nachos.
Why you’ll love these baked crispy beef tacos
- No chopping required. These tacos come together fast with minimal prep. Just mix, fill, and bake!
- Quick and easy. The entire recipe takes minimal prep and only 20-minutes to bake so you can have dinner ready fast.
- Baked, not fried. These dietitian-made tacos are crispy, satisfying, and lighter than takeout (but just as crave-worthy).
Nutrition highlight from a dietitian
I love these baked tacos as a realistic Registered Dietitian because they taste indulgent while packing in some serious nutrition. Each serving contains plenty of protein and fiber, designed with foods to help you feel full and satisfied. Lean ground beef, black beans, avocado, and other nourishing ingredients make this meal tasty and nutritious.
Key ingredients and swaps
- Ground beef: I use lean ground beef for maximum protein and less fat. Swap for ground chicken or turkey if preferred.
- Taco seasoning: Use store-bought taco seasoning (Siete is my favorite) for ease, or make your own.
- Cheese: I like shredded Tex-Mex cheese because it melts well and has great flavor, but you can swap for any melty cheese like cheddar or mozzarella.
- Corn tortillas: Look for tortillas with a 5-6 inch diameter. Corn tortillas work best for baked tacos.
- Whole milk greek yogurt: Whole milk yogurt has a rich, creamy texture and less tang than lower fat varieties — but use what you prefer.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and detailed recipe.
Dietary restrictions
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free taco seasoning and gluten-free corn tortillas.
- More fiber: Use half a pound of meat and double the black beans.
- Lower sodium: Use low sodium taco seasoning and reduce the salt in the crema.
How to make baked crispy beef tacos
Step 1: Cook and crumble beef, and drain excess fat.
Step 2: Stir in taco seasoning and salsa, and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Step 3: Turn off the heat and stir in black beans and cheese.
Step 4: Bake them in a 425 F oven for 2 minutes so they’re flexible.
Step 5: Add tortilla mix to each taco, fold, and press down firmly.
Step 6: Bake for around 20-minutes at 425 F and let them rest for 10-minutes before serving.
Step 7: Blend avocado-lime crema in a small blender.
Step 8: Serve two tacos per person with a big scoop of crema.
Important tips for success
- Let them cool before serving. Fresh out of the oven, these tacos are too hot to handle, and still a little fragile. Let them rest for about 10 minutes so they can cool slightly and crisp up for the perfect bite.
- Warm your tortillas first. Cold tortillas are more likely to crack and resist folding. A quick warm-up in the oven (about 2 minutes) makes them soft, pliable, and easy to work with.
How to store and re-heat
- Storage: Let your tacos cool to room temperature and transfer to a food container. Store avocado lime crema separately. Both will stay good in the fridge for up to three days. Stir the crema before serving if it separates.
- Re-heating: Honestly, I love these crispy beef tacos cold from the fridge. But if you want to re-heat them, pop them in the air fryer or toaster oven for 3-5 minutes at 400 F. You could also microwave them for up to 90-seconds, but they may lose their crisp.
Common questions
I recommend using small corn tortillas, with about a 5-6 inch diameter.
Yes, feel free to swap lean ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter meal.
I tested these with flour and corn tortillas — and the texture of the corn tortillas won by a long shot. However, you are always free to use what you have and prefer!
I’d recommend serving each person two tacos with 1/4 of the avocado lime crema for a filling but nutritionally balanced meal. But don’t forget, you decide how much food you need and are free to eat more or less.
Yes! To make crema without a blender, simply mince the garlic separately and mash everything together in a bowl. The texture won’t be quite as smooth, but it will be just as delicious.
More easy and healthy dinners
Sweet Potato Sloppy Joes
Lazy High-Protein Lasagna Bake
Sweet Potato Burger Bowls
Healthy Greek Yogurt Pizza Crust
One-Pan Chicken Sausage Orzo
If you tried these Crispy Beef Tacos, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comment below, and follow me on Instagram!
Crispy Beef Tacos
Ingredients
Tacos
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
- ½ cup medium salsa
- 1 cup shredded Tex-Mex cheese
- ¾ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8-10 small corn tortillas
Avocado Lime Crema
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 large avocado, ripe
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- 2-4 Tbsp water, to thin (as needed)
Equipment
- baking sheet
- large non-stick pan
- small blender with blender cup or food processor
Instructions
Cook the filling
- Pre-heat your oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Move to the stove and heat a pan to medium. Add beef. Cook and crumble with a spatula, stirring occasionally. When minimal pink remains, drain excess fat from the pan.
- Stir in taco seasoning and salsa. Cook for another 1-2 minutes uncovered, or until meat is fully cooked and no longer pink.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in cheese and black beans until evenly distributed. Don't worry if the cheese is fully melted.
Assemble and bake tacos
- Add 8 tortillas to your sheet pan, minimizing overlap. Place in the oven for 2 minutes or until just warmed through. You'll know your tortillas are ready when they're flexible, soft, and easy to fold. Don't skip this step, or the tortillas will tear when you fold them and won't stay closed while cooking.
- Remove warmed tortillas from the oven. To one half of each tortilla, add about 1/3 cup of the beef filling. Use the back of your spoon to flatten and spread it to the edges. Fold the taco in half, and gently press down to close. Repeat until all tacos are filled and folded, and all the filling has been used up.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden and crisp. Let the tacos rest for 10-minutes before serving. This is super important to let them crisp up (and to avoid burning your fingers!).
Make avocado lime crema
- While your tacos are cooling, make your crema. Add all ingredients to the blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. If needed, add water, 2 Tbsp at a time, to blend or thin.
Serve
- Serve 2 tacos per person with a generous scoop of avocado lime crema for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- Ground beef: Feel free to substitute with ground chicken or turkey.
- Greek yogurt: You can use non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt if preferred.
- Be sure to warm your tortillas before assembling or they’ll break when folded.
- Let your tacos cool before serving for at least 10-minutes.
- Storage: Let tacos cool to room temperature and store in the fridge for up to four days. To re-heat, pop them in the air fryer or toaster oven for 3-5 minutes at 400 F. You could also microwave them for up to 90-seconds, but they make lose their crisp.
I love these crispy beef tacos because they’re so flavorful, but require zero chopping and minimal prep. They’re super popular on my Instagram too — hope you enjoy!