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    Meals » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Easy Oven Baked Tacos

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Aug 31, 2022 by Dee

    Easy Oven Baked Tacos with ground beef and cheese in hard taco shells are a family favorite and perfect for a quick dinner on busy weeknights or when you need to feed a crowd. via @meamel

    Easy Oven Baked Tacos with ground beef and cheese in hard taco shells are a family favorite and perfect for a quick dinner on busy weeknights or when you need to feed a crowd.

    Jump to Recipe -
    oven baked beef tacos in baking dish with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Baked Ground Beef Tacos
    • Cook Time
    • FAQ
    • How to Store and Reheat
    • Substitutions
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    I grew up with ground beef tacos in hard taco shells -- like Taco Bell. Good, but messy! These baked beef tacos have crispy shells with a cheesy filling that stays inside the shell.

    Even though we love soft shell street tacos with salsa chicken, pork carnitas and shredded beef, my whole family loves these old school tacos with hamburger meat.

    It's one of our favorite taco recipes to make on taco night, and an easy way to feed a crowd. Plus, they come together in just a few simple steps.

    Whether you have a large family to feed on Taco Tuesday or a house full of guests for Cinco de Mayo, this easy recipe is for you!

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients for this oven baked taco recipe. You can find them in your grocery store or online.

    • Lean ground beef -- hamburger meat
    • Vegetable oil
    • Onion -- optional
    • Jalapeño pepper -- optional but adds spice
    • Taco seasoning -- from the store or homemade taco seasoning
    • Water or beef broth
    • Taco shells -- hard shells with a flat bottom work best
    • Shredded cheese -- cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese

    The best thing about tacos made with ground beef is they are super quick and easy. You can make taco meat in the Instant Pot or on the stove.

    How to Make Baked Ground Beef Tacos

    First, cook the onion and jalapeño pepper in a little bit of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Skip this if you are not adding them.

    add taco seasoning to browned ground beef in skillet

    Then, brown your ground beef. Add taco seasoning and some water or beef broth, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. If you aren't using lean ground beef, you may have to drain excess grease first.

    Place the shells next to each other in a baking dish or casserole dish. Then, add some cheese, and your taco meat.

    ground beef inside hard corn taco shells

    Adding cheese to the bottom of the tacos prevents them from getting soggy. We tried it and without the cheese on the bottom, and the tacos were so much better with cheese on the bottoms!

    Next, add more shredded cheese over the meat. It's going to melt down quite a bit in the oven, so don't be shy here!

    shredded cheese over beef in  taco shells

    Cook Time

    Pop the shells into a preheated oven, and bake for 10 minutes. You only need to bake the tacos until the cheese melts and the shells are golden brown around the edges.

    Total cooking time for these crunchy tacos is about 15 minutes, including time to brown the hamburger meat.

    In only a few minutes, you've got cheesy ground beef tacos.

    ground beef and melted cheese in baked taco shells

    Remove the tacos from the oven, and serve with your favorite taco toppings. We love homemade salsa, pico and guacamole!

    FAQ

    What are good hard shell taco toppings?

    Shredded iceberg lettuce or green lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and olives are traditional favorites. You can also add guacamole, diced red onions, pico de gallo, fresh salsa or hot sauce to your taco bar.

    How do you keep baked tacos from getting soggy?

    The layer of cheese at the bottom of the shell forms a barrier between the meat and the shell. This prevents the shell from getting soggy while baking.

    crispy ground beef baked tacos in baking dish

    How to Store and Reheat

    Store any leftover tacos in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last for three days before getting too soggy.

    The best way to reheat these tacos is in the oven or air fryer. I do not recommend microwaving them.

    Substitutions

    There are a few different ways to customize these oven baked tacos.

    Add some black beans or pinto beans to the meat mixture for some extra protein. Or, you can try putting a layer of refried beans on the bottom of each taco shell.

    Substitute the ground beef with your favorite meat. You can use ground turkey, ground chicken or shredded chicken. Though shrimp tacos are great, I would not use shrimp in this recipe.

    For some heat, add a couple green chilies to the beef mixture.

    Use your favorite type of cheese. Whether it's monterey jack, colby jack, or cheddar cheese, it'll work!

    Recipe

    crispy oven baked tacos with ground beef, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes in baking dish

    Easy Oven Baked Tacos

    Published by Dee
    Easy Oven Baked Tacos with ground beef and cheese in hard taco shells are a family favorite and perfect for a quick dinner on busy weeknights or when you need to feed a crowd.
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Servings 12
    Calories 147 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1 small onion chopped, optional
    • 1 jalapeño peppers finely chopped, optional
    • 1½ pounds lean ground beef
    • taco seasoning 1 packet or 3 tablespoons homemade
    • 1 cup water
    • 12 taco shells
    • shredded cheese Mexican blend or cheddar
    • toppings

    Instructions
     

    • Sauté onions and jalapeños in oil over medium heat until slightly soft
    • add ground beef, and cook until no longer pink, drain grease if needed
    • Add taco seasoning and water, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat
    • Preheat oven to 375°. Place taco shells next to each other in 13 x 9 baking dish
    • fill shells with a little shredded cheese, then cooked ground beef
    • Top with more shredded cheese
    • Bake for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and shells are lightly browned

    Notes

    Onion and peppers are optional but add extra flavor. You can leave them out for a less spicier version.
    Recipe makes about 12 tacos, as many as will fit in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. You can easily adjust the amounts needed to make more or fewer tacos as needed.
    Use foil to line the baking dish, if you want, for easier clean up.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 13gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 68mgPotassium: 233mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 13IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    I hope you enjoy these crispy oven baked tacos as much as we do! If you do make this easy dish, please leave a comment and star rating!

    For more easy recipes, including ground beef recipes, please follow me on social media and subscribe to my weekly newsletter!

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cindy says

      June 11, 2021 at 10:05 pm

      I missed the oven temperature and do you preheat?

      Reply
      • Dee says

        June 11, 2021 at 11:22 pm

        Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Just added that now -- thanks!

    2. Catalina says

      June 25, 2020 at 7:55 am

      You said tacos?! Yes, please! These are perfect!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Sara Welch says

      June 24, 2020 at 7:23 pm

      I love making these tacos in bulk; so great for feeding a crowd or tacos lovers like my family! These were great; easily a new favorite recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        June 25, 2020 at 9:43 pm

        SO happy to hear this! Thanks, Sara!

    4. Beti says

      June 24, 2020 at 10:37 am

      My family loved this!! I can't wait to make it again!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        June 25, 2020 at 9:42 pm

        I'm so glad you liked them, Beti. Thanks so much!

    5. katerina says

      June 24, 2020 at 10:36 am

      We love tacos! This sounds SO delicious!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Kevin says

      June 24, 2020 at 9:25 am

      Perfect for Taco Tuesday! I cannot wait to eat these!5 stars

      Reply
    7. Kerri says

      June 24, 2020 at 6:23 am

      My husband made this last night and they were so delicious! He loved how easy everything was to put together!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        June 27, 2020 at 9:30 pm

        They are super easy! Thanks, Kerri -- glad you all liked them!

    8. Beth says

      June 23, 2020 at 11:52 am

      These look so delicious and tasty! I'm bookmarking this for dinner! Can't wait!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        June 25, 2020 at 9:38 pm

        Let me know how you like it, Beth!

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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

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