These delicious Oven Baked Beef Tacos are an easy and flavorful dinner option. Filled with seasoned ground beef and topped with all your favorite taco toppings, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.
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I don’t know about you, but I could eat tacos pretty much every night of the week. I definitely consider tacos a food group on it’s own and love trying new variations each time. From Chicken Taco Casserole, to Frito Taco Bake, Taco Lasagna, a simple Taco Bowl, and of course, these ground beef baked tacos, I can’t get enough! Perfect for busy weeknights, lazy weekends, or having guests over!
Why Bake Your Tacos in the Oven?
So many great benefits of baking your taco shells in the oven, give it a try, it may just be your new go to!
- Less Mess– given that you are baking these, no frying is required to get that perfectly crisp texture. Simply assemble, bake, and serve!
- Serves a crowd– make as many pans as needed to fit your guests. This recipe is easy to double, triple, and more.
- Made in 30 minutes– once you assemble the tacos, you let the oven do the rest of the work and it’s a hands off recipe using simple ingredients and you can add any taco toppings desired!
- Ready at the same time– since it can be hard serving batches of tacos and trying to time dinner perfectly, this saves you all the work and lets you assemble and bake at the same time! Multiple pans? No problem! Stick the pans side by side in the oven!
Ingredient Notes
I love how customizable these baked ground beef tacos are! Add your favorite toppings and you have a quick, easy dinner or lunch option ready in no time! Below is a brief overview of each ingredient needed to make these oven tacos. To see printable recipe card, scroll to the bottom of this post.
- Taco Shells– I use hard taco shells, however, you can also use tortillas (flour or corn tortillas) and crisp them up in the oven.
- Beef– use a lean ground beef and once cooked, drain the grease. You can also use ground turkey, ground chicken, or pork if preferred.
- Taco Seasoning– you can use store bought taco seasoning to keep things simple, or use my homemade taco seasoning which allows you to control the amounts added.
- Water– you’ll add this when seasoning the meat to keep things moist and allow the meat to absorb.
- Olive Oil– this is used to saute the onions and garlic so they are perfectly tender.
- Onion– adds so much flavor. My go-to is yellow for these tacos, however, you can also use red or white onions.
- Garlic– freshly minced garlic is best, however, jarred garlic works too. Feel free to add more if you’re a garlic lover!
- Shredded Cheese– freshly shredded Cheddar cheese is my preferred cheese, you can also use Colby Jack cheese, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack cheese!
- Toppings of Choice– have fun with this part! We love adding tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, sour cream, shredded lettuce, and guacamole.
What should I put on top of my Easy Baked Beef Tacos?
There are so many great options to choose from when picking your taco toppings! Here are some of our favorites! PRO TIP: Once tacos are baked, remove and gently pry open to add toppings to the inside. This helps the add on’s stay put and makes the tacos easier to enjoy.
- Shredded Lettuce
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Diced Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Black Olives
- Jalapenos
- Green Chiles
- Hot Sauce
- Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
- Pico de Gallo
How to make Baked Tacos
For step by step directions, scroll to the recipe card. Here’s a quick overview of the steps needed!
- Prepare Beef Mixture– in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic. Add in the 1 pound ground beef and once cooked through, drain and add in the water and taco seasoning. Set aside.
- Assemble Tacos– arrange taco shells in prepared baking dish standing up. Spoon beef filling into each shell and sprinkle cheese.
- Bake and Add Toppings– place pan into preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Add desired toppings and serve! PRO TIP: Stick tacos under broiler for about 1-3 minutes to get them extra crispy before serving.
Tips for Success
- If you prefer using corn or flour soft tortillas, versus hard shells, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place taco shells on top. Fill one side with taco meat and cheese, place prepared baking sheet into oven, bake for 10 minutes and just before removing pan, fold tacos over to close and seal.
- Don’t overfill the tacos with ground beef mixture otherwise they will fall apart and not hold the toppings.
- Keep an eye on them as you don’t want the shells to burn.
- Add your toppings AFTER baking the tacos otherwise the toppings will get warm and soggy.
Storage
If you have leftover tacos, allow to fully cool before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge up to 3 days. To reheat, place in oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or in the air fryer at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Whether you are serving these for a quick lunch or dinner option, or enjoying as an appetizer or party dish, you can enjoy these oven baked tacos on their own with your favorite toppings. To make it more of a meal, here are some great pairing options:
- Charro Beans or Black Beans
- Mexican Street Corn Casserole
- Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
- Layered Nacho Dip
- Refried Beans
- And of course, a Frozen Limeade Margarita!
More Taco Recipes You’ll Love
Taco Cornbread Casserole– ground beef, chili beans, and cheese, all under a layer of Jiffy cornbread! Perfect for busy weeknight dinners, this simple casserole is comfort food at its finest!
Easy Taco Crescent Rolls– perfect for quick weeknight dinners or as a game-day appetizer. Taco seasoned ground beef combined with your favorite salsa, stuffed inside a crescent roll!
Taco Pinwheels– perfect for parties and game day gatherings, these pinwheels are sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Slow Cooker Chicken Ranch Tacos– call for only 4 ingredients! Chicken breasts slow cooked in taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and chicken broth and served in tortillas with your favorite toppings!
California Taco– layers of Frito’s, meat, cheese, and any topping desired! Flavorful and budget friendly!
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Crispy Ground Beef Baked Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 hard taco shells
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 oz taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese shredded
- Toppings of Choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Chop the yellow onion and mince the garlic. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion, cooking until the onion is translucent.
- Add the beef and cook until browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the grease.
- Mix in the water and taco seasoning. Set aside.
- Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- Arrange all the taco shells in the baking pan, pressed against each other so they stand up. Spoon beef filling into each taco shell and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the taco shells are slightly browned.
- Prepare the toppings by chopping the tomato, red onion, and cilantro. Slice the jalapeno.
- Remove tacos from the oven and garnish with toppings. Squeeze on fresh lime juice, if desired. Enjoy!
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