Looking for a quick and easy party food or a fun twist on taco night? These Crispy Taco Cups are perfect! They’re like mini tacos, but with a crispy wonton shell that takes everything up a notch. Perfect for a casual dinner or as an party appetizer for the upcoming Super Bowl, these taco cups are a crowd-pleaser. They’re quick, easy, and packed with all the taco flavors you love—cheese, seasoned beef, and a zesty kick from the tomatoes. Trust me, these are Off the Chain!
What You’ll Need to Make Crispy Taco Cups
To make these crispy taco cups, you’ll need a few simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen:
- Ground beef (or ground turkey will work)
- Olive oil
- Taco seasoning (you can use a store-bought packet or homemade)
- Canned tomatoes with green chiles (for a nice kick)
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese (because cheese makes everything better)
- Wonton wrappers (the key to getting that crispy, golden shell)
- And a few optional garnishes like sour cream, good foods chunky guacamole, and cilantro to make them extra special!
How to Make Crispy Taco Cups
1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). This will give you a nice hot oven to get those taco cups perfectly crispy! They will brown fast so keep an eye on them!
2. Heat up your olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once it’s nice and hot, add your ground beef. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break it up into small crumbles and stir so it cooks evenly.
3. Add the taco seasoning to the beef. Stir it in well so that the meat gets coated in all that delicious seasoning.
4. Let the beef cook for about 5 minutes, or until it’s fully cooked through. You want it nice and browned with no pink spots. Then, stir in the canned diced tomatoes and green chiles. Let this cook for a couple more minutes to warm everything up and combine the flavors.
5. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. You want each cup to easily release once it’s done baking.
6. Place one wonton wrapper into the bottom of each muffin cup. This will form the base of your taco cups. Don’t worry about them being perfect, they’ll crisp up as they bake.
7. Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the beef mixture into each wonton wrapper.
8. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of shredded cheddar cheese on top of the beef. Or more 😉
9. Add a second wonton wrapper on top of the cheese, then repeat with the remaining beef and cheese. You’ll want to layer it up with a second wonton wrapper to keep things extra crispy.
10. Pop the muffin tin into the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges of the wontons are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
11. Once baked, top each taco cup with your desired garnishes. Guacamole, sour cream, cilantro—you name it! Then serve ’em up hot and enjoy.
Tips for Making Crispy Taco Cups
- Don’t overstuff the cups: You want to make sure the wonton wrappers stay crispy, so be careful not to overstuff them with the beef and cheese. A little goes a long way!
- Use a muffin tin: This is the secret to shaping the taco cups perfectly and ensuring they bake evenly.
- Make them ahead of time: If you want to save some time, you can prepare the taco cups ahead of time (up until baking) and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them off.
- Customize the toppings: These taco cups are totally customizable! Add whatever toppings you love, whether it’s shredded lettuce, salsa, or jalapeños for some heat.
Why You’ll Love These Crispy Taco Cups
Why do we love these crispy taco cups? Well, they’re just the perfect combination of everything you love about tacos: a crunchy shell, juicy savory ground beef, and gooey cheese. They’re easy to make, portable (no mess!), and off the chain! Plus, they can be dressed up with all your favorite toppings, making them perfect for any occasion—from casual weeknight dinners to game-day snacks.
Crispy Taco Cups
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef browned and drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles drained
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 24 wonton wrappers
- cooking spray for greasing muffin tin
Optional Garnishes
- Good Foods Chunky Guacamole
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro chopped
- green onions chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it up into small pieces, stirring constantly.
- Stir in taco seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes, until beef is browned. Add diced tomatoes and green chiles, cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Place one wonton wrapper into the bottom of each muffin cup. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the beef mixture into each wrapper, then top with 2 teaspoons of cheese.
- Add a second wonton wrapper on top, then repeat the beef and cheese layers.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and cheese is melted.
- Top with your desired garnishes (guacamole, sour cream, cilantro) and serve while hot.
