Crispy Baked Beef Tacos with Chipotle Crema Recipe
These Crispy Beef Tacos are a flavorful, baked alternative to the traditional fried tacos, delivering crispy, cheesy, and satisfying bites without the extra oil from frying. Ground beef is seasoned and combined with cheese, then folded inside corn tortillas and baked until perfectly crispy. Paired with a smoky chipotle crema and fresh toppings, these tacos are an easy, crowd-pleasing meal ready in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Total Time: 25-30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 tacos
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Beef Filling
- 1 lb. ground beef (85% lean/15% fat or 90/10)
- 1 Tbsp. oil (canola, vegetable, or olive oil)
- 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning (packet or homemade)
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese (from the 8 oz. divided portion)
Tacos
- 8–10, 6-inch white or yellow corn tortillas
- 1 Tbsp. oil (for brushing tortillas)
- 7 oz. shredded Colby Jack cheese (remainder from the 8 oz. total)
Chipotle Crema
- 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tsp. honey or sugar
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt, to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Sour cream
- Shredded lettuce
- Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Pickled red onions
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly oil or spray two baking sheets with nonstick spray and set them aside.
- Cook the Ground Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon. Once cooked, drain the excess fat.
- Add Seasonings and Simmer: Return the skillet to medium heat. Stir in the taco seasoning, water, minced garlic, lime juice, diced green chiles, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- Incorporate Cheese: Add 1 cup of shredded Colby Jack cheese to the beef mixture and stir until combined and melted. Remove from heat.
- Prepare the Tortillas: Wrap the tortillas in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 45-60 seconds, flipping halfway through to soften and make them pliable. If they still feel brittle, microwave for an additional 10 seconds.
- Assemble the Tacos: On one half of each tortilla, spread approximately 1/4 cup of the beef and cheese filling. Sprinkle a little more shredded cheese on top. Fold the tortilla over to seal and lightly brush the outside with oil to help with browning.
- Arrange and Bake: Place about 6 tacos at a time on the prepared baking sheets, taking care not to overfill to prevent filling from leaking out. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tacos are hot and crispy. No need to flip during baking.
- Make the Chipotle Crema: While the tacos bake, combine the Mexican crema or sour cream, chipotle peppers in adobo, honey or sugar, lime juice, 1 clove garlic, and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve: Serve the crispy baked beef tacos with chipotle crema and your favorite toppings such as shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, guacamole, pickled red onions, and sour cream.
Notes
- Using the microwave to soften tortillas makes them easier to fold without cracking during baking.
- Do not overfill tacos to avoid filling spilling out and creating a mess while baking.
- Can use any corn tortillas that you prefer; yellow or white both work well.
- The chipotle crema adds a smoky, slightly spicy flavor that complements the beef perfectly; adjust the number of chipotle peppers to your spice preference.
- Leftover tacos can be reheated in the oven to maintain crispiness rather than in the microwave.
- For a lower fat option, use ground beef with leaner fat content, such as 90/10 or 93/7.
