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Cheesy Baked Tacos Recipe

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4 from 3 reviews

Cheesy Baked Tacos are a delicious and crowd-pleasing meal featuring seasoned ground beef, black beans, and melted TexMex cheese baked inside crispy taco shells. Topped with your favorite fresh toppings and sauces, these tacos offer a flavorful and satisfying dish perfect for gatherings or family dinners.

Ingredients

For the Beef Tacos

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1 shallot or small onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 500 g / 1 lb lean ground beef (or ground chicken or ground turkey)
  • 1 can Rotel canned chopped tomatoes and green chiles (approx 10 oz/284 ml) or finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (chipotle chili powder recommended)
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For Assembling

  • 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 14-18 taco shells
  • 2-3 cups shredded TexMex cheese or Monterey Jack cheese

Toppings (optional)

  • Shredded cheese
  • Shredded lettuce or cabbage
  • Chopped tomatoes or pico de gallo
  • Chopped red onion
  • Sour cream
  • Taco sauce
  • Salsa
  • Coriander/cilantro
  • Jalapenos
  • Hot sauce or chili sauce
  • Pickled chillies
  • Guacamole

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the tacos.
  2. Cook the Beef Mixture: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, chopped onion (or shallot), and minced garlic. Cook for about 7-10 minutes, breaking the beef into small pieces, until nicely browned.
  3. Add Seasonings: Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes to nicely toast the spices.
  4. Simmer with Tomatoes: Add the canned chopped tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel) and simmer the mixture for 7-10 minutes until the liquid has reduced and thickened slightly.
  5. Prep Taco Shells: Meanwhile, line a 9 x 13 inch casserole or baking dish with taco shells. Bake them in the preheated oven for 5 minutes if using a light-colored dish, or 3 minutes if using a dark dish, to crisp shells slightly. Remove carefully from the oven.
  6. Assemble Tacos: Sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese at the bottom of each taco shell. Add a layer of rinsed and drained black beans, then spoon in the seasoned ground beef mixture.
  7. Add Cheese and Bake: Top each assembled taco with the remaining shredded cheese. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake uncovered for 7-10 minutes until the cheese melts and starts bubbling.
  8. Serve with Toppings: Remove the tacos from the oven. Add your choice of optional toppings such as lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, jalapenos, guacamole, and more. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!
  9. Optional Serving Suggestion: Lay out toppings and sauces on the table allowing everyone to customize their own tacos directly.

Notes

  • Storage: Best served immediately to keep the taco shells crunchy. Leftovers can be wrapped in foil and refrigerated. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes to restore crispness.
  • Make Ahead: The seasoned taco meat filling can be prepared 2-3 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Assemble and bake when ready.
  • Freezing: Taco meat filling freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
  • Assembly Timing: Assembled tacos stored for longer than a few hours before baking may cause shells to soften.
  • Feel free to customize toppings based on your preference.

Find it online: https://yumntasty.com/cheesy-baked-tacos-recipe/