Molly loves these because it’s a salad you can eat with your hands! They’re cupcake sized tortilla shells filled with a saucy beefy filling and loads of bright and fresh taco fixings. She thinks eating the taco shell, the part where it’s been soaking up all the taco salad juices, is one of the great pleasures of this world. These are perfect handheld savory treats for a party, too!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 12 taco cups |
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil spray
- Twelve 4 1/2-inch street taco-sized flour tortillas
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small red bell pepper (180 grams), finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion (160 grams), finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- 12 ounces (336 grams) 80/20 ground beef
- 2 tablespoons (66 grams) tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- Sliced avocado, for serving
- Sour cream, for serving
- Diced tomato, for serving
- Grated Cheddar, for serving
- Sliced scallion, for serving
- Shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- For the taco shells: Place an oven rack in the upper third. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or brush a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil.
- Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until hot and pliable, 15 to 20 seconds. Gently press one tortilla into each prepared muffin cup, pleating the sides and pressing gently to make a flat bottom. Once all of the tortillas are in the cups, spray lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Bake until the edges are browned and the cups are crisp throughout, about 12 minutes. Set aside.
- For the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Spoon or pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Make a space in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste. Toast the tomato paste for a minute, then sprinkle with the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and oregano. Stir to incorporate. Add the beef broth, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- To serve, divide the beef among the taco cups and top with avocado, sour cream, tomato, Cheddar, scallions and shredded lettuce. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 273 |
| Total Fat | 13 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 23 mg |
| Sodium | 526 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 273 |
| Total Fat | 13 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 23 mg |
| Sodium | 526 mg |
Reviews
Lots of fresh ingredients and savory taco meat. The “homemade” taco shell bowls are easy to make and hold just the right amount of everything. The crunch holds up without falling apart. I used low carb tortillas and they worked great.
The taco shells are delicious and easy!