Easy and fast oven baked tacos made with beans, cheese and your favorite taco toppings. Cheesy, crispy, delicious!

hard taco shell filled with refried beans and melted cheese

If you're looking for an easy recipe to change up taco night at your house, this recipe for baked tacos is it.

Baked tacos taste a little bit like nachos baked into individual handheld servings. The outside is crispy and warm and the inside is layered with beans, lots of melted cheese and all your favorite toppings, like sour cream, salsa and avocado.

What could be better?

Baked tacos might seem like something only your kids will like, but I'm here to tell you that baked tacos are for adults too. My husband and I were basically fighting over the last one, until my 6 year old reached in and claimed it for herself.

This dinner recipe is easy, fast, delicious and everyone at the table can personalize their taco so it's just the way they like it. It's a win all the way around!

What Makes This Recipe So Easy?

You really only need 3 ingredients for this recipe - hard taco shells, refried beans, and cheese - and the rest is extra.

The prep work couldn't be easier.

Arrange taco shells in a baking dish
Sprinkle a layer of grated cheese
Spoon in a layer of beans
Top with more cheese
Bake 10 to 12 minutes

That's dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less!

hard taco shells filled with grated cheese — Step 1: Grated Cheese

hard taco shells filled with grated cheese and refried beans — Step 1: Grated Cheese

Add Toppings

Toppings might be extra, but they really do make these tacos extra good.

You know what to do here - put all your favorite taco toppings on the table!

Sour cream, salsa, avocado, green onion, shredded lettuce or cabbage, etc. etc.

hard taco shells in a pan filled with refried beans, melted cheese, salsa and cilantro

Add Meat

Baked tacos often have a layer of seasoned ground meat. I skip it because this recipe is a really satisfying vegetarian dinner. But if you'd like to add taco meat, go for it!

Here's what you'll need for taco meat:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon paprika

Drizzle a little oil in a skillet and cook the onion 5 to 7 minutes until soft. Add the ground meat and cook 5 to 7 minutes more until no longer pink, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Season the meat with chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt to taste. If the meat seems a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water as it cooks.

When making the tacos, layer the meat in after the beans. If you put meat in the very bottom of the taco, the shell will get soggy from the moisture.

Can I Double the Recipe?

Absolutely. Just keep in mind that these tacos taste best the night they're made. Leftovers get a little soggy on the bottom of the shell.

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