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    Home » Recipes » 30 Minute Meals

    Easy & Fast Oven Baked Tacos

    Published: Mar 30, 2021 · Modified: Oct 31, 2022 by Jenny

    Jump to Recipe
    hard taco shell filled with refried beans and cheese
    hard taco shells filled with beans, cheese and salsa

    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 this recipe

    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 2: Refried beans
    hard taco shells filled with grated cheese and refried beans
    Step 3: More 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.

    More Recipes for Taco Lovers

    • Instant Pot Brown Rice & Quinoa Burrito Filling
    • Vegetarian Fajitas with Smoky Lime Sour Cream
    • Baked Chicken Fajita Pasta
    Print

    📖 Recipe

    Easy & Fast Oven Baked Tacos

    hard taco shells filled with beans, melted cheese, salsa, and cilantro
    Print Recipe
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    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

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

    Add ground meat or shredded chicken for meat lovers. 

    • Author: Jenny Meier | Kitchen Skip blog
    • Prep Time: 10
    • Cook Time: 10
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 12 small tacos 1x
    • Category: 30 Minutes Meals
    • Method: bake
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 12 hard taco shells
    • 12 to 16 ounces (about 4 to 6 cups) grated cheese (Cheddar, Colby, Monterrey Jack)
    • 1 16-ounce can refried beans (pinto or black beans)
    • Your favorite taco toppings: sour cream, salsa, avocado, shredded lettuce or cabbage, cilantro, etc.

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375 F
    2. Arrange taco shells snugly in a 9x12 or similarly sized baking dish (I often use two smaller baking dishes)
    3. Sprinkle cheese in a light layer across the bottom of each shell (use half of the cheese)
    4. Add a spoonful of beans, spreading it out to cover the length of the shell
    5. Add more cheese on top, sprinkling it across the bean layer. Be very generous with the cheese! I often sprinkle a little extra over the outside of the taco shells too. 
    6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese is melted. 
    7. Top with your favorite taco toppings: sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce or cabbage, avocado, etc...

    Keywords: tacos, baked tacos, crispy taco shell, bean and cheese taco,

    Please rate and review this recipe!

    Your reviews help other readers. They also help me provide the best recipes possible. Thanks!

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Jen

      January 05, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      I was surprised by how much I like this recipe. The hard shell tortillas remind me of being a kid, and it's easy to make but really satisfying.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Mama of two, professional recipe developer, optimist, lover of buttered toast and steaming hot mugs of coffee. I'm here to help you get dinner on the table! Learn More About Me…

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    Recipe developer, writer and Mama of two. I’m here to help answer the never-ending question, what’s for dinner?
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