Go Back

Ground Beef Baked Tacos

Ground beef baked tacos with crispy upright taco shells and seasoned crumbles baked until the cheddar melts. A simple weeknight dinner topped with tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, and jalapeño.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef taco filling
  • 2 lb ground beef
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 0.25 cup water
Taco shells and cheese
  • 16 hard taco shells Use shells that can stand upright in a baking dish.
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings and serving
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup diced jalapeño
  • 1 salsa for serving Serve salsa on the side.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the seasoned ground beef
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Set up a baking dish so you can arrange the taco shells upright right after filling them.
  2. Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess fat when no longer pink.
  3. Add taco seasoning and water to the beef, stirring to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened and evenly coated.
Assemble and bake the tacos
  1. Arrange taco shells in a baking dish, standing them upright. Divide seasoned beef among the shells, filling each to about the same level.
  2. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over each taco. Bake for 10-12 minutes until shells are crispy and cheese is melted, with a clear golden set on top.
Add toppings and serve
  1. Top each taco with diced tomatoes. Keep them piled while the cheese is still hot.
  2. Top each taco with shredded lettuce. Add it lightly so it stays crisp.
  3. Add a dollop of sour cream to each taco. Let it sit just long enough to soften at the edges.
  4. Finish with diced jalapeño on top of each taco. Serve salsa on the side so everyone can adjust the heat.

Notes

For extra crisp shells, arrange them tightly in the baking dish and don’t overfill—too much beef can loosen the shells. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days, keeping toppings separate if possible. Freezing: freeze only the baked beef filling (up to 2 months) and reheat; assembled tacos don’t freeze well. For a lower-fat option, use lean ground beef (or ground turkey) and drain thoroughly after browning.