Our oven baked tacos are packed with lean ground beef, refried beans, and diced tomatoes, topped with cheese then baked. A simple dinner that kids love!
Oven-baked tacos with hard shells put a unique twist on Taco Tuesday, making dinner time more fun for the whole family. These tacos are assembled, baked then customized with toppings all in under 30 minutes. Simple, flavor-packed, and kid approved!
Not only are these crispy oven-baked tacos great for weeknight dinners, but it is a fantastic recipe when feeding a crowd. Making up to 10 tacos per recipe, you can easily bake enough to feed any size group. Perfect for family gatherings, potlucks, Superbowl parties and our favorite, Cinco de Mayo!
What Are Baked Tacos?
They’re like the superhero version of regular tacos! Baking them in the oven is a quick and easy way to create some seriously tasty treats.
Why bake taco shells, you ask? Because it’s the secret to getting that perfect combo of crunchy shells and gooey, melted cheese that makes these tacos irresistible. This recipe brings together all the classic taco ingredients—shells, seasoned ground beef, beans, cheese—and bakes them into one awesome dish.
The best part? These stand-up tacos come out of the oven dish easily, meaning you can serve them without the fillings spilling everywhere. And hey, you still get to add all your favorite taco toppings!
What Are The Best Toppings For Tacos?
For simplicity, we like shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes on our baked tacos. If desiring spicy then our go-to is adding jalapenos, specifically freshly sliced peppers. We find it is best to offer a variety of toppings on the dinner table so everyone can customize to their liking, especially when feeding a large group. Here are other toppings to consider:
- onions
- black olives
- sour cream
- salsa
- guacamole
- easy enchilada sauce
- pico de Gallo
How Do You Keep Taco Shells Crispy?
Draining the can of tomatoes and mixing a can of refried beans into the meat mixture is how to keep these tacos in the oven crispy. If you don’t like refried beans or don’t have any on hand, then a can of black beans is a great alternative. When using black beans, we like to pulse in the food processor until the texture resembles refried beans. However, you can skip this step and still keep shells crispy by spooning the beans on the bottom of the shells then topping with meat mixture.
We are excited to partner with Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market, a store we’ve proudly supported for years. When shopping in-store or online for pickup, I find that their Kroger and Simple Truth brands ensure quality and savings, adding an extra layer of assurance for families. Create Kids Club values wholesome choices and delicious meals, and our collaboration creates an ideal platform for affordable, quality living.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef ✅
- 16 ounce refried beans ✅
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes, drained ✅
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon onion powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon cumin ✅
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ✅
- 10 taco shells ✅
- 1/2 cup Mexican cheese ✅
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prep the meat mixture
Brown the ground beef until cooked through. Drain. Add the refried beans, diced tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir until well combined.
Fill the tacos
Place the taco shells into the baking pan. Evenly divide the meat mixture between the shells. Top with shredded cheese.
Bake
Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the shells are starting to crisp.
Serve
Serve topped with tomatoes and shredded lettuce.
Serving Suggestions
Baked beef tacos can be served as is for a complete meal or paired with any Tex-Mex side dish such as Spanish Rice, Instant Pot Mexican Rice or Canned Corn Salad. Other delicious sides to consider include:
- Chips and salsa
- Guacamole
- Sauteed peppers and onions
- Side salad with fresh diced tomatoes and onions
Recipe Tips & Ingredient Swaps
- Easily turn this dish vegetarian by omitting the ground beef and doubling the beans for refried bean tacos.
- Make dairy-free by removing the shredded cheese or opting for a dairy free alternative.
- Boost the flavor by simmering the meat mixture in 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce before pouring into the shells.
- Pick a baking dish large enough to fit the number of desired tacos. A 9×13 pan fits roughly 10 tacos. If you need more than 10, cook in multiple batches or use two pans if available. Once all tacos are cooked, keep them warm in the oven by turning the oven down to 250°F and covering the baking dish with foil.
- Use a Mexican style cheese, shredded cheddar or shredded Colby jack for these tacos. It is super easy to make a Mexican style cheese at home by tossing your favorite shredded cheese variety with 1-2 tablespoons of taco seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Taco shells are extremely easy to make! Check out our Homemade Taco Shell Bowls and How To Make Gluten-Free Tortillas guide for step-by-step directions and printable recipe cards.
With 1 pound of ground beef and 1 (16oz) can of refried beans, a single recipe will make approximately 10 tacos.
Once assembled, heat the hard shells for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the shells are crispy.
Can I make these Chicken Tacos?
You can easily turn these tacos into baked chicken tacos by swapping the ground beef with chicken! From ground chicken, and shredded chicken to leftover Rotisserie chicken and canned chicken, you can pick the most convenient method for you.
We stick with the same seasoning blend as we do with the baked beef tacos; however, you can consider omitting all the spices and using a chicken taco seasoning instead. Either way, the end result will be perfectly seasoned tacos.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Browning beef before adding to the tacos helps to boost the flavor and ensure the meat fully cooks. The meat is cooked when there are no more pink pieces in the skillet. To speed up the cooking process, break the beef into smaller pieces with a spatula and stir occasionally. It is also helpful to use fresh ground beef versus frozen to cook quicker.
- These stand up tacos are great because they are super easy to assemble. Fill the tacos once they are in the baking pan, not before. This way if you spill, the ingredients will end up in the baking pan and not on the counter.
- Timing is everything. Set a timer once you place the tacos into the oven then check once it sounds. If a recipe has a range on the recipe card like 7 to 10 minutes, always set the timer for the lower time then check. You can always cook longer if needed!
Storage Instructions
In the Fridge: Store leftover tacos in the fridge for up to 5 days in a covered container. Make sure the lid is secure. You may find that the shells become soggy when stored but keep reading for reheating instructions to crisp them back to the desired texture.
After the 5th day, you will want to discard the tacos for food safety concerns.
If looking to make ahead, prepare the ground beef mixture then store in the fridge up to a day in advance (keep the shells stored at room temperature). The next evening, pour into the taco shells, top with shredded cheese then bake as directed. You can either reheat the beef mixture before pouring into the shells or increase the cooking time until heated through (165°F).
In the Freezer: The assembled tacos do not freeze well but the ground beef mixture does! Meal prep tacos by making a double batch of the ground beef mixture. That second batch can be cooled once cooked then stored in the freezer for future meals.
To freeze, place the mixture in a freezer safe container or Ziploc bag once it has completely cooled. Press out all of the air from the Ziploc and make sure it is tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn. Store up to 3 months.
Remove from the freezer when desired or during busy weeks to thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat tacos in oven at 350°F by placing back into a baking dish for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.
How To Reheat
You can also reheat in the microwave; however, the shells will not be crispy.
More Gluten Free Dinner Ideas
- Gluten-Free Shepards Pie
- Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie
- Gluten-Free Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Gluten-Free French Dip Sandwiches (Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
- 10 Gluten-Free Recipes For Kids
- Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Baked Tacos Recipe
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef ✅
- 16 ounce refried beans ✅
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes, drained ✅
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon onion powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon cumin ✅
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ✅
- 10 taco shells ✅
- 1/2 cup Mexican cheese ✅
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- ⭐️Prep the meat mixture. Brown the ground beef until cooked through. Drain. Add the refried beans, diced tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir until well combined.1 pound ground beef, 16 ounce refried beans, 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes, drained, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Fill the tacos. Place the taco shells into the baking pan. Evenly divide the meat mixture between the shells. Top with shredded cheese.10 taco shells, 1/2 cup Mexican cheese
- ⭐️Bake. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the shells are starting to crisp.
- Serve. Serve topped with tomatoes and shredded lettuce. Serve hot.1 tomato, diced, 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
Notes
Nutrition
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