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    Home » Recipes » Party Appetizers

    Mini Tacos

    Published: January 30, 2023 | Last Updated: February 15, 2023 | Lisa 1 Comment
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    A graphic for Mini Tacos on a curved white plate loaded with toppings.

    Last Updated February 15th, 2023 at 09:33 am by Lisa

    Crunchy Mini Tacos are an easy recipe loaded with your favorite toppings! Tucked inside are layers of juicy taco meat, refried beans, cheeses, black olives, pickled jalapeños and more drizzled with a quick Mexican crema sauce.

    Serve these mini beef tacos as a delicious appetizer for a Cinco de Mayo party, family taco night dinner, birthday parties, or perfect party food for the big game...

    Pin

    Mini Tacos Appetizer Recipe

    Try different toppings on your mini taco cups, and add flavors that you and your family prefer. My favorite taco fillings are grated cheddar cheese, black olives, and heirloom tomatoes. These can also be as zippy as you want, depending on the ingredients like pickled jalapeños and hot sauce.

    Pin

    Step 1: Cook Taco Meat

    The taco seasoning and salsa make the best spicy ground beef for these tacos!

    • 1.5 lb ground beef 80/20
    • 1 cup salsa (a good fire-roasted brand) or chopped onion
    • ¼ cup taco seasoning
    1. In a large heavy (cast iron) large skillet over medium heat add the ground beef, salsa, and taco seasoning.
    2. Brown the ground beef, and stir to mix well. You can drain the juicy beef if you wish. Cook until brown about 8 minutes.

    Ground Beef – I like to use 80% Angus beef, you can drain the fat if you wish. 70% lean ground beef will work fine as well. You can also use lean ground turkey, or ground chicken in this recipe and make mini chicken tacos. Or to save time, use  Cooked Diced Chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken.

    Fire Roasted Salsa – One of my favorite ways to make ground beef taste amazing. Any salsa works, try my fire-roasted Tomatillo Salsa it packs a lot of authentic flavor.

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    Taco Seasoning: An easy fast way to spice up your taco meat, I prefer Lawry's Taco Seasoning packets, a Southern California hot spot since 1938! I grew up eating at the LA location, and it has classic Mexican spices like cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and oregano plus many others.

    Two red cooking pots filled with raw ground beef and seasonings and them browned hamburger meat.Pin

    Step 2: Bake Mini Tacos

    Mini Taco Shells – To make small taco shells, you can cut soft flour tortillas, won ton wrappers, or corn tortillas into circles. Lage or small tortillas both work, just cut circles that fit down inside the muffin pan trays. Won ton cups work as well, but I recommend spraying with a little bit of vegetable or olive oil on the pan so they crisp up while baking.

    1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
    2. Spray the mini muffin tin with non-stick coconut oil cooking spray.
    3. Cut rounds out of the flour or corn tortillas with a large can, round cookie cutter or coffee cup.
    4. Place each tortilla round down in a muffin tin.
    5. Spread refried beans on the bottom of each tortilla round.
    6. Layer 1-2 spoons full of cooked taco meat next.
    7. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven.
    8. Add more cheese on top, then tomato, black olives, and pickled jalapeño.
    9. Last drizzle taco sour cream mixture from a squeeze bottle on each taco bowl.

    Sheet Pan Variation: If you don't have a muffin tin, you can make these mini tacos on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cut your round mini taco shells out of tortillas, lay them in a single layer and spray with coconut oil, bake until golden brown first, then load on cooked taco meat, add refried beans and toppings, then fold into a taco shape and enjoy.

    Pin

    Step 3: Make "Mexican Crema" Taco Sauce

    Take just a couple of minutes, and mix up this easy sauce for taco recipes, it is always a big hit with festive party food like tacos.

    PRO TIP: The sauce for these mini taco bites is my take on "Mexican Crema", and adds nice taco flavor and a pretty look, it keeps well in an inexpensive squeeze-top bottle in the fridge.

    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 1 tablespoon of Lawry's Taco Seasoning Mix
    • 2 tablespoons water

    Mix 1 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning Mix, and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Load into a squeeze bottle, or add drops iwth a spoon. Use this sauce on top of tacos, taquitos, or burritos. Place in fridge until ready to use.

    Step 4: Add Favorite Taco Toppings

    3 Mini Tacos topped with jalapenos, refried beans, tomatoes and black olives.Pin

    Avocado or Guacamole

    Add pretty color and creaminess that makes the tacos more interesting, make your own Guacamole, it is so easy!

    Salsas

    The fresh amazing taste of this Tomatillo Salsa comes from the fire-roasted grilled flavor, and it has just the right kick of heat. 

    Drizzle Avocado Salsa is often served on Mexican foods like tacos, burritos, and taquitos, on Taco Salad, or served with tortilla chips as a dip.

    Onions

     Thinly green onions sliced to add a nice bite, you could also use red or sweet onions diced finely. Or make your own Mexican Pickled Red Onions which are great with tacos.

    • A blue glass bowl filled with guacamole and a chip stuck inside with a bowl of tortilla chips.
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    • A wood bowl with a lady scooping out homemade salsa with a tortilla chip.
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    • A wood bowl with green avocado salsa taco sauce and blue corn tortilla chips on the table.
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    • Mexican pickled red onions in a clamp jar and white bowl with chiles and limes on a colorful striped cloth.
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    Mini Tacos baked in flour tortillas topped with tomatoes, black olives, and pickled jalapenos.Pin

    Tomatoes

    The little cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are great, I like the mini little yellow and red ones, but you can dice large juicy tomatoes too.

    Sour Cream

    A dollop of sour cream adds that cool and creamy, balance to the spicy fire-roasted salsa and jalapenos.

    Cheeses

     I used Colby and sharp cheddar cheese. But a mixed Mexican cheese, mozzarella, or even pepper jack shredded cheese would all be great.

    Black Beans

    Hearty black beans or pinto beans add protein and texture to the little tacos!

    Pickled Jalapeno Peppers

     One of my personal favorite things to add, I like to chop them finely, but the whole is fine. They add a "spicy jalapeno twang". You could slice or dice fresh jalapenos too, just taste them before adding them as some are too hot out of the jar.

    Black Olives

    A classic in my family here in Southern California, hey my Mom always added these so they are nostalgic. I like the sliced black olives on almost all Mexican food!

    Misc Fresh Veggies

     Red and yellow bell peppers add crunch, flavor, and color. Fresh cilantro, green chilies, and lime juice can all add depth of flavor based on your tastes.

    Close up of mini tacos in flour tortilla shells topped with cheese, tomato, jalapenos, and black olives.Pin

    More Mexican Recipes

    Try this Easy Guacamole, and serve it with tortilla chips for the perfect snack or party dip.

    Whip up some Avocado Salsa (Green Taco Sauce)to drizzle on Mexican food or serve as a dip. Grilled Corn is an easy side to make for Cookouts.

    Jalapeno Popper Dip is always a huge hit at parties scooped with corn chips.

    Serve drinks like these Easy Limeade Margaritas great to serve for large parties or serve super fun CoronaRita Margaritas! Taco Salad is great with Guacamole with crunchy chips.

    • A white plate full of taco salad topped with taco meat, grated cheese, Fritos, sour cream, black olives and tomatoes.
      Easy Taco Salad
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    CRAVING MORE?

    Did you love this recipe? We would love to hear from you! If you make this recipe and love it, give it a 5-star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ with a comment. THANK YOU!! Follow Delicious Table with my free newsletter and share this recipe with your friends on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

    Small mini tacos topped with black olives, tomato, green onions, cheese and crema sauce.Pin
    Print Pin Recipe

    Mini Tacos Recipe

    Crunchy Mini Tacos are loaded with your favorite toppings! Tucked inside are layers of juicy taco meat, refried beans, cheeses, black olives, pickled jalapeños and more drizzled with a quick Mexican crema sauce. Serve these mini beef tacos as a delicious appetizer for a Cinco de Mayo party, family taco night dinner, birthday parties, or perfect party food for the big game.
    Prep Time 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes minutes
    Servings 12
    Calories 279kcal
    Author Lisa Hatfield

    Equipment

    Muffin Pan
    Mini Muffin Pan
    Condiment Squeeze Bottles

    Ingredients

    Mini Taco Shells

    • 6 flour tortillas or corn tortillas
    • coconut oil spray

    Cook Ground Beef Taco Mixture

    • 1.5 pounds ground beef
    • 1 cup salsa
    • ¼ cup packet Lawry's Taco Seasoning Mix

    Taco Toppings

    • 1 can refried beans spicy or regular
    • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
    • 1 small chopped heirloom tomato
    • 1 small can black olives
    • 20 pickled jalapeños

    Mexican "Crema" Sauce

    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning Mix Lawry's is great
    • 2 tablespoons water
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    Instructions

    Cook Ground Beef Taco Meat Mixture

    • In a large heavy (cast iron) skillet over medium high heat add the ground beef, salsa, and taco seasoning.
    • Brown the ground beef, and stir to mix well. You can drain the beef mixture if you wish. Cook until crumbled and brown about 8-10 minutes.

    Bake The Mini Taco Bowls

    • Preheat oven to 375°F.
    • Spray a nonstick cooking spray like coconut oil into a mini muffin tin or a regular 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick coconut oil cooking spray.
    • Cut mini tortillas into round shapes. Cut each one with a round cookie cutter, biscuit cutter, large can (clean and opened), coffee cup, or mason jar lid. As an option you can make wonton taco cups or use corn tortillas.
    • Place each cut tortilla round down in the muffin tin.
    • Spread refried beans on bottom of each tortilla round.
    • Layer a 1-2 spoon full of cooked taco meat next. Store any leftover taco meat in an airtight container for another great recipe.
    • Bake for 15 minutes and remove from out of the oven.

    Add Toppings

    • Add cheese on top, tomato, green olives, black olives, and pickled jalapeño.
    • Last drizzle taco sour cream mixture from a squeeze bottle on each taco bowl.

    Mix Mexican "Crema" Sauce

    • Mix 1 cup of sour cream, 1 tablespoon of Taco Seasoning Mix, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl.
    • Load into a squeeze bottle, and use this sauce on top of tacos, taquitos, or burritos. Place in fridge in bottle until ready to use.

    Notes

    Taco Toppings

      • grated cheddar cheese
      • chopped yellow heirloom tomato
      • black olives
      • guacamole
      • pickled jalapeños
      • crema taco sauce
      • black beans
      • bell pepper
      • tomatillo salsa
      • refried beans
      • cilantro
      • avocado
      • pickled red onions
      • avocado salsa
      • guacamole
      • hot sauce

    Ground Beef 

    I like to use 80% Angus beef, you can drain the fat if you wish. 70% lean ground beef will work fine as well. You can also use lean ground turkey, or ground chicken in this recipe and make mini chicken tacos. Or to save time, use  Cooked Diced Chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken.

    Sheet Pan Variation

    If you don't have a muffin tin, you can make these mini tacos on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cut your round mini taco shells out of tortillas, lay them in a single layer and spray with coconut oil, bake until golden brown first, then load on cooked taco meat, add refried beans and toppings, then fold into a taco shape and enjoy.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 1.9mg
    Tried this recipe?Let's see it on Instagram! Follow us @Delicious.Table and tag us on your recipe photo with #delicioustable
    Need ingredients or equipment to make this recipe? Shop Now Every cooking product recommended I own, use, and love how they perform in my kitchen. Happy Cooking! Lisa
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Delicious Table earns advertising fees from qualified purchases linking to Amazon.com

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deb says

      March 06, 2018 at 11:54 am

      5 stars
      Totally low key and delicious! Made a bunch of these when I had family friends over to watch a game. I made some spicy for the adults and some mild for the kiddos. Everyone loved the mini-ness of them and how you could customize the "fixins" to your taste. 🙂

      Reply

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