Mini Taco Cups with Seasoned Beef (Print)

Crispy tortilla cups filled with seasoned beef, melted cheese, and fresh toppings for a fun twist on classic tacos.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Cups

01 - 12 small flour tortillas (6-inch) or 12 wonton wrappers

→ For the Filling

02 - 1/2 lb ground beef
03 - 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
06 - 1/3 cup tomato sauce

→ For the Toppings

07 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 1/2 cup sour cream
09 - 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
10 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
11 - 1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
12 - 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Cut tortillas into circles approximately 4 inches in diameter. Press each circle firmly into a muffin cup, shaping it to form a shell. If using wonton wrappers, place one wrapper per cup.
03 - Bake the tortilla cups for 5-6 minutes until just beginning to crisp. Remove from oven but leave in the muffin tin.
04 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until browned completely. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in chopped onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until softened. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce, stirring well to combine.
06 - Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes until sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat.
07 - Spoon beef mixture evenly into the tortilla cups. Top each cup with shredded cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake for 7-8 minutes until cheese is melted and cups are golden brown.
08 - Let cool in the tin for 2 minutes. Carefully remove taco cups using a small spoon or offset spatula.
09 - Top each cup with sour cream, diced tomatoes, cilantro, black olives, and jalapeño slices as desired. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything you love about tacos but in adorable handheld form that disappears twice as fast
  • The tortilla shells get perfectly crispy while the filling stays hot and melty
  • People will think you spent way more time on these than you actually did
02 -
  • Don't skip the pre bake step or your tortilla bottoms will get soggy from the meat filling
  • Let the cups cool for at least 2 minutes before trying to remove them or they might fall apart
  • You can make the beef filling ahead of time and just reheat it when you're ready to assemble
03 -
  • Use a biscuit cutter to make perfect tortilla circles if you want them looking uniform
  • If your tortillas keep springing out of the muffin cups, bake them with a second muffin tin on top to weight them down

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