Oven-Baked Cheesy Tacos
Quick and delicious oven-baked tacos that are crunchy, cheesy, and loaded with fresh toppings, perfect for busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Beef
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 2/3 cup tomato sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 hard taco shells
- 2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blend)
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
- Sour cream (optional)
- Guacamole (optional)
- Jalapeño slices (optional)
- Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and arrange hard taco shells upright in a baking dish.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef and diced onion until beef is browned and onion is soft.
- Drain excess fat, then add minced garlic and taco seasoning; stir for about 1 minute.
- Pour in tomato sauce, reduce heat, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Spoon seasoned beef into taco shells, avoiding overfilling.
- Top each taco with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and shells are golden.
- Remove from oven and top with lettuce, diced tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, jalapeños, or hot sauce on the side.
Notes
For a lighter option, substitute ground beef with ground turkey or a plant-based equivalent. You can also use pre-shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes to save time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg