Mini Taco Cups
Mini Taco Cups are handheld tacos baked in a muffin tin with saucy taco meat and cheese. An easy, kid-friendly 30-minute family dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 8 flour tortillas 10-inch, cut into 4-inch circles
- 1 to 1 ½ cups shredded cheese
- Taco toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and olives, for serving
Instructions
- n a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef or turkey with the salt and pepper, breaking the meat into small pieces, until cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease two muffin tins.
- Cut 4-inch circles from the tortillas using a cookie cutter or a round lid. Gently press each circle into a muffin well to form a cup.
- Scoop a spoonful of the meat and sauce into each tortilla cup, then top with a sprinkle of cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tortillas are lightly golden around the edges and the filling is hot and bubbly.
- Carefully remove the cups from the muffin tin and serve warm with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
Tortillas: If you can't find 10-inch tortillas, use smaller ones, but plan on needing more since you'll get fewer circles from each. Warming the tortillas briefly makes them more pliable so they don't crack.
Refried beans: To make the meal heartier and stretch the meat, spoon a teaspoon of refried beans into the bottom of each cup before adding the meat.
Swaps: Use ground turkey, shredded chicken, or mashed seasoned black beans in place of beef. Wonton wrappers or mini street-taco tortillas also work well.
Tortilla scraps: Brush leftover scraps with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes for a quick treat.
Make ahead and storage: Brown the taco meat a day in advance. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes to keep the cups crisp.