Crispy Baked Beef Tacos (Sheet Pan)
My crispy baked tacos are made with seasoned ground beef, black beans, and melty cheese; all baked at once on a single pan until golden and crunchy. Ready in about 30 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights or casual family dinners, it’s the kind of low-effort taco night that’s delicious and oh-so doable
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon mild chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 (7.5-inch) medium flour tortillas
- 1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- avocado oil cooking spray
Salsa Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup 2% plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 cup chunky-style salsa
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a large sheet pan with cooking spray.
- Brown The Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, ground beef and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, breaking apart, until browned and mostly cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the Beans & Seasonings: Stir in the tomato paste, beans, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until thickened, stirring frequently. If the mixture starts sticking, add a splash of water to loosen it. Using the back of a fork, gently mash the beans into the meat mixture.
- Assemble The Tacos: Working in batches if needed, lay the tortillas flat on the sheet pan. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the beef and bean filling on one half of each tortilla, then sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of cheese.
- Bake Until Crispy: Lay flat on the baking sheet and spray both sides with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining ingredients, arranging the filled tortillas evenly on the baking sheet with as little overlap as possible. Note: If your tortillas break when folding, I added a tip in the notes section below to help!
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp and golden on both sides. Allow to cool slightly, then serve with dipping sauce of choice.
- Optional Salsa Dipping Sauce: Stir the yogurt or sour cream and salsa together until smooth. Serve on the side for dipping, or carefully open each taco to drizzle in a little sauce before serving.
Notes
- Don’t Over-Crowd: For best results, avoid stacking or overlapping the tacos on the sheet pan. Space = crunch!
- Optional Fillings: If you’re craving a nostalgic taco experience, add some chopped lettuce and chopped tomato after baking. Carefully (they will be HOT) open each taco, sprinkle in the filling, then press to close.
- Tortillas Breaking: I've heard from some of you that your tortillas are breaking when you try to fold them in half. If this is happening to you, try warming the tortillas slightly so they are more pliable. Wrap a stack in a damp (clean) kitchen towel and then microwave for 15-40 seconds, until they are just warmed through and more pliable. Or, if you don't like the microwave option, you can put one at a time in the toaster and toast for on the lowest setting (you don't want them to get crispy at this point, or they definitely won't fold).
- With Chicken: Rather make these with chicken? Check out my reader-favorite baked chicken tacos!
Nutrition
Serving: 1 taco w/ sauce | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 619mg | Potassium: 463mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 3mg
