Crispy air fryer tacos with ground beef are easy to make and use only a few simple ingredients – for a quick dinner option. This recipe takes the greasy mess out of deep-frying tacos but still gives them their crisp texture.
Air Fryer Tacos
Are you ready for the easiest taco recipe you’ll ever make? Excellent because it’s right here. I love making these tacos because they have such an authentic vibe and are so easy to make. I started making these tacos years ago when I first got my air fryer, but I just never got around to sharing it on the blog. Well, today seems like a case of better late than never, so get ready! These tacos are full of all the flavors we love, and the shells are cooked while the filling heats, so the shells get crispy while the filling gets hot, and it’s all ready to go at the same time. Talk about a time saver.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Tacos Recipe
- It’s a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s so simple to make.
- They’re air fried so there’s no greasy mess, and cleanup is a breeze.
- The flour tortilla shells are crispy and stuffed with deliciously seasoned ground beef, lettuce, diced tomatoes, cotija cheese, and cilantro.
- They make Taco Tuesday night even better.
Air Fryer Tacos Ingredients
You’ll only need simple, basic taco ingredients to make this recipe. You’ll find everything you need at your local grocery store.
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Jalapenos
- Cloves garlic
- Taco seasoning
- Flour tortillas, taquito size
Optional Toppings
- Cotija Cheese
- Shredded lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Avocado salsa
How to Make Air Fryer Tacos
Making these tacos is incredibly easy. It’s no more difficult than making your tacos the way you’ve always made them, and it’s much faster.
Step 1: Cook the Beef and Vegetables
Cook the ground beef, onions, and jalapenos in a frying pan over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and the onions and peppers are tender. Then, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the mixture and return it to the pan.
Step 2: Add Seasoning
Add the taco seasoning to the beef and stir. Then, add water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Fill
Place the flour tortillas in a metal taco holder and fill them with the meat mixture. Then, pick up the tacos and spray both sides lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place them back in the holder.
Step 4: Air Fry
Air fry the tacos at 390 degrees for 4 minutes. Repeat until as many tacos as you want are made.
Step 5: Top
Add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado salsa, cheese, and cilantro if desired and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- You absolutely need a taco holder for this recipe to work. It’s the only way to reliably keep the tacos upright and the filling where it belongs.
- Lightly coating the tortillas with nonstick spray is essential for crispy, delicious shells.
- Always preheat your air fryer. It is an absolute myth that they don’t have to be preheated.
Variations
- Make these tacos with ground turkey, pork, or chorizo.
- Add any of your favorite toppings to this recipe, not just the ones I recommended.
- Omit the jalapenos for a mild version of these tacos.
- Use shredded Monterey jack, pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Tacos
Serve these tacos with all of your favorite Mexican sides. If you’re hosting a party, pair these with even more main dishes for a huge, Mexican feast. Some great ideas include:
- Burritos
- Fajitas
- Enchiladas
- Flautas
- Quesadillas
- Mexican rice
- Spanish rice
- Elote
- Elote casserole
- Mexican beans
- Black beans or refried beans
That’s just the tip of the iceberg!
Recipe FAQ
What are air fryer tacos?
They’re tacos that are made in the air fryer. Instead of a hard, yellow corn tortilla shell, these tacos use flour tortillas that are crisped in the air fryer.
Can you make these without an air fryer?
You can. Spray them in the same way and place them in a taco holder. Then, bake them at 400 degrees for about 4 minutes.
Do you add toppings to tacos before air frying them?
No. The only thing you add to the shells is the meat mixture. Not only would adding the toppings make a mess, but it would ruin them, as well.
Can you heat flour tortillas in an air fryer?
You can. That’s exactly what happens with this air fryer taco recipe.
Can I cook taco shells in an air fryer?
You can. They cook very well in the air fryer thanks to the circulating heat.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store your taco meat and toppings in separate containers in the refrigerator. The taco meat will last for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
To reheat, place the taco meat in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until heated through. Then, prepare the tacos as directed in the recipe.
Try This Delicious Air Fryer Tacos Recipe Today
These air fryer tacos are full of classic taco flavor, and it’s all stuffed into a perfectly cooked, crispy flour tortilla. Cooking it in the air fryer means piping hot filling and crispy taco shells all prepared at the same time. It’s fast, easy, and so delicious. Give this recipe a try, and I know it’ll become one of your favorite taco recipes ever!
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp – This delicious and easy shrimp recipe is super flavorful, air fried in a matter of minutes and makes a quick and easy air fryer recipe everyone will enjoy.
Breakfast Flautas – These flautas are loaded with scrambled eggs, ham steak, bell peppers, jalapenos, onions, cheese and zesty spices, rolled up in flour tortillas and air fried to crispy perfection.
Air Fryer Chicken Kabobs – These air fried chicken kabobs make a quick, healthy and delicious weeknight dinner loaded with tender chunks of chicken, pineapple chunks two types of bell peppers, seasonings, and teriyaki sauce.
And, here are some delicious and easy Pigs in a Blanket Air Fryer Recipe from Great Grub, Delicious Treats that are super easy to make and are absolutely delicious.
Air Fryer Tacos with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 jalapenos, stem and seeds removed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup taco seasoning
- 1 ½ cup water
- 14 flour tortillas, taquito size
- Optional toppings:
- Cacique Queso Fresco Cheese
- Shredded lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Avocado salsa
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium heat, cook ground beef, onion and jalapenos until meat is no longer pink, and onions and peppers are tender.
- Add garlic and cook for another two minutes. Drain grease and return to pan.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning mix over meat mixture. Stir.
- Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat air fryer at 390° for 3 minutes.
- Place flour tortillas in a metal taco holder and fill tortillas with meat filling. Pick up filled tortilla and lightly spray both sides of the tortillas with non-stick cooking spray. Place back in the holder and then place holder in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 390 degrees for 4 minutes. Use tongs to remove metal holder and repeat with the remaining tacos.
- Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado salsa, cheese and cilantro, if desired.
Notes
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