These mini fried beef tacos are delicious, crispy mini tacos packed with seasoned ground beef, creamy refried beans, and shredded cheese, all nestled in a crispy corn tortilla and fried to golden perfection. A simple appetizer or easy dinner recipe the whole family will enjoy.
Fried beef tacos are a favorite Mexican meal in my family. All that seasoned beef and cheese folded up in a golden-brown, fried tortilla? MmmMMMM. You can’t beat it! I’ve been making them for years, and I love to set them out with bowls of classic taco toppings for everyone to build their favorite tacos. It’s a quick and easy dinner or addition to any party, and everyone always loves it. This is such a deliciously easy recipe that I decided it was about time I shared it with all of you. So get ready for tacos that will knock your socks off!
Mini Fried Beef Tacos
These tacos start with a blend of ground beef, diced onions, and bold seasonings that I cook until the beef is brown and the onions are tender. Then, I load up tortillas with the beef mixture and 3 pepper Colby Jack cheese for even more zesty flavor and fry them until the tortillas are golden and crispy. It’s a quick, easy recipe that you can make in just a few minutes, and it’s always a hit with everyone. Once you try it, you’ll see why!
Why You’ll Love This Mini Fried Beef Tacos Recipe
- They are super easy to make and only take a few simple ingredients that can easily be found at the local grocery store.
- The flavor combination of the crispy fried corn tortilla shell and the soft, flavorful filling is irresistible.
- They are the perfect bite-size appetizer or snack, ideal for parties and potlucks. Because they are great finger food, there is no need for utensils.
Mini Fried Beef Tacos Ingredients
These delicious mini tacos only use a few simple ingredients you can find in your pantry and any grocery store. You’ll find everything you need in no time!
- Lean ground beef
- Onion
- Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Red pepper flakes
- Mini corn tortillas
- Boar’s Head 3 Pepper Colby Jack cheese, shredded (or your favorite cheese)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
How to Make Mini Fried Beef Tacos
Making these tacos is an easy, straightforward process that only takes a little work. You’ll just brown the beef, stuff the tortillas, and fry them. You’ll be in and out of the kitchen in jus about 20 minutes!
Step 1: Cook the Beef
Cook the ground beef and onions in a large pan until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender. Add the seasonings, stir, and cook again for another 2 minutes. Drain the grease and return to the pan.
Step 2: Frying Prep
Preheat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Then, heat the tortillas on both sides in a small pan.
Step 3: Fill and Cook
While the tortilla is in the pan, add a little shredded cheese, a small layer of the beef mixture, and more shredded cheese on half the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half, flip it over, and cook until the cheese melts.
Step 4: Fry
Add the preassembled tacos to the oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Repeat until all the tacos are made. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Only cook the ground beef until it’s no longer pink. Overcooked ground beef is rubbery.
- Be sure to drain your ground beef before making the tacos. Even lean ground beef will release some fat while it cooks.
- It’s important to heat the tacos in a pan until the cheese is melted before you fry them. This keeps the cheese and filling in place as the tacos fry.
Variations
- You can make these tacos with ground turkey, a mix of ground beef and pork, or chorizo.
- Use your favorite shredded cheese for this recipe. Mexican and taco blends both work well.
- Both corn and flour tortillas work well in this recipe. Use your favorite!
- For a mild version, omit the red pepper flakes and use regular Colby Jack cheese.
- For even more heat, add diced jalapenos to the ground beef.
What to Serve with Mini Fried Beef Tacos
Serve these tacos with all your favorite dishes like burritos, nachos, chips with guac or salsa, nachos, and churros. You can also use your favorite traditional taco toppings with them. Top these tacos with all your favorites like:
- Taco sauce
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Diced tomatoes
- Green onions
- Any of your other favorites
Recipe FAQ
Mini fried beef tacos are smaller versions of traditional tacos. They’re made with the same beef and cheese filling, but the filling is placed in mini tortillas instead of full-sized ones.
Vegetable or corn oil are both excellent choices for frying tortillas. They have a high smoke point and neutral flavor.
Frying tortillas is very straightforward. Place enough oil in a pan to completely cover the bottom. Then, place the tortillas in the pan and fry them until golden on both sides.
Mini fried beef tacos will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
You sure can! They’ll last for up to 3 months in the freezer when stored properly.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Mini Fried Beef Tacos
Refrigerate these tacos in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap the tacos in plastic wrap, and freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
To reheat the tacos, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Then, place the tacos in the skillet and cook on both sides until heated through.
Try This Delicious Mini Fried Beef Taco Recipe Today
These mini fried beef tacos only take a little bit of work, a few minutes, and a few simple steps. There’s really nothing to it! They’re beefy, cheesy, and so crispy. Can you beat that? No. The answer is no. Give these little tacos a try, and I know you’ll find yourself making them again and again!
More Delicious Taco Recipes You’ll Love
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Mini Fried Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 24 mini corn tortillas
- 2 cups Boar’s Head 3 pepper Colby Jack cheese shredded (or your favorite cheese)
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large pan, cook ground beef and onion until beef is no longer pink and onions are tender.
- Sprinkle with seasonings, stir, and let cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Drain grease and return to pan.
- In a large frying pan or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- In a small pan, heat a tortilla on both sides.
- While the tortilla is still in the pan, on ½ of the tortilla, add a little shredded cheese, then a small layer of the beef mixture followed by a little more cheese.
- Fold tortilla in half and then flip over to let cheese melt.
- Now, add the pre-assembled taco into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Notes
- Only cook the ground beef until it’s no longer pink. Overcooked ground beef is rubbery.
- Be sure to drain your ground beef before making the tacos. Even lean ground beef will release some fat while it cooks.
- It’s important to heat the tacos in a pan until the cheese is melted before you fry them. This keeps the cheese and filling in place as the tacos fry.
