These Pan Fried Beef Tacos are so crispy on the outside, they’re totally addicting! This taco recipe is going to add a whole lot of fun to taco night!
If you love tacos as much as we do, try our Homemade Beef Taco Recipe with a “crunchy” shell…as our son calls them…or for a low carb taco recipe you can make our famous Naked Sheet Pan Tacos!
Fried Taco Recipe
Yep, we’re going to make fried tacos.
Trying something fun and different on taco night is always a good thing.
Id a fried taco just a quesadilla? It did seem like a quesadilla cut in half, but the most delicious taco quesadilla ever.
We actually make quesadillas a lot at home, it’s one of the boys favorite dinners. These Chicken Enchilada Quesadillas or Sausage and Peppers Quesadillas, or these Meatball Pizza Quesadillas…we love them all.
So these pan fried tacos are basically a tasty beef taco with a super crispy shell. I guess sort of like a chalupa?
But the best part about these fried tacos, besides the way they taste is that they don’t fall apart when you eat them! That is a taco recipe WIN if you ask me.
How Do You Make Fried Tacos?
These tacos are so easy to make, I promise you’re going to be making them all the time. Just start out by making the beef filling, which has beef, of course, but also diced tomatoes and green chiles.
Get the filling into a bowl and carefully wipe out the skillet with a few paper towels – this is the same pan you’ll be using to make your tacos.
Lay a tortilla down in the pan and add some of the beef filling to one half of the tortilla, then top that with cheese. Lots of cheese…
Flip the empty side of the tortilla over to cover the filling half and press down with a plate or a spatula. Cook for a few minutes until the bottom is crispy then flip the fried taco over to get the other side nice and crispy too.
Can I Use Different Meat For The Taco Meat?
Definitely! Ground turkey or pork will work, even shredded chicken! Leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken cut up would be awesome in this taco filling.
So although making tacos is super easy, it’s not the hard part. Am I Right?
The hard part about tacos is getting ALL the toppings in little bowls or plates on the table. Because if you’re eating tacos at my house, there’s going to be a lot of topping options.
Which is what makes these pan fried tacos even better – there’s no toppings to set out because all the flavor is on the inside! We also love serving this taco recipe with guacamole, salsa and sour cream on the side for dipping.
Serve these fried tacos to your friends and family on taco night and see how much they love them!
Head over to Food Fanatic where you can get this recipe and tons of mouth-watering meals!
This fun taco recipe makes taco night a breeze! No bowls of toppings to set out, all the flavor is right inside!
Scale
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 (10 ounce can) Diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
1 (4.5 ounce can) green chiles
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6 (8 inch) flour or whole wheat tortillas
3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the beef, breaking up with a spoon into crumbles until completely cooked through. Drain the grease and return to the skillet.
Next add the diced tomatoes, green chiles, salt, cumin and garlic powder. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes to warm the filling through, then transfer to a bowl.
Carefully wipe out the skillet with paper towels and spray with cooking spray.
Place a tortilla in the skillet and top one half of the tortilla with about 3/4 cup of the filling and 1/2 cup of cheese.
Fold the tortilla over to cover the meat half (like an omelette), press down with a spatula or a plate and cook for 2 minutes until the bottom is crispy.
Flip the taco over to crisp up the other side, another 2 minutes, then remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Recipe Notes
This recipe will serve 12 for appetizers and 6 for dinner
Oil temperature: Frying tacos in oil that isn't hot enough can lead to soggy and greasy tacos. Make sure the oil is heated to the proper temperature (around 350°F or 175°C) before adding the tacos. Crowding the frying pan: Adding too many tacos at once can lower oil temperature and prevent them from becoming crispy.
The Taco Clip is the only tool I found to clamp them closed during frying. Here's how I did it. I softened the tortilla in oil, then cooled them on a plate Spooned the filling on, then clamped it closed. I immersed them in oil until golden brown, then drained them on paper.
Best oil for frying: If you are frying corn tortillas, corn oil is the best choice. You can also use basic vegetable oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, or sunflower seed oil. You want a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point. Make sure the oil is hot enough.
It's best to fry the tacos shells right before eating. If you wish to make them ahead of time, to keep them crisp, re-heat them in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes before serving. You can also make the meat up to 2 days in advance.
Use your finger or a basting brush to wipe a thin layer of the flour paste along either the entire edge of the tortilla half or over one-third of the surface. Fold the tortilla half over a third of the way, then roll into a cone shape, keeping the ends close together and pressing everything together to seal.
Al Pastor is a traditional Mexican dish made with seasoned and marinated pork. The name translates to “Shephard Style,” which is derived from the origin of the cooking method. Although al pastor is a Mexican meat, the style of cooking is an original of the Lebanese.
You can use any shredded, melty cheese, such as cheddar, Monterrey jack, Pepper jack, or mozzarella. I like using a Mexican blend because you get a mix of everything. I opt for pre-shredded cheese because it's one less step, but if you prefer to grate the cheese yourself, that works.
Draining the grease from ground beef will make a dish healthier and is usually recommended. Brown the meat first to extract the fat. Then, you can spoon the grease out of the pan or use a colander to drain the grease.
You could also use a taco seasoning packet, but I prefer this blend of seasonings. Once the meat is seasoned, add about 1 1/2 cups of beef broth and stir well. Bring this to a quick boil, reduce the heat, and cover with a lid. This will simmer on low for about 20 minutes or until the liquid has started to reduce.
Fill a heavy skillet with 1-inch-deep oil over medium heat; heat to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fry one tortilla at a time in hot oil. Cook for about 15 seconds. Flip over and fold in half, holding in place with tongs until crispy, about 15 seconds.
The shells are fried to perfection, ensuring that satisfying crunch with every bite. To make sure they're just right, Taco Bell carefully monitors the frying process.
If you like crispy toasted tacos, heat the corn tortilla so is pliable, add the meat, either ground or pulled, fold the tortilla and place on a heavy skillet or griddle, on medium heat, add a bit of oil on both sides, when crisp to YOUR taste, pull off and finish filling with whatever you want.
Preventing steam-induced sogginess: For parties or picnics, let your fried foods cool in a single layer to prevent steam from compromising their crispness. Reheating without sacrificing texture: When reheating already crispy food, avoid the microwave. Instead, set your oven to 400 degrees and heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
Wire rack: While the paper towels do the initial work of absorbing excess fat, the wire rack allows air to circulate around the fried food to prevent that crispy crust from going soggy. After a quick rest on paper towels, transfer your food to a rack to ensure it stays crispy.
Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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