Take out Tuesday, Baked Tacos

Have you seen this technique for baking taco shells?
Spray the tortillas lightly with some cooking oil spray. Place the tortillas, sprayed side up, over the rods of the oven racks so each side hangs down. Then bake at 325 about 5 minutes until crisp. These are white corn tortillas.
Then the shells are ready for filling! This week I decided to try this spin on regular tacos, by assembling them and baking them in a dish.
The reason this appealed to me is that I love to prepare as much as I can before dining, and get it cleaned up! That way dinner is a leisurely, relaxed affair, with usually only a few plates to rinse off and stick in the dishwasher. We have tacos often, they are one of my go to, easy meals and this method makes them even easier!
I try to load up the meat with extra vegetables, onion, corn, sometimes even spinach and tomato
I decided to put a layer of refried beans in the bottom of each shell, not only for extra flavor and nutrition, but to keep the meat juices from softening the bottom too much, and causing the shell to come apart. But of course this is optional.
Next load the shell with taco meat and lots of freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Pack the shells tightly into a sprayed casserole dish. At this point they can be refrigerated for several hours.
After some time in the oven they are ready to eat!
Top with shredded lettuce, tomato, sour cream or salsa and you have an easy, do ahead dinner that will please any age. Plus you can take this dish to potluck or a friend, baked or ready for baking. It’s perfect for Take out Tuesday!

Baked Tacos
Ingredients
- 8 White corn tortillas
- Cooking oil spray
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck 85% lean
- 1 can 15 oz. refried beans
- 1 pkg taco seasoning
- 1 1/2 cup Grated cheddar 6 oz
- Shredded lettuce chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa for topping
Instructions
- Spray the tortillas lightly with some cooking oil spray. Place the tortillas, sprayed side up, over the rods of the oven racks so each side hangs down.
- Then bake at 325 about 5 minutes until crisp.
- Brown hamburger in skillet and drain. Add taco seasoning and water as directed on package and simmer for 15-20 minutes
- Spread a layer of refried beans on the bottom of each taco shell
- Top with meat and cheese
- Place tacos in an 8” x 8” inch baking dish
- Dish can be refrigerated at this point for baking later if desired
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese has melted.
- Top with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and or salsa for serving
- Serves 4-8
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This make ahead method is a GREAT idea! I’ve warmed my taco shells in the oven like that for years, but I never thought to fill them with meat & cheese & pop them back into the oven! This would be wonderful for feeding the grands when they visit. Thanks for sharing!
Great idea for the grands for sure, hope they enjoy. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
These look delicious! I am pinning this to try with the taco shells!
Thanks for visiting!
Looks like great comfort food!
Thanks, not exactly rocket science, but I’d never thought to try this before!
Y U M M Y !! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Brenda, nothing fancy but a convenient technique…plus I like the fact that the cheese gets all melty!
These look delicious. I would love to have you share this with my Wednesday’s Adorned From Above Blog Hop. Here is the link.
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2013/02/wednesdays-adorned-from-above-blog-hop_19.html
Hope to see you there.
Have a great week.
Debi
Thanks Debi!
These look delicious! Thanks for the new tip on how to bake the taco shells!
Good tip. Thank you.