My cheesy crunch mini tacos are a fun, zesty snack or meal you can’t stop eating. Seasoned ground beef, refried beans, and cotija cheese are stuffed in a Dorito and cheddar “tortilla”. YUM!
I grew up on authentic Mexican food, so I love dishes like avocado salsa verde, beef taquitos, and air fryer Mexican street corn. However, I also like the flavors of Americanized Mexican food, as well. I’ll admit it. I’m a Taco Bell girl.
I wouldn’t blame you for thinking my cheesy crunch mini tacos came from a Taco Bell menu. With a crispy Doritos and cheddar cheese shell, seasoned beef, cheese, and refried beans, they’re an Americanized twist on a classic Mexican favorite.
They’re the perfect party snack or even a main meal for something fun and different. Oh, yes, and they’re easy to make!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: The recipe’s simple ingredients can be found in any grocery store.
- Super Easy: This is an easy recipe that only takes a few steps and comes together in about 30 minutes max.
- Zesty Flavor: Every bite is loaded with seasoned beef, smooth refried beans, and zesty, cheesy Doritos.
- Customizable: You can easily adjust this recipe to make it your own.
- Versatile: These tacos are perfect for parties or an unexpected dinner.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full ingredient list and exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Ground Beef: Ground beef makes for a meaty, delicious bite.
- Taco Seasoning: Taco seasoning is an easy way to add bold Mexican flavor to the beef.
- Refried Beans: Refried beans are flavorful, earthy, and rich.
- Nacho Cheese Doritos and Sharp Cheddar: A blend of crushed Doritos and cheddar cheese creates a cheesy, crispy taco “shell”.
Variations
- Doritos: Use any flavor to instantly change the tacos’ flavor. They all work and add a big kick of flavor.
- Spicy: Use hot taco seasoning and add diced jalapenos for a spicy kick.
- Ground Beef: You can use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. Leftover pulled pork or oven-baked beef brisket also works well.
How to Make Cheesy Crunch Mini Tacos
Step 1: Cook the ground beef until brown and almost cooked through. Then, add the onions and cook until translucent.
Step 2: Drain, add the taco seasoning, and cook according to the package directions.
Step 3: Mix a handful of cheese and a few tablespoons of crushed Doritos into a ball. Then, flatten into a ¼-inch-thick tortilla.
Step 4: Cook until the tortillas are golden and set. Then, transfer them to a baking sheet and gently fold them into a taco shape.
Step 5: Heat the beans and smear a little into the bottom of the shells. Then, top with the beef, cotija cheese, and your favorite toppings.
Step 6: Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use a food processor to easily and evenly crush the Doritos.
- The Doritos should be ground into around ¼-inch pieces. Some will be powder. That’s okay!
- If your Dorito tortilla edges aren’t staying together, use your spatula to help round them as the cheese melts.
- Be gentle when forming the tortillas into taco shells. They can break if you don’t work gently enough.
Cheesy Crunch Mini Tacos FAQs
Cheesy crunch mini tacos are an Americanized appetizer or meal made with a “shell” of Doritos and cheddar cheese, filled with taco meat, cheese, and your favorite toppings.
Cotija, Oaxaca, asadero, queso fresco, Monterey Jack, and cheddar are all excellent choices for tacos.
Refrigerate these tacos for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Tasty Pairings for Your Mini Tacos
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Cheesy Crunch Mini Tacos
Ingredients
Ground Beef Mixture
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
Crunchy Cheese Shells
- 16 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 9.25 ounce Nacho Cheese Doritos
- 15 ounce refried beans
- cotija cheese
- Mi tienda Aguacate salsa
- Optional: lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
Ground Beef Mixture
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add ground beef, once the pan has warmed.
- Cook meat until almost cooked through and browned and add the diced onions.
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until meat is cooked through and onions are translucent.
- Drain fat from pan, add taco seasoning and cook according to package directions.
Crunchy Cheese Shells
- In a food processor pulse the whole bag of chips down till they are almost ¼ inch pieces. (Some of the chips will ground to powder, this is okay)
- Grate the cheddar.
- Preheat a small non-stick sauté pan to low heat.
- While the pan is heating up, take a handful of grated cheese and about 2-3 tablespoons of the ground Doritos chips, and smash together in your hands until you have a 2 inch ball.
- On a flat surface lined with wax paper smash the ball into a round circle that is about ¼ thick, making a tortilla shape.
- Transfer to the preheated pan and cook for about 4 minutes or until the cheese is golden and set. (If any edges are not adhering you can use a spatula to round the “tortilla” while cooking).
- Using a flat spatula, flip the cheese tortilla over and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until golden.
- Remove the tortilla from the pan and set on a baking sheet, softly folding the tortilla in half to create a shell.
- Repeat the process to make cheese shells.
- Heat beans over medium heat until cooked through.
- For each shell smear a spoonful of beans and fill about ¾ full with seasoned taco meat. Top with lettuce, cotija cheese, tomato and drizzle with aguacate salsa.
Notes
- Use a food processor to easily and evenly crush the Doritos.
- The Doritos should be ground into around ¼-inch pieces. Some will be powder. That’s okay!
- If your Dorito tortilla edges aren’t staying together, use your spatula to help round them as the cheese melts.
- Be gentle when forming the tortillas into taco shells. They can break if you don’t work gently enough.
Nutrition
Crispy shells with melty cheese inside. Everyone kept grabbing more!
These Cheesy Crunch Mini Tacos turned out perfect. I can’t wait to make them again…YUM!!!
These are so delicious! The family absolutely loved them…great mix of texture and flavor!
SUPER cool! This is definitely something I would not be surprised to find in Taco Bell. Tasty.
I’m so in love with these! They’re the ultimate homemade fast food experience.