Crunchy Taco Cups
How fun are these little Taco Cups made in a muffin tin?? Kevin LOVED them, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to make tacos another way again! They’re layers of crunchy taco shell, seasoned beef, spicy tomatoes, and gooey cheese all in one perfect bite.
MY OTHER RECIPESThey were such a huge hit because, you see, I am a soft taco kind girl. But Kevin prefers crunchy tacos. So whenever we had taco night, we always had to make two different kinds. BUT. These tasty little taco cups are the best of both worlds. The outside is satisfying crisp and crunchy. But the inside is soft and melty! Just how I like it. We both loved them!
To start, you’ll need one pound of ground beef, browned and drained.
Add a packet of taco seasoning… I am using our favorite homemade taco seasoning here!
And one can of diced tomatoes and green chilies. You can also just use regular petite diced tomatoes if you don’t like spicy!
Stir it all up to combine.
Now generously coat a standard size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
Wonton wrappers are the perfect size for these crunchy taco cups! You should be able to find wonton wrappers in any grocery store. In our store they’re located in the produce section between the tofu and fresh ravioli.
Line each cup with a wonton wrapper…
Top with 1-2 tablespoons of the taco mixture…
And about 1 tablespoon of cheese.
Press down and add another wonton wrapper and taco layer…
And top with one more layer of cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 minutes, until heated through and edges are golden.
Gooey, cheesy, melty, crunchy…
These are seriously the most delicious hand-held snack ever!
Top with sour cream and cilantro if that’s your thing.
Deliciousness!! Hope you enjoy!! :)
Watch the video to see how easy it is to make Crunchy Taco Cups!
Crunchy Taco Cups
Yield: 12 cups (About 3-4 servings).
Ingredients:
- 1 lb lean ground beef, browned and drained
- 1 envelope (3 tablespoons) taco seasoning
- 1 (10-oz) can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (or Mexican blend)
- 24 wonton wrappers
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously coat a standard size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine cooked beef, taco seasoning, and tomatoes in a bowl and stir to combine. Line each cup of prepared muffin tin with a wonton wrapper. Add 1.5 tablespoons taco mixture. Top with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Press down and add another layer of wonton wrapper, taco mixture, and a final layer of cheese.
- Bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes until cups are heated through and edges are golden.
Nutritional Information is per cup.
These look amazing and date I say – easier to eat than Tacos?? As I’m in the UK there are a couple of ingredients I’d have to switch up – Wanton wrappers for FILO pastry and plain tinned tomatoes adding the chilli myself. Thanks for the inspiration and these would be perfect for a hit buffet!!! Sammie
Hi sammy, I know this post is really old but just incase you still read. I’m struggling to find wonton wrappers anywhere. Does the filonpastry work just as well and can these be prepared night before the party or should it all be done on the day? Thank you xxx
I made them with Mexican t v p and they are just as yummy and veggitarian
Hi amanda.. thanks for this great recipe, cant wait to try this.. can i switch the wonton wrappers with spring roll pastry?
Hi Vika…. Did you try the spring roll pastry?
Im just about to cook a couple and see how they go ?
I make something very much like this but I use the tubed biscuits or Rhodes frozen dinner rolls along with mini or regular size muffin pan when making what is called ‘Breakfast Bites.’
using pork sausage in place of burger meat and the Ro-tel is drained really well.
Was wondering, in your recipe; do you not drain the Rotel?
My grandkids would love these Taco Cups.
Thanks 4 sharing the recipe.
I wouldn’t drain the Rotel. You would have to add water to the taco seasoning anyway for regular tacos. I imagine the juice would replace the water.
An you prepare the nigh before and stuff the wontons the next day
These look amazing to me! Pinning to try!
Oh man, these look so good! Perfect for Cinco de Mayo. Pinning!
These look great! Will definitely be adding this to my ‘must try’ recipe list!
Question regarding wonton wrappers – recipe ingredient list states 24 wonton wrappers, however the directions state to use one wrapper in each cup, and the recipe makes 12 cups. Do we use two wrappers in each cup? Thank you for clarifying. Chris
After rereading the instructions it does say to layer; using 2 wrappers for each cup so you have double the yumminess per muffin cup
Love this recipe. Thanks Kevin and Amanda. Have a great Monday and the rest of the week!
How fun!! These are so cute…and everything bite-sized is always better, right?
These are delicious and adorable! I think next time I may half the meat and put a layer of reDried beans on the bottom!
That would be fabulous Sara!! What a great idea!!! :)
Love the idea of refried beans already was on your level! However because I don’t eat beef, have you made them yet
Do you drain the Ro-tel??
Hi Leanne!
I didn’t, but you definitely could. Especially if you’re using homemade taco seasoning, it would probably make things easier. If you’re using a store-bought envelope, they usually have flour in them that helps the juice from the tomatoes thicken and stick to the beef. Either way, just make sure too much liquid doesn’t get into the cups. I just kinda drained any excess off as I was scooping the beef into the cups. Hope this helps! :)
I’m trying this tonight. They look easy enough so that my daughter can help. I like Sara’s idea, as well, so I might try half of them with the beans.
Or you might put the beans in one wrapper and meat in the second one. Both flavors but with a little separation for more of both tastes.
I have been on a roll trying all your recipes! Last night was Italian Sausage Tortellini, tonight’s Salsa Verde Chicken pasta! We finally finished the Cheesy Party Burgers from Sunday during today’s lunch, hehe! I’m thinking this will be an easy Friday night dish, since Crispy Lemon Chicken is on tomorrow night’s menu, haha!
Please add me to your e-mail recipe list.
Amanda, I can’t wait to try these out!! I may just have to make them for my women’s Bible study tomorrow night! Thanks!
These are so much fun!! My boys would love them!
I made theses tonight and the taste was delicious but my wontons were not crispy. I followed the recipe exact but wondering if maybe I was too generous with non stick spray. Any suggestions?
I’ve made something similar, and I pre-bake my wonton cups to crisp them up before adding the innards (then baking again). Also found greasing the muffin tin was unnecessary (there is flour on the wonton skins that keep them from sticking). Works perfectly.
Mine did not crisp on the bottom, so I wondered the same thing. I drained the meat filling to keep it from making things soggy, but it just never crisped up. Next time I’m going to just lightly spray the muffin pan and see if it makes a difference. If not, I may try a light oil or butter instead of the spray.
I bookmarked this recipe a while ago and today was a perfect day to give it a whirl! OMG, good things come to those who wait, right?! These yummy tacos will certainly make you never go back old school! Tyvm!!!
Hello,
I’m thinking of trying your crunchy taco cups and for an event this weekend and wondered if they could made a day ahead, waiting to bake until serving time? Wasn’t sure if the meat mixture would make the wontons soggy?
Gwen
They would probably be fine if made a day ahead. Let us know how they turn out! :)
Dude, these were stupid good and easy… So good, I’m restraining myself from eating the whole batch! Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Kevin and Amanda! I am in love with your wooden/black finish serving board! I have been trying to find that exact board but haven’t had any luck. Can you share where you got it?! Thanks so much!!!
Hi Betty! One of my best friends, Stephanie from Grinning Like An Idiot, gave it to me for Christmas. There’s a sticker on the back that says it’s from TJ Maxx! :)
ThAnks for the response Amanda! I was so happy to see your response! I’ve been to two things max and have not been able to find it :( can you tell me the name of the company that makes it? I think it maybe on the serving board somewhere – anything helps! Thanks so much :)
i found it on tjmax.com!! :) thank you so much amanda, can’t wait to share your taco cups!!
I made these awesome little cuties, but with extra meat. Ohhhh Maaannn…So Very Great !!! Thank You for the Yummy recipe. Holly
These were an excellent addition for my birthday party this weekend! So easy to make and add extra ingredients to fit your preferences. They ate every last one of them!
do you think these would go well in mini muffin pans with just the one won ton wrapper?
So simple, but so inspiring. Will try this with beef & chicken, also like the bean idea. My head went somewhere and I’m thinking a Greek version may be in the mix. Ground lamb, hummus, a pickled cucumber & red onion mixture, feta cheese. Hmmmm…..
Hi Debra – by chance did you ever makes these with Lamb, hummus and Feta? I love he idea of them like this and wondered if you tried them. Thank you in advance, Kylie
Hi did you ever make theses with the lamb, feta, pickles and hummus? Just curious if you did and how they worked out. Thanks in advance Kylie
I tried this last night. It was the bum dot com…lol. Will be adding these to my recipes. Thanks
I made these several months ago, and there were some leftover ( I doubled the recipe ) and my husband tossed them in the freezer. I kinda panicked because I had no idea who the won ton wrappers were turn out. Well, the next night we put them in the oven straight from the freezer, and they were just as crispy, fresh, and so yummy!! I am finally making them again for NYE, and I couldn’t be more excited!!
Trying these for NYE tomorrow!! Can’t wait to try them! Thanks for the recipe!
SO I did these for NYE and they didn’t stay on the plate long! This is a GREAT recipe! SO much that my sister wanted me to make them again for New Years Day, just to have as a snack! This will definitely be a go to in the future! THANK YOU!!
so I made these easy pecy takes more time to assemble then anything loved them now plan to take 4 batches to a party . Would they taste as crispy if I made them say 7 hours ahead & kept them in the fridge would they taste as good. I would like to prepare at noon to cook at 6 any advice ?
Thanks for any advise I get its for this weekend
That should be fine! :) Good luck! :)
Had to come & tell you all Made these Sat.at 2:PM baked at 7:PM delicious made way to many
brought home one whole tray kept in fridge all night baked Sunday night at 6:pm just as good
So note can prepare the night before . Thank you great we all loved them
Did they turn out fine? I would also like to assemble them the night before and make them in the morning but I’m afraid the wonton wrappers will harden! How was your experience>
Loved them – I will try without cooking spray next time as they were pretty soggy on the bottom.
Also, my husband demands these be called WonTacos from now on.
For those of you who made these ahead of time, did you bake first and then reheat, or prepared and cooked just prior to serving?
I loved the idea of these as a party snack for Family Game Night. However, I felt that the spice mix needed to cook out with the meat for a while and didn’t think the short time in the oven would be enough to really allow the flavours to blend. I sautéed some shallots, garlic, Jalapeno’s and red Chilli peppers in the pan, removed them once they were soft, and then browned the meat with my own blend of taco seasoning. I added the sautéed veggies back to the pan after the meat was browned, added the diced tomatoes and let it simmer for a 30 – 45 minutes. That gave the flavours lots of time to simmer and blend together before assembling with the wonton wrappers and cheese. I have to say that these little treats were a huge hit and devoured in very short time. I will definitely keep these on the party-rotation menu. :) Thank you!
How many cups per serving…. And ur saying just one cup is 170 calories or two cups
Would love to make these to take to a party this Saturday night. I would have to cook them at home then transfer there. Will also need quite a few. Any ideas how well they will taste/ holdup.
I used to make appetizers like this, but filled with an artichoke heart/lemon/garlic mixture. I love your idea of turning them into little tacos! Super customizable – so I could leave out the cheese for hubs, who is lactose intolerant, make it vegetarian for me and my daughter – and I could even add some sausage for our son! Love it!
Love the vegetarian part
This is my favorite recipe ever!
These are a great idea, but definitely not crispy on the bottom. I used a nonstick pan, maybe that is why they stayed soft. I took them out and toasted them, but they never did crisp up. Another similar recipe I saw said to pre-cook the shells, then fill. I think I will try that next time.
Do you have to layer? Can I use beans on the bottom and just layer? Is there a reason for layering?
Amanda, can I make them a week prior, freeze+ then reheat them?…would add sour cream+cilantro after I reheat them..they look awesome! thanks for advise.
I have the same question, I would love to make this for my school lunches but I would have to reheat them at school.
A friend and I made these for a bridal shower, she did beef and I did chicken. They were AWESOME! The ladies were raving over them. So delicious and crazy, crazy easy.
I made these for the ladies in my Bridge Club and served them as appetizers. I used the mini muffin tins and only one wonton and one layer of meat and cheese. I garnished all with sour cream, some with a jalapeño slice, and others with guacamole.
Can’t wait to try these. Your photographs are beautiful and tell the whole preparation story. I just love people who are willing to share their creative ideas. Thank you!
I made these for a neighborhood gathering yesterday. They were a big success. I made several substitutions. I used Boarshead turkey, which I ground in my cuisinart using the sausage attachment. I used fresh local tomatoes cut in tiny pieces and New Mexico green chiles also cut into strips and then tiny pieces. I fried the turkey in a cast iron frying pan and once semi-crispy, added the tomatoes and peppers. I did use the taco seasoning but not the Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles as I wanted to use the New Mexico Green Chiles I ordered directly from New Mexic0. We always have smoked NM chiles in our freezer. I did use lumpia sheets rather than wontons. Lumpia is a rice based ‘pasta’ and the wontons are ‘flour’ based on what I learned on the internet. The lumpia squares were too large and had to be cut down. Next time I plan to use lumpia sheets again, but will cut to smaller squares that will fit a tiny muffin tin, not the standard size. I ended up cutting the ones made in the standard muffin tin into quarters. All were gone with some eating 2+ of the tiny bites. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
They were a hit with my husband’s shift last night. They’ve even asked me for “MORE, MORE, MORE”. I used a 24 mini muffin pan for bit size taco cups, but only used one wonton wrapper. Guacamole and a Dollop of sour cream (or squirt with new daisy sour cream squeeze) was a treat. They were really easy to make. Thanks ya’ll, for the recipe !
(also a hit when I took them to a large bunco party)
I made these tonight. I didn’t have Rotel so I used a cup of medium Pace picante & they were delicious! Super easy to make too. Thanks for sharing!!!
I was looking for a recipe that would be a good for a pre-teen birthday party. Since my granddaughter loves tacos, I believe that this is just what I was looking for. Her party is next Saturday. If I make these a day before, would it be better to bake at that time or wait until Saturday. Thanks you for sharing.
Made these yesterday. They were delicious. Great way to use leftover taco meat. I used Muir Glen medium salsa instead of Ro-tel because I already had that opened. Will definitely make again.
Did your bottoms come out crispy? Mine did not. Wondering how i can crisp them up more.
Same thing happened to me. Hopefulky someone can tell us where we went wrong. I am wondering if I should oreheat the muffin tin before putting the wonton wrappers in?
This has been a party favorite in our house & I love to make these but the bottoms of mine are always soggy. Sometimes they fall out as I take them from the pan. I make sure that the meat isn’t juicy. Any suggestions or tricks?
I made these for dinner tonight and they were good except for the fact that the bottoms were soft and chewy not crispy. I followed your instructions exactly..how did you get yours crispy on the bottom?
Made these for a taco party and WOW they were great! Super easy to make, to eat, and they look gorgeous. I stuffed them a little too much so the meat didn’t go as far and the won ton wrappers didn’t crisp up as much as they could. These were user errors and not the recipe :) I will definitely make these again!
These were a absolute hit with my daughters volly ball team!! Great treat for all ages!!!! I will be making these this weekend for the buckeyes game to go with our drinks. Amazing!!
How to get to be crispy please? Can’t wait to make ! Sounds absolutely yummy !!!
I made these with scrambled eggs and sausage. Added a bit of salsa and cheese. So goood
Looks yummy. Would love to try right away ..But, got to wait until tomorrow morning to get wonton wrappers from store ?
Plz let me know what can I substitute(vegetarian ) instead of meat?
I made these tonight and they are so good. I love them. I made them for work tomorrow so I hope they reheat well. I will make them again.
This recipe is just what I was looking for my ladies’ meeting. Thank you so much!
These were fabulous! I used ground chicken instead of beef and everyone loved them. They were not greasy or soggy at all. Healthier and still so tasty. A jalapeño on top was also a good addition. Thanks for this delicious recipe.
I am planning on making these tonight for a party at work tomorrow. How do these stand up if they get microwaved? I want them to retain their crispiness.
Hi,
If I were to freeze them would I do it as cooked or not? Then reheat from the freezer to the oven or uncooked? I am wanting to try these for a large crowd
OK, I just experimented with these for a party tomorrow. I tried both mini muffin cups and regular sized ones. I put a small drip of olive oil on the bottom of the pans, and pressed one layer of egg roll into each cup, then prebaked them for 6 minutes at 375. This ensured the bottoms get nice and crunchy because after you fill them, they won’t bake any more. So then I added the filling into the mini cups, topped them with cheese and baked them again until the cheese was melted. In the bigger ones, I added the 2nd layer as indicated in the recipe. I kept these in the oven until the 2nd layer was golden on the edges. Here are my findings….the mini ones popped out of the pan very easily, and still had their crunchy shape, and were eaten in 2 bites. The larger ones were a little softer due to that 2nd layer of egg roll, which didn’t get crunchy because it’s not possible for that middle area to do so without the edges burning. That one was a little harder to get out of the pan, and it was a bit softer, not bad, just not as crunchy as the minis. It was also a bit sloppy to eat and required more bites. So if you have an appetizer party, I would use (and I am going to) the mini cups instead with one layer of egg roll wrapper. If it’s more of a sit down thing, the larger ones are more filling, and you can lean over your plate to eat it.
Thanks for the tips. I went with the mini muffins, it definitely helped to crisp them up a little bit in the oven. I also added a little bit of refried beans in the bottom and then topped with a dollop of sour cream(from a piping bag with #21 decorating tip), cilantro and black olive. I do think it could’ve used a little bit more color on top if I hadn’t use the diced tomatoes in the meat a diced tomato on top would be perfect. Just for looks next time I might try that diced tomato anyway .
Great tips Cheryl! Will try your suggestions next time.
These were ridiculously easy. I substituted TVP for the meat since I’m veg. So so good, now I’m going through all the possibilities! Burrito cups, chili cups, cheeseburger cups, pizza cups…..
Thank you!
Hi Amanda, I literally just finished making these for the family. And my, oh my!!!! They absolutely loved it. I topped them with lettuce, a dab of salsa, Pico de Gallo, and sour cream…and I mixed black beans in the ground beef and they ate every bite. I have a hard time getting them to eat regular things so to make it way changed it up a bit. For the side, I made mexican rice. They are stuffed laying on the couch now, including my fiancé, whose snoring now. Thx for this. I will be making this for the Superbowl! !!!
I made these for New Years. I followed the recipe to the T. Normally I wouldn’t use pre-made seasoning or canned chilies or even pre-shredded cheese but I doubled the recipe and I had no problem taking some ‘shortcuts’ to get them done! They were great! I could only use 1 wanton wrapper but they still held together fine.
These were a huge hit with my family! My 9 year old son ate more than I did! I cubed a couple of baked chicken breasts that I had seasoned with a little of Picky Palate’s Taco Seasoning for the meat. I also added a can of black beans drained and rinsed. Contrary to many of the prior comments, I agree with you and actually prefer the softer bottom and crispy top, best of both worlds!!
Wow. …..Fantastic. My picky son loved these. The only thing i did different was add my home made salsa. These are great.
These were excellent, but I found the bottoms of the wontons remained a little soggy,not really cooked, did you cook yours a bit prior to filling them or maybe it is just me?.
Have you ever tried these with ground turkey?
I’m making these tonite for adult game night and I’m so excited!! Meat and bean combo with homemade taco spice! Thank you for the inspiration!
Thanks Amanda for the recipe, looks simple, easy and delicious! Will try it tonight!
These were very good, followed the advice of some of the reviewers. I used only one wrapper per cup and I pre-baked them for about 6 minutes. I used non-stick cupcake pans and did not oil them, they slid right out without sticking. I also twice drained the liquid from the meat, once after browning and then again after cooking, they came out nice and crispy. Thanks for the great recipe.
Plan to try this using mini muffin tins. Will use tips for crispier bottoms, but also would like to know if cut- to- size flour tortillas may be substituted for the wonton skins. Any advice would be appreciated Having a get- together next week!
Hello. Yummy!!!!! Can I make these the night before?
How lonng will it last crunchy?
I made these for a potluck at work and they have been requested every time since. I’ve made them with beans and without. Good all around!!
Can these be cooked ahead and frozen, as long as they are wrapped airtight? Then thaw in fridge and zap in microwave a few seconds?
These look awesome. Do they reheat well the next day?
I made these for ladies card night and they were a hit! Super easy to make.
I made these for a kitchen warming party and they were a huge hit. People asked for baggies so they could take some home! thanks for the recipe!
These Taco Cups are Amazing
These are so good and our kiddies love them. Thank you for sharing! :)
These were so good and so easy to make. My husband loved them!! I will definitely make them when we have our fall chilli supper. I exchanged a can of green chillies for the roitel. I don’t like stuff too spicy.
Great! I made these for a party and everyone loved them (didn’t have any left). I didn’t change the recipe and they were perfect. This will be my go to now. Thanks for the recipe.
Can you freeze them??Sue
Hi there, I’m wondering how far ahead these little cuties could be made? I have an event coming up but I’ll need to make 200 of these. Do you think I could pre cook them the day before and then just reheat them before serving time? Thanks
Hi kevin and amanda!
I made these for the first time for a party. I made one to see how it tasted and they were AMAZING, BUT the bottom of the won ton was soft and not crispy. I also drained the meat too. I then baked the won ton wrapper first for ABOUT 7 MINUTES OR SO then added the ingredients. It turned out crispy.
W
THEY WERE A HIT AT THE PARTY. EVERYONE ASKED FOR THE RECIPE! THANK YOU!
Hi was just wondering about freezing these?
Maybe freeze them before cooking as the wonton wrappers may not freeze well ……
What do You Think?
Thanks
Vanessa, just saw them at Walmart!
This taco cups looks Amazing and too pretty to eat!Thanks for sharing!!!
I decided to make these today for our Mexican themed New Year’s Eve party. After reading the reviews and comments I took the time to test the different ways of cooking these little appies. We liked the following method the best- using a non stick mini muffin tin I lined each cup with two wonton wrappers(no need to spray the pan), filled each cup with the taco meat mix and then the cheese. Baked at 375 for 13 minutes. They came out crunchy and unlike the other methods did not have a soggy bottom and were the perfect size. We felt they were lacking a little something based on the recipe as written so we finished each taco cup with a little sour cream and then topped that with a bit of salsa and to our delight they were delicious. I fact my husband said he thinks he will eat the entire platter by himself? Thank you for sharing your recipe and to those wanting to try making them just do it they are nummy!
Hi, they recipe looked awesome as it did when I took them out of the oven. Only thing was that they were a tad salty and since I greased the pan generously, as directed, the wontons were a bit greasy. I used less cheese than the recipe called for because I’m sure that would have resulted in even greasier wontons. I dabbed the taco shells with paper towels and reheated them in the oven. Also had yo add more meat to lessen the saltiness.
Can these be prepared and baked hours later ?
This is absolutely delicious, it was a big hit at my mexican dinner,and so easy to make and they look good too.
I recommand them for appies as well.
Has anyone tried freezing them yet? and did you freeze it before baking or after???
You can email me at [email protected]
I made these, put first layer of empty wonton shells in oven for 5 min to start cooking & they came out great.
Are these freezable?