Oven Baked Ground Beef Tacos

This brings back childhood memories of throwing frozen mini tacos in the oven. These have more protein in them- win! And you can sneak in diced bell peppers.

Ingredients:

• 3–4 lb lean ground beef (adjust as needed- we are all about meal prep over here!)

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 2 bell peppers, diced (any color)

• 8 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup enchilada sauce

• 1–2 packages (30-count) yellow corn tortillas (You can make more than 30, or you can stop at 30 and use any leftover meat another way.)

• Mexican blend cheese, for filling

• Cooking spray

• Seasoning options:

• Option 1: Store-bought taco seasoning (the easiest)

• Option 2: DIY seasoning

  • 6 tsp paprika

  • 1 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp black pepper

  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin

  • 1 1/2 tsp crushed chipotle pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

2. Add ground beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Stir in diced onion, bell peppers, and minced garlic. Cook until the beef is browned and no pink remains.

4. Add your DIY seasoning mix (or taco seasoning) during the last couple of minutes of cooking. Stir well.

5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour in the enchilada sauce, and stir until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

6. Wrap tortillas in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave 60–90 seconds to soften. If they crack when folding, microwave a bit longer.

7. Place tortillas on the prepared baking sheet. On one half of each tortilla add a generous pinch of cheese, a scoop of beef mixture, and another pinch of cheese. Fold tortillas in half and gently press to seal.

8. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray. Place a wire cooling rack on top to help keep tacos closed while baking. If you don’t have a rack, place another baking sheet on top, then remove it after a few minutes once the tacos hold their shape.

9. Bake 18–20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Optional: broil 1–3 minutes at the end for extra crisp, as the baking sheet can prevent this from finishing.

10. Serve with a veggie and beans. Enjoy!