Crispy and crunchy, these beef-fried tacos are fun to make! You’ll love the tasty filling wrapped in a crunchy, quick-fried tortilla.
They’re an easy dinner recipe made in only 30 minutes and something the whole family will love! Serve them with an easy salsa recipe, and a side of this guacamole recipe.
It’s no secret that we love tacos. Doesn’t everyone? You can make them crunchy with chicken, make a taco salad recipe, or turn them into a creamy taco soup. The flavors may be similar, but everyone has their favorite textures!
If you’re looking for fresh new ideas in between tacos, I also love making chicken fajita wraps for an easy lunch, and steak quesadillas can easily be made ahead.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: Brown the beef, then fry the tacos and serve!
- Tasty leftovers: Easily reheat leftovers in a dry pan so you can get the mess of frying out of the way once.
- Perfect toppings: Just meat and cheese are in these tacos, and everyone can add their own toppings!
Ingredients Needed
I’ve highlighted a couple of ingredients below with some relevant notes. Aside from this, the ingredients needed are pretty basic.
- Beef – Use a lean ground beef and also drain the fat before adding the seasoning.
- Taco seasoning – Use your family’s favorite, whether it’s spicy or mild.
- Corn tortillas – Look for thicker ones, generally yellow corn, so they won’t tear when you fill and fry.
- Cheese – Just a bit to add creaminess to the beef.
- Oil – Select a neutral frying oil.
Substitutions
Sometimes substitutions are necessary because of ingredients that are unavailable or needed for dietary restrictions. Here are some suggestions that can help:
- Cheese – swap out cheddar for Monterey Jack, Mexican blend, or even chihuahua.
- Meat – feel free to use ground chicken or turkey instead. Use Chicken Taco Seasoning for amazing flavor.
Variations
- Cook Method – this recipe can also be made in the slow cooker if needed. Simply brown the meat first and then add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Equipment
I recommend using a candy thermometer to ensure your frying oil is the correct temp!
How to Make This Fried Tacos Recipe
These fried tacos are broken into 3 components:
- brown the beef
- fill the tacos
- fry and serve
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
STEP 1. Brown the beef. Brown the beef in a skillet until cooked through (Images 1 & 2).
STEP 2. Season the meat. Add water and seasoning and stir to combine (Images 3 & 4).
STEP 3. Fill tacos. Add shredded cheese and beef to each tortilla, being sure not to overfill so they still close neatly (Images 5 & 6).
Tip: Gently heat the tortillas in the microwave before filling and folding to help them resist tearing. The package will usually have suggestions on how to do this.
STEP 4. Fry tacos. Once your oil is hot, place two tacos in the pan. You may need to hold them shut with tongs initially (Image 7).
STEP 5. Flip tacos. Cook on the second side and then remove to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain while you cook the remaining tacos (Image 8).
Recipe Pro Tips
- Use the right tortillas. Use regular corn tortillas that are thicker, so they don’t tear.
- Correct temperature. Your oil should be around 375 for perfect frying. Hotter, and they may burn. Colder, and they will soak up lots of oil.
Recipe FAQs
Store cooled tacos in the fridge for a few days. You can reheat in a dry pan on the stove or pop them in the oven for a few minutes. I don’t recommend the microwave as they will be soggy.
These are known as tacos dorados in Mexico. Any sort of fried taco has this name, and if you roll them up before frying they are then flautas.
Vegetable, peanut, and canola oil are all good options for frying. These will work for both shallow and deep-frying foods. Just make sure your oil doesn’t come up too far in your pan so it doesn’t overflow when you add the tacos.
What to Serve with Pan-Fried Tacos
Make sure you have everyone’s favorite toppings on hand – salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and even smoked queso would be a great dip. A quick taco bean dip can also cool things down.
More Taco Recipes You’ll Love
Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!
Recipe
Fried Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Packet Taco Seasoning
- ⅔ Cup Water
- 20 Corn Tortillas
- 2 Cups Cheddar Cheese or Mexican Blend Cheese
- ¾ to 1 Cup Cooking Oil
Instructions
- Brown ground beef over medium heat breaking into small pieces while cooking.
- Once the beef is done and no longer pink stir in water and taco seasoning. Return to a boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened; about 3-4 minutes.
- Prepare your tacos by placing a small amount of cheese and meat inside each tortilla then folding in half. (I strongly recommend warming your tortillas before filling to make them easier to fold.)
- Heat oil over medium to medium high heat. The oil needs to be at least 375 degrees but not over 400 degrees or the tacos will burn.
- Place tacos, two at a time, into the hot oil; do not overcrowd your pan. You may need to briefly hold the tortilla closed with tongs, to make sure they stay closed.
- Cook until golden brown on each side; about 30 to 45 seconds on each side.
- Once done remove with tongs and allow any oil to drain back into the pan before placing on a paper towel lined plate or pan.
- Once the tacos are done and slightly cooled, top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Warming tortillas will help them not to break when folding.
- Do not overfill your tortillas as they will possibly break and not stay closed while cooking.
- I recommend using the regular corn tortillas, not the thin ones. Also white or yellow corn tortillas will work great.
- We loved these with salsa, cilantro, onions, and sour cream, but you could use any of your favorite taco toppings. Such as pico de gallo, avocado, jalapenos, tomatoes, lettuce etc.
- I prefer reheating in a skillet on the stove top or you can warm them in the oven. You can use a microwave but they will be more soggy this way.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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