How Do I Make Really Crispy Taco Shells
If youve ever ordered hard shell tacos at a fast-food joint, then youll notice that they are usually super crispy and super crunchy. To get your taco shells really crispy, however, you need to use a lot of oil. Restaurants will often use a deep fryer for cooking their hard shell tacos, but of course, this isnt the healthiest option!
You can recreate this at home using the frying method we outlined earlier, but youll need to add more vegetable oil to make them even crispier. If you want a healthy yet crunchy taco shell, then you can bake the taco shells in the oven with a light drizzle of oil. You can also leave them to bake for longer in the oven. We recommend 10 minutes, but you can leave them baking for a few more minutes to add that extra crunch.
Remember, though, that its always going to be a trade-off between a healthy hard shell taco and the crispiest hard shell taco. You need to find a balance to avoid burning off all those nutrients and adding excess fat and calories through the additional oil!
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How To Deep Fry A Tortilla Shell:
Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F.
When the oil is fully heated, place one tortilla very gently into the oil. Press it down using a steel soup ladle very slowly until the tortilla is touching the bottom. If needed, use tongs to help place the tortilla correctly. The sides of the tortilla will float up around the ladle forming the bowl shape. Be very careful not to get burned as the oil is boiling hot.
Fry the tortilla until brown and crisp about 2 or 3 minutes.
Using tongs, very carefully remove the tortilla from the oil and place upside down on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet to drain.
Repeat with the second tortilla.
A Variety Of Sizes For Tacos Salads Appetizers & More
Looking for holiday gifts for the foodie in your life?
- flour tortillas
I recently served a tortilla bowl taco bar for some big dinner parties at our house. The tortilla bowls can be made in a variety of ways and are a fun to fill with taco ingredients or salad. Mini size tortilla cups are perfect for appetizer portions.
You may have had salad served in tortilla bowls in restaurants. If so, chances are the bowls were deep fried. All that hassle and mess of frying and all those fatty calories aren’t necessary. The method I describe involves baking the bowls with no added fat at all. I’ve seen other recipes that called for coating the tortillas with oil or butter before baking. I tried that, but actually prefer them without any oil at all. They’re crisp and delicious just the way they are.
After making well over 100 of these bowls in the last month, I learned a few things. You won’t believe how easy this is. Here’s how.
Step-by-step photos for making
Method #1: Using Tortilla Shell MoldsIf you’ll be making these often or making a large number for a party, I highly recommend these molds. I got mine for a reasonable price on Amazon. They are non-stick, easy to use, can be used with any size of tortilla, don’t require any added oil, butter, or spray, and result in evenly browned and crisped tortilla shells.
- flour tortillas
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What Do You Put In Taco Salad Bowls
- Taco Salad shells are also an adorable way to serve dry accompaniments for a taco bar like cheese, onions, cilantro and lettuce.
- My favorite Taco Salad recipe so flexible by using all your favorite ingredients.
Truly, these bowls work well with any Mexican food, especially brown rice and cilantro!
Love that cilantro lime flavor combination? Dont skip this Cilantro Lime Crema and Cilantro Aioli!
To see just how easy taco salad bowls are to make, watch the video in this post!
- Pin this for later!
You can find all of my Easy Mexican Recipes here! Youre especially going to love this taco salad thats perfect to fill these shells. Dont forget to make my favorite skinny margaritas to go along with your taco night! What are your familys favorite Mexican dishes?
Can You Make Tortilla Bowls With Corn Tortillas
Yes and no. Yes, you can follow this exact process, with corn tortillas, to make crunchy corn tortilla bowls.
However, its hard to find extra-large corn tortillas so the bowls will not be as large.
Also, there will be small bubbles from frying, but you will not get the massive bubbles with corn tortillas, that you do with flour tortillas.
Read Also: What Is In Wendy’s Taco Salad
How To Make A Taco Salad Shell
Spray taco shell molds and place on baking sheet. If you do not have molds, no worries!! You can use a oven safe dish. I like to use a medium size Pyrex dish. Put it upside down and lay tortilla over
Add one tortilla per mold
Bake at 375F in oven for 10-15 minutes or until crispy and no longer limp.
Wonderfully crispy and crunchy!
Ready for taco salad now!! You can also use these shells for holding dips and chips.
Fill with your favorite lettuce and toppings! I like tomato, onion, sour cream, cheese and avocado ranch. For mor creative ideas, HannahsFoodJourney.com
- 2.0 Large flour tortillas
- 2.0 Salad shell mold or Oven safe glass bowl
- Butter or olive oil
Consider Topping The Taco Bowl Shells With These Taco Salad Fillings:
- Shredded Romaine
Yes and no. Yes, you can follow this exact process, with corn tortillas, to make crunchy corn tortilla bowls.
However, its hard to find extra-large corn tortillas so the bowls will not be as large.
Also, there will be small bubbles from frying, but you will not get the massive bubbles with corn tortillas, that you do with flour tortillas.
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Taco Salad For Your Taco Bowl Shells
Ok. The shells are the hard part. Everything else is easy.
Add your protein to a pan and get it browning over medium-high heat. Add whatever spices you like to it.
Ideally, you might have some homemade taco seasoning that you could add in, but at a minimum, add some cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic salt, and salt and pepper.
Cook this for about ten minutes until the beef is browned and all the spices are mixed in. Be sure to taste the seasoning and adjust it to your liking.
Then stir in your black beans and your ground beef mixture is ready to go.
There are at least a dozen fun toppings you could add to this salad, but some essentials are definitely avocado, tomato, and red onion.
The only real trick about building the salad is to start with lettuce and make sure your lettuce is nice and dry. If its wet at all, itll make your Homemade Taco Bowl soggy.
Then pile on your chicken/beef mixture and top it to your hearts content!
The salad is great on its own, but being able to break off pieces of the Homemade Taco Bowl and eat it with the salad is really the best part.
In fact, I dont think Betsy finished her actual salad, but she did finish the bowl!
The homemade taco bowls are a bit of work, but they are really fun and totally delicious.
Give them a shot if you are feeling ambitious!
The Ingredients Needed To Make Tacos / Taco Salad:
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How To Make A Taco Salad Bowl
How To Make Baked Tortilla Bowls
The recipe we are sharing today is technically a baked tortilla bowl recipe, even though you flash fry the tortillas first.
You can skip the step of flash frying and just brush the tortillas with oil, shape, and bake But they will not form the large airy bubbles that are not near and dear to our hearts.
It worth the extra 4 minutes of work to gain golden pillowy bubbles in your taco bowl shells.
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That’s It For Homemade Taco Shells
Homemade taco shells are wonderfully crunchy and crispy but surprisingly healthy. You can bake or fry your soft tortillas into hard shells that are then perfect for filling with your favorite taco ingredients. Mix some spicy salsas, prepare some guacamole, or cook up the barbacoa steaks!
Why not save our guide to preparing tasty homemade taco shells for your next Taco Tuesday extravaganza?Make your own tortillas at home – check out this FREE guide to help you out:
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What Readers Are Saying About These Taco Bowls
- Hannah says: Looks amazing easy and flavorful summer recipe!
- Erin says: I never considered making my own bowls before- these are so easy and make our Mexican dinner nights feel a little more special!
- Roberta says: These are perfect! I even made mini bowls for the grandkids and they got such a kick out of it. Thanks for sharing!
You cannot make everybody happy you are not a taco.
Taco Salad Bowls are so easy to make and delicious that youd never guess they are light in calories, too! With less than 150 calories, these darling shells are the perfect way to serve taco salad without guilt.
If youre anything like our family, we like to eat Mexican-inspired dishes at least once a week for dinner. These homemade taco bowls are such an easy way to elevate a simple meal!
Taco salad bowls add such a nice flavor and texture to your favorite taco salad.
Recommended Reading: Paisley Farms 4 Bean Salad
Taco Salad Tortilla Bowl
This is so simple to do and you get such impressive results! If you have four ovenproof bowls, you can bake the tortilla shells all at once. If not, let bowl cool in between uses. I found in Martha Stewart Kids magazine.
Provided by Munchkin Mama
| 4 tablespoons olive oil |
| 1 tablespoon salt |
| 1 tablespoon pepper |
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly brush tortillas with oil. . Sprinkle with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Press tortilla into the ovenproof bowl. Bake about 13 minutes.
- Transfer tortilla to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining tortillas. Fill with your taco salad and listen to your guests rave!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 212.9, Fat 15.8, SaturatedFat 2.4, Sodium 1935.2, Carbohydrate 15.4, Fiber 0.9, Sugar 0.6, Protein 2.5
Faqs About Taco Salad Shells
How to store taco salad bowls?
Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, or up to a week in the fridge.
Can I freeze tortilla bowls?
Yes! You can freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight container. I dont recommend it though. They take up a lot of space in the freezer and theyre easy to make fresh! Freeze the tortillas instead and make bowls when youre ready.
Can I use corn tortillas?
Yes! Make corn tortilla bowls the same way. Theyre a great gluten free option!
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How To Make Taco Salad Bowls
How To Make Taco Salad:
For a crowd, or if uncertain of your guests preferences, set up a build-your-own taco salad bar.
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Directions For Baking Tortillas Into Taco Salad Bowls
Presenting taco salad in an edible bowl not only lends a festive touch to your meal, but allows guests to add extra crunch to the salad as they work their way down. In the case of taco salad, this culinary wizardry takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and bake using store-bought tortillas. Choosing nonstick cooking spray, instead of brushing on oil, makes the job go even faster. In most cases, you’ll use 8-inch or 10-inch tortillas and cook them in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven. For taco cups, use 6-inch tortillas.
Diy Bonus Homemade Baked Tortilla Bowls
Have fun with the Taco Salad? Check out our tostadas recipe! Its like a Mexican open-faced sandwich on a toasted tortilla!
You can also FOLLOW ME on , , and for more great recipes!
Recipe
Also Check: Calories In Wendys Taco Salad
Tips For The Best Taco Bowl Shells
- If you have one nearby, a local Hispanic market will carry fresh tortillas. You can often find them at your favorite grocery store!
- If your tortillas are tearing, try warming them in the microwave or stovetop first. This makes them softer to help shape into bowls without tears.
- Experiment with sizes. Mini tortillas are great for kids or smaller servings, and larger burrito-sized tortillas are great for hungry guests.
- For an extra indulgent touch, line the bowl with cheese!
- If youre making several at once, place bowls on baking sheets. This will allow you to put them in the oven and remove them with ease.
Taco Salad In Deep Fried Tortilla Bowls
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Taco Salad in Deep Fried Tortilla Bowls are easy and delicious. These homemade edible tortilla shell bowls are deep fried to a crispy golden flaky brown, then filled with taco meat and fresh taco salad ingredients.
This recipe is the perfect summer time, or any time, dinner for two or romantic impressive date night meal. This is NOT diet food.
Its easy and quick to prepare and the flavor combination is amazing.
Need a dessert to go with it? Try these Soft Batch Cookies or this small Fruity Brownie Pizza.
As an Amazon Associate I may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase through product links in this post.
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How To Make Taco Shells From Scratch
Rather than simply purchasing your tortillas from the store, you can, in fact, prepare homemade tortilla wraps to then turn into crispy homemade taco shells. It’s surprisingly simple, and all you need is a cast iron tortilla press, flour, salt, water, and a little oil.
You can prepare your tortillas from corn masa or from ordinary all-purpose white flour or try out whole wheat. You prepare the dough then, you press into shape using the tortilla maker. You can then use your fresh tortilla wraps to prepare crispy, hard shell tacos using the methods we already outlined earlier in the article.
Remember to cook your fresh tortillas in the microwave first, or by lightly cooking them in a skillet .
Here’s a quick flour tortilla recipe you can try at home!