If you haven’t made baked tacos you are in for a treat! Crispy on the outside and stuffed with your favorite fillings, you can’t go wrong!
To be honest, hard taco shells aren’t really my thing. I know people LOVE them, but I usually always opt for soft tortillas. But baked tacos totally changed my mind. They are kind of like a mix between hard and soft and so good!
There’s a crispy and slightly crunchy outside. Then inside you have warm beans, meat, and melted cheese.
Besides being so delicious, they are so easy to make! Simply make your filling, stuff your tortillas, and then bake. They can easily be customizable using whatever meat you have on hand too. Serve with your favorite toppings or sides for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love!
Why we love these baked tacos
- a fun way to switch up your typical taco night
- made with 8 simple ingredients
- packed with protein – each one has 19 grams of protein!
- they make an easy macro-balanced meal – there is protein from the turkey and beans, carbohydrates from the tortillas and beans, healthy fat from the cheese, and fiber from the beans. We love serving with some lettuce and tomatoes for some veggies.
Ingredients
- olive oil
- ground turkey
- taco seasoning
- tomato paste
- water or broth
- refried beans
- shredded cheddar cheese
- corn tortillas
- salt and pepper
- for serving – avocado, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, greek yogurt, cilantro…
How to make baked tacos
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brown your meat. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and let it get hot. Add turkey and break it up. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning, tomato paste, water or broth, and salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Saute for another 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Warm up your beans. Add your beans to the skillet and break them up. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until warmed through, making sure to stir frequently so they don’t stick.
- Heat up your tortillas. Take a dishcloth or a few paper towels and dampen them with water. Wrap around the tortillas to fully cover them. Microwave for 30 seconds, flip, and then another 15-20 seconds until warm. It’s important they are pliable.
- Assemble your tacos. Spread the remaining oil on your lined baking sheet. Take one tortilla and rub it in a little of the oil on the pan, making sure to get both sides. Take a large heaping spoonful of refried beans and spread it out on the tortilla. Then take a spoonful of taco meat and pile it on top of the beans on one side of the tortilla. Sprinkle some cheese on top of the turkey. Fold the other side over and gently press it down so it sticks. Repeat with remaining tortillas, evenly dividing the beans, meat, and cheese. Spread them out on the baking sheet so there is even room between them and they are not touching.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Let them cool as they will be VERY HOT.
- Enjoy! Serve with sides and your favorite taco toppings!
How to heat up your tortillas
It’s important for your tortillas to be warmed through and pliable as you don’t want them breaking as you are making the remaining tacos. The recipe will still work, the filling will just dry out some. Here are a couple of ways to heat tortillas:
- in the microwave – take a dishcloth or a few paper towels and dampen them with water. Wrap around the tortillas to fully cover them. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds, flip, and then another 15-20 seconds until warm. Make sure you keep the stack covered so they don’t dry out. This is my preferred way of heating them up.
- frying in a pan – lightly fry each tortilla in a pan with some oil until warmed through. I have not tried this as it will take more time than putting them all in the microwave at once.
Can you use flour instead of corn tortillas?
Flour tortillas can easily be used instead of corn tortillas in this recipe. Just make sure they are pliable when making the tacos so they don’t break.
What to serve with baked tacos
These oven baked tacos make an easy complete meal, but if wanted to bump it up some, here are some of my favorite sides and toppings:
- rice – white rice, Mexican rice, or cauliflower rice
- quinoa
- tortilla chips
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- avocado or guacamole
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- salsa or pico de gallo
- hot sauce
- cilantro
- jalapenos
Storage and reheating
- refrigerator – these tacos are best right out of the oven, but you may have leftovers depending on how many people you are feeding. Store them in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. The tortillas won’t be as crisp the longer they sit.
- freezer – I haven’t tried it, but this recipe should freeze well. You can either freeze the whole recipe in a large container or in individual servings. They should last up to 3 months in the freezer.
- reheating – reheat it in the microwave or a skillet until warmed through. You can also put them under the broiler for a minute or two. They won’t be as crispy once reheated.
Substitutions and additions
- olive oil – any kind of neutral oil will work.
- ground turkey – Ground beef or ground chicken will work instead.
- taco seasoning – you can use a mix of garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne.
- refried beans – refried pinto or black beans will work. You do need to use refried as it helps hold the tortillas together when baking.
- shredded cheese – most kinds of cheese will work. Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese would be great subs.
- corn tortillas – flour tortillas should work instead of corn.
And if you want to pump them up some, here are some additions you can add:
- veggies – dice and saute some veggies in your meat mixture. Onions and peppers would be great additions!
- salsa – this will make the meat even juicier
More healthy taco recipes
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Turkey Baked Tacos
Switch up your typical taco night and make baked tacos! Tortillas are stuffed with seasoned ground meat, beans, and cheese and then baked in the oven until perfectly crispy on the outside. They make a delicious and easy taco recipe everyone will love! High in protein and gluten-free.
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ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (I used 99% lean)
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup water or broth
- 1 16-ounce can refried beans (I used fat-free)
- 1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
- 8 corn tortillas
- salt and pepper, to taste
- for serving – shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, greek yogurt, cilantro…
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brown your meat. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and let it get hot. Add turkey and break it up with the back of a spatula or meat chopper. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning, tomato paste, water or broth, and salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Make sure to break up the tomato paste. Saute for another 2-3 minutes until meat is browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Warm up your beans. Add your beans to the skillet and break them up with a spatula. Cook for 3-4 minutes until warmed through, making sure to stir frequently so they don't stick.
- Heat up your tortillas. Take a dishcloth or a few paper towels and dampen them with water. Wrap around the tortillas to fully cover them. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds, flip, and then another 15-20 seconds until warm. It's important for your tortillas to be warmed through and pliable as you don't want them to break. Make sure to keep them covered as you are making your tacos.
- Assemble your tacos. Spread the remaining oil on your lined baking sheet. Take one tortilla and rub it in a little of the oil on the pan, making sure to get both sides. Take a large heaping spoonful of refried beans and spread it out on the tortilla. Then take a spoonful of taco meat and pile it on top of the beans on one side of the tortilla. Sprinkle some cheese on top of the turkey. Fold the other side over and gently press it down so it sticks. Repeat with remaining tortillas, evenly dividing the beans, meat, and cheese. Spread them out on the baking sheet so there is even room between them and they are not touching.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. If desired you can put the broiler on for 2 minutes to get them a little more crispy. Just watch them very carefully.
- Let cool. The tacos will be VERY HOT right out of the oven so let them cool for a few minutes.
- Enjoy! Serve with sides and your favorite taco toppings!
nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Turkey Baked Tacos
Amount Per Serving (1 taco)
Calories 229
Calories from Fat 74
% Daily Value*
Fat 8.2g13%
Saturated Fat 2.7g17%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.6g
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 306mg13%
Potassium 469mg13%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 4.3g18%
Sugar 0.9g1%
Protein 19.6g39%
Vitamin A 45IU1%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 124mg12%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!
Pamyla Bean says
A little tricky to make, but once you make a few it’s easier. Very tasty out of the oven. Crispy and delcious. Not as good reheated, but still good.
Kelly says
So glad you enjoyed them! I agree, they are best fresh. Thanks for trying them, Pamyla!
Liz says
Easy & delicious! Broiled for 2 mins for extra crispy, did not disappoint!
Kelly says
Yum! Glad you enjoyed them, Liz!
Catrina LaFave says
This took out taco night to the next level! These our amazing and will be on regular rotation in our house!
Kelly says
So happy to hear it! Thanks, Catrina!
Michelle says
10/10 these tacos are life y’all. This is a weekly go to in our home now. I say weekly but I could eat them daily.. they are that dang delightful.
Kelly says
Aw yay! That makes me so happy to hear! So glad you enjoyed them so much Michelle – thanks for trying them!
Emilee Schuster says
These are amazing! I made them with what I had on hand, so we did beef instead of turkey and we actually used flour tortillas instead of corn( cannot wait to try them with corn tortillas 🤤). And I cooked them in the air fryer at 400 and just kept an eye on them until both sides were browned! Such amazing recipes! And huge inspiration for simple, delicious recipes 😊
Kelly says
Love that you used the air fryer – so smart! So glad you enjoyed them, Emilee!
Dan says
They look great
Kelly says
I hope you enjoy them!!
Molly Akers says
These turned out so good! Super easy and can be very versatile with different meats/variations!
Kelly says
Happy to hear it – thanks, Molly!
Dan says
They look fantastic can’t wait to try them
Kelly says
I hope you enjoy them! Let me know if you try them.