Mini Beef Taco Cups With Corn Tortillas

Have you ever wanted to have tacos as part of your party appetizer spread but decided against it because they were too messy, or required too many self-serve ingredients? If so, we have a solution for you. These mini beef taco cups with corn tortillas are the perfect way to serve tacos as appetizers with no mess and no buffet-style toppings bar. These mini taco cup appetizers provide a fun and unique addition to any family gathering or game day party. 

Our mini taco bites with ground beef emulate the flavors of a crispy beef taco while capturing all the fun of eating a plate full of tacos. Made with yellow corn tortillas and filled with refried beans, taco meat, shredded Mexican-blend cheese, and a scoop of our homemade guacamole, these little snack bites might just be the cutest tacos we’ve ever eaten!

Mini Beef Taco Cups Ingredients

While this easy recipe for mini beef taco cups with corn tortillas can be customized to your liking with all of your favorite taco ingredients and toppings, here are the ingredients to make our favorite version:

• Ground beef
• Taco seasoning
• Red onion
• Jalapeno
• Refried beans
• Corn tortillas
• Shredded Mexican cheese
• Homemade guacamole

If you are looking for more ideas for toppings or sides, here are some fan favorites:

• Pico de Gallo
• Avocado cilantro lime crema
• Homemade fire roasted salsa
• Mexican verde sauce

How To Make Mini Beef Taco Cups With Corn Tortillas

These mini taco bites with ground beef are also very easy to put together, as long as you have a muffin tin and a little bit of patience working with the tortillas. All you have to do ahead of time is cook up some taco beef. Then it’s just pressing tortillas into the muffin tin and filling them with beans, beef, and cheese! Bake them for only 10 minutes, and you’ve got yourself a delicious, crispy taco scoop snack.

1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain excess liquid, then season with taco seasoning according to package directions.
2. While the beef is cooking, dice the red onion and jalapeno.
3. Transfer cooked beef to a bowl. Add red onion and jalapeno, stirring to combine, and set aside.
4. Heat refried beans in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring halfway through, until slightly warmed and set aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
6. Place 3 corn tortillas between sheets of dampened paper towels and microwave for 15 to 20 seconds to soften.
7. Transfer softened tortillas to the muffin tin, gently pressing the tortillas into the wells to form a cup shape.
8. Scoop about a spoonful of refried beans into each tortilla cup, just enough for a layer on the bottom.
9. Next, scoop a few spoonfuls of the beef mixture into the tortilla cups, filling them almost to the top. Press down gently with the back of a spoon as you go to really pack in the filling.
10. Repeat steps 6 to 9 with the remaining tortillas, working in batches of 3 to form your taco cups.
11. Just before baking, sprinkle the tops of each taco cup with as much shredded Mexican-blend cheese as you desire.
12. Bake for 10 minutes.
13. Let cool for at least 2 minutes before removing from the muffin tin.
14. Transfer taco cups to a serving tray or plate, top with a dollop of guacamole, and serve!

Tips For Making The Best Mini Beef Taco Cups

To help you make your mini taco cups turn out amazing, here are a couple of helpful tips that we have learned so you don’t have to:

Refried beans: We recommend heating the refried beans just enough so that you can easily spoon them into the tortillas. They don’t need to be hot, since they’ll warm up plenty when the taco scoops go into the oven.

Softening the tortillas: Corn tortillas will crack very easily if they aren’t warm, so don’t skip this step! This is why the directions call for heating up batches of 3, since you’ll want to shape and fill the taco scoops while the tortillas are still warm.

Forming the tortilla cups: This step can be tricky, so have some patience! Corn tortillas are pretty flexible when warm so you should only have to press gently with a few fingers. Don’t worry if they don’t sit perfectly in the muffin tin at first – once you start filling them, they’ll sink in and take a more rigid shape.

Removing from the pan: The best way to get these out of the pan is with a butter knife. Slide it between the edge of the tortilla and the pan and gently pry each taco scoop out, using your free hand for extra support.

Preparing ahead of time: If you want to make these ahead of time for a party or potluck and need to travel with them, no sweat. Just prepare everything up to step 12 and seal the muffin tin tightly with plastic wrap. Once you’re at your destination, remove the plastic wrap and bake as normal!

Reheating leftovers: These reheat super well in the oven, and they don’t even need to go back in a muffin tin! Just place them on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for about 8 minutes. The tortillas will crisp up nicely this way.

Why You’ll Love These Taco Cups With Corn Tortillas

Our mini taco cups with ground beef make a great party snack or appetizer. If you’re a taco fanatic like us, they’re the perfect guest-friendly way to serve tacos at a party! They’re the optimal size for grabbing off a serving tray, and their fun Tostitos Scoops-style shells keep everything nicely contained (no messy overflowing tacos here!). They’re also super easy to bake, transport, and reheat if necessary. Just leave them in the muffin tin and you don’t have to worry about bumpy car rides (and accidental spills) on the way.

No matter what you make these mini taco cups for, you and your guests will be sure to love every single bite. And they will be a favorite among the kids and adults alike. So make a big batch for your next party, or just make a tray full to share with your family for your next game day treat. 

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