Walking Tacos Recipe
on Sep 23, 2024
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Ground beef, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo are poured into a bag of crunchy Fritos and topped with shredded cheese! Easy to make and fun to eat, walking tacos is a crowd-pleasing meal.
Talk about easy! This is one of the simplest meals you can make, and they are so fun! All you have to do is cook the beef, throw your toppings into a single serve bag of chips, and enjoy. This dish is perfect for the outdoors or a big party because it can feed a crowd with minimal effort.
The savory, juicy beef pairs perfectly with the bright flavors of pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole. This recipe is a fun and casual way to serve a group, and is sure to be enjoyed by everyone!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Gives you all the best flavors of a taco mixed together in each bite.
- No serving dishes makes for an easy clean up!
- The contrasting textures lift the dish and add a beautiful depth.
- It only takes a few minutes to throw together, perfect for a busy weeknight.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground beef—We use 90/10 ground beef, but any fat percentage will work.
- Spice Mix—A combination of onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin
- Sour cream—To give your walking tacos a slight tang and add a creamy texture.
- Pico de gallo—For a fresh and bright flavor, contrasting the savory beef and chips.
- Guacamole—You can use store-bought or homemade!
- Colby jack cheese—Shredded. For a subtle, mild flavor that is perfect for tacos.
- Fritos—Make sure you grab the small, single serving size bags.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Walking Tacos
Step #1. Add the ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin to a large pan or skillet. Cook the beef until it is no longer pink.
Step #2. Add a few spoonfuls of ground beef to each bag of Fritos.
Step #3. Top your walking tacos with sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheese.
Step #4. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
A walking taco, also known as taco in a bag, is simply a portable taco! There are a few different variations on what defines a walking taco depending on who you ask. Essentially, you take a snack size bag of Fritos, fill it with taco meat, and add your favorite taco toppings for an easy on-the-go meal.
The most common reason that your ground beef has become dry is that it has been overcooked. As ground beef cooks, the juices will evaporate, meaning that the longer it cooks the less moisture it will have. An easy way to prevent this is by using ground beef that has a higher fat percentage. The higher fat content will keep the beef juicy and flavorful while it cooks all the way through. You can also cover the pan with a lid when it is close to being done to trap some of that moisture until the beef is ready.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
When it comes to walking tacos, the options are limitless! Here are some ways that you can change the flavor and customize this dish:
- Instead of using Fritos chips, you can use snack size bags of nacho cheese or cool ranch Doritos, Tostitos, or any other corn based chips for a unique flavor!
- If you love heat add jalapenos, tabasco sauce, and pepper jack cheese instead of colby jack for a spicier walking taco.
- Try using ground chicken or turkey instead of ground beef! You can also make this recipe vegetarian by using plant based meat substitutes.
- Play around with your toppings for a different flavor! You can add beans, lettuce, homemade salsa, diced potatoes, or chopped green onions.
How to Store Walking Tacos
Walking tacos cannot be stored after they have been assembled, as the chips will get soggy and the ingredients won’t hold up well. However, you can store the ingredients separately, making it easy to throw these tacos together in a hurry! The ground beef should be stored in the fridge and is good for up to 5 days.
Expert Tips
- Use a spatula to break up the ground beef as it cooks to ensure it cooks evenly.
- Try using different kinds of cheese to give your walking tacos a new delicious flavor.
- You can swap out the spices for the ground beef and use a package of premade taco seasoning instead.
- Shred your own cheese if you have time! Freshly shredded cheese tends to melt down better than the bagged cheese you can grab at the store.
- Although this dish is an all in one meal, you can add a side of rice, fresh fruit, or a vegetable tray.
More Quick Dinner Recipes To Consider
Pasta Dishes
Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Lasagna
Slow Cooker Recipes
Perfect Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Pasta Dishes
Pumpkin Alfredo
Dinner Ideas
One-Pot Sausage, Rice, and Peas Dinner
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Walking Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup pico de gallo
- ½ cup guacamole
- ¾ cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 4 1 ounce bags Fritos
- shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, optional
Instructions
- Add the ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin to a large pan or skillet. Cook the ground beef for about 15 minutes, or until no longer pink. Use a spatula to break up the ground beef as it cooks. Add salt to taste.
- Add a few spoonfuls of ground beef to each bag of Fritos.
- Top your walking tacos with sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheese.
- You can also add optional toppings like lettuce, salsa, tomatoes, black olives, etc. This is an easy meal to add what you like and don't use what you don't like.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can switch out the spices for a package of premade taco seasoning.
- Other toppings you can add to your walking tacos include lettuce, homemade salsa, diced totatoes, and jalapenos.
- For a spicier walking taco, add a little bit of tabasco sauce and use pepper jack cheese instead of colby jack cheese.
- You can store this ground beef in the fridge for up to 5 days, making it easy to throw these tacos together in a hurry.
