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These mini taco cups are the most fun way to enjoy baked tacos! They’re made with a crispy shell, ground beef, and flexible toppings to make the perfect taco night.

One mini taco cup being held by fingers.

What are mini taco cups?

Mini taco cups are a simple and fun appetizer that everyone will love! They’re made with a crispy taco shell made by lining a muffin tin with sliced tortillas, then filled with beef, topped with cheese, and baked in the oven. Add toppings and you have a seriously good recipe.

The Ingredients for Taco Cups

  • Tortillas. To keep this gluten and grain-free, I use Siete foods almond flour tortillas, though you can also use homemade cassava flour tortillas.
  • Ground Beef. You’ll want to brown the ground beef and season it with a taco seasoning of your choice.
  • Shredded Cheese. This is optional, but of course, cheese always helps.

Toppings for Mini Taco Cups

You can get as creative as you want, but here are some ideas…

  • Black olives
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Diced avocado
  • Red onion
  • Green onion
  • Cilantro
  • Lime juice
  • Shredded lettuce

All the ingredients for mini taco cups.

How to make Oven Baked Gluten-Free Taco Cups

Step 1. Brown the ground beef and season.

Step 2. Slice your tortilla into strips and line the muffin tin, covering all of the spaces to make a full shell.

A tortilla cut up for mini taco cups.

Step 3. Fill the tortilla shells with a large spoonful of beef, filling three-quarters of the way full. Top with cheese if desired.

Stuffing the mini taco cps with ground beef and cheese.

Step 4. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the tortillas are crisp.

A tray of baked mini taco cups.

Step 5. Allow to cool slightly and carefully remove from the muffin tin. Transfer to a plate and add toppings of your choice.

A plate with mini taco cups on it.

Mini Taco Cup Tips & Tricks

  • Measure out your tortilla to fit in the muffin tin. You don’t need to use a ruler or anything, but just get a good visual on it so you can have uniform slices.
  • Cover up any holes in the taco cups with smaller tortilla pieces.  
  • Make them your own with lots of toppings! I love making these with different toppings for each one so you get lots of variety.

Can you make mini taco cups ahead of time? How do you reheat them?

These are best fresh, but you can easily keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days and reheat them on a sheet pan in the oven for a few minutes.

Can you make mini taco cups dairy-free?

You can for sure make them with dairy-free cheese or no cheese. I made mine without cheese and they were still delicious… just be sure to add more toppings for flavor. You can also use dairy-free sour cream or even dairy-free yogurt.

Are mini taco cups an appetizer or main dish?

They’re perfect for an appetizer since they’re bite-sized and you can eat them without silverware. However, if you really want a fun taco night you can make more and serve them as a main dish.

Can you use chicken in mini taco cups instead of beef?

You can easily use shredded chicken instead of ground beef to make the mini taco cups. You can even use ground turkey, or chorizo if you’d like.

A plate with mini taco cups on it.

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Mini Taco Cups (Gluten free)

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Michelle
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1–2 tsp taco seasoning (see notes for AIP)
  • 4 grain-free tortillas (I use Siete almond flour tortillas)
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheese (optional, omit for AIP)

For the toppings

  • Chopped cilantro
  • Sliced green onion
  • Sliced black olives
  • Diced avocado
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Salsa (omit for AIP)
  • Lime juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F and lightly grease a muffin tin.
  2. Add the ground beef to a pan over medium heat and season. Crumble and brown until cooked through. Set aside.
  3. Slice your tortilla into strips and line the muffin tin, covering all of the spaces to make a full shell.
  4. Fill the tortilla shells with a large spoonful of beef, filling three-quarters of the way full. Top with cheese if desired.
  5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the tortillas are crisp.
  6. Allow to cool slightly and carefully remove from the muffin tin. Transfer to a plate and add toppings of your choice.

Notes

To season for AIP, add salt, and 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, dried cilantro, and dried oregano. Use cassava tortillas.

All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 120
  • Fat: 4.7g
  • Carbohydrates: 9.6g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 9.5g