Taco Bell Crunchy Taco (Copycat)

You have to try my Copycat Taco Bell Crunchy Taco with homemade seasoning! Skip the drive-thru with this easy recipe for the whole family.

Homemade Taco Bell Ground Beef is great for burritos and nachos, but nothing is quite as good as serving this favorite fast-food Copycat Recipe in a crispy corn taco shell! For other flavorful Mexican tacos, try my Steak Tacos and my Street Tacos.

Sabrina’s Taco Bell Crunchy Taco (Copycat) Recipe

Since Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos only have a few ingredients, it’s important to get each one right for that spot-on copycat taste! From the type of taco shell to buy to the homemade Taco Bell Seasoning (skip the store-bought packets), I’ve got the tips you need to make the perfect Copycat taco! These tacos are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner when you want something simple, satisfying, and they are sure to be a hit with the whole family. If you are looking to expand your homemade Taco Bell menu, I’ve also used my copycat ground beef to recreate Taco Bell Nachos Bell Grande (Copycat) and Taco Bell Quesarito (Copycat) and more!

Recipe Card

About this Recipe

These Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos are an easy way to recreate your favorite fast-food tacos at home! I make them with seasoned ground beef, crispy taco shells, shredded lettuce, and finely shredded cheese for that classic Taco Bell flavor. My homemade taco seasoning gives the beef its signature taste, and the whole recipe comes together in just 30 minutes. Just because Taco Bell isn’t traditional Mexican cuisine, doesn’t mean you can’t serve these Crunchy Taco Bell Tacos with homemade Mexican side dishes. Besides, Taco Tuesday wouldn’t be complete without more incredible flavors from Latin America! You can even bake these tacos like my Baked Beef Tacos for an easy family-friendly dinner that doesn’t have a lot of cleanup. Or maybe you prefer a soft taco? Simply swap out the crunchy corn taco shells with small flour soft taco tortillas. The possibilities are endless for my spot-on Taco Bell Taco Meat recipe!

Ingredients

Seasoning

• Note: I recreated Taco Bell Original Taco Seasoning without any anti-caking additives or preservatives. It’s the absolute best (and best for you) recreation! Check it out!
• 1 tablespoon Onion Powder: This adds a nice onion flavor to the seasoning without adding texture from diced onions.
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch: Cornstarch is needed to help thicken the seasoning in the meat.
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt: This adds critical garlic flavor and saltiness at the same time. You can also make your own by mixing ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder with 2/3 teaspoons of your preferred salt if you don’t have premade garlic salt.
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin: Cumin has a deep earthy flavor that is found in many Central American-style dishes.
• 1 teaspoon Paprika: Paprika adds a nice red color and smoky flavor to the mixture. You can use smoked paprika or chipotle powder if you’d like a more intense smoky taste in your meat.
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder: Chili powder is the pulverized powder of dried red chilis of various kinds, depending on the brand. Chili powder usually has a mild smokiness and peppery taste that is needed in the mixture.
• ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper provides a little kick of heat to the seasoning mix. You can omit it altogether if hot and spicy isn’t your thing, or add more if it is!
• ¼ teaspoon Sugar: The little bit of sugar in the mix helps to balance out the flavors and any bitterness.

Tacos

• 1 pound Ground Beef: I’m using lean ground beef, but you can use whatever you have on hand!
• 8 Taco Shells: You want to use the boxed taco shells that you find in the Mexican food section. Some stores carry the Taco Bell brand, but any crunchy corn taco shell will taste the same. If you want to bake these tacos, get the flat-bottomed shells. You can also make these with the flat tostada shells too!
• 1 cup Cheese: Use mild cheddar cheese and shred it yourself. The bagged cheese is going to be too thick and won’t get that slightly melty cheese effect. Use the fine side of your grater for those signature thin shreds! If you have a Mexican cheese blend already on hand, feel free to use that too!
• 1 cup Lettuce: This is the only ingredient that was changed from the Original Taco Bell Taco. Taco Bell uses shredded iceberg lettuce, like the kind they sell in bags. I just like the greener, slightly more flavorful romaine lettuce. Since you are making these tacos at home, you can upgrade the lettuce as you prefer.

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the meat mixture and keep it in the fridge a day or two in advance. The crunchy shells should not be stored with the meat mixture or they will get soggy. Assemble everything just before serving.

Serving Ideas

• Toppings: You can treat yourself to a homemade Taco Supreme without breaking the bank by adding some sour cream you have on hand. Go all out and serve Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos topped with Restaurant Style Salsa and Chipotle Guacamole.
• Sides: These tacos get instantly upgraded to restaurant status with a side of Spanish Rice and Refried Beans which are easy to make in bulk. Latin Yellow Rice and black beans would also be good choices.
• Dip Sides: You’ll need some salsas on the side, especially if it’s a full on party! Try some fresh Pico de Gallo, my version of Taco Bell Creamy Jalapeno Quesadilla Sauce (Copycat) for dipping, and, of course, the incredible Chipotle Corn Salsa (Copycat) with corn tortilla chips!

How to Store

• Store: Assembled Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos are best served right away. You can keep the ground beef filling at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Store meat and toppings separately, and don’t store tacos assembled. Keep ground beef in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Reheat the meat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• Freeze: Freeze the beef filling in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw meat overnight in the refrigerator before reheating it in a saucepan with beef broth if it is too thick. Prepare toppings and taco shells when ready to serve.

Frequent Questions

Variations

• Crunchy Taco Supreme: Layer ground beef in the bottom of your shell then spoon sour cream on top. Toss diced tomatoes (seeds removed) and lettuce together and top sour cream with lettuce mixture. Finish with finely shredded cheese.
• Double-Stacked Taco: Spread a thin layer of Nacho Cheese outside the crunchy taco shell then place in a soft taco-sized flour tortilla. Fill with ground beef, cheese, and lettuce. Add red tortilla strips with your cheese and lettuce for an extra authentic Double Stacked Taco!
• Doritos Locos: For an easy Doritos Locos coating, mix a packet of boxed macaroni cheese powder with 1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning, 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika, and ¼ teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, and MSG (optional). Spray outsides of taco shells with cooking spray and press into the cheese mixture on both sides. Bake for 3-5 minutes at 350 to crisp, and cool before filling.
• Ranch Doritos Locos: Follow the same instructions as above but add 2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing Mix to the powdered cheese mixture instead of the Taco Seasoning and paprika.
• Taco Bowl: Trying to watch the carbs and calories? Just make the ingredients according to the recipe a serve in a bowl! So good!

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