Taco Salad Crispy Bowl (Print Version)

Crispy tortilla bowls filled with beef, beans, vegetables, and cheese for a vibrant Mexican-American dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Tortilla Bowls

01 - 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Beef Mixture

03 - 14 ounces ground beef
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

11 - 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
14 - 3.5 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
15 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 1 avocado, diced
17 - 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)

→ Toppings

18 - 1/2 cup salsa
19 - 1/2 cup sour cream
20 - Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
21 - Lime wedges, for serving

# How-To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Brush both sides of each tortilla with vegetable oil. Drape each tortilla over an inverted oven-safe bowl or ramekin set on a baking sheet to shape into bowls.
03 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Allow to cool, then carefully remove from molds.
04 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking into pieces, until browned. Drain excess fat.
05 - Add chopped onion and minced garlic; sauté 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 additional minute, then remove from heat.
06 - In a large bowl, toss shredded lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, drained black beans, corn kernels, sliced red onion, and diced avocado.
07 - Place each tortilla bowl on a plate. Fill with the salad mixture, top with warm beef mixture, and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over each serving.
08 - Top with salsa and sour cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything you love about tacos but somehow more satisfying because each bite gets that perfect crunch
  • The warm seasoned beef against cool crisp lettuce creates this incredible temperature contrast that keeps you coming back for more
02 -
  • The tortilla bowls continue to crisp as they cool, so don't worry if they seem slightly soft right out of the oven
  • Warm the beans slightly in the microwave for 30 seconds before adding them to the salad for a better temperature contrast
03 -
  • Use the back of a muffin tin if you don't have oven-safe bowls—makes six mini bowls that are perfect for appetizers
  • Warm your plates in the oven for a few minutes so everything stays hot longer
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