Craving tacos but trying to stick to a keto or low-carb diet? These keto taco cups are the perfect solution! They deliver all the classic taco flavor you love, without the carb-heavy shell. These aren't your traditional tacos, but they are a fun and delicious way to enjoy Tex-Mex flavors while staying on track with your dietary goals. Taco shells made out of cheese = the ultimate keto hack. We're basically talking about frico, an Italian cooking method in which cheese is cooked in a pan until slightly crispy but malleable.
Why You'll Love Keto Taco Cups
- Low-Carb: These taco cups are a great way to enjoy tacos while following a low-carb or ketogenic diet.
- Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, making it suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Easy to Make: With just a few simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, these taco cups come together quickly.
- Customizable: Easily adapt the fillings and toppings to your liking.
- Fun and Delicious: Crispy, cheesy shells filled with flavorful taco meat and your favorite toppings - what's not to love?
- Great for Meal Prep: These taco cups are perfect for making ahead and enjoying throughout the week.
Two Main Approaches
There are two main approaches to making keto taco cups, each offering a slightly different texture and flavor:
- Cheese Shells: These taco cups use baked cheese slices to create crispy, flavorful shells.
- Fathead Dough: This version uses a low-carb dough made from mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, almond flour, and flaxseed meal to create a more substantial taco cup.
We'll cover both methods in this article.
Keto Cheese Shell Taco Cups
These Keto Cheese Shell Taco Cups are the easiest way to get your taco on…low carb style!
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or Colby cheese)
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. ground beef (or ground chicken or turkey)
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sour cream, for serving
- Diced avocado, for serving
- Freshly chopped cilantro, for serving
- Chopped tomatoes, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheese Shells:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese a few inches apart on the parchment paper.
- Bake until bubbly and the edges are beginning to turn golden, about 6 minutes.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for a minute.
- Grease the bottom of a muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Carefully pick up the melted cheese slices and place them on the bottom of the muffin tin. Fit with another inverted muffin tin and let cool 10 minutes. If you don't have a second muffin tin, use your hands to help mold the cheese around the inverted tin.
- Make the Taco Meat:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil.
- Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, then add ground beef, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.
- Cook until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes, then drain fat.
- Return meat to skillet and season with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the Taco Cups:
- Transfer cheese cups to a serving platter.
- Spoon the taco meat into the cheese cups.
- Top with sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and chopped tomatoes.
Tips for Perfect Cheese Shells
- Use Parchment Paper: Parchment paper is essential to prevent the cheese from sticking to the baking sheet. Don't skip the parchment, trust me.
- Don't Overbake: Bake the cheese until it's bubbly and the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Overbaking will make the cheese brittle and difficult to mold.
- Cool Slightly Before Molding: Let the cheese cool for a minute before transferring to the muffin tin. You want it firm enough to lift without tearing, but still bendy enough to shape. Be sure to give them a minute to cool before transferring to avoid burning yourself!
- Mold Gently: Gently press the cheese into the muffin tin to avoid cracking.
- Don't Overload: A little filling goes a long way. Too much and the cups can tip or crack.
Keto Taco Cups with Fathead Dough
These easy Keto Taco Cups are made with low carb fathead dough, seasoned taco meat and cheddar cheese!
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Ingredients
- Fathead Dough:
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- Taco Filling:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning (check labels for added sugars or starches)
- 1 tbsp water
- Other:
- 2 tbsp melted butter or cooking spray
- Shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the Fathead Dough:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella cheese and cream cheese.
- Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the cheese is completely melted and smooth.
- Add the almond flour and ground flaxseed to the melted cheese mixture.
- Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Form the Taco Cups:
- Grease a muffin pan with melted butter or cooking spray.
- Divide the dough into equal portions and press each portion into the bottom and up the sides of a muffin tin to form a cup.
- Make the Taco Meat:
- Meanwhile, brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat.
- Drain any excess fat.
- Add taco seasoning and water.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Assemble and Bake:
- Fill each taco cup with the seasoned ground beef.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the taco cups are golden brown.
- Serve:
- Remove the taco cups from the muffin pan and arrange on a platter or plate.
- Top with your favorite taco toppings.
Tips for Fathead Dough Taco Cups
- Melt Cheese Thoroughly: Ensure the mozzarella and cream cheese are completely melted and smooth for the best dough consistency.
- Work Quickly: Fathead dough can become stiff as it cools, so work quickly when pressing it into the muffin tins.
- Don't Overfill: Avoid overfilling the taco cups to prevent them from becoming soggy.
Topping Ideas
The possibilities are endless when it comes to toppings! Here are a few suggestions:
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado or guacamole
- Freshly chopped cilantro
- Chopped tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced onions
- Salsa
- Jalapeños
- Green onion
Variations and Substitutions
- Cheese: Experiment with different cheeses for the shells. Pepper jack, Colby jack, or a Mexican blend would all be delicious.
- Meat: Use ground chicken, turkey, or even shredded pork instead of ground beef.
- Seasoning: Adjust the amount of chili powder and other spices to your liking. You can also use a pre-made keto-friendly taco seasoning. To make it, you’ll need ground beef, peppers, onions, garlic, Rotel, beef broth, and taco seasoning.
- Vegetarian: Use black beans, lentils, or crumbled tofu instead of meat.
- Dairy-Free: If you're trying to steer free of dairy, our taco lettuce wraps (minus the sour cream) might be a better choice!
- Wraps: The IG version uses wonton wrappers so I switched those out for jicama wraps found at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. Coconut wraps would also work for this recipe if you can find smaller ones. Erica on our team tried it with Crepini Egg Wraps (highly recommends!) and Folio Cheese Wraps (does NOT recommend for this recipe).
Serving and Storage
- Serving: Serve these taco cups immediately for the best texture.
- Storage: Store leftover taco cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cheese shells may soften slightly upon refrigeration.
- Reheating: Reheat taco cups in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Nutritional Information
Here's an approximate nutritional breakdown for one Cheese Shell Taco Cup (using cheddar cheese and ground beef):
- Calories: 293
- Total Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 72mg
- Sodium: 556mg
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 20g
Please note that I am not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information that is discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates based on NET carbs. This is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto