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When you are cooking for a crowd or a big family, Oven Baked Tacos is the perfect meal. They are easy to make in a huge batch to feed a crowd and so delicious.

Oven baked taco shells in a taco stand
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You can make one batch or three without hardly any more work. We just love how easy oven baked tacos are. I love them because they are frugal too. We love ground beef recipes, and this oven baked taco is always on the menu.

Try these Fried Tacos Recipe for an easy weeknight meal. Check out Taco Night Ideas for delicious ways to serve these tacos.

Why This Recipe Works

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to prepare your tacos for Taco Tuesday, this is the recipe to make. Refried Beans, ground beef, and your favorite toppings are layered in hard taco shells to create a crowd pleasing meal.

Serve with your favorite side dish recipes for a complete meal idea.

Ingredients

Oven baked tacos ingredients - ground beef, rotel, refried beans, taco seasoning, corn taco shells, cheese
  • Ground Beef
  • Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chiles
  • Refried Beans or 1 cup of homemade refried beans
  • Taco Seasoning or homemade taco seasoning
  • Corn Taco Shells
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • Your favorite toppings (lettuce, tomatoes,sour cream, etc.)

Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full ingredients and recipe in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

  • Change the Meat – We made this recipe with ground beef but you can also use ground turkey. You can also substitute with shredded cooked chicken for a delicious variations.
  • Seasoning – We like to use our homemade taco seasoning, but you can also add in seasoning separately. Feel free to add in paprika, garlic, cumin, and chili powder. You can easily change or add seasoning to what you prefer.

Step by Step Instructions

Combining the ground beef mixture in a skillet with a wooden spoon

Step 1 – Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the refried beans, taco seasoning, Rotel, and water. Mix and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes.

Placing the taco shells in the baking dish

Step 2 – While the meat is simmering, preheat your oven. Fill a 9×13 baking dish with the taco shells.

Topping the crispy shells with the ground beef mixture

Step 3 – Fill the taco shells with the ground beef mixture.

Topping the ground beef with shredded cheese in a baking dish

Step 4 – Use about half the cheese on the tacos. Bake until cheese is melted.

Step 5 – Garnish with your favorite toppings and the remaining cheese.

Recipe Tips

  • Ground Beef – Now you can make this delicious meal in the skillet and brown your ground beef. However, if you already have your ground beef browned and frozen like I do, this recipe is even easier.
  • Make Ahead – Just toss the meat, refried beans, taco seasoning, rotel, and maybe a ¼ cup of water in the crock pot and let it cook until you are ready to bake.  That would make this easy recipe even easier.
Oven baked tacos in a baking dish

Favorite Taco Toppings

These tacos are even better with your favorite taco toppings. It adds flavor and everyone can add their own. These are some of our favorites.

Not only is it so delicious but toppings are just fun. Set up a topping bar and let everyone choose their favorites. This is fun for family dinner or even parties.

Oven baked tacos in a taco stand

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Leftovers

These tacos are best served immediately. If you do have leftovers, store in an airtight container and they will last about 3 days. When ready to serve again, place the tacos on a baking sheet and then reheat in the preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes.

How to Keep the Shells Crispy

The key to keeping the shells crispy is by placing refried beans in the bottom of the taco shells. This creates a barrier before adding in the meat.

More Easy Taco Recipes

Make sure you also check out our HUGE roundup of over 100 Mexican recipes.

We love hearing from you. If you make this Baked Tacos Recipe, please leave us a comment or star review.

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Oven Baked Tacos

5 from 13 votes
When you are cooking for a crowd or a big family, Oven Baked Tacos are the perfect meal. They are easy to make in a huge batch to feed a crowd and so tasty.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Calories 488

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 5 oz Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chiles
  • 8 oz Refried Beans or 1 cup of homemade refried beans
  • 1 packet Taco Seasoning or tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning
  • 1 box Corn Taco Shells
  • 8 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • Your favorite toppings lettuce, tomatoes,sour cream, etc.

Instructions

  • Brown and drain ground beef.
  • Add seasoning, beans, tomatoes and ½ cup water.
  • Mix well and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • Fill shells and arrange in 9×13″ baking dish.
  • Evenly distribute about half of the cheese over the tacos.
  • Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  • Garnish with toppings and remaining cheese.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 488kcal, Carbohydrates 21g, Protein 26g, Fat 33g, Saturated Fat 15g, Cholesterol 93mg, Sodium 577mg, Potassium 341mg, Fiber 4g, Sugar 2g, Vitamin A 453IU, Vitamin C 2mg, Calcium 329mg, Iron 3mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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Comments

  1. Yes, I usually plan for approximately 3 tacos per adult and 2 for the younger kids. I hope you have a great family reunion!

  2. Hi,
    If I am making these for ten adults and four children, would you plan on three tacos each with Spanish rice? I’m planning a family reunion for the end of this month and want to make these! Any help with how much meat etc would be appreciated!

  3. 5 stars
    I keep coming back to Eating on a Dime for all my recipes! Everything my family and I eat, we save the recipe to make again and again! This one is by far our favorite and so easy to make! I am allergic to dairy, so I don’t put cheese in a couple of them for myself but they are still so good! Thank you so much!