Name: Oven Baked Tacos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1/4 cup water; 1 packet Ortega Original Taco Seasoning; 1/2 cup Ortega Homestyle Mild Salsa; 1/2 cup cooked rice; 10 Ortega Good Grains Yellow Corn & Spinach Taco Shells, (one package); 10 tbsp Ortega Refried Beans; 1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese; 5 tbsp Ortega Homestyle Mild Salsa; 10 tsp Ortega Flavor Craver Taco Ranch Sauce

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Oven Baked Tacos are the perfect family dinner for busy weeknights. All of the tacos are baked at once in a 9×13 pan!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ortega. The opinions and text are all mine.

Summer has been fabulous but it’s time for the kids to go back to school. It’s always hard for a vacation to end but it will be good to get back on a routine.

It is really helpful when I plan our weekly meals ahead of time so that when I go grocery shopping I know exactly what I need. Then, when dinner time rolls around I know what to make.

This Baked Tacos Recipe is the perfect 30-minute Mexican meal for a busy school night.

I received this fun package filled with so many great Ortega products that will make “taco night” surprisingly simple! Plus, these Ortega items will work for other Mexican meals as well as for parties.

Can you spot some of the new Ortega products in there? I can’t wait to make our own taco bowls, just like the ones you get from restaurants, using the Ortega Bakeable Tortilla Bowl Kit!

How To Make Oven Baked Tacos

Step One: Make the Taco Meat

Brown the ground beef and drain the fat.

Add water, Ortega Original Taco Seasoning, Ortega Homestyle Mild Salsa, and cooked rice.

Heat until thickened, stirring often.

Step Two: Prep the Lettuce

Rinse and drain a head of romaine lettuce.

Cut it into thin strips.

Or to save time you can buy already shredded lettuce in a bag.

Step Three: Taco Shells

Line the Ortega Good Grains Yellow Corn & Spinach Taco Shells up in a 9×13 pan.

Step Four: Refried Beans Layer

Spread Ortega Refried Beans in the bottom of each taco shell.

Step Five: Cheese Layer

Sprinkle shredded Mexican cheese over the refried beans.

Step Six: Taco Meat Layer

Top with a couple of tablespoons of the taco meat and rice mixture.

Step Seven: Bake the Tacos

Bake the tacos at 400° for 7-10 minutes.

Step Eight: Toppings for Oven Baked Tacos

Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional shredded Mexican cheese.

Top with shredded lettuce and Ortega Homestyle Mild Salsa.

Step Nine: Taco Sauce

Drizzle with Ortega Flavor Craver Taco Ranch Sauce before serving.

We are so excited that America’s #1 Taco Sauce is now available in a bold, creamy ranch flavor! It is perfect not only for these oven baked tacos, but also for taco salads, dips, burgers, and more!

Oven Baked Tacos Recipe FAQS

1. Can chicken be used instead of ground beef?

Yes, that would be delicious. Put one pound of cooked, shredded or diced chicken in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the water, Ortega Original Taco Seasoning, Ortega Homestyle Mild Salsa, and cooked rice. Cook until thickened.

2. Do I have to use Ortega Good Grains Yellow Corn & Spinach Taco Shells? Ortega has a full line of taco shells available in Yellow Corn, White Corn, Whole Grain Corn, and the new Good Grains varieties that include the Ortega Good Grains Yellow Corn & Spinach Taco Shells I used as well as Blue Corn Taco Shells and Ortega Good Grains Yellow Corn & Red Bell Pepper Taco Shells. Any of the Ortega Taco Shells would work in this recipe.

3. What other toppings would go well with these oven baked tacos? Try black beans, cilantro, diced tomatoes, diced onions, black olives, chopped cilantro, and corn.

4. Will this recipe work without the rice added to the taco meat? Yes, you can leave the rice out of the recipe if you prefer. I add it because my kids always request that I do and it helps stretch the taco meat a bit further.

5. How can I make the taco meat without the salsa? If you want plain taco meat, only add the taco seasoning and 3/4 cup of water. Or if you want a tomato taco meat without the chunks, add the taco seasoning, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, and 1/4 cup of water.

These oven baked tacos were so easy to make and are bursting with flavor. Customize the tacos with your favorite toppings and call it a 30-minute Mexican dinner success!

Oven Baked Tacos

Yield: 5

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Oven Baked Tacos are the perfect family dinner for busy weeknights. All of the tacos are baked at once in a 9x13 pan!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup water
1 packet Ortega Original Taco Seasoning
1/2 cup Ortega Homestyle Mild Salsa
1/2 cup cooked rice
10 Ortega Good Grains Yellow Corn & Spinach Taco Shells, (one package)
10 tbsp Ortega Refried Beans
1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese
5 tbsp Ortega Homestyle Mild Salsa
10 tsp Ortega Flavor Craver Taco Ranch Sauce

Instructions

Brown the ground beef and drain the fat. Add water, taco seasoning mix, salsa, and cooked rice. Heat until thickened, stirring often.
Rinse and drain a head of romaine lettuce. Cut it into thin strips.
Line the taco shells up in a 9×13 pan. Spread one tablespoon of refried beans in the bottom of each taco shell. Sprinkle one tablespoon of shredded Mexican cheese over the refried beans. Top with two tablespoons of the taco meat and rice mixture.
Bake the tacos at 400˚F for 7-10 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with an additional tablespoon of shredded Mexican cheese. Top with shredded lettuce, salsa, and taco sauce.

Comments

Amber Kester says

February 16, 2021 at 8:52 pm

I can’t wait to try these! Doesn’t the bottom get soggy when you bake them?

- Tonia says
  
  February 18, 2021 at 12:14 pm
  
  The refried beans help to keep the moisture from the meat getting onto the bottom of the taco shell. I would suggest serving them right after baking.

Oven Baked Tacos