Description
Delicious cheesy pocket tacos packed with flavorful ground beef, spices, and melty cheese, all nestled inside crispy tortillas.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
- ½ cup beef broth
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 12–16 medium flour tortillas (8-inch diameter)
- 4 cups shredded Colby Jack or Mexican blend cheese
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for pan-frying
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, break it up, and cook until browned for 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until softened for 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in taco seasoning, cumin, and smoked paprika; cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in beef broth and tomato sauce. Simmer, covered, on low heat for 10-15 minutes until flavors meld and sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let filling cool slightly.
- Warm tortillas slightly in a microwave or dry skillet to make them pliable. Lay a tortilla flat. Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded cheese over one half, leaving a small border.
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of meat filling over the cheese. Optionally, add a thin layer of heated refried beans or sliced pickled jalapeños. Sprinkle another ¼ cup shredded cheese over the filling.
- Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filled half to create a semi-circle pocket. Gently press edges to seal. Repeat for all tortillas and filling.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place 2-3 assembled pocket tacos into the hot skillet, seam-side down first. Cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Carefully flip each pocket taco and cook for another 3-5 minutes on the second side, until also golden brown and crispy, and the cheese inside is fully melted and gooey.
- Transfer cooked pockets to a wire rack. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) while cooking remaining batches, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.
- Cut tacos diagonally and serve immediately with optional toppings like sour cream, salsa, guacamole, cilantro, shredded lettuce, and lime wedges.
Notes
Tacos can be made ahead of time and frozen for convenience. Adjust seasonings to taste as needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: Tacos, Cheesy, Easy Dinner, Family Meal, Quick Recipes