These Tiny Tacos are so fun! Mini tacos are the ultimate two-bite appetizer, sturdy enough to scoop up sour cream and perfect for game days and parties. Only 4 ingredients and less than 20 minutes to make!
Homemade Mini Tacos are my new favorite appetizer recipe! I love how simple they are to make, and everyone loves them. They actually make an excellent, super-easy family-friendly meal, too!
You’d think making tortillas small enough for mini Mexican tacos would be a chore, but I have a secret ingredient: Round tortilla chips! When topped with taco meat, refried beans, and cheese and then baked, they get just soft enough to fold in half when fresh out of the oven.
Then it’s just a matter of lining them up on a plate, dressing them up with a little chopped cilantro if you like, and serving them up with some sour cream for dipping.
These little tacos are so fun to make – and even more fun to eat.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- So simple to make – We’re talking just 4 ingredients and a few minutes in the oven, then fold them in half and serve! These little tacos truly couldn’t be simpler to make.
- Game day score – If you’re making food for the Super Bowl or another big game day, these baked mini tacos are all but guaranteed to be the first to get gobbled up.
- Ultra kid-friendly – Finger food for the win! Kids especially love these cheesy little tacos.
- Great for meals and snacks, too – This small tacos recipe works so well for a easy family-friendly snacks, lunches, or even dinners!
Recipe Notes
This Tiny Tacos recipe is as simple as promised! Just 4 ingredients for a family friendly appetizer or snack.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Tiny Tacos to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Tortilla chips – Round tortilla chips make the perfect little “tortillas” for this mini tacos recipe.
- Refried beans – Grab your favorite canned refried beans or try your hand at homemade refried beans (they’re amazing!)
- Taco meat – Cooked ground beef flavored with taco seasoning. Try my homemade taco seasoning or buy your favorite packet from the store.
- Cheese – I like Monterey Jack cheese for this small tacos recipe, but you can use pepper jack, cheddar, or a Mexican cheese blend if you prefer.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Spicy Tiny Tacos– Top the taco meat with a hot pickled jalapeño pepper before adding the cheese.
- Chicken Tiny Tacos– Swap ground chicken (or even turkey!) for the ground beef in your taco meat.
- Birria Tiny Tacos– Use flavorful beef birria instead of taco meat.
- Loaded Tiny Tacos– After baking, top each round with some shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes before folding. Serve with guacamole.
- Vegetarian Tiny Tacos– Just omit the taco meat and make sure you’re using vegetarian refried beans for a meatless version of these little tacos.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Tiny Tacos.
Line tortilla chips on your baking sheet.
Divide refried beans and taco meat between the chips.
Top with shredded cheese.
Bake until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
While the chips are still warm, quickly fold them in half to make a taco.
Your perfect tiny loaded tacos are ready to serve!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overstuff – It’s tempting to add more filling (more is usually better, right?!) but resist the urge. If you add too much filling, it will spill out when the mini tacos are folded in half.
- Use freshly grated cheese if possible – It’s not a deal-breaker, but freshly shredded cheese usually melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Work quickly – After pulling these baked mini tacos out of the oven, there is a small window of time when they are pliable enough to be folded in half.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Freeze ahead – If you’re making ground beef tacos for another meal, set aside 3/4 cup of the taco meat and freeze it for up to one month ahead of time. Then it’s just a matter of thawing, and your taco meat for this mini tacos recipe is prepped!
- Use pre-shredded cheese – One of my recipe tips is to shred your own cheese for the best melting, BUT I understand sometimes we need all the shortcuts we can get! Pre-shredded cheese will work, it just might not melt as quickly or smoothly.
What to Serve with Tiny Tacos
Since this easy mini taco recipe makes a great appetizer or snack, but can also be a fun weeknight dinner, I am going to give you options for both.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. Or, add a few complimentary bites for an appetizer table for the big game or any party, potluck, or gathering.
Appetizer Pairing Ideas
Side Dish Ideas
- Mexican Style Crock Pot Refried Beans
- Southwest Corn
- Mexican Street Corn Casserole
- Easy Mexican Rice
Recipe FAQ’s
What are tiny tacos made of?
Tiny tacos are made with a small tortilla or round tortilla chip, baked with refried beans, meat, and cheese and then folded in half while still warm.
What is a mini taco called?
Mini tacos are also called tiny tacos, smallest tacos, and little tacos.
More EASY Appetizer Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy appetizer recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Tiny Tacos
Ingredients
- 24 round tortilla chips
- ¾ cup Refried beans
- ½ cup colby jack cheese
- ¾ cup taco meat
For garnish and dipping (optional)
- chopped cilantro
- sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Lay tortilla chip rounds flat on a large baking sheet.
- Spread a heaping teaspoon of refried beans down the middle of each chip. Then top with an equal amount of taco meat. Sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the toppings are heated through.
- As soon as you remove the chips from the oven, carefully fold them in half to make a taco. Repeat with all chips until you have 24 tacos. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with sour cream for dipping.
Recipe Notes
- Taco sauce
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Monterey Jack: Pepper Jack, Mexican cheese blend, cheddar cheese or another favorite cheese can be substituted.
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