Feb
15
Mini Taco Bowls
These Mini Taco Bowls were as tasty as they were adorable, and two of them was a perfect sized dinner serving for me. You can add any of your favorite taco toppings to these (light sour cream, guacamole, black olives, salsa etc). I wanted to keep them basic so you could easily customize them based on your preferences. I actually put a little fat free black bean dip on mine and they were amazing. The recipe could also easily be doubled to serve six. These are fun to serve and eat, so get creative and make them your own!
Mini Taco Bowls
These Mini Taco Bowls ate made using the back side of a muffin tin for perfect-sized taco cups!
Ingredients
- 6 (6-inch) Tortillas, I used Mission Extra Thin Yellow Corn Tortillas
- ½ lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast
- ½ packet of Taco Seasoning, I used Old El Paso
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tablespoons Reduced Fat Shredded Mexican Cheese, I used Weight Watchers brand
- 6 teaspoons Taco Sauce, I used Ortega
- Shredded Lettuce
- 6 Grape Tomatoes, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Sprinkle each tortilla lightly with water and stack them on a plate. Cover the top with another plate turned upside down and microwave the tortillas for 1 minute or until warm. Turn two 12 cup muffin pans upside down. Mist each side of a tortilla lightly with cooking spray and center it in the space between 4 muffin cups, creating a bowl. Repeat with the 5 remaining tortillas, forming 3 bowls on each tin (as pictured above). Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
- While the tortilla bowls are baking, spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add the ground turkey or beef and brown. Add 1/3 c water and taco seasoning, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer 3-4 minutes.
- Let the tortilla bowls cool for a few minutes after removing them from the oven. In each bowl, layer ¼ c meat, 1 T cheese, 1 t taco sauce, 4 quarters of grape tomato and some shredded lettuce (in any order you choose).
Notes
MyWW SmartPoints per (2 taco) serving:(SP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Green: 5 SmartPoints/ Blue: 3 SmartPoints/ Purple: 3 SmartPoints
Weight Watchers Points Plus:
5 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
5 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
I love the idea of using the back of a muffin tin to make tortilla bowls. So cute!
What a great idea to use the bottom of your muffin tin to make a taco bowl. I’m going to have to try that this weekend I think!
Thanks ladies! These are great because you can make a little taco bar and people can customize them with whatever toppings they like.
this is genius! better than buying those pans they sell and better than what i do lol
GENIUS! LOVE THIS! Sans the meat of course;)
Thanks T! When did you become a vegetarian? I think these would be equally as delicious with some refried beans or black beans in place of the meat. Ooh, or some of those Morningstar or Boca “meat” crumbles. The possibilities are endless!
PS – My sister is a vegetarian too and I’m cooking for her this weekend so expect at least one new veggie recipe coming soon! 🙂
Emily, I am so glad you posted this tip as I love tacos! I am a vegetarian, too, and I have been experimenting with taco fillings. My favorite so far is a mix of black beans, rice, and Mornignstar Farms crumbles cooked up with my favorite taco seasoning. I feel it is not too mushy or too beany for me.
We’re having tacos for dinner tonight, I might just try this with shredded chicken filling.
Thanks
Hi Emily! I blogged about your taco shells today –
http://www.chickabug.com/blog/2011/10/party-food-ideas-cute-little-cups-the-sequel.html
Thanks for the great idea!! : )
Great post, Heather! I love food in cups :). Those Parmesan ones look really cute too. Thanks for including me!
i made these last night for my bf and i. as we’re eating dinner he looked up and goes so i guess you’re over weight watchers. i asked what he ment and he goes well these are really good and all but babe u really expect me to believe these are ok for weight watchers. he was godsmacked when i broke the points down for him.
Haha, that’s the best isn’t it? That’s why I love WW! Glad they were a hit 🙂
Thank you so much these were so yummy and easy to make !
Glad you liked them!
Made these tonight. It was super easy to make and fun to eat. My kids LOVED them. This is definitely a keeper!
Yay, happy to hear they were a hit!
what is the calorie content for 2 taco shells? thanks!
Just the shells? It would just be the calories for whatever tortillas you use. 🙂
Emily do you know how many calories for just the filling using the lean beef. By the way these look so good! cant wait to try..
I am currently working my way back through my older recipes to add nutrition information, but I haven’t gotten to this one yet. I calculate the NI using the recipe builder on http://www.myfitnesspal.com which is free for anyone to use!
What a fab recipe – I’m always looking for ingenious ways to make gorgeous food. Thanks for sharing! Found this via Lifehacker.
Thanks, Tim! I just saw that Lifehacker featured this recipe – awesome! I love playing around with my muffin tins. Hope you make these and love them!
Emily! Emily, Emily, Emily. This is brilliant. Thanks a lot. Very excited to discover your blog and finally abandon those boring packet taco shells!
Thanks so much, Chris! It’s fun to play around with your go-to recipes sometimes. If you try these and love them you should also try my wonton taco “cupcakes”, also made with a muffin tin: http://emilybites.com/2011/08/taco-cupcakes.html.
Yummy for sure
What a great idea! Can the shells be made ahead and stored and hold up? I’d like to do some today ahead of time for a pot luck supper tomorrow. (I know, my bad for waiting ’till the last minute to ask). Any suggestions?
I have never tried making them ahead of time so unfortunately I’m not sure how they will hold up! If you try it please report back, I’d love to know!
Emily, did I miss how many WW pts.? Please post!! Brillant and fun idea! Thanks.
it is posted at the end of the recipe
Yes, thank you. It is posted at the end. I hope you like it!
My boys are just going to love this…and since I’m doing WW…how cool is that?!? So glad I found you. Thanks.
I’m glad you found me too! I hope these are a hit with the whole fam. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for the neat idea, I’m making these for my family tonight!
Hope you love them! 🙂
I made this for my husband, didn’t tell him it was a WW PP recipe. He LOVED it and so did I! So easy, fun and delish!!! So glad my friend forwarded your site to me. I in turn forwarded to all of the girls at work. WE love you and so does my husbands stomach. 🙂
Thanks for passing my site along, Deana! I’m glad these were a hit with both you and your husband! 🙂
are u going to write a book ? that would be great . i would sure buy one
I would love to do that someday if someone would publish me, Connie!
Emily,
I found your site from the ww online message boards. This recipe rocks and my family is hooked. I made it for the first time Tuesday night, but used turkey breast stir fry strips and added peppers and onions. My family loved it so much I had to make it again last night. Thanks for the recipes they make eating healthier easier.
Aw, thank you! I’m glad you found me and that you loved this recipe idea! Your adaptations sound delicious. 🙂
These were awesome. I have been craving Mexican and this solved it. I love the taste and texture. I did add some guacamole to them. Great idea. Will be making these again. I will be used chicken maybe next time.
I’m so glad you liked these! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
I saw these on Pinterest and pinned them, finally made them last night and my kids gobbled them up. They are already asking for me to make them again. Thanks for the great idea.
Thanks! Don’t you feel accomplished when you actually make something you pinned on Pinterest? Haha. I’m happy to hear these were a hit. Thanks for letting me know!
I made them tonight for me and the hubs. I made chili too so this was the perfect vehicle for it. I used Missions Carb Balance small tortillas. Being on WW was important to us and being able to use this to make one of our favorite meals was just awesome!!!
Yum, these would be great with chili! Glad you liked them 🙂
Had these tonight….Ohh my! Brilliant idea!! How did you think of this?? Back of a muffin tin…really?! Me and my kids loved them. Thanks for the idea!!
Haha, thanks, I’m glad you and your kids loved them. I am muffin tin obsessed! 🙂
These are a staple in our household. Yummy!!!
Glad to hear that, Michele!
Can I use a flour tortilla instead? Will they cook the same way? And would it alter the PPV?
I have only made them with the tortillas I specified in the recipe, so you’ll have to try it! I assume they would work the same.
Hi! I made these tonight using La Banderita Carb Counter Flour Tortilla Street Taco shells and they turned out great. I used the same method for baking but cranked the oven up to 400 and 8-10 minutes.
just want to add…using lean ground turkey is amazing bc there is never any fat to drain 🙂 I let the moisture in it cook off before adding water and seasoning. Or just use it as some of your water 🙂
I just stumbled upon your blog yesterday and have made your red velvet cupcakes and then tonight this, the mini taco bowls! Both delicous! I have been looking for a way to be able to eat my favorite meal ( taco salads) without using all of my points and this was great! Cant wait to try more of your recipes and tell others of your blog!
That is such an awesome idea, thanks
what is nutritional information cal/protein when you use it just as above???
A friend of mine just linked to this article on Facebook that linked to this post. As part of my low carb diet, I found low carb tortilla’s but I had no idea how to make them into a bowl. I really want the crunch of a shell and I am going to try this idea tonight! thanks!
Genius!!
I used this with your “Chipotle” pulled pork made in the crock pot. I usually don’t like corn tortillas, but they crisped up perfectly and were delicious! Will definitely make again. It was a yummy, low point dinner with all my favorites.
Currently making ^_^
Made these tonight and they were delicious! Who needs fried?? I make my taco mix with ground turkey, a can of pork n’ beans (my husband introduced me to this method and it tastes wonderful), taco seasoning, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and topped the mix off with salad fixings for a huge low-point dinner! Thanks for the wonderful website!
I entered these ingredients into the WW recipe builder and get 6 PP for two tacos. Also, when I double the recipe, there wasn’t enough meat to put 1/4 cup in each taco. Any thoughts? They WERE delish, BTW! 🙂
But mine just broke….
I love the idea to make cups with a muffin form turned upside down. I’ve never tried this but if this really normally works to fill them without destroying them it’s amazing.
Great idea for the shells but it’s not good to use non stick anything. I’m sure it would work on uncoated pans as well.
Had these for the first time this evening (with ground turkey), and they were fabulous! I also made the fat-free black bean dip that you mentioned and ended up just mixing the turkey mixture with the beans. I thought that it tasted like a yummy tostada bowl. As you said, 2 were a comfortable amount for dinner, with a small salad, although I could have easily pigged out and eaten a third one because it was so good. Looking forward to eating the leftovers. Thanks for the great recipe.
Made these shells tonight for a little mix up from our regular taco night. We used beef instead of chicken but was a big hit with my 12 yr old son. He said it “looked pretty and tasted good”. Torillas I used puffed up a bit in middle so will experiment with a different brand next time.
does 1 6 in tortilla make more than 1 cup or just 1. if just 1 seems like it would be too bid.
Each tortilla makes one bowl
This is great – so simple to make. Do they have a long shelf life after they are prepared?
I answered another comment but for those that don’t read through every thread…
I made these with La Banderita Flour Tortilla Street Tacos. Same method, just cranked the oven up to 400 to get them crispier around the edges. Still baked for 8-10 minutes. They hold their shape well and can even be smushed together for easier eating.
Thanks so much for the idea EmilyBites!