Those Hard Shell Easy Crunchy Keto Taco Cups Recipe filled with Mexican Flavors and Taco Ground Beef is a perfect Low-Carb Appetizer for your next party or get-together. Entirely Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Grain-Free and perfect for Diabetics, those Low-Carb Taco Cups are an ideal Keto replacement for your Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, or Tex-Mex Ground Beef Tacos for that matter.
Taco Recipes
With our Collection of Taco Recipes, you will have to explore them all one by one. Our Low-Carb Taco Seasoning is a great base recipe for any Taco Ground beef or added into Taco Shells or used as a Mexican flavor in any other Low-Carb Recipes on our Blog.
Adding Salsa or Creamy Salsa Dressing adds more opportunities to make Tacos, Taco Casserole, or easy Keto Taco Salad more flavorful.
I have even used this recipe to make a perfect Keto Taco Bowl accompany our Keto Taco Salad.
Keto Appetizer
A straightforward look at the photos I have taken made me want to invite all of my friends to a little Mexican party.
Even if you have everything else boring, those Keto Cups will brighten your room in one click.
Low-Carb Taco Cups
Starting with easy Keto Taco Shells made with Almond Flour to make them pliable enough to have that soft added texture, I have decided to change our cups a tiny bit.
I wanted us to have a perfect hard Shell Recipe. I have replaced Almond Flour with Protein Powder not only to add a bit more protein into our meal but make those cups super crunchy, almost like chips.
You still get perfect Keto Cheese Taco cups, but with extra protein. What do you say?
Taco Tuesday or Cinco de Mayo
You will no longer feel deprived during your Taco Tuesday with all of those recipes I mentioned above.
Your Cinco de Mayo celebration could be even more flavorful than you might have ever thought so.
Low-Carb Mexican Party
Just imagine making all our Mexican recipes and gathering them on one big table when guests arrive. The colors, the aroma, the healthiness of all. I am sure everyone will enjoy it, and nobody will ever know there is no touch of flour on the table.
Cinco de Mayo entirely Gluten-Free, Grain-free, Low Carb and Keto.
And all the Diabetic friends will for sure ask for the recipes, as they will be able to enjoy every dish without raising their blood sugar.
As you see in the recipe, I have mixed mozzarella cheese together with shredded cheddar cheese. This mixture gives you that perfect taste and authentic Taco Cups color. Not too orange, if you use only cheddar cheese, and not too light with only mozzarella cheese.
This Taco Cups recipe is so great, not only in taste. With only 3 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of Fiber, it fits perfectly in our Low-carb Lifestyle.
Adding 13 grams of Protein, you will meet your macros in no time.
What can I garnish Keto Taco Cups with?
Before I get straight to the recipe, I wanted to suggest what else you can use as a garnish for these already colorful Keto Cups.
- Cilantro
- Homemade Greek Yogurt
- Salsa
- Keto Popcorn
- Salsa Dressing
- Homemade Pork Rinds
- Pork Lard Scratching
- Homemade Farmers Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Sliced Chives
- Mexican herbs
- Grated cheese
- Low-Carb Ketchup
- Parsley
- Oregano
- And much, much more
How To Make Keto Taco Cups?
Kitchen Gadgets needed:
- Baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Muffin or Cupcake Tin
Ingredients Needed:
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Cheddar Cheese
- Protein Powder
- Ground Beef
- Taco Seasoning
- Lettuce
- Onion
- Black Olives
- Tomatoes
- Avocado
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR LOW-CARB TACO CUPS MAKING
First Step: Prepare Ingredients for Taco Cups Shells
Let us first prepare taco cups shells.
First of all, heat your oven to 180 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit.
Prepare your mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
As I always suggest for you, buy a whole block of cheese and grate at home just before preparing your dish.
This will help you reduce carbohydrates because the store-bought grated cheese is always covered with starches.
I have used protein powder for our taco cheese cups to add crispiness and crunchiness to the tacos.
If you do not have protein powder at home, you can substitute this with almond flour. Just bear in mind that the cheese cups might not be as crunchy as with protein powder.
Second Step: Mix All Ingredients for Taco Shells
Using a big glass bowl, add all the ingredients in, and mix them.
Third Step: Make Circles, fill and bake.
Using either your kid’s compass or a bowl, make lovely round shapes on parchment paper to have your cups identical in size.
I have made those Taco cups 4 inches in size, but you can alternate depending on your muffin pan or cupcake pan size.
Fill each circle with the mixture, and using your hands, make sure the circles are almost identical.
Place into the oven and bake for approximately eight minutes until the corners brown.
Fourth Step: Oil and shape Taco Cups
While your taco cups shells are baking, prepare the muffin tin or any of the mini balls you will use for shaping.
Good advice is to oil the tops of the muffin pan, so the taco cups do not get stuck on the pan and will be difficult to remove.
Once your taco cups are baked, take them out of the oven and immediately place each circle onto the muffin tin, shaping them into the cups.
As you see in my video, I have used an additional mini cup to push the cheese circle onto the muffin pan to make the shape more content.
Fifth Step: Prepare Ingredients for Taco Cups Meal
Once your taco cups are ready and cooled down, you can start preparing the whole taco meal.
As you see on the images and in our recipe card, prepare all the ingredients together for an easy assembly.
You can certainly add or take back some ingredients you either don’t have at home or prefer.
Sixth Step: Taco Ground Beef
Heat your skillet over medium-high, add a bit of oil and cook the ground beef for approximately 10-15 minutes.
Once you see the color changed, add taco seasoning, mix it thoroughly and let it cook for additional 10 minutes.
When your taco meat is fully cooked, you can place it into the bowl for assembling or leave it in the pot.
Depending on if you like your tacos with warm or cold meat, you should leave it for a while to cool.
Seventh Step: Start Filling Taco Cups
Place your taco cups on a tray and start filling with lettuce cut into small pieces.
Lettuce will help you hold the moisture from ground beef and any other ingredients you add and protect actual cups from becoming moist. Therefore, it is best to start with the lettuce pieces.
Continue adding Taco Ground Beef, onion, and black olives you have cut into small pieces.
Eighth Step: Fill the rest and serve
Keep filling up with cut tomatoes, avocado, and grated cheese of your choice.
I have used cheddar cheese for the color and taste.
You can also sprinkle salsa dressing or any other garnishes mentioned above.
Tips and Tricks
- Salsa Dressing – as you see, I have sprinkled a bit of salad dressing at the end but did not count that into the macros as you have various condiments you can use.
- Shapes – If you do not have a muffin tray, you can use single cupcakes molds or mini bowls to make the shape.
- Size – I have made 4 inches wide taco Cups. Not every muffin tray is the same, so I suggest measuring your muffin tops and adding 1 inch to them.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What can I use if I don’t have a Taco Seasoning Packet?
For all of our readers, who do not have Taco Seasoning Packets at home or do not want to use one because of the keto Lifestyle, I have made an extra simple recipe of Keto Taco Seasoning you can make yourself at home in less than 5 minutes.
How do you store Low-Carb Taco Cups?
My suggestion would be to store taco cups separately from all other ingredients and assemble the whole taco cups meal just before serving.
Taco Cups can stay on your kitchen counter for days and will still remain perfectly crispy. But you can also store them in an airtight glass container in your Pantry.
All other ingredients should be in your fridge and cut or prepared just before serving your appetizer.
If you do not finish the whole taco cups, you can still store them covered in your fridge for up to 3 days.
If you are using avocado, make sure to sprinkle it a tiny bit with lemon as it will become dark very fast.
Can you freeze Taco Cups?
You can undoubtedly freeze whole taco cups, but while thawing them, the shells might become moist and soft.
I would suggest storing your taco cups separately on your kitchen counter or a pantry, and all ingredients you are using for filling up could be freezer in Ziploc bags.
Do not forget to check our Low Carb Taco Cups Story for a quick reference.
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Easy Crunchy Keto Taco Cups Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
- 1/3 Cup Protein Powder
- 1 1/2 Cup Ground Beef
- 2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
- 1 Cup Lettuce
- 1/4 Cup Onion
- 1/4 Cup Black Olives
- 1/2 Cup Tomatoes
- 1/2 Cup Avocado
- 1/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese
Video
Instructions
- First of all, heat your oven to 180 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit. Prepare your mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
- Using a big glass bowl, add all the ingredients in, and mix them.
- Using either your kid's compass or a bowl, make lovely round shapes on parchment paper to have your cups identical in size. Fill each circle with the mixture, and using your hands, make sure the circles are almost identical. Place into the oven and bake for approximately eight minutes until the corners brown.
- Oil the tops of the muffin pan, take cups out of the oven and immediately place each circle onto the muffin tin, shaping them into the cups.
- Prepare all the ingredients together for an easy assembly.
- Heat your skillet over medium-high, add a bit of oil and cook the ground beef for approximately 10-15 minutes. Add taco seasoning, mix it thoroughly and let it cook for additional 10 minutes.
- Place your taco cups on a tray and start filling with lettuce cut into small pieces. Continue adding Taco Ground Beef, onion, and black olives you have cut into small pieces.
- Keep filling up with cut tomatoes, avocado, and grated cheese of your choice. You can also sprinkle salsa dressing or any other garnishes mentioned above.
Notes
- Salsa Dressing – as you see, I have sprinkled a bit of salad dressing at the end but did not count that into the macros as you have various condiments you can use.
- Shapes – If you do not have a muffin tray, you can use single cupcakes molds or mini bowls to make the shape.
- Size – I have made 4 inches wide taco Cups. Not every muffin tray is the same, so I suggest measuring your muffin tops and adding 1 inch to them.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
If you are still looking for some Low Carb products, visit our recommended site on Amazon, which we participate in as affiliates. Just click on the image below and all will be revealed.
Ground Beef Keto Recipes
Here’s a fantastic keto and low-carb recipe for using ground beef and minced meat. It’s super easy and quick, ideal for keto fast food ideas. Plus, it’s always fully low-carb, gluten-free, and grain-free.
Can you use almond flour instead of protein powder?
Yes you can but it would not be as crunchy.
Can you make the cups bigger like a regular taco salad?
I actually have one recipe, which is exactly what you are looking for. The recipe is called Keto Taco Salad Bowl with Mexican Ground Beef and its made with one big bowl.