Savory taco meat cooked with all the traditional Mexican flavors, stuffed in low carb cheesy shells with all your favorite toppings.
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, through links in this post. See my Disclosure.
If you’re like a lot of people on Keto, you miss the occasional crunchy things in life. Though pork rinds are delicious, they are hardly a replacement for taco shells.
If you’ve never made Keto taco shells from cheese, you’re in a for such a pleasant surprise. These have that crunch you’re missing without all the carbs!
Ingredients Needed for Keto Tacos
- Grass-Fed organic ground beef
- Onion
- Smoked chipotle (in the can)
- Smoked paprika
- Ground cumin
- Tomato paste
- Garlic salt
- Olive oil
- Shredded cheddar cheese
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Keto Tacos with Cheese Shells
Add the ground beef, salt and pepper to a skillet on medium heat.
Cook until the ground beef has browned.
Push the meat to one side of the pan, add the olive oil and the onion.
Add a pinch of salt and sauté the onion until translucent.
Add the smoked paprika, cumin, and chipotle to the meat and onions and toast the spices for about 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and water. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese to a microwave-safe plate lined with parchment paper. Spread out in a thin later and microwave for 1 minute.
Remove and immediately lift off the plate with an offset spatula (or other similarly shaped utensil).
Gently mold the cheese around the spatula to form a taco shaped shell. It doesn’t take long to harden, so you’ll want to work quickly.
Set the shell aside and make the second one. Once cooled, add taco meat and your favorite toppings. Serve with some avocado on the side and enjoy!
FAQs for the Best Low Carb Tacos
- Can I reheat cheese taco shells? Unfortunately these do not reheat well. When you reheat them the cheese loses it shape.
- How can I store homemade taco shells? Cheese shells are best eaten shortly after being made. But, they’ll be fine if you can place paper towels between them and leave them on your counter for a few hours.
- How long does it take the shells to set up? It only takes a minute or two. You can set up a taco shell cooling station by balancing spatulas between two kitchen glasses.
- What is the key to evenly cooked cheese shells? Just make sure your cheese is evenly spread out on the plate before heating. That’s all there is to it!
- What kind of cheese makes the best Keto cheese shells? Any type of high fat melting cheese will work. Best choices are Cheddar, Colby, Pepper Jack and Monterey Jack.
- Can I Freeze Leftover Keto Taco Meat? You sure can! Just place leftover taco meat in an air tight, freezer safe container and store in the freezer for up to a couple of months.
Other Great Mexican Inspired Recipes
- Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Instant Pot Chili
- Chorizo and Pepper Cauliflower Rice
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Burrito Bowl with Lime Cilantro Cauliflower
- Easy Taco Casserole
- Mexican Breakfast Casserole
More Great Low Carb and Ground Beef Recipes
- Beef Stroganoff Casserole
- Keto Italian Meat Sauce
- Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf
- Meatballs Italian Style
- Cuban Picadillo
- Keto Big Mac Salad
- Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
- Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
- Bacon Cheeseburger Bites
Serving Size 3 oz Taco Meat
Serving Size 2 Taco Shells
Shop my favorite products on Amazon and check out my Keto Pantry List!
Beef Tacos with Cheese Shells – Keto and Low Carb
Recipe Video
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Pound Grass-Fed Organic Ground Beef I use 85%
- 1/4 Medium Onion minced
- 1 Smoked Chipotle in the can, chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Tomato Paste
- 1/2 Teaspoon garlic sea salt
- 2 Teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Organic Shredded Cheddar Cheese (for the taco shells)
PREPARATION
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet, adding a pinch of salt and pepper. Push the meat to one side of the pan, add the olive oil and the onion. Add a pinch of salt and sauté the onion until translucent.
- Add the smoked paprika, cumin, and chipotle to the meat and onions and toast the spices for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and water. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese to a microwave-safe plate lined with parchment paper. Spread out in a thin later and microwave for 1 minute.
- Remove and immediately lift off the plate with an offset spatula (or other similarly shaped utensil).
- Gently mold the cheese around the spatula to form a taco shaped shell. It doesn’t take long to harden, so you’ll want to work quickly.
- Set shell aside and make the second one. Once cooled, add taco meat and your favorite toppings. Serve with some avocado on the side and enjoy!
NOTES
