Mini Taco Bites – Keto and Low Carb

These mini taco bites are a fun spin on tacos!  They make a perfect appetizer to serve at your next party,  and you can even do a lot of the prepping ahead of time.  Shredded cheddar is turned to little crunch cups to hold all your favorite taco toppings.  

These are really cute, but they taste even better!

Ingredients

For the Taco Meat

1/2 pound Grass-Fed Organic Ground Beef

2 tablespoons Onion, minced

1/2 Smoked Chipotle (in the can), chopped

1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1/2 teaspoon Tomato Paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic sea salt

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup Water

For the Taco Shell Cups

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (I use the Mexican cheddar blend)

For the Toppings

1/2 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Haas avocado, diced

Tablespoon of cilantro leaves (for garnish)

1/4 cup of Chipotle Ranch Dressing (see my homemade recipe here)

Preparation

To Make the Taco Meat

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.

To Make the Taco Shell Cups

Working in batches, add 1 tablespoon of the cheese, to a microwave safe plate lined with parchment paper, into 4 piles and microwave for 50 seconds. Test one first, to make sure that 50 seconds works for your particular microwave.

Using a spatula, remove each pile and gently place into a mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

Once the cheese is cook enough to touch, form it into a cup using the end of the spatula handle.  Work quickly because they harden in seconds!

Allow to cool while you work on the remaining cups.

To Assemble the Taco Cups

Once the cups have cooled, fill about 1/2 way up with the taco meat.

Add some of the tomatoes.

Then drizzle the Chipotle Ranch Dressing over the top.

Then a dollop of sour cream, topped with a piece of avocado.

Garnish the platter with the fresh chopped cilantro.

Makes 24 Taco Mini Cups

Serving size 3 cups

Macros: Fat 17 grams – Protein 11 grams – Carbs (net) 2 grams

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Mini Taco Bites - Keto and Low Carb

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

These mini taco bites are a fun spin on tacos!  They make a perfect appetizer to serve at your next party,   and you can even do a lot of the prepping ahead of time.  Shredded cheddar is turned to little crunch cups to hold all your favorite taco toppings.  These are really cute, but they taste even better!

Course: Appetizer

Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the Taco Meat

• 1/2 pound Grass-Fed Organic Ground Beef
• 2 tbsp Onion minced
• 1/2 Smoked Chipotle in the can, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Tomato Paste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic sea salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup Water

For the Taco Shell Cups

• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese I use the Mexican cheddar blend

For the Toppings

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 Haas avocado diced
• Tablespoon of cilantro leaves for garnish
• 1/4 cup of Chipotle Ranch Dressing see my homemade recipe

Preparation

To Make the Taco Meat

1. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper to a skillet on medium heat.  Cook until the ground beef has browned.

2. 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.
3. 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.

To Make the Taco Shell Cups

1. Working in batches, add 1 tablespoon of the cheese, to a microwave safe plate lined with parchment paper, into 4 piles and microwave for 50 seconds. Test one first, to make sure that 50 seconds works for your particular microwave.
2. Using a spatula, remove each pile and gently place into a mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

3. Once the cheese is cook enough to touch, form it into a cup using the end of the spatula handle.  Work quickly because they harden in seconds!  Allow to cool while you work on the remaining cups.

To Assemble the Taco Cups

1. Once the cups have cooled, fill about 1/2 way up with the taco meat.

2. Add some of the tomatoes.  Then drizzle the Chipotle Ranch Dressing over the top.  Then a dollop of sour cream, topped with a piece of avocado. Garnish the platter with the fresh chopped cilantro.