Convenient & Flavorful Walking Tacos
Walking tacos are a quick and easy dinner made with seasoned taco meat, crunchy chips, and all your favorite toppings, ready in about 25 minutes. They’re perfect for just about any occasion, easy to customize, easy to serve, and always a hit with kids and adults alike!
A Quick Meal That’ll Blow You Away
Walking tacos come together fast, using simple ingredients you probably already keep around. From start to finish, dinner’s on the table in about 25 minutes, which makes it a real lifesaver on busy school nights or last-minute evenings when everyone’s hungry now.
These puppies have been a staple at birthday parties, concession stands, and taco bars for years, and for good reason! They take everything you love about taco night and turn it into an easy, customizable, grab-and-go meal. This is also one of my favorite dinners because it can feed quite the crowd. Double the taco meat, grab a few extra bags of chips, and suddenly you’ve got an effortless taco bar!
If this is your first time making them at home, don’t worry. They’re nearly foolproof, and I’ll walk you through a few tips to make sure they turn out just right. If you’re a big fan of convenience, check out these Grab and Go Breakfast Burritos!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground beef
- Small yellow onion, finely diced
- Packet mild taco seasoning
- Water
- Fritos corn chips or Doritos
- Shredded Colby-Jack or mild cheddar cheese
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
Optional Toppings:
- Diced tomatoes
- Sour cream
- Pickled jalapeños
- Diced sweet onion
- Hot sauce
Helpful Tips Before You Start
- Use a large skillet. Cooking the taco meat in a large skillet over medium heat (or medium-high heat if needed) gives the beef room to brown properly without steaming.
- Don’t skip the onion. That finely diced onion adds flavor and moisture to the taco meat, especially important when it’s going straight into a chip bag.
- Keep the meat juicy. You want the taco meat thickened but not dry. Simmer just until it holds together and coats the beef. You don’t want a soupy mess at the bottom of the Frito bag.
- Grab a pair of scissors. Cutting open the chip bag down the side is the easiest way to eat walking tacos without crushing everything at the bottom.
How to Make Walking Tacos
Step 1: Cook the Taco Meat
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion, breaking the meat up as it cooks. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Drain excess grease if needed.
Step 2: Season and Simmer
Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Reduce the heat slightly and let the mixture simmer until thickened but still juicy. Remove from heat.
Step 3: Prep the Chip Bags
Gently crush each bag of chips, then cut it open lengthwise. This creates a “taco shell” that’s easy to fill and eat.
Step 4: Assemble
Spoon warm taco meat directly into each bag of chips. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, so it melts into the meat, then top with lettuce, sour cream, and any additional toppings you love.
Serve immediately with a fork and let everyone dig in!
Storage & Leftovers
Store leftover taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. Assemble fresh walking tacos with new bags of chips when ready to serve.
What to Serve with Walking Tacos
Honestly, these are a meal all on their own. But if you’re feeding a crowd, they pair well with Mexican street corn pasta, beans, or some corn on the cob.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prep the taco meat in advance, but don’t assemble until serving, because the chips will get soggy fast.
Absolutely. Any sturdy bag of chips works, including tortilla chips or flavored varieties.
They’re similar! Frito pie usually leans chili-style, while walking tacos stick closer to classic taco meat and toppings.
Ingredients
For the taco meat:
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ small yellow onion finely diced
- 1 packet mild taco seasoning
- ½ cup water
For serving:
- 4 individual bags of Fritos corn chips or Doritos
- 1 cup shredded Colby-Jack or mild cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
Optional Toppings:
- Diced tomatoes
- Sour cream
- Pickled jalapeños
- Diced sweet onion
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef and diced onion in a skillet over medium heat until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Simmer until the mixture thickens slightly and stays juicy but not soupy. Remove from heat.
- Gently crush the Fritos bags and cut them open down the side. Spoon the warm beef mixture directly into each bag.
- Top with shredded cheese so it melts into the meat, then add lettuce. Finish with a dollop of sour cream and any optional toppings.
- Serve immediately with forks.