Description
These Red, White, and Blue Taco Bites are a festive and flavorful party appetizer featuring seasoned ground beef, blue corn tortilla chips, Monterey Jack cheese, fresh salsa, and creamy sour cream. Quick to prepare and baked to perfection, they offer a fun twist on classic taco flavors in bite-sized form, perfect for gatherings and celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
- 35 round blue corn tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1 cup red salsa
- ½ cup sour cream, divided
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook Ground Beef: In a skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the ground beef until it becomes browned and crumbly, about 8 minutes. Drain any excess oil from the skillet to keep the bites from being greasy.
- Add Taco Seasoning: Stir in the taco seasoning mix until the meat is well coated. Continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes to let the flavors meld. Then transfer the beef mixture to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any remaining moisture.
- Prepare Chips: Arrange the blue corn tortilla chips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they do not overlap for even heating.
- Assemble Taco Bites: Top each tortilla chip with a small amount of shredded cheese, a spoonful of the cooked beef, a spoonful of red salsa, and a small dollop of sour cream. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top of each assembled bite.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and everything is heated through.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and pipe or dollop the remaining sour cream on top of each taco bite for a creamy finish. Arrange the bites on a serving platter and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use blue corn tortilla chips to enhance the red, white, and blue theme, but regular tortilla chips can work as well.
- For extra freshness, garnish with chopped cilantro or diced green onions.
- If preferred, substitute ground turkey or chicken for a lighter alternative.
- Keep an eye on the baking time to avoid burning the chips; 5 minutes or just until the cheese is melted is ideal.
- Leftover taco bites can be refrigerated and reheated in the oven for best texture retention.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
