Air Fryer Tacos
Air Fryer Tacos are the quick and easy weeknight dinner hero you didn’t know you needed. Made with seasoned ground beef, melty cheese, and golden flour tortillas, these crispy tacos come together fast in the air fryer. No frying, flipping, or fussing required. Whether you’re feeding a hungry family or just want something crunchy and satisfying with minimal cleanup, this recipe hits the spot.
If you’re anything like me, almost nothing will stop you when a craving for something cheesy and comforting hits. That’s when I turn to these air fried tacos! They’re so easy to make, ready in only 20 minutes, and they’re easy to customize however you like.
For even more cheesy, savory goodness, try my Air Fryer Mozzarella Balls or these classic Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers.
Why You’ll Love These
- Minimal ingredients: With only a few taco staples, you won’t have to worry about prepping all kinds of ingredients.
- Quick & easy: These tacos are ready in just 20 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights, and kid friendly!
- Crispy without frying: The air fryer makes the tortillas golden and crunchy with way less oil.
- Customizable: Add beans, swap the protein, or use your favorite chunky salsa to mix it up. In the summer, I love them with a pineapple mango salsa!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground Beef: I like to get the leanest ground beef I can find, usually 93% lean, to lighten up these tacos as much as possible.
- Shredded Cheese: A Mexican blend is my choice for this recipe.
- Tortillas: Flour tortillas are my favorite tortillas for air fryer tacos.
*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
Substitutions/Additions
- Ground beef: Try ground turkey, shredded chicken, or black beans for a vegetarian option.
- Cheese: Swap in pepper jack, mozzarella, or a dairy-free cheese alternative.
- Seasoning: Use taco seasoning packets or DIY with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Use this method to make tacos from shredded chili lime chicken, crockpot carnitas, or whatever else you like as your main protein.
How To Make Air Fryer Tacos
Step 1: Brown ground beef. Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the beef. Lately, I’ve been breaking it up into big chunks so I can brown more of it instead of just two sides.
Step 2: Add cheese. Once browned, add the taco seasoning and water and stir until well combined. In this step, you’ll want to make sure you break the ground beef up into tiny crumbles. I love using a meat masher for this! Then mix in the cheese until melted.
Step 3: Assemble the tacos. To each tortilla, add a scoop of the beef mixture and top with a sprinkle of additional cheese. Fold and press gently to help them stick together.
Step 4: Air fry tacos. Arrange the tacos in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until crisp and golden. I can usually fit about 5 in my air fryer basket. Work in batches if you need to, don’t layer them!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overfill the tacos—too much filling can make them hard to seal and less crispy.
- Use toothpicks to secure the taco shells while air frying so they don’t pop open.
- Spray lightly with oil on both sides for even crispiness and browning.
- Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket, which can lead to soggy tacos.
Storing and Reheating
To store, allow the tacos to cool before placing them in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze these tacos for a month or longer.
Pop them back in the air fryer at 350F until the cheese is melty and the tortillas are nice and crispy again. You can also reheat them in the oven at the same temperature. While ovens take longer to heat up, it’s a good way to heat more than will fit in the air fryer basket at once. Tacos can be reheated right from frozen; just add a few extra minutes of cook time.
More Easy Air Fryer Dinner Recipes
- Air Fryer Nachos
- Air Fryer Steak Fajitas
- Air Fryer Tilapia
- Air Fryer Breakfast Burritos
- Air Fryer Chicken Skewers
If you tried this Air Fryer Tacos or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 small red onion
- 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 10 flour tortillas
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef and cook without moving for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until brown.1 lb ground beef, 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Using a meat masher, break up the beef. Add the diced red onion and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, or until the beef is no longer pink and fully cooked through. Mix in the taco seasoning, then mix in the water. Add 1.5 cups of the shredded cheese, and toss until melted.2 tbsp taco seasoning, 1 small red onion, 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese, 3 tbsp water
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
- Spread about 3 tablespoons of the cooked beef mixture on one half of a tortilla. Add a sprinkle of the remaining cheese. Fold over and press down; repeat with the remaining tortillas.10 flour tortillas
- Place the tacos in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Lightly spray the tops of the tortillas with olive oil spray and cook for about 4 minutes or until the outside of the tortillas are crisp. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Top with fresh parsley to serve.
Notes
- Pair these tacos with dipping sauces like chipotle mayo, lime crema, authentic guacamole, or plain sour cream.
Nutrition
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