Keto Taco Cups

In this Keto Taco Cups recipe, I use the Frico ways here, a method of cooking cheese in a pan until it’s slightly crispy but malleable. Cheese taco shells are the ultimate keto hack.

I bake little mounds of cheddar and shape them into handheld cups before they cool completely to form this recipe.

These are a fun option if you are a Tex-Mex ground beef tacos fan and follow a low-carb diet.

You can also peel the cheese off with your hands or use a metal spatula to lift it up, but cutting parchment paper into squares makes it easier to transfer the cheese to the muffin tin. Don’t burn yourself by transferring them before they have cooled for a minute!

Keto Taco Cups Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sour cream, for serving
• Diced avocado, for serving
• Freshly chopped cilantro for serving
• Chopped tomatoes, for serving

Nutrition Information Per Serving

• Calories 199
• Fat 16g
• Sodium 194mg
• Carbohydrates 2g including:
  • Fiber 1g
  • Sugar 1g
• Protein 11g  

Note: The information shown is an estimate based on available ingredients and preparation.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of cheddar a few inches apart.
3. Bake until bubbly and edges are beginning to turn golden, about 6 minutes.
4. Let cool on a baking sheet for a minute.
5. Grease the bottom of a muffin tin with cooking spray, then carefully pick up melted cheese slices and place them on the bottom of the muffin tin.
6. Fit with another inverted muffin tin and let cool for 10 minutes. If you don’t have a second muffin tin, use your hands to help mold the cheese around the inverted tin. 
7. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil.
8. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened for about 5 minutes.
9. Stir in garlic, add ground beef, and break up the meat with a wooden spoon.
10. Cook until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes, then drain fat. 
11. Return meat to skillet and season with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. 
12. Transfer cheese cups to a serving platter.
13. Fill with cooked ground beef and top with sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and tomatoes. 

For easier peeling the cheese off the parchment, cut parchment paper into 4″ squares so that each cheese disk is on an individual piece of parchment.