If there is one recipe that takes me straight back to childhood, it’s this one. These crispy hard tacos are DeVona’s way — my mom’s way — and they have been a staple at many family gatherings. Simply seasoned ground beef, spread onto a corn tortilla, then fried in hot avocado oil until golden and crispy. That’s it. No fancy technique, no complicated spice blends. Just the real thing, made with love.
When I was younger, I skipped the hot sauce entirely. Now I cannot imagine eating one of these without it. See the notes section in the recipe card below for an easy semi-homemade salsa that comes together in minutes and pairs perfectly with these beloved tacos.
Where my Crispy Hard Taco Recipe Comes From
Mexican food runs deep in my family’s story. When my parents got married, my mom DeVona didn’t cook much and was a pretty fussy eater. My dad grew up learning to cook from his mom, who lived for a time in the Chihuahua, Mexico area, so he brought those flavors into their kitchen and taught her a few of the simple basics around Mexican food and the rest is history!
My mom also had a sister-in-law, my Tia Rita, whos family hailed from Mexico. I spent summers in Arizona at her kitchen table, making tortillas and tamales singing Spanish songs with my cousins, and soaking up those flavors without even realizing it. I may not have learned the language fluently, but I like to say I am pretty fluent in food-forward Spanish. I know that double L’s in words like quesadilla are silent, and that the J in jalapeño sounds like an H. Verde means green and roja means red, pretty basic words but they’ve served me well! The flavors of Mexico are woven into who I am.
These crispy hard tacos are one of my earliest food memories when I was about five years old — sitting at our small kitchen table in Michigan, eating taco after taco while my mom stood at the stove, hot oil splattering, completely unbothered because she knew how much we loved them. She was always the fryer, which meant she always ate last. So this first taco? It is for you, Mom. Happy birthday. Miss you mucho. XO
What You Need for Crispy Hard Tacos
The ingredient list here is short on purpose. The magic is in the technique, not a long list of add-ins. A pound of ground beef, a handful of pantry spices, corn tortillas, and avocado oil for frying. That is your whole shopping list.
The optional chipotle chili powder adds a gentle smokiness that I really love, and the fresh cilantro brightens everything up — but both are completely optional and the tacos are delicious either way.
The Frying Technique (This Is the Key)
The frying method is where DeVona’s tacos become DeVona’s tacos. You start the non-meat side first, using the surface of the pan to create that signature curved bend in the center of the taco shell. Hold the meat side up above the oil while the bottom curves and crisps, then tip it over to finish the meat side. It sounds fussier than it is — after the first two or three you will have the rhythm down completely.
A few things that make a real difference: use long-handled tongs (those oil spatters are hot), keep your oven on the lowest warm setting with a paper towel-lined loaf or cake pan inside so finished tacos stay crispy while you work through the batch, and make sure your oil is at 375°F before you start. A cast iron pan is ideal here and can handle the heat.
Need a Grain-Free or Corn-Free Option?
If you do not tolerate corn or need a fully grain-free version, I’ve got you covered. Head over to my Paleo Hard Tacos post — the shell is made from my Cassava Flour Tortillas and the filling and technique are essentially identical, it’s a simple tortilla swap that makes all the difference.
And if you are on a Mexican food kick (same), a few other recipes from the my kitchen worth exploring: my Crispy Cheese-Crusted Quesadillas are a weeknight staple, and my Mexican Inspired category has plenty more where these came from.
Now let’s make some tacos.
Crispy Hard Tacos – DeVona’s Way
Course: Entree, DinnerCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: moderate8
servings20
minutes30
minutesa homemade crispy hard taco you’re gonna love
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ to ½ tsp chipotle chili powder, optional
1 to 2 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped, optional
16 corn tortillas
Avocado oil for frying
toppings of choice: shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese & salsa
Directions
- Add ground beef to a medium sized mixing bowl, toss in cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, chipotle powder (if using) and cilantro (if using).
- Mix together by either using a sturdy spoon, or a gloved hand (my preferred method) and make sure all the spices get thoroughly mixed into the ground beef.
- Take one corn tortilla and using a butter knife, spread about 1 oz/1½ tbsp of the ground beef mixture onto half of the tortilla, essentially in a half circle shape. You’ll want the meat as even as possible so that it fries up evenly in the hot oil before the other half of the tortillas gets over cooked. Place this in a plastic bag or place on a plate and cover with plastic wrap, repeat with remaining tortillas. You should have 16 total.
- Preheat your oven to about 170°F (a “keep warm” setting usually does the trick) and line a heat safe pan or loaf pan with paper towels, set inside the oven.
- Heat the avocado oil up in a cast iron pan or other heavy bottomed, shallow pan to around 375°F – you’ll need about 1-1½“ of oil so depending on the dimensions of your pan, the exact amount of oil will vary.
- Once the oil is ready, fry the tacos one side at a time beginning with the non-meat side first. Using a pair of long handled tongs, hold the taco by the “meat side” and place the other side in the hot oil. Using the surface of the pan, create the bend of the taco by pulling the meat side over the other side of the taco. Don’t fold it over and let it hit the hot oil just yet, hold the meat side above the surface of the oil, allowing the heat to cook and create a curved bend in the center of the taco. Once the “bend/center” is fried, use the tongs and carefully tip the taco over to fry the meat side. Moving the meat side around slightly in the oil to make sure it cooks evenly. Be mindful of the splattering, as those little droplets are HOT.
- Once the meat side is cooked and both sides are browned up nicely, remove from the pan and allow excess oil to drip off then move to the paper towel lined pan inside the oven, setting the taco on one end so that any additional oil can drain. Repeat with the remaining tacos.
- Once all tacos are fried, serve family style with toppings of choice. My favs are listed above, but roll with what your favorites are.
- You can double the recipe if you need to feed more people, having your oven set to about 170-180°F and two pans with paper towels would be needed, but so doable.
Notes
- an easy salsa recipe: add a 14.5 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes, one 16oz jar of Herdez mild salsa Casera, 1 jalapeno (roughly chopped, seeds and veins in tact or removed), and a handful of cilantro to a tall thin jar and using an immersion blender blitz it to combine well and chop up the cilantro and jalapeno. Add a bit of salt, pepper and chipotle powder (optional) to taste.
