The best and bubbliest bowls
If the bubbly tortilla shell is by FAR the best part of any taco salad you’ve ever ordered, you’re totally not alone.
I was on the phone with my mom the other day swapping food memories about our old Tex-Mex spots back in Orange, and the second she mentioned Casa Olé’s taco salad bowl, my mouth started watering.
Growing up, I’d always play it safe and order the cheesy chicken enchiladas, but the second mom looked away, I was breaking pieces off HER bubbly taco shell.
I thought I was being so sly. Looking back, she TOTALLY knew. 😅
So when this Bubbly Taco Salad Bowl recipe came together, I always knew the shell was going to be the star.
Pan-fried for that golden puff, then baked longer than most recipes call for so you get actually-crispy shells, loaded up with seasoned ground beef taco meat, all the fresh toppings, and a 2-ingredient salsa crema on top.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Flour tortillas: Burrito size (10 to 12 inches). Mission brand bubbled up biggest in testing, but store brands work too with slightly smaller bubbles.
- Avocado oil: My go-to since it’s neutral and stands up to high heat without smoking. Canola or vegetable oil work the same way.
- Ground beef: 85/15 is my pick, since it has enough fat for a flavorful filling without needing to drain. 80/20 also works (just drain any excess), and leaner blends or ground turkey work with an extra splash of oil so the filling doesn’t dry out.
- Onion and garlic: Yellow onion diced fine and a couple cloves of fresh garlic give the filling its base layer of flavor. A garlic press speeds up the mincing.
- Jalapeño: Optional, but adds a fresh peppery heat. Seed and finely dice if you want some bite without too much spice.
- The taco spice blend (cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne): A homemade mix beats a taco seasoning packet every time, since you get control over the heat and depth. Cayenne is optional, so adjust to taste.
- Chicken broth: Helps the spices bloom and gives the filling a saucy texture without going full tomato-y. Water works too, but broth adds more depth.
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt: Either works as the base of the salsa crema dressing. Greek yogurt is the lighter swap, sour cream is the richer one.
- Salsa: Whatever you’ve got. Restaurant-style or chunky both work, but the thinner restaurant-style blends smoother into the dressing.
- Romaine: Shredded crunchy romaine hearts hold up better under the dressing than the leafy darker version. Iceberg works too if that’s what you like.
- Corn: Frozen and thawed, canned and drained, or grilled all work. Grilled has the most flavor if you’ve got the time.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Pan-fry the tortillas.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set 4 oven-safe bowls (5 to 6 inches across) on a large rimmed sheet pan. Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a 12- to 14-inch skillet over medium until shimmering, then pan-fry 1 tortilla for about 30 seconds per side until it puffs up with big bubbles.
Don’t skimp on the oil. A thin coating across the pan is what creates the bubbles, and too little means the tortilla scorches before it puffs.
The skillet I use for this
I use my 12-inch cast iron skillet for the pan-frying step. Holds heat like nothing else and the deep sides make swirling the tortilla in oil way easier.
Shape and bake the bowls.
Use tongs to transfer each tortilla into a bowl, gently folding the edges around the rim for that wavy shape, then sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining tortillas (adding more oil as needed) and bake the shaped bowls for 20 to 25 minutes until firm and crispy.
Don’t pull them out too early. Twenty to 25 minutes might feel like a lot, but it’s the sweet spot for shells that are actually crispy and not soggy.
The exact bowls I used!
These 6-inch CB2 shallow bowls are our everyday bowls. That shorter profile is perfect for rice bowls, cereal, pasta, AND folding the tortilla into a wavy taco shell for this recipe.
Cook the seasoned beef.
While the bowls bake, cook the ground beef, onion, and jalapeño (if using) in a large skillet over medium heat until the beef is browned. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the spices and chicken broth and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened.
Whisk the salsa crema and load up the bowls.
Whisk together the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and salsa until smooth. Fill each crispy bowl with romaine, top with the beef, tomatoes, avocado, black beans, and corn, and drizzle with the salsa crema.
Oops! What did I do wrong?!
My tortillas didn’t bubble up.
Either the oil was too thin or the heat was too low. Add more oil to coat the pan, bump the heat slightly, and try again with a fresh tortilla.
My tortillas burned.
Heat was too high or the tortilla sat too long. Drop the heat to medium (not medium-high) and watch closely. They only need 30 seconds per side.
My bowls came out soggy.
You probably pulled them out of the oven too early. 20 to 25 minutes is the sweet spot, and anything less and they won’t fully crisp up.
My bowls cracked when I tried to shape them.
The tortilla cooled too fast or the bowl was too narrow. Work quickly while the tortilla is hot, and use a 5- to 6-inch bowl that gives the tortilla room to fold without forcing it.
How to store leftover Bubbly Taco Salad Bowls
Store leftover seasoned beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The salsa crema also keeps separately in the fridge for 3 days.
The tortilla bowls are best the day they’re made, but you can store them in a ziplock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Don’t refrigerate, they’ll get soggy from the humidity.
To re-crisp the bowls if they’ve softened, pop them in a 350°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Skip the microwave (also soggy).
FAQs
The pan-frying is what creates the bubbles. Baking alone gives you crispy tortilla bowls, but you won’t get that puffy, restaurant-style texture without the hot oil step.
Yes. Just use gluten-free flour tortillas (burrito size if you can find them). The bubbles might be a little smaller depending on the brand, but the method is the same.
You can, but they won’t bubble up the same way. Corn tortillas are too rigid for the puff and most aren’t large enough to make a salad-size bowl. Stick with flour for the best result.
Yes. Swap the ground beef for 1 (15-ounce) can of black beans (drained and rinsed) or cooked lentils. Bump up the spices slightly to make up for what the beef contributes.
The seasoned beef can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated in a skillet with a splash of broth to loosen. The salsa crema keeps in the fridge for 3 days. The tortilla bowls are best the day they’re made.
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Bubbly Taco Salad Bowls Recipe
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Ingredients
Taco Bowls
- 4 (10- to 12-inch) flour tortillas burrito size
- 5 tablespoons avocado oil divided (or any neutral oil)
- Salt for sprinkling
Seasoned Beef
- 1 pound 85/15 ground beef
- ½ yellow onion finely diced
- 1 small jalapeño seeded and finely diced, optional
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
Salsa Crema Dressing
- ⅓ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup salsa
For Serving
- Shredded romaine lettuce
- Tomatoes seeded and diced
- Avocado peeled, pitted, and diced
- Black beans drained and rinsed
- Corn frozen and thawed, canned and drained, or grilled
- Fresh cilantro chopped, optional
- Lime wedges optional
Instructions
- For the Taco Salad Shells: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set 4 oven-safe bowls (5 to 6 inches across) on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the avocado oil in a large 12- to 14-inch skillet over medium heat, swirling so it forms a thin, even coating across the pan.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add 1 tortilla. Pan-fry for 30 seconds, flip, and continue frying another 15-30 seconds more, allowing it to puff up with large bubbles. Watch carefully so it stays golden brown and doesn't darken.
- Using tongs, lift the tortilla out of the skillet and press it down inside one of the bowls. Carefully fold the edges in places around the rim to create a wavy shape. Sprinkle immediately with salt.
- Add more oil to the skillet as needed and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Once all 4 bowls are shaped, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until firm and crispy. Cool slightly before filling.
- For the Beef Taco Meat: While the bowls bake, add the ground beef, onion, and jalapeño, if using, to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, breaking apart, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the beef is no longer pink. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Stir in the cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and chicken broth. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat.
- For the Salsa Crema Dressing: Whisk together the sour cream and salsa in a small bowl until smooth.
- To Serve: Fill each crispy tortilla bowl with shredded romaine, then top with the seasoned beef, tomatoes, avocado, black beans, and corn. Drizzle with the salsa crema and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.
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Notes
- Tortillas: Mission brand flour tortillas bubbled up best in testing. HEB and other store brands work, but the bubbles will be smaller. Burrito size (10 to 12 inches) is the right size for a salad-size bowl.
- Oil amount: Don’t skimp. A thin, even coating across the pan is what creates the bubbles. Too little oil and the tortilla will scorch before it bubbles.
- Medium heat is the sweet spot: Medium-high will brown the tortillas too quickly and smoke up the kitchen. Medium gives enough heat for big bubbles without burning.
- Bowl sizing: Use 5- to 6-inch shallow bowls and press the tortilla inside, gently folding the edges around the rim for that pretty wavy look. If your bowls are smaller than 5 inches, you can invert them and drape the tortilla over the outside. You’ll lose the wavy edges and the shells will be flatter and more spread out, but they still work.
- Heat level: The cayenne and jalapeño are both optional, so adjust to taste. Even half the cayenne (⅛ teaspoon) still adds noticeable warmth.
- Make ahead: The seasoned beef can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated in a skillet over medium-low with a splash of broth to loosen.
- Storage: Store leftover beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the salsa crema separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tortilla bowls are best the day they’re made. If you have leftovers, store them in a ziplock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Don’t refrigerate, they’ll get soggy from the humidity.
- Reheating bowls: Skip the microwave (also soggy). If your bowls have softened, re-crisp them in a 350°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
What to serve with Bubbly Taco Salad Bowls
These bowls are basically a complete dinner on their own (protein, veggies, AND a crispy edible bowl situation), but if you want to round out the spread, a few classic Tex-Mex sides do the trick.
My Mexican Street Corn is the perfect creamy, smoky companion to the warm spices in the filling, and Cilantro Lime Rice makes everything stretch further if you’re feeding a crowd.
Don’t forget a big bowl of homemade guacamole and a side of fresh pico de gallo for that build-your-own taco-bar energy.
More easy Mexican dinners
If Tex-Mex night is your favorite night, these are the ones I make on repeat in our house.
