If you’ve never made Beef Puffy Tacos at home, this is a fun recipe to try when you want something more special than ordinary tacos. Instead of using purchased taco shells, these tacos start with fresh masa that is pressed into thin rounds and fried until golden and crisp. The tortillas puff slightly as they cook, creating the distinctive shape and texture that gives puffy tacos their name.
The filling is just as flavorful. Ground beef is cooked with onion, jalapeño, garlic, tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin, then simmered with Mexican beer until the liquid is absorbed. Once the crispy homemade shells are ready, fill them with the seasoned beef and your favorite toppings, such as shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, or guacamole. The combination of crunchy fried masa, savory beef, and fresh toppings makes these homemade tacos a meal everyone can customize.
A tortilla press is the most useful piece of equipment for this recipe because it makes it much easier to turn the masa into evenly thin rounds. The recipe also provides an alternative method using a flat plate, skillet, or flat-bottomed bowl if you don’t have one. Keeping the tortillas an even thickness helps them cook consistently and makes shaping them into their characteristic U-shape easier while they’re frying.
These Beef Puffy Tacos take a little more hands-on work than standard tacos, but the result is well worth it. If you’re looking for a homemade Mexican dinner that’s crispy, flavorful, and a little different from the usual taco night, this recipe is a great choice.
Serve with Arroz Con Pollo and Schmaltz-Refried Pinto Beans. Here are some other good accompaniments for this recipe homemade Classic Mexican Guacamole and Chile de Arbol Salsa.
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Beef Puffy Tacos
- Total Time: 1:30
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh masa (available at Mexican markets)*
- Wax paper
- Vegetable oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup Mexican beer
- Toppings: shredded cheese, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole
Instructions
- Shape masa into 18 golf ball-size portions (about 2 Tbsp. each). Cut sides off a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Line top and bottom of a tortilla press with freezer bag. Place masa rounds in freezer bag, 1 at a time, and close tortilla press to form tortillas. (If you don’t have a tortilla press, use a flat plate, skillet, or flat-bottomed bowl, and press masa balls between sheets of wax paper against countertop into flat rounds. To ensure even thickness, press dough rounds once, rotate 180°, and press again.) Gently stack tortillas between layers of wax paper.
- Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 375°.
- Gently lower 1 uncooked tortilla into hot oil. Once tortilla rises to surface and begins to bubble, cook 10 seconds. Gently flip tortilla, and lightly press center of tortilla, using a metal spatula, to create a U-shape.Cook 30 seconds or until golden brown. Carefully remove from oil, sprinkle with desired amount of salt, and drain upside down on a paper towel-lined wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Keep warm in a 200° oven.
- Cook onion and next 2 ingredients in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes or until softened. Add beef, and cook, stirring often, 8 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Reduce heat to medium.
- Return beef mixture to skillet; add tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and 2 tsp. salt, and cook 4 minutes. Add beer, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Serve mixture in tortillas with desired toppings.
- *If you can’t find fresh masa, you may substitute the following recipe: Whisk together 3 cups masa harina (corn flour), 1 1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, and 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Whisk in 2 1/4 cups very hot water until dry ingredients are moistened. (Add more hot water if needed, 1 tsp. at a time.) Knead 3 or 4 times to make a smooth dough.
- Prep Time: 1:15
- Cook Time: :15
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stove Top