Description
These Red, White, and Blue Taco Bites are a festive and flavorful appetizer featuring seasoned ground beef, melted Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, and sour cream served on crunchy blue corn tortilla chips. Perfect for game days, parties, or casual gatherings, these bite-sized tacos are easy to prepare and delightfully colorful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, as needed
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
- 35 round blue corn tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1 cup red salsa
- ½ cup sour cream, divided
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat it with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Brown the Beef: In a skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the ground beef until browned and crumbly, approximately 8 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the skillet to keep the mixture less oily.
- Season the Beef: Add the taco seasoning mix to the cooked beef and stir thoroughly to combine. Continue cooking for 2 more minutes, then transfer the beef mixture to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any extra moisture.
- Prepare Chips: Arrange the blue corn tortilla chips in a single, non-overlapping layer on the prepared baking sheet to ensure even cooking.
- Assemble Taco Bites: On each chip, place a small amount of shredded cheese, followed by a spoonful of the seasoned beef mixture, a spoonful of salsa, and a little sour cream. Then, sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over each chip.
- Bake: Bake the assembled taco bites in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Add Finishing Touch: Remove the taco bites from the oven and pipe or dollop the remaining sour cream on top of each one for added creaminess and decoration. Serve immediately on a platter and enjoy your tasty appetizer!
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add some diced jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the beef mixture when cooking.
- Blue corn tortilla chips can be substituted with regular corn tortilla chips if blue corn is not available.
- You can prepare the beef mixture ahead of time and assemble just before baking to save time.
- Make sure chips are laid out in a single layer to avoid sogginess and to ensure even melting of cheese.
- To keep the bites warm before serving, cover loosely with foil.
