Walking Tacos
Walking tacos don’t have to be a treat you only enjoy at the ballpark! Switch up your next taco night with this fun, kid friendly meal you’ll love!
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One of my favorite treats to get whenever we go to a baseball game is definitely a walking taco.
Sure, hot dogs, popcorn and other stadium food is fun, but you have not lived until you have dived into a big bag of taco-y, Frito-y goodness.
And I’m not alone.
My boys love this treat as much as I do.
So why wait until you’re at a ballgame to enjoy it when you can make this delicious version at home any time you want?
What are walking tacos?
Walking tacos are basically tacos in a chip bag.
You take all your taco fixings and put them in a bag of chips, normally Fritos.
Because you usually use Fritos, you may hear this called “Walking Frito Pie” or “Frito Chili Pie.”
And fun fact: this bag of goodness got its start in Knoxville, TN at the 1982 World Fair.
Ingredients
You’ll need:
- Ground beef– I used 85 percent lean but use whatever you have on hand. You could even substitute ground chicken or turkey if you prefer.
- Onion– Peeled and diced
- Salsa– As hot or mild as you like. And if you’re not a salsa fan you could substitute taco sauce or tomato sauce.
- Spices– Taco seasoning, salt and pepper
- Beans– A drained and rinsed can of red or black beans.
- Herbs– Cilantro or fresh parsley
For the toppings, you’ll need:
- Cheddar cheese– You can use shredded cheddar but I highly recommend making the cheese sauce.
- Optional toppings– sour cream, sliced green onions
- Fritos– go for the small snack pack bags of Fritos so you can dole out individual servings
For the cheese sauce:
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk or cream
- Cheddar cheese– Shredded
- Salt and pepper
How to Make
Let’s break this down into parts:
- the beef and beans
- cheese sauce
- putting it all together
Making the Beef and Beans
Start by adding the ground beef to a large skillet or cast iron pan and cook on medium low heat for a few minutes.
Use a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks.
Then, add the diced onion and continue cooking and stirring for a few more minutes until the meat begins to brown.
Next, stir in the salsa or tomato sauce along with the taco seasoning and beans.
Continue cooking on low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Finish by stirring in the chopped cilantro or parsley and removing it from the heat.
The Cheese Sauce
To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat and stir in the all purpose flour.
As it cooks, the flour and butter mixture should turn golden brown and take a paste like consistency as it cooks on low heat for a couple of minutes.
Then, slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking for a few minutes until all the lumps are gone and the mixture begins to thicken.
Stir in the shredded cheese until melted and add salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Putting It Together
To serve the walking tacos, set up a taco bar by filling a bowl with the beef and bean mixture along with bowls of the chopped green onions, sour cream and the cheese sauce.
Serve the bowls of taco fixings along with small packages of Fritos chips.
To build a walking taco, spoon the beef and bean mixture over the chips in the bag.
Then, pour on some cheese sauce, top with green onions and sour cream and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
While these are delicious once they are assembled, they don’t save particularly well.
If you think you may have leftovers, keep the beef and bean mixture as well as the cheese sauce in separate air tight containers for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave and serve with fresh toppings.
You can also freeze the leftovers.
Tips and Tricks
- I used 85% ground beef but any will do. If you use fattier beef, you might want to drain the beef prior to adding the salsa.
- I recommend avoiding pre-shredded cheese and grating it yourself from a block of sharp cheddar for better flavor.
- Want to switch it up a little? Try using nacho cheese Doritos or tortilla chips instead of Fritos.
Other Fun Taco Recipes You Might Enjoy
Walking tacos are a family favorite way to switch up taco night.
Make them this week and you’ll want to add them to your regular rotation!
Looking for other fun ways to enjoy tacos?
Try these:
- Chili Lime Fish Stick Tacos
- Slow Cooker Ground Beef Tacos
- Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
- Taco Stuffed Tomatoes
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Walking Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground beef
- 1 Onion peeled and diced
- 2 cups salsa your choice of heat level or tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 15 oz can black or red beans rinsed and drained
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro or fresh parsley
Toppings
- Shredded cheddar cheese or cheese sauce recipe follows
- Sour cream optional
- Green onions sliced
- 4 Small bags
- Fritos corn chips
For The Cheese Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet and stir in the
- all purpose flour. Cook on low heat for a couple of minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking for a few minutes until all the lumps are gone and the mixture begins to thicken.
- Stir in the shredded cheese until melted and add salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet or cast iron pan and cook on medium low heat for a few minutes. Use a
- spatula to break up the meat.
- Add the diced onion and continue cooking and stirring for a few more minutes until the meat begins to brown.
- Stir in the salsa or tomato sauce along with the taco seasoning and beans. Continue cooking on low heat, stirring
- occasionally, for another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Stir in the chopped cilantro or parsley and remove from the heat.
- To serve, set up a bowl with the beef and bean mixture along with bowls of the chopped green onions, sour
- cream and the cheese sauce as well as small packages of Fritos chips.
- Spoon the beef and bean mixture over the chips in the bag, pour on some cheese sauce, top with green onions
- and sour cream and enjoy. Alternately, you can pour the Fritos into a bowl and add the toppings.
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details. As always, all opinions are my own.
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