Healthy Crunchy Taco Cups (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Taco cups taken to the next level with layers of all the best toppings in one perfect little bowl. You'd never guess this crunchy taco is healthy!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mi Rancho. The opinions and text are all mine.

I pretty much took taco Tuesday and gave it a new outfit. In our house, we don't discriminate. As long as we have tortillas around (and if we don't it's basically a national emergency) then vegan tacos are always on the docket!

Crunchy Taco Cup Basics

The crunchy taco is a simple fellow. Doesn't ask for much. In fact the taco cup itself is a one ingredient situation. Yep, you guessed it. All you need is a good quality tortilla!

Let me tell you a little bit about my tortilla obsession. We use them for almost everything. As in we go through 5-6 bags a week on a slow week. And hands down, our favorite brand is Mi Rancho.

We have used the Mi Rancho brand for as far back as I can remember (and unlike many details in my mom life, tortillas are clear as day). So it's beyond exciting that I can take my true tortilla love and unleash my inner creativity with it.

Which is better for you corn or flour tortillas?

What kind of tortillas you eat are really a personal decision. Lucky for me, and you, Mi Rancho has amazing versions of both!

The flour ones are big and fluffy, perfect for burritos and wraps. The corn tortillas are gluten-free and in fact don’t even have oil as an ingredient!

Are corn tortillas low carb?

While I don’t consider corn tortillas the highest carb item out there, they definitely add up when you’re shoveling them down like we do on our die hard vegan taco nights.

Luckily, Mi Rancho’s new Organic THINcredible Thin Corn tortillas are delicious as ever but only have half the carbs (and calories too!) of their regular corn tortillas (only 7 grams of carbs and 35 calories).

And they are still sturdy and perfect for these taco cups because their thin nature helps make them extra crunchy!

How do you keep corn tortillas from tearing?

When we do vegan tacos, we start with the perfectly textured tortilla. There is a method we use that is full proof every single time:

1. Wrap the tortillas in paper towels.
2. Lightly spray the towels with water so they are damp.
3. Wrap in a kitchen towel.
4. Microwave for about 2 minutes, depending on how many tortillas you are warming.
5. If it's more than 6-8 then add about 30 seconds. If it's less then subtract.
6. Allow to cool a bit and slowly separate.

This helps get them nice and soft, with a freshly made texture. Load them up and you’re ready to roll!

You can also warm them up on a griddle or pan for about 20-30 seconds on both sides. They are so thin that it doesn’t take long to warm!

The THINcredibles are also very pliable compared to other tortillas even when cold.

How To Make The Perfect Crunchy Taco Cups

Taco cups are all about the crunchy cup itself, and the amazing toppings. Nail these two and you’ll have people grabbing for them faster than you can serve!

Once you get that perfectly steamed tortilla (see above), you need to get it crunchy. The key is to add the filling after you get the crunch.

Here’s the technique that I found worked best:

1. Fit the tortillas into a muffin tin by folding each side a bit. Then press down into the muffin tin to shape them. Since they are steamed and soft, they should mold easily.
2. Then bake until crispy, fill with ingredients and bake again!

Since we have the quality tortilla handled, what about all the toppings? I’ve got you covered. They key is variety because the more customizable the better. There is nothing quite like the sweet sound of children eating without whining.

Here is my list of top faves for our vegan taco cups:

• Healthy Vegan Bean Dip
• Ultimate Vegan Cheese Sauce
• Guacamole (or try this uber simple guacamole recipe)
• Salsa
• Cilantro
• Green onions
• Jalapenos
• Spicy Cilantro Cream Sauce

You can make the cups ahead of time, leave them out on the counter. The fill and bake again when ready to eat!

If you love all the taco fillings but don't want the crunchy shell, try making a Taco Bowl!

Healthy Crunchy Taco Cups (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Sophia DeSantis

Taco cups taken to the next level with layers of all the best toppings in one perfect little bowl. You'd never guess this crunchy taco is healthy!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 12

Calories 142 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 12 corn tortillas , I use Mi Rancho’s Organic THINcredibles Thin Corn tortillas
• Light spray of oil , optional to avoid sticking

Optional toppings (use any or all):

• Healthy Vegan Bean Dip
• Ultimate Vegan Cheese Sauce
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Cilantro
• Green onions
• Jalapenos
• Spicy Cilantro Cream Sauce

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 175 C
• Spray your muffin tin with a thin coat of oil to make sure the tortillas don’t stick, this is optional.
• Wrap the tortillas in paper towels.
• Lightly spray the towels with water so they are damp.
• Wrap in a kitchen towel.
• Microwave for about 2 minutes, depending on how many tortillas you are warming.
• If it's more than 6-8 then add about 30 seconds. If it's less then subtract.
• Allow to cool a bit and slowly separate.
• Fit the tortillas into a muffin tin by folding each side a bit. Shape by pressing them down and molding them into the tin. This should work well if you steamed them.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until crispy.
• Add the beans and cheese, a spoonful of each, and bake another 10 minutes. You can fill them as much or as little as you want.
• Once done, let cool a bit, then add toppings of choice.
• Devour!

Notes

• Make these your own, add less or more of any of the ingredients to suit your taste! You will have leftovers of some of the toppings linked about, freeze or use for another meal.
• The thin corn tortillas yield a better end result because when steamed they are easier to mold into the muffin tins, but regular corn tortillas work too.
• You can steam the tortillas in the oven too, you'll just need to use tin foil instead of a kitchen towel.
• Prep time is an average, it depends on what toppings you use.
• Nutrition facts include all the mentioned toppings but are approximate and need to be calculated for accuracy  based on how much of each you use.

Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 142kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 351mgPotassium: 410mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 14125IUVitamin C: 15.8mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 0.7mg

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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