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These easy Walking Tacos are a fun (and easy!) way to serve partygoers, large groups or a quick family dinner. All you need is ground beef, taco seasoning, small bags of chips and your favorite taco toppings – easy peasy!
It’s been a while since I’ve posted about tacos. If you’re new here let me explain – know that I love all foods taco and Mexican-inspired.
I have a ton of recipes here on ARM centered around tacos, carnitas, even a copycat Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell. A little obsessed? Yeah, you can say that!
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
With Super Bowl and March Madness around the corner you probably have game day parties and various get-togethers. So it’s a great time to introduce you to tacos in a bag!
If you’re thinking about serving these taco bags for a party, be sure to check out our tips to host a taco bar. You can also use this recipe to host your own walking taco party or even make a walking taco casserole.
Hosting a DIY food party where guests fix their own meals is super easy and it’s less stressful than your typical house party. Once you set the table with bowls of ingredients and serving ware it’s pretty much hands off for the hostess. Easy peasy!
Why is it called a walking taco?
Technically it’s not a taco at all because there isn’t a tortilla, but it has all of the flavors and toppings that traditional tacos have. The taco ingredients are mixed into a bag of chips and can be eaten straight from the bag with a fork (hence the walking part).
Walking Tacos Ingredients
- Ground beef – we like to use a lean 93/7 blend
- Taco seasoning – you can use store-bought seasoning or try my homemade taco seasoning
- Salsa – use a chunky salsa for more texture
- Small bags of chips – Fritos and Doritos are popular options or use Quest chips for a lower carb option
Optional Taco Topping Ideas
- Shredded cheese – cheddar, Monterey Jack or Cotija are our faves
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Chopped tomatoes
- Black beans – rinse and drain well if using canned beans
- Jalapeno – slices or chopped. Remove the seeds to lower the heat factor.
- Onions – chopped green, red or yellow onions
- Black olives – sliced or chopped
- Avocado
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Pico de Gallo
- Copycat Taco Bell Baja Sauce
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make and Assemble Tacos in a Bag
Brown the ground beef in a skillet on the stovetop until it’s no longer pink. Once it’s done cooking, drain off the grease and add the meat back into the pan.
Pour in the taco seasoning and salsa. Mix together and cook until it’s heated all of the way through.
Prep all of your toppings and place them in individual serving dishes. Setting up this way makes serving easier and keeps the line moving if you’re doing a buffet setup.
Cut the individual bags of Fritos or Doritos open straight across the top. Or you can split the side of the bag to make the opening a little larger (and give you more room to pile your toppings in!).
I like to crumble up the chips a bit before adding the toppings. But do what works for you.
Add the taco meat mixture followed by your favorite toppings and serve with a spoon.
What To Serve with Walking Tacos
Because the tacos are assembled in a chip bag, there isn’t much else you can put in there. However, if you want to have a bigger table spread with appetizer and side dish items, here are a few suggestions:
- Bean dip
- Chips and queso dip
- Cilantro lime rice
- Spanish rice
- Mexican street corn
- Sides for tacos besides rice and beans
The Best Chips for Walking Tacos
When making tacos in a bag, the most popular chip choices are Fritos or Nacho Cheese Doritos (my fave!). You could also swap these out and try the Cool Ranch Dorito variety, use Hot Cheetos or Takis for a spicy version or Quest chips for a low carb option.
Tips for Making Tacos in a Bag
- Buy your individual snack size chip bags from big box stores (like Costco). Not only are they cheaper, but you’ll get the larger quantity needed for hosting a party.
- Make your taco meat ahead of time, store in the refrigerator and then reheat before serving.
- If you would rather make the meat in the slow cooker so you can keep it warm, try my crockpot taco meat recipe – it’s easy and delicious.
- If you family likes to camp, be sure to bookmark this walking tacos recipe. They are super easy to make and eat around the campfire. We like to cook the meat and prep the toppings ahead of time for a quick dinner.
More Easy Taco Recipes You’ll Love:
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
- Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tacos
- Homemade Taco Salad Recipe (Better Than Takeout)
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Walking Tacos in a Bag
Equipment
Ingredients
Taco Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning, 1 ounce or or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- 8 ounces salsa
- 10 small bags Fritos or Doritos chips
Optional Toppings
- iceberg lettuce, shredded
- tomatoes, chopped
- onions, sliced green, red or white
- avocado, small chunks or slices
- black beans
- cheese, shredded cheddar, Monterey jack or Cotija
- sour cream
- jalapeno, sliced
- black olives, sliced
- queso dip
- salsa
- pico de gallo
Instructions
Instructions
- Cook ground beef in a skillet on the stovetop until no pink remains. Drain grease if necessary.1 pound lean ground beef
- Sprinkle meat with taco seasoning and add salsa. Stir well and heat through. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the meat is too dry.1 packet taco seasoning, 8 ounces salsa
- Serve with bags of crushed Fritos or Doritos and your favorite toppings.10 small bags Fritos or Doritos chips
Notes
- Substitute the meat mixture for our crockpot taco meat recipe.
- Make your own taco seasoning instead of using the store bought packets.
- For a lower carb option use Quest chips.
- Refrigerate leftover meat for up to 3 days.
- Nutritional information will vary based on chips used.
- Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
