Walking Tacos (Tacos in a Bag)
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Walking Tacos are a fun (and easy!) way to serve partygoers, large groups and family dinner. All you need is ground beef, taco seasoning, chips and your favorite taco toppings.
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!
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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 March Madness upon us I know there will be game day parties and various get-togethers. So I thought it would be a good time to introduce you to Walking Tacos in a bag!
If you are thinking about serving these at a party, check out how I host a taco bar for parties and family dinners. You can also use this recipe to host your own walking taco bar 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 but 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).
What’s In Walking Tacos?
Ground beef
Taco seasoning – you can use store-bought seasoning or try my homemade taco seasoning
Salsa
Small bags of Fritos or Doritos – use Quest chips for a low carb option
Walking Taco Topping Ideas
Shredded cheese – cheddar, Monterey Jack or Cotija are our faves
Sour cream
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Black beans
Jalapeno – slices or chopped. Remove the seeds to lower the heat factor.
Green onions
Sliced or chopped black olives
Avocado
Chopped onions
Salsa
Pico de Gallo
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Prepare 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 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 the toppings and place them in individual serving dishes. Doing this 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, we’ve got a few suggestions.
- Bean Dip
- Chips and Queso dip
- Spanish rice
- Cilantro lime rice
- Mexican Street Corn
- Sides to go with tacos that aren’t rice and beans
The Best Chips to Use
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
- 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 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 Mexican & Taco Recipes We Love:
- Homemade Taco Salad Recipe (Better Than Takeout)
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
- Taco Soup
- Southwest Dressing {5 Ingredients}
If you want more Mexican-inspired recipes, be sure to check out 60+ Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes for a Festive Mexican Feast or 60+ Best Cinco de Mayo Recipes.
**Save Walking Tacos Recipe for Later**
Walking Tacos in a Bag
Ingredients
Taco Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning (1 ounce), or 2 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- 8 ounces salsa, about 1/2 cup
- 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: 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.
- 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.
- Serve with bags of crushed Fritos or Doritos and your favorite toppings.
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 low 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.
