Mini Taco Bites With Phyllo Cups, Beef & Black Beans
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Baked in the oven in under 10 minutes, these Mini Taco Bites Appetizers are the ultimate crowd-pleaser! Add your taco favorites and bake inside crispy, bite-sized phyllo cups and serve. Perfect for parties… or a quick and easy dinner!
There’s never a need to fall back on ordinary chips and dip when we’ve got so many quick, easy appetizer recipes for you. These mini taco bites with phyllo cups are a unique take on a crowd-pleasing favorite. Don’t miss my other favorites like Creamy Whipped Feta, Baked Jalapeno Popper Dip recipe, or Pub-Style Beer Cheese Dip—they’re guaranteed to impress!
There’s always something so “magical” about crispy, light, and flakey phyllo pastry, and with an easy recipe like this one for taco phyllo cups, all the “mystery” disappears, and so do the taco bites!
With premade frozen mini phyllo pastry cups, there’s no need for a magic wand to unlock the treat these taco bite appetizers make for all occasions. Perfect for game night or creative addition to any buffet table, the mini-taco bites can be made up in advance and frozen until you’re ready to serve friends and family.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Taco Bites Appetizer
- Mini taco bites are zesty, flavorful, and fun appetizers for any occasion.
- Versatile with fillings and toppings, you can even have guests fill and assemble their own mini taco cups.
- Easy to make and freeze ahead of time with minimum time from freezer to oven to table!
- Phyllo pastry is stress-free to bake and so delicious, that you’ll start looking for other recipes to fill up these delightful, flaky little cups.
Ingredients Needed
- Lean Ground Beef – cooked and drained of excess fat, or use ground turkey or chicken if you prefer.
- Rotel Diced Tomatoes w/Green Chilies – uses a secret blend of spices added to rich tomatoes and zesty green chilies that will add depth to your dish with a mild hint of heat.
- Black Beans, Drained – mild in flavor, soft and creamy, they reflect the taste of your dish.
- Taco Seasoning – using a packet of taco seasoning keeps it simple, but you can use your own taco seasoning blend.
- Ranch Dressing Mix
- Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend – this mild cheese combination complements and balances the two seasoning blends.
- Miniature Phyllo Tart Shells – are light and crispy premade pastry dough that is convenient and super easy to use from freezer to oven.
How We Make Mini Beef & Black Bean Taco Bites
When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
- ONE: Brown ground beef, drain any excess grease and mix in all remaining ingredients except the cheese. Simmer to allow the flavors to marry and excess moisture to cook off.
- TWO: Remove the taco filling from the heat source and stir in the shredded cheese.
- THREE: Fill frozen phyllo cups with the mini taco mixture and place them on an ungreased baking sheet.
- FIVE: Bake in preheated oven.
- Serve warm, delicious taco bites as is or with toppings and garnishes of your choice.
What to Serve/Pair with Your Mini Taco Bite Cups
Avocado Cream Sauce
Pineapple Mango Salsa
St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
Spicy Ranch Water
Substitutions & Additions
- Optional toppings to serve on the side: shredded lettuce, sour cream, pico de gallo, black olives, guacamole, cilantro, and jalapeno slices.
- You can use shredded beef, ground chicken, or turkey for the mini taco filling.
- Try shredded chicken with tomatillo sauce along with the ground beef and bean if you would like to serve both beef and chicken appetizers.
- Scoop tortilla shells will work in a jam and are a perfect no-bake way to use up any leftover filling.
- If you don’t enjoy the mild heat from green chilies, you can use regular diced tomatoes or seasoned diced tomatoes instead.
How To Reheat & Store Mini Tacos with Phyllo Shells
Beef and black bean mini taco bites can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
How Freeze Taco Bites
You can freeze thoroughly cooled mini taco phyllo cups layered on waxed paper in an airtight freezer container if you have leftovers. When ready to serve, bake in 350°F oven until reheated and the phyllo shells are crisp.
Mini Phyllo Cup Taco Bites FAQs
What are phyllo cups?
These light, crispy and super flaky little pastry shells are fully baked and sold in the freezer section at the grocery store., usually near the pie crust. They can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients and make the ultimate party appetizers and bite-sized desserts.
Why are my phyllo cups soggy?
Do not fill phyllo cups until ready to bake, and don’t forget to drain black beans thoroughly.
Keep the phyllo cups frozen until ready to fill and bake right away. Once the bite-sized taco cups are cooked, place them on a wire rack if not served immediately. The airflow helps to keep the cups crisp and avoids soggy bottoms.
Do I have to use black beans in this mini taco recipe?
You can leave beans out altogether or use another type of bean if you prefer. Be sure to drain beans well of excess liquid to avoid making the taco cups soggy.
Can you make mini taco bites ahead and freeze?
Yes, you can freeze beef and bean mini taco phyllo cup appetizers! Prepare mini tacos according to recipe instructions, but do not bake. Store the prepared mini taco cups in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to one month in the freezer. When ready to use, place frozen, not thawed, taco bites in the oven and bake for an extra 2-4 minutes.
Don’t Forget To Come Back And Let Me Know How Your Taco Bites With Phyllo Cups Turned Out!
Whip up these Mini Taco Bites for your next game night, and watch your friends crown you the king or queen of bite-sized brilliance. They’re crispy, savory, and gone before you know it—so you might want to make a double batch!
Mini Taco Bites Appetizer
Baked in the oven in under 10 minutes, these MINI TACO BITES are the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (10 ounce) can of Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies)
- 1/2 cup black beans, drained
- 1 envelope taco seasoning
- 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 3 (1.9 ounce) packages of frozen miniture phyllo tart shells
- Optional Toppings; shredded lettuce, sour cream tomato, avocado, chopped cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F
- In a skillet over medium heat brown ground beef until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Stir in Rotel, beans, taco seasoning, and ranch packet. Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.
- Place frozen phyllo shells on a large ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Fill with taco meat mixture.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
TIPS
- Be sure to drain the beans
- Do NOT drain the Rotel
- Use 85-95% lean ground beef
- Drain the grease after browning meat
VARIATIONS
- try swapping black beans for refried beans
- use ground chicken instead of ground beef
- use scoopable tortilla chips instead of frozen phyllo tart shells (no need to bake or you can place them in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese starts to melt)
TO FREEZE
- You can freeze these taco bites one of two ways:
- Freeze bites before baking. When ready to enjoy, just place frozen taco bites in the oven and bake for an extra 2-4 minutes.
- Freeze after baking: Bake taco bites according to the recipe. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (the wire rack allows airflow so they don't get soggy). Place cooled bites in a freezer container, using wax paper between layers. Reheat in 350°F oven until heated through and crisp.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 45 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 59Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 116mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.
Originally posted in January 2022. UPDATED January 2025. We spiffed up this post with more information. No changes were made to the recipe.
Hi there, I'm Cheryl!
As a wife, mom, and caffeine enthusiast, my journey has taken me from bustling mornings with my family to sharing delicious recipes, home care tips, and heartfelt decorating insights with wonderful readers like you. My love for baking, photography, and tidiness shines through every post I craft. Dive into my world and discover the art of homemaking, one tidy moment at a time. Read more...
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