These Baked Turkey Tacos are filled with juicy ground turkey and black beans, then baked until perfectly crunchy.
At a Glance: Makes 12 filled tacos • Easy to make • Perfect for weeknight dinners and Taco Tuesday •
Oven baked turkey tacos
Making tacos in the oven is an easy way to get everything ready at once. Instead of cooking and assembling one at a time, you fill all the shells, place them in a baking dish, and let the oven finish them off.
These tacos are filled with a mixture of ground turkey and black beans, making them hearty without being heavy. This filling is tucked into hard taco shells and baked until the cheese is melted.
Once they come out of the oven, serve with your favorite toppings. It's a great way to get a full pan of tacos ready all at once so everyone can dig right in at the same time. Taco Tuesday has never been more delicious!
Key ingredients
- Ground Turkey - You can also use any type of burger, ground chicken, ground beef, or ground wild game meat. If using a burger that's high in fat, make certain you drain off any excess grease after browning the burger.
- Black Beans - Rinse and drain the beans before using.
- Tomatoes - Use a can of diced tomatoes. I used fire-roasted tomatoes, but any canned tomato works. Don't drain. You'll add both the tomatoes and the juice from the tomatoes.
- Onion and Garlic - Use a white or yellow onion.
- Seasoning - Chili powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt and pepper.
- Cheese - I use freshly grated cheddar cheese. You can use your favorite type of cheese or a blend of cheeses.
- Taco Shells - Use hard taco shells. You can use flat bottomed shells or regular shells.
Making baked turkey tacos
- Begin to saute the onions in a large skillet with the oil. After 2-3 minutes, add the ground turkey and cook until the turkey is nicely browned.
- Clear a spot in the center of the pan and add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant, then stir into the turkey.
- Sprinkle on all the seasonings, and stir to coat.
- Add drained beans, and the tomatoes with the juices.
- Stir everything together and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the juices have evaporated.
- Place a small amount of shredded cheese in the bottom of each taco shell. Set taco shells in an ungreased casserole dish.
- Place in a preheated 400° for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. This adds a barrier to the shells and helps prevent them from becoming soggy once you add the turkey filling.
- Scoop turkey filling into the taco shells. Top with shredded cheese.
- Return filled tacos to the oven for 7-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Recipe tips
- Use regular hard taco shells or flat-bottomed shells. The flat-bottomed shells are easier to fill and stack in the pan, but they are usually a bit larger and there are fewer in the box.
- You may end up with extra filling, depending on how full you fill your shells. Any extra filling can be refrigerated and reheated for a burrito or added to a taco salad.
- Stacking the tacos upright in the casserole dish can be challenging. I start with one and lean it against the end of the casserole dish. Then the remaining shells are filled and lean onto the first one. I rearrange as I go and try to keep them as upright as possible.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Frequently asked questions
You can make the filling ahead of time, but don't fill the taco shells until you're ready for dinner. Reheat the filling before adding to the shells.
The taco filling can be refrigerated or frozen and then used in burritos, salads, or quesadillas.
Serving suggestions
Serve with your favorite toppings.
More delicious ways to use ground turkey
- Three Bean Turkey Chili
- Turkey Sloppy Joes
- Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Asian Turkey Meatballs
- Ground Turkey Enchiladas
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious Main Dish Recipes.
Turkey Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion (diced)
- 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
- 1 15 ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
- 12 hard shell taco shells
Instructions
- Begin to saute the onions in a large skillet with the oil. After 2-3 minutes, add the ground turkey and cook until the turkey is nicely browned.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 ½ pounds ground turkey, ½ cup onion
- Clear a spot in the center of the pan and add the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant, then stir into the turkey.1 teaspoon garlic
- Sprinkle on all the seasonings, and stir to mix in.1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add drained beans, and the tomatoes with the juices. Stir everything together and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the juices have evaporated.1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, 1 15 ounce can black beans
- Place a small amount of shredded cheese in the bottom of each taco shell. Set taco shells in an ungreased casserole dish. Place in a preheated 400° for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. This adds a barrier to the shells and helps prevent them from becoming soggy once you add the turkey filling.2 cups grated cheddar cheese, 12 hard shell taco shells
- Scoop hot turkey filling into the taco shells. Top with shredded cheese. Return filled tacos to the oven for 7-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Use regular hard taco shells or flat-bottomed shells. The flat-bottomed shells are easier to fill and stack in the pan, but they are usually a bit larger and there are fewer in the box.
- You may end up with extra filling, depending on how full you fill your shells. Any extra filling can be refrigerated and reheated for a burrito or added to a taco salad.
- Stacking the tacos upright in the casserole dish can be challenging. I start with one and lean it against the end of the casserole dish. Then the remaining shells are filled and lean onto the first one. I rearrange as I go and try to keep them as upright as possible.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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