Cheese Taco Shells for Easy Keto Tacos (1 Net Carb)

These easy cheese taco shells are perfect for making Keto Tacos! Baked cheddar cheese formed into the shape of a taco and filled with seasoned ground beef for a low carb taco night!

Mexican food is my favorite especially tacos, so when I started eating low carb I immediately went in search of a keto taco recipe and I discovered cheese taco shells. Guys, these things are life changing!

Keto Tacos made with Cheese Taco Shells are perfect for keto diets with only 1 net carb ! They are gluten free and easy to make (even though they take a little time) and I think they taste better than the original 🙂

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Recipe Overview

• Shells: shredded cheddar, baked until crispy and shaped over a spoon handle.
• Bake: 350°F for 5–7 minutes per batch.
• Filling: ground beef with homemade taco seasoning.
• Serves: 8.
• Diet: keto, low carb and gluten free; the shells alone are carnivore-friendly.

Ingredients

Cheese taco shells:

• Shredded cheddar cheese

Taco meat:

• Ground beef
• Homemade taco seasoning
• Water

Toppings (optional):

• Extra cheese
• Avocado
• Sour cream
• Pico de gallo
• Lettuce

How to Make Cheese Taco Shells

Step 1 – Line a baking sheet. You can use parchment paper, but a silicone mat is best because the cheese comes off easily every time.

Step 2 – Add the cheese. Drop little piles of grated cheese onto the baking sheet, about 1/4 cup of cheddar per shell and 2 inches apart. Press each pile down lightly so it’s one even layer.

Step 3 – Bake. Bake at 350°F for 5–7 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges begin to brown. It’s important to wait until those edges start to get crispy, because that’s how you get the crispiest cheese taco shells.

Step 4 – Blot the grease. Cheese releases grease as it bakes. You can dab your shells lightly with a paper towel before the next step if you’d like to remove some of the extra grease.

Step 5 – Set up the shaping station. Use two glasses and set a thick-handled spoon (or whatever utensil you have) across them. You want the handle thick enough to leave about 3/4″ of space in the curve of your taco. It doesn’t have to be precise!

Step 6 – Shape the shells. Let the cheese cool for a minute, then lift it off the baking sheet and drape it over the spoon handle. Let it cool completely, which only takes about 5 minutes, and you have a low carb taco shell!

Want to try a different shape? These cheese taco shells are easy to mold. We used a mini muffin tin to make our Low Carb Taco Bites!

How to Make the Taco Meat

Step 1 – Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until it’s almost cooked through.

Step 2 – Season. Drain the grease, then add the taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water.

Step 3 – Simmer. Let the mixture cook, stirring occasionally, until the water has been absorbed. Cooking off the extra moisture keeps the meat from making the shells soggy.

Step 4 – Fill and top. Let the meat cool slightly, then spoon it into the cheese taco shells. I top mine with avocado, sour cream, and a little pico de gallo. When you’re done you have a beef taco that is better than the original! That cheesy shell is the perfect replacement for a crunchy corn shell or soft flour tortilla. You’ll never miss the carbs!

Does Taco Seasoning Have Carbs?

That depends. Those taco seasoning packets you buy at the grocery store have way more carbs than you might realize because they contain added sugar and cornstarch. If you make taco seasoning at home (which tastes so much better anyway!), it has only 1.5 net carbs per tablespoon. Mine is made with chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.

Expert Tips

• Pick a firm cheese. Cheddar (mild, sharp or extra sharp) and Mexican blends crisp up best. Softer, high-moisture cheeses like mozzarella, Monterey Jack and pepper jack stay bendy.
• Wait for brown edges. Pale shells fold flat instead of holding their shape.
• If a shell tears when you lift it, it’s still too hot. Give it a few more seconds on the pan.
• If a shell cracks, it has cooled too long. Shape the next one sooner.
• Bake in batches. Each round only takes a few minutes, so you can shape one batch while the next bakes.

Variations

• Taco bowls: drape the hot cheese over the back of an upside-down bowl instead of a spoon handle.
• Taco bites: these cheese taco shells are easy to mold. We used a mini muffin tin to make our Low Carb Taco Bites!
• Different cheese: try a Mexican cheese blend for more flavor.
• Other fillings: shredded chicken, pulled pork or shrimp all work in place of ground beef.
• Carnivore tacos: skip the vegetable toppings and fill the shells with plain seasoned meat and sour cream.

Serving Suggestions

Set out a taco bar with the toppings in small bowls so everyone can build their own. For a full low carb taco night, serve them with Low Carb Nachos or Mexican Meatballs.

Storage & Reheating

• Shells: keep cooled shells in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Re-crisp them in a 350°F oven for a minute or two, watching closely.
• Taco meat: store it separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, and reheat it in a skillet before filling the shells.
• Assembled tacos get soggy, so fill the shells just before serving.

Want More Keto Recipes?

• Slow Cooker Taco Soup
• Taco Zucchini Boats
• Mexican Meatballs
• Low Carb Nachos
• Chimichurri Steak
• Keto Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
• Cheesy Baked Zucchini Casserole
• Low Carb Instant Pot Butter Chicken
• Mexican Stuffed Peppers
• Low Carb Big Mac Bites
• More Keto Recipes…

Servings: 8 tacos

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Keto Tacos

Created By: Kat Jeter & Melinda Machado

These easy cheese taco shells are perfect for making Keto Tacos! Baked cheddar cheese formed into the shape of a taco and filled with seasoned ground beef for a low carb taco night!

Print Recipe

4.36 from 154 votes

Ingredients

Cheese Taco Shells

• 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

Taco Meat

• 1 pound Ground beef
• 2 tablespoon Homemade Taco Seasoning
• 1/4 cup Water
• Toppings for taco: Sour cream, avocado, cheese, lettuce, etc., optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat place 1/4 cup piles of cheese 2 inches apart. Press the cheese down lightly so it makes one layer.
• Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until the edges of the cheese are brown.
• Let the cheese cool for 1-2 minutes until it is firm enough to lift but still bendable. Lift the cheese up and place it over the handle of a spoon or other utensil that is balanced on two cups.
• Let cheese cool completely then remove.
• While you continue to bake your cheese taco shells place the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat cooking until it is completely cooked through.
• Drain the grease from the meat and then add the homemade taco seasoning. Pour water into skillet and stir everything around mixing it together.
• Simmer for 5 minutes or until liquid has cooked away. 
• Add meat to taco shells and top with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

Note:

1. Optional toppings are not included in the nutritional calculations.
2. Use cheddar or a Mexican blend (not mozzarella or jack)
3. Shells keep 3 days in the fridge, re-crisp at 350°F

Nutrition

Serving: 1taco, Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 360mg, Potassium: 181mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 284IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 214mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

This recipe was originally published on April 11, 2016. It was republished on August 9, 2019 with updated photos.