Walking Tacos

Walking Tacos are the ultimate fun and delicious snack/appetizer for family gatherings or parties. Load up individual bags of chips with your favorite taco toppings, and enjoy the best easy-to-make tacos in a bag experience!

You just found a recipe for the perfect party food or portable dinner at football games! There is always a good excuse to enjoy this fun dinner. Make it as a way to change up Taco Tuesday or a quick meal to eat on game day. It’s a creative take on Frito pie. 

And if your family is full of picky eaters, this is perfect for them, too! They can customize their own walking tacos with their favorite toppings. It’s a straightforward recipe with room for customization that pleases the entire family. Make it as spicy or mild as you like it. Oh, and the best part? Easy clean-up! No dishes to wash!

Why You’ll Love Walking Tacos

• A filling and portable dinner 
• Great idea for a picnic or outdoor parties 
• Mess-free way to make your own tacos
• Fun and different idea for taco night 
• Easy meal for the family
• Tastes like a deconstructed taco

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

• Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef; it will have less grease and taste better on top of the Fritos. 
• Taco Seasoning: Save time and use a bag of seasoning, or make homemade taco seasoning.  
• Snack-Size Frito Bags: They are traditionally made with Fritos, but you can serve them over your favorite chips. 
• Toppings: Add toppings you like to eat on your tacos or taco salad.    

How to Make Walking Tacos

• Step One: Cook the lean ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is cooked. Drain the grease and return the beef to the pan. 
• Step Two: Add the water and taco seasoning to the pan. Cook until all the water has thickened into a sauce. 

• Step Three:  Lightly crush the chips in the chip bag and cut off the tops of the bags.
• Step Four: Scoop the taco meat into the frito bag. 
• Step Five: Top the taco meat with your favorite toppings.

Equipment Needed

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• Skillet: You’ll use this to cook your meat. 
• Scraper spatula: Use a large enough one to stir the meat as it cooks. 
• Strainer: This will drain the grease from the skillet so you don’t have greasy taco meat. 
• Large spoon: Use a spoon to scoop the taco meat into the bags of chips.  

What to Serve with Walking Tacos 

This easy walking taco recipe is a fun twist on tacos and the perfect thing to make on a busy weeknight. Here are some of my favorite sides that taste delicious with portable tacos.   

• Corn Salsa
• Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
• Guacamole Tomato Boats
• Potato Nachos

Variations and Substitutions

• Make a walking taco casserole. Add a bag of corn chips to a casserole dish, top with ground beef mixture, cheddar cheese, and bake until cheese melts.  
• Make it spicy. Top with as much hot sauce as you can handle.  
• Use the slow cooker. Add ground beef and taco seasoning to the crock pot and cook for 2-3 hours. 
• Use a different kind of chips. It’s a great party food because everyone can choose their favorite chip bag!  

Storage Instructions 

Store the cooked taco meat in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. Do not store walking taco bags filled with meat. The chips will become soggy. 

Walking Tacos Tips and Tricks

• Drain the meat before adding the taco seasoning. This prevents you from making greasy tacos.
• Prep the toppings the day before to save yourself time. 
• Don’t forget to crush the chips lightly. This makes it easier to eat. 

What Are Walking Tacos?

Imagine your favorite taco ingredients in a portable bag you can eat on the go. That’s the idea behind walking tacos! They are an easy way to eat tacos without a plate or bowl. You add taco meat to a bag of Fritos. Then, all you need is a plastic fork and your favorite toppings. It’s a good idea for birthday parties too because everyone can choose their toppings and chips. 

Can I Make This With Other Types of Chips?

You don’t have to use Fritos. Try this with tortilla chips, Cool Ranch Doritos, or Nacho Cheese Doritos. You can make this easy walking tacos recipe with your favorite types of crunchy chips. 

Can I Make It Without Having To Buy The Snack-Size Bag Of Chips?

You can make your walking taco without a snack-size bag of chips. Add some chips to a small ziplock bag and add your favorite taco fillings. 

Will The Heat Of The Taco Meat Melt The Chips Bag?

No, the heat of the taco meat doesn’t melt the chips bag. If you’re making this for the first time, using hot taco meat is okay. 

How Do You Eat A Walking Taco Without Making A Mess?

Even though a snack-size bag is convenient for walking tacos, it is easy to overfill them. Be careful and only add a few traditional taco toppings. Leave enough room to mix and scoop out bites.

How Can I keep The Chips From Getting Soggy In A Walking Taco?

The chips won’t get soggy if you eat them quickly. As taco meat sits on top of the chips, the chips will soak up the juices. So eat them quickly.  

Can I Make Ahead?

Yes, you can make them ahead. Store the taco meat separately from the other ingredients and wait to open the chip bags before serving them. Keep the meat mixture in the refrigerator for up to three days. 

Walking Taco Bar Ideas

If you love tacos, make a walking taco bar! This is an easy way to feed a crowd at a party. Set out the bags of chips and as many toppings as you can think of. Then, everyone can grab their favorite chips and assemble walking tacos in different ways. 

Don’t forget to add some festive drinks and desserts too! 

Topping Ideas 

There are a ton of different toppings you could add. Try any of these: 

• Shredded taco cheese
• Onions, diced
• Pico de Gallo
• Tomatoes, diced
• Iceberg lettuce, chopped
• Cilantro, chopped
• Green Chiles
• Black Beans (drained well)
• Scallions (green onions) chopped
• Pickled jalapenos
• Salsa
• Taco sauce
• Lime wedges
• Sour cream

FAQ

Taco Inspired Recipes    

Want more easy recipes that taste like tacos? Here are some of my favorites:

• Taco Casserole 
• Taco Chicken Salad 
• Taco Roasted Chickpeas
• Taco Pasta Salad 
• Taco Chili
• Fish Tacos

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