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Ultimate Loaded Cheesy Baked Pocket Tacos

Close-up of a cheesy pocket taco cut in half showing ground beef filling and melted cheese.
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Make these Ultimate Loaded Cheesy Baked Pocket Tacos for a satisfying, easy weeknight dinner. These handheld pockets are stuffed with seasoned ground beef and plenty of melted cheese, then baked until golden and slightly crisp.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup salsa
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 8 medium flour tortillas (burrito size)
  • Cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a baking sheet or coat it with cooking spray.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until it is fully browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  3. Stir the taco seasoning mix and water into the cooked ground beef. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and salsa together until combined. Stir this mixture into the seasoned ground beef.
  5. Stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese into the meat mixture. This creates the gooey, cheesy filling.
  6. Lay a tortilla flat. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the meat filling onto one half of the tortilla, leaving a border around the edges. Sprinkle a small amount of the remaining cheddar cheese over the filling.
  7. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly together to seal. You can use a fork to crimp the edges if you want extra security.
  8. Place the sealed pocket seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
  9. Lightly spray the tops of the pockets with cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese evenly over the tops of the tacos.
  10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tortillas are lightly golden brown and the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.
  11. Let the cheesy pocket tacos cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

  • For extra crispiness, you can lightly brush the tops of the tortillas with melted butter instead of using cooking spray before baking.
  • If you prefer a softer texture, skip the baking step and serve the pockets immediately after filling, treating them like soft tacos.
  • You can substitute the ground beef with ground turkey or shredded cooked chicken for a different protein option.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastethisplate.com/cheesy-pocket-tacos-ultimate-loaded-baked/