Taco Ranch Bites (Printable Version)

Crispy bite-sized cups loaded with seasoned beef, creamy ranch, and melted cheese. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meat Filling

01 - 1/2 lb ground beef
02 - 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Ranch Mixture

05 - 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
06 - 2 tablespoons ranch dressing

→ Cheese & Toppings

07 - 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
09 - 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
10 - 2 tablespoons sliced black olives

→ Base

11 - 24 mini phyllo shells or scoop-shaped tortilla chips

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned and crumbly, about 5-6 minutes. Drain excess fat.
03 - Stir in taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
04 - In a bowl, mix the cream cheese and ranch dressing until smooth. Fold in the cooked beef.
05 - Arrange phyllo shells or tortilla scoops on a baking sheet. Fill each with a spoonful of the beef-ranch mixture.
06 - Top each bite with shredded cheddar cheese.
07 - Bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven and garnish with green onions, diced tomatoes, and olives as desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They disappear faster than you can say sorry I should have doubled the recipe
  • The phyllo shells stay incredibly crispy even after the cheesy filling melts
02 -
  • Overfilling the shells makes them messy to eat and they might collapse during baking
  • Let the beef cool slightly before mixing with the cream cheese or the cheese will melt and separate
03 -
  • Buy two packages of phyllo shells because about five always break and youll want backups
  • Let the bites sit for just 2 minutes after baking so the cheese sets slightly but serve them while still warm

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