Hard Taco Shells

Learn How to Make Hard Taco Shells with this simple recipe. These crispy taco shells are perfectly crunchy and better than any Mexican restaurant out there. 

After you make homemade taco shells for the first time, you’ll be hooked! They taste so much better than store-bought taco shells and they’re so easy to make with little clean-up.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Easy to Make. This is an easy recipe that can be made any night of the week. 
• Perfectly Crispy. These homemade crispy taco shells are delicious, perfectly crunchy and they make great tacos. 
• Simple Ingredients.  You’ll only need corn tortillas, oil and round toothpicks to make these shells.

Here’s What You’ll Need 

• Corn Tortillas.  Use either yellow or white corn tortillas.
• Oil. We like to use light olive oil, but you can use vegetable oil, canola, or avocado oil if you prefer.
• Toothpicks. Our trick for making great taco shells is by using round toothpicks to hold the tortillas open as they fry. It makes stuffing them much easier! Flat shells can break easily when you try to stuff them.

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

How To Make Hard Taco Shells

1. Heat Oil. Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time to the skillet. The oil should sizzle a bit when you add the tortilla to the pan. 
2. Cook Tortillas. Cook for about 15 seconds on one side, then using a pair of tongs turn the tortilla over to cook another 15 seconds on the other side. Use the tongs fold the tortilla in half. 
3. Add Toothpicks. While holding the top of the tortilla (which is folded over the bottom part of the tortilla) with the tongs, use your other hand to carefully poke a toothpick in the bottom part of the tortilla and lay the top of the tortilla on top of the toothpick so that the toothpick is securing the tortilla open into the shape of a taco shell. Use the tongs to turn the tortillas over on each side until they are golden and crispy.
4. Transfer to Paper Towels. Use the tongs to transfer the taco shells from the oil to a plate covered with paper towels. Lay them upright on the open portion of the shells.  
5. Repeat. Cook as many shells as you need. Just be sure to add more oil to the pan and make sure the oil is hot before adding more tortillas to the pan.
6. Remove Toothpicks. Remove and discard the toothpick before serving.

Tips For Making The Best Taco Shells

1. Adjust the heat. If the tortillas start to burn, reduce the heat a bit. 
2. When making hard taco shells, keep the heat on medium-low so you can avoid pops and spatter of hot oil. You will need a pair of tongs to make hard taco shells. We always use toothpicks to hold the tortillas open in the shape of a taco shell as they fry.  If you don’t use toothpicks, you may end up with flat shells that break apart when you try to stuff them with meat and toppings.
3. Depending on how many taco shells you make, you may need to add more oil to the pan. Make sure the oil is hot before adding more tortillas. 

More Resources

• How to Cook Artichokes
• How to Cook Quinoa
• How to Poach Chicken
• How to Make Tortilla Strips
• How to Make Tortilla Chips
• How to Make Bouquet Garni

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Yield: 8 Servings

How To Make Taco Shells

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Learn How to Make Hard Taco Shells with this simple recipe. These crispy taco shells are perfectly crunchy and better than any Mexican restaurant out there. 

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup oil - vegetable, corn, canola, avocado or light olive oil
• 8 Corn tortillas
• Round toothpicks

Instructions

1. Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time to the skillet. The oil should sizzle a bit when you add the tortilla to the pan. 
2. Cook for about 15 seconds on one side, then using a pair of tongs turn the tortilla over to cook another 15 seconds on the other side. Use the tongs fold the tortilla in half. 
3. While holding the top of the tortilla (which is folded over the bottom part of the tortilla) with the tongs, use your other hand to carefully poke a toothpick in the bottom part of the tortilla and lay the top of the tortilla on top of the toothpick so that the toothpick is securing the tortilla open into the shape of a taco shell. Use the tongs to turn the tortillas over on each side until they are golden and crispy.
4. Use the tongs to transfer the taco shells from the oil to a plate covered with paper towels. Lay them upright on the open portion of the shells.  
5. Cook as many shells as you need. Just be sure to add more oil to the pan and make sure the oil is hot before adding more tortillas to the pan.
6. Remove and discard the toothpick before serving.

Notes

Tips For Making The Best Taco Shells

1. Adjust the heat. If the tortillas start to burn, reduce the heat a bit. 
2. When making hard taco shells, keep the heat on medium-low so you can avoid pops and spatter of hot oil. You will need a pair of tongs to make hard taco shells. We always use toothpicks to hold the tortillas open in the shape of a taco shell as they fry.  If you don’t use toothpicks, you may end up with flat shells that break apart when you try to stuff them with meat and toppings.
3. Depending on how many taco shells you make, you may need to add more oil to the pan. Make sure the oil is hot before adding more tortillas. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 106Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 4g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.