The cheese surrounding these tacos is cooked until almost burnt — they’re crispy, deep golden brown, and overwhelmingly delicious.
I don’t want to exaggerate, but I’m pretty sure that burnt, crispy cheese is the 8th wonder of the world. I mean how lucky we are to live in a reality where cheese is made easy too long is the most delicious thing you can wish for?
I’ll take every opportunity to savor scorched cheese—cheesy fried eggs, parmesan or cheddar chips, extra-roasted Cheez-Its, and of course, those scorched cheese tacos. Preparing these crispy, crunchy, ultra cheesy tacos is as easy as it gets. You need two simple ingredients: cheese and a tortilla.
Smart tips for perfectly seared cheese tacos
- You can use any shredded, melty cheese like cheddar, Monterrey Jack, pepper jack, or mozzarella. I like to use a Mexican blend because you get a mix of everything. I opt for pre-shredded cheese because it’s one less step, but if you’d rather grate the cheese yourself, you can do that.
- Corn or flour tortillas work the same way. Look for fajita-style flour tortillas, which are about the same size as a 6-inch corn tortilla meant for tacos.
- I would recommend using a non-stick pan; However, if your cast iron is well seasoned, you can make it there.
- Remember we go for a deep golden brown here, so make sure the cheese that will be in direct contact with the pan is extra toasted before folding the taco over itself. If you notice the cheese getting very dark to the point of being uncomfortably burned, turn the flame down.
- When it’s time to fold the taco, use a rubber spatula to gently push both sides together and seal it with the melted cheese inside.
The chipotle dipping sauce
I like to eat these cheese tacos with a light chipotle dipping sauce — the more cans of chipotle in adobo sauce you add, the spicier it gets — but they’d be just as delicious with salsa, sour cream, and maybe a few slices of fresh Avocado. However, these tacos can be enjoyed without any seasoning at all. They are so delicious.
Fill them out as you wish
Get creative with what you put in the tacos. Dress her up, why don’t you? Fried beans, boiled chicken, crumbled chorizo, sautéed mushrooms, seared steak, scrambled eggs, black beans, or tater tots are all fair game. For a cheesy weekend breakfast or a comforting late night snack, make these tacos with burnt cheese never go off season.
- Birria Tacos
- SPAM tacos with pineapple
- Breakfast tacos with chorizo and eggs
- Fried egg taco
- Easy Fish Tacos
Burnt Cheese Tacos
ingredients
For the chipotle sauce
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1/2 Cup mayonnaise
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2 tablespoon canned Chipotle in Adobo sauceplus more to taste
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1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
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1/2 teaspoon kosher saltplus more to taste
For the tacos
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Nonstick Cooking Spray
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3 1/2 cups grated Mexican cheesedivided
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6 (6 inches) corn or fajita style flour tortillas
method
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Make the Dipping Sauce:
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, chipotle, lime juice, and salt. Taste and season with more salt or stir in more chipotle in adobo sauce for extra heat. Put aside.
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Make the tacos:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. Once hot, sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese in a 6-inch circle. It’s okay if the cheese has gaps, as long as the circle is big enough.
Place the tortilla on the circle of cheese. There should still be a few pieces of cheese visible around the edges of the tortilla. Then sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on half of the tortilla. Cook until cheese in contact with pan begins to turn golden brown around the edges, about 2 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, gently lift the crispy cheese out of the pan and fold the bare half of the tortilla onto the cheesy half and press firmly.
Cook until center is completely melted and crispy cheese is deep golden brown on both sides, 2 minutes. Prepare the remaining tacos following these steps.
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Surcharge:
Serve immediately with chipotle sauce for dipping.
The beauty of a burnt cheese taco is eating it while it’s still hot and crispy. If you make a few too many, refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days and reheat in a hot skillet to re-crisp the outside and melt the inside.
Did you like the recipe? Let’s star down!
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 1194 | calories |
| 66g | Fat |
| 100 g | carbohydrates |
| 48g | protein |
