Here I’ll show you a fun and delicious way to make puff pastry tacos!
I hope it goes without saying that I’m using the term ‘taco’ fairly loosely here 😅. They are undoubtedly delicious either way. Plus, they couldn’t be easier to make! Follow me…
Beef Taco Mince
The filling is really simple to make. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Beef – I recommend using lean mince, just so they don’t end up too oily. Because they’re cooked upside down, the cheese leaks a lot of oil, so we don’t want too much more added. If you only have very fatty mince, I recommend draining some of the oil away after you’ve fried it. For reference, I use 5% fat beef.
- Seasoning – I use a simple homemade seasoning mix, but you can use a packet of store-bought if you’d prefer.
- Tomato Puree – This adds some flavour and thickens everything up.
- Water – Helps prevent the beef from drying out.
Ideally you want to let the beef cool, at least until it stops steaming. But this is a quick recipe so it’s not a huge deal if you dive right into the next step!
Process shots: fry beef (photos 1&2), stir in seasoning (photo 3), stir in tomato puree and water (photo 4).
Upside Down Puff Pastry Tacos
I try not to do trends just for the sake of it. In fact, I rarely hop on any trends at all (I’ve been at this too long – a grandad blogger if you will). I’m pretty late to the game in spotting the viral upside down pastry trend, but it looked too fun not to try. I actually spotted it first on Lilygbake’s page, where she made a sweet version. As you know, I am a savoury tooth through and through, so I thought I’d give them a taco twist!
What is the upside down pastry trend?
Instead of putting the filling on top of the pastry, you essentially put it underneath the pastry and bake. To serve, you then flip them over. For this recipe, that translates to placing cheese and beef on baking paper, then placing the pastry on top and baking.
Why bake them upside down?
I’ll be honest, the first time I thought about trying this, my main thought was ‘that looks fun’. But I figured out there’s a couple of extra benefits:
- Crispy – because the pastry has no filling weighing it down, it puffs up beautifully and goes gorgeously crisp.
- Filling – because the beef is tucked away under the pastry it stays juicy and doesn’t dry out.
Process shots: sprinkle cheese on baking paper (photo 1), add beef (photo 2), add pastry (photo 3), brush with egg wash (photo 4), bake (photos 5&6).
Puff Pastry Tacos FAQ
What kind of cheese should I use?
I use a spicy 4 cheese mix from Morrisons, but Cheddar and Monterey Jack are also great options.
Won’t they stick to the paper?
Nope! The cheese releases a fair bit of fat to prevent them from sticking. Plus baking paper is already non-stick too.
How do you turn them over?
The pastry should lift straight off the baking paper when you slide a spatula underneath. If for whatever reason it doesn’t, you can cut around each pastry then individually flip them over and remove the paper.
Serving Puff Pastry Tacos
You can really follow your tastebuds with the toppings. Here’s what I use to film:
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Red Onion
- Avocado
- Jalapeños
- Coriander/Cilantro
- Lime Juice
I also made a simple taco sauce by combining sour cream and Sriracha!
These are pretty hearty so I don’t tend to add anything on the side, but you could grab a couple of bags of tortilla chips if you fancied (or make your own tortilla chips).
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these upside down puff pastry tacos shall we?!
How to make Upside Down Puff Pastry Tacos (Full Recipe & Video)
Upside Down Puff Pastry Tacos
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Frying Pan & Wooden Spoon
- 2 Baking Trays
- Baking Paper
- Small Bowl & Brush (for egg wash)
- Flat Spatula (for lifting tacos off paper)
Ingredients
Beef
- drizzle of Olive Oil
- 500g / 1lb Lean Minced/Ground Beef
- 1 heaped tbsp Tomato Puree (tomato paste in US)
- 2-3 tbsp Water
Seasoning
- 2 tsp EACH: Paprika, Cumin
- 1 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Oregano
- 1/2 – 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Sugar, Cayenne Pepper (or to spice preference)
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Tacos
- 2x sheets of pre-rolled Puff Pastry (see notes)
- 200g / 7oz Cheese, grated (see notes)
- 1 Egg, beaten
- 1x 150g/5oz pot of Sour Cream
- 2-3 tbsp Sriracha
- Your Favourite Taco Toppings (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
- Add a drizzle of oil to a large pan over medium-high heat then add the beef. Break it up with your wooden spoon and when it begins to brown, stir in the taco seasoning and continue frying until the beef is cooked through. Add the tomato puree and water and continue frying for another minute or so until the water soaks up and the beef is nice and thick/juicy. If you have time, leave to cool, at least until it stops steaming.
- Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Slice one of the pastry sheets into 8 even-sized rectangles, then slice 2 more out of the second sheet (store the rest for a rainy day). Sprinkle the cheese in 10 mounds in the same shape as the pastry (just a teeny bit smaller) then top with the beef. Place the pastry over the top and press around the outside to secure the filling (doesn't have to be perfect) then brush with egg wash.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until deep golden and crispy. During this time you can prep the toppings and make the sauce by combining the sour cream and sriracha. The pastry should lift straight off the baking paper when you slide a spatula underneath. If for whatever reason it doesn't, you can cut around each pastry then individually flip them over and remove the paper.
- Add the toppings and sauce then tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
b) Pastry/Servings – If you don’t want to buy an extra sheet of pastry for 2 extra tacos you can just make 8 and have a little meat leftover. In all cases I recommend keeping the pastry in the fridge until needed so it’s easier to work with. For reference, 1 sheet of pastry is 320g/11oz and 14″x9″ (35.5cmx22cm).
c) Cheese – I use a spicy 4 cheese mix from Morrisons, but Cheddar and Monterey Jack are also great options. For ease, I usually place a bowl of the cheese on scales and pinch 20g portions at a time, just so it’s all evenly distributed.
d) Toppings – I used everything but the kitchen sink when shooting this recipe, but follow your tastebuds on what you fancy. For reference I used:
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Red Onion
- Avocado
- Jalapeños
- Coriander/Cilantro
- Lime Juice
e) Calories – Per taco with no toppings.
Nutrition
For more taco inspired recipes check out my Taco Pasta Bake and Taco Sweet Potatoes!
For more similar recipes check out these beauties:
Taco Recipes
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