Crispy crunch alert! Try these easy Keto taco shells on your next taco night. We thought they tasted just like real corn tacos. Only 3 ingredients, gluten free and low carb!
Friends, I am so excited to share this recipe for extra crunchy, super delicious low carb taco shells. They are SO MUCH CRISPIER than the 100 % cheese tacos that are making the rounds in Ketogenic circles! Plus, they hold together WAY better.
First things first.
Can you eat corn taco shells on Keto?
Tortillas made from either wheat or corn contain around 45 grams of carbs per 100 grams. One small 6 inch corn tortilla comes in at 12-15 net carbs. When you’re low carb or Keto, you would not want to eat more than one. And considering the doubtful reputation of corn (it spikes blood sugar levels and is often genetically modified), you’d better stay away altogether.
The thing is, EVERYBODY loves tacos. That’s why the low carb community came up with the genius idea to make tacos from cheese. All you need to do is melt taco-sized circles of grated cheese – cheddar is a favourite – in the oven. As soon as they have browned and then cooled enough, you hang them over the rim of a bowl or pan. This way, the cheese cool sand firms up into a taco shape.
Cheese tacos taste good. But I have always found they are NOT CRISPY ENOUGH. Plus, they feel a bit greasy.
That’s why I came up with this awesomely crispy Keto taco shell recipe containing mozzarella cheese, coconut flour and psyllium powder. Both the coconut flour and the psyllium absorb liquid and add crunch plus a texture that similar to real corn tortillas.
How to make super crispy Keto taco shells – step by step:
1.) Put the mozzarella, psyllium powder and coconut flour into a food processor or bowl.
2.) Blend until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Blending instead of melting the mozzarella as you would in Fathead dough saves you having to roll out the dough!
3.) Draw 7 circles (15 cm / 6 inch diameter each) onto parchment paper using a prop such as a small saucepan lid. And yes – I am left-handed 🙂
4.) Using a 1/4 cup, scoop the mix into each of the circles. (ca 34 grams per circle).
5.) Spread out those crumbs!
6.) Place a parchment paper on top and flatten the Keto taco dough with your hands or with a rolling pin. Press down really well!!!
7.) ….and when it looks like this it can go in the oven!
8.) After 7 minutes the taco shells look like this – nicely browned around the edges. The top is still light in colour, but the underside will be browned as well (see image below).
9.) Don’t wait! Pick up the shells whilst they’re still hot and place them over the rim of a large pan. Leave them to cool into awesomely crispy Keto taco shells!
10.) Aaand done! What filling would you like in this beauty?
Tips and tricks to make perfect Keto taco shells
You have to work quickly!
As soon as the tortillas are cool enough to touch – about 10 seconds – and drape them over the pot/large bowl. If you wait too long, as soon as they cool they’ll break when you bend them.
If you don’t have a large pot or bowl, place an oven rack over the sink. Drape the tortillas between the bars of the rack so the sides hang down and form the tortilla shape.
Feel like a bit of spice?
Add 1 tsp of cumin and a pinch (or 2) of chilli to your dough.
I have not tried this myself, but you could use cheddar cheese instead of the mozzarella. Cheddar becomes more liquid than mozzarella when hot, so you may have to wait a little longer before you can lift the taco.
Can you make Keto taco shells in advance?
These taco shells are best enjoyed on the same day. That’s when they are at their crispiest.
You can store them in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for a day or a for a few days in the fridge. They will still hold your taco fillings, won’t get soggy and taste perfectly fine. However, they do lose some of their crunch.
You can even carefully reheat these cheese taco shells in the microwave. Give them a quick blast only, because they’ll soften and will eventually stick together. I microwaved one for 10 seconds on one side, then turned it over and gave it another 5 seconds. This warmed up the taco without making it collapse.
I do not recommend freezing these taco shells.
If you want to save time, why not make your ground beef the day before instead? I find that beef dishes always taste better the day after, once the flavours have had time to mingle and develop. And this way, dinner will come together in a flash!
If you like Mexican food, you’d also love
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Crispy Keto Taco Shells
These are the crispiest low carb Keto taco shells you'll ever taste! They're easy and quick to make and contain only 1.1g net carbs per shell. Load in your favourite taco filling and enjoy on Taco Tuesday!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups / 225g pre-shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup / 25g coconut flour
- 2 tsp psyllium husk powder
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 175 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit.
Mix all ingredients in a food processor or with an electric mixer until they resemble small crumbs.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw circles of 6 inch / 15 cm diameter on the parchment. I traced around a small saucepan lid, but you can use any round object that size.
Scoop 1/4 cup of the taco shell mix onto each circle and spread out inside the circle.
Place a second parchment paper on top and press down the dough with your hands or use a rolling pin. Press down well - you want it nice and compacted.
Remove the top parchment paper and bake in the oven for 7 minutes or until the edges of each taco have browned.
Remove from the oven and hang each taco shell over the side of a large saucepan until cooled.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
For an extra kick add spices such as cumin or chilli to the mix.
If you don't have a large pot, place an oven rack over the sink. Drape the tortillas between the bars of the rack so the sides hang down and form the taco shape.
The recipe works with just mozzarella, but the psyllium and the coconut flour make your keto taco shells extra crispy and super sturdy.
I think 2 tacos filled with cumin spiced ground beef, avocado, tomato, lettuce, coriander/cilantro and sour cream make a filling meal (unless you're a teenager - my son is 15 and he ate 3).
Nutrition is calculated per 1 taco without filling.
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Rich says
April 8, 2019 at 8:09 pmI’ve now made these twice and they’ve been a huge success both times! When I first made them I could hardly believe they would work. I did have to be careful when taking them from the oven and folding along the side of the bowl. But I was better the second time.
Thanks so much for this – I’m really enjoying trying out your recipes!
Katrin says
April 9, 2019 at 9:42 amGlad you like the tacos Rich!
Karen says
April 7, 2019 at 7:07 pmReally loved these shells!
On my first try, I did experience a bit of crumbliness. My husband suggested to put in a beaten egg white to help hold it together.
My next attempt with the egg white was terrific!
I will be using these shells very often!!
Thanks for posting it!
Katrin says
April 8, 2019 at 12:00 pmThat’s a good tip about the egg white, thank you. I think temperature is key in this recipe – the mozzarella is softer and will combine better with the coconut flour if it’s room temperature. That, and really pressing the tacos down well
Jacoba says
April 5, 2019 at 11:12 pmDo the shells taste like coconut because so far everything I mademade with coconut flour has a really strong coconut taste and seeing as I’m not the biggest fan of coconut I would like to know before I make them.
JJ
Katrin says
April 6, 2019 at 8:04 amHi, I don’t think the taste is coconutty – I think it’s quite neutral, especially if you added additional spices, and I have had a couple of people in the comments say the same – you can take a look below. However, there are some people who just HATE the taste of coconut and if you are one of them, then this recipe might not be for you. Don’t want you to be disappointed! You could always try making taco shells with the dough for my tortilla chips
Morel says
April 1, 2019 at 5:14 pmWould these work as tortillas for quesadillas?
Katrin says
April 1, 2019 at 6:25 pmI think it’s better to have slightly softer tortillas for quesadillas. These tacos get really crispy. You could try adding more mozzarella to make them more bendable.
Wendy says
March 29, 2019 at 4:37 pmI can’t wait to try these! I’ll be buying the cheese this weekend and the healthy fings. The recipe sounds easy and quick. A Q, you say to draw circles on the parchment paper…how many? I love the nutri. panel for one shell, but how many can I expect the recipe to yield?
Katrin says
April 1, 2019 at 7:28 amThe recipe makes 7 tacos, if you use the same measurements I did.
Annette Hoyt says
March 19, 2019 at 10:11 pmI have tried a lot of different low carb taco shells and these are by far the best. I added some chili powder to mine. They were perfect! Will be be my go to recipe from now on.
Susan says
March 10, 2019 at 12:27 amI am so disappointed… I looked forward to them all week and followed directions exactly. They were dry and crumbly and fell to pieces the second I tried to scoop them up. Epic fail.
Katrin says
March 11, 2019 at 3:22 pmThat is such a shame Susan! I’ve had loads of people make it with great results now, posting images on Facebook and Instagram, so I feel confident we can work out where it went wrong for you.
Firstly, it’s always best to use scales. If you use cups, it’s got to be US measuring cups and not a regular cup (I’m sorry if this is obvious to you, I did not know this myself until I started to get into cooking and baking properly).
If you are using US cups, make sure that the tops are levelled – this is especially important for coconut flour as it sounds to me that your coconut flour / mozzarella ratio was off.
For the next time make sure you pack the cup with mozzarella a bit more. Maybe use room temperature mozzarella so it’s got more of a chance to melt in the oven. Then, after you make your taco circles, really press down the “dough” with your hands to compact it.
I hope you’ll try them again. They are crispy, but they definitely should not fall apart. Let me know how you get on!
Cari Watts says
March 6, 2019 at 1:24 ami never comment on the things i try, but these were so delicious I just had to!! WOW!!! I’m not a fan of coconut, but didn’t taste coconutty at all! 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.
Katrin says
March 6, 2019 at 2:03 pmHi Cari, I’m so glad you like them!!!
Lynn S says
March 5, 2019 at 3:55 amThis makes great chips also. I had been planning to make these shells for dinner tonight but opted to make your Breakfast Buns to go with sloppy joes. I was still craving some guacamole tonight and wonder how this recipe would work as tortilla chips. I made the recipe as directed adding cumin and chili powder but used a teaspoon to portion out. I took them out when the edges were brown and let them sit on the sheet pan for about 5 minutes. They were crispy and very study. They had no coconut flavor at all. I had a lot left over so I place the mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator, I’ll have snacks all week.
Katrin says
March 5, 2019 at 9:48 amThat’s so good to know! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Chris says
March 3, 2019 at 4:26 amI tried these for the first time tonight. They were really good. I found that using the back of a spoon helps to press them into the shape and hold them together. Liike you said in a post above, the taste is very neutral. I like how the cheese is blended into the flour, which I will use on fathead pizza dough in the future. THANKS for the idea.
Katrin says
March 3, 2019 at 3:13 pmHi Chris, I’m so glad they were a success. And thanks for your tip with the spoon!
Veronica says
March 1, 2019 at 8:55 pmDo the shells have a coconut taste to them?
Katrin says
March 2, 2019 at 10:47 amI don’t think the coconut taste shines through, I think the taste is quite neutral, but then I like coconut flour. If you are one of the people who absolutely hates the taste of coconut you’d probably taste it. If you added spices you’d cover it up quite well I’d think.
Pam says
March 4, 2019 at 9:52 pmCould you use almond flour instead of coconut flour?
Katrin says
March 5, 2019 at 9:47 amYes, I think that would work just as well.
Katherine Bicicchi says
February 28, 2019 at 6:11 pmHaven’t tried this yet, because I am just starting on this road. One of my favorite things is avocado toast and I have been trying to figure out how I can manage that. I do have one of your bread recipes, but I wanted something lighter. This sounds like a great solution and I am going to try it right away. Can’t wait. I’ll star it, I’m sure, at mission accomplished time.
Katrin says
February 28, 2019 at 6:54 pmHope you’ll like it Katherine. It would be nice with any filling. If you’re looking for a lighter bread recipe, you should try my Keto breakfast buns too. I think you’d like it, and you’ll get the full bread experience.
Deborah says
February 28, 2019 at 4:46 pmResult!!! This recipe is a GAME CHANGER. I loved how crispy my tacos were. Will definitely be making these again. THANK YOU
Katrin says
February 28, 2019 at 5:49 pmYou’re welcome Deborah! I’m glad they went down well. I’ll be making tacos a whole lot more often now – we all went crazy for them!
Glenda says
February 27, 2019 at 9:04 pmIs there something else can I substitute for physlium powder?
Katrin says
February 28, 2019 at 11:32 amyou could try ground flax or ground chia seeds. Or add a bit more coconut flour.