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    Make It Skinny Please » Recipes » Main Dishes » Enchilada Cups

    Published: Aug 21, 2022 · Modified: Oct 5, 2022 by Toni Dash · 15 Comments

    Enchilada Cups

    Weight Watchers Points6
    Calories: 179kcal
    Carbs: 18g
    Protein: 13g
    Fats: 6g
    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    enchilada cups taco cups on platter.

    Homemade crispy tortilla cups are filled with a spicy ground beef filling for a fun twist on a traditional enchilada! Perfect for a main dish, perfect appetizer or game day hang outs. These filling Enchilada Cups are made in a muffin tin and have lots of options to change them up!

    enchilada cups taco cups on platter.
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    enchilada cups taco cups on platter.

    These fun Enchilada Cups are delicious and satisfying. They make a perfect individual serving too. Once you learn how to make the tortilla cups you can use them for your own version of classic tacos too! Made in regular-size muffin cups they are easy and fun.

    The spicy filling is hearty and filling. They have just the right amount of melty cheese on top too. They are easy to make a big batch and an easy way to feed a crowd or for holiday parties.

    We slimmed down the calories with lean meat and reduced fat cheese (and less of it) but these savory treats are perfect for a delicious Mexican dinner. Pair them with our cauliflower Spanish rice or other Mexican recipes for a lower calorie diet. A fun alternative to regular beef enchiladas.

    Jump to:
    • What makes this skinny?
    • Recipe Ingredient Notes
    • Topping ideas
    • How to make easy Enchilada Cups
    • Variations and Substitutions
    • Expert tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • How to store
    • More recipes you'll love!
    • Recipe

    What makes this skinny?

    • Instead of using high-fat meat we've used extra lean (96% lean 4% fat) ground beef. You can make them even skinnier using ground turkey or ground chicken.
    • Using reduced fat Mexican cheese blend and less of it.
    • Skipped the high-fat toppings to go for fresher, flavorful options and low calorie substitutes.
    • Portion control. Unlike regular beef enchiladas or chicken enchiladas, these enchilada cups are clearly portioned for easier tracking.

    Recipe Ingredient Notes

    enchilada cups labelled ingredients.

    Small flour tortillas. Flour tortillas that are 5-6 inches in diameter are the right size for these taco cups. You can also cut down larger tortillas if needed. For instance there is only one size of gluten-free flour tortillas (Mission brand) and we trimmed them for perfect results.

    Extra lean ground beef. We used 96% lean ground beef. You can take even more calories out by using ground turkey or ground chicken.

    Taco seasoning. You'll use 2 tablespoons. You can use a store packet (you won't use all of it) or our homemade taco seasoning.

    Enchilada sauce. We used 1 10-ounce can of red enchilada sauce. We suggest using mild sauce. Paired with the taco seasoning and pickled jalapeno peppers these little enchilada cups can get spicy!

    Corn. A half cup of either fresh corn or frozen corn is used. If using frozen you don't need to thaw it first. Once it's added to the hot filling mixture it will thaw.

    Pickled jalapeno peppers. These are available in jars in the international food section of the grocery store. They add a tangy spicy pop of flavor.

    Reduced fat Mexican blend cheese. This pre-shredded cheese combo is available in the dairy section of the grocery store.

    enchilada cups on platter side view.

    Topping ideas

    What's fun about these enchilada cups is adding your favorite toppings. Here are some ideas for great flavor while keeping the calories lower:

    • sliced green onions or diced red onion
    • shredded iceberg lettuce
    • chopped tomatoes
    • diced green chilies
    • a dollop of plain fat-free Greek yogurt (we love Chobani) or reduced fat sour cream
    • fresh cilantro (chopped or torn)
    • diced avocado or guacamole
    • pico de gallo

    How to make easy Enchilada Cups

    STEP 1. Preparation

    Heat oven to 350° f. Spray 12 cups of a standard-sized muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

    STEP 2. Make the tortilla cups

    Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave 10-15 seconds (this softens them).

    Place the small tortillas in the muffin tins to form bowls. You can fill them with beans or tin foil balls to keep their shape while baking (photo 1) Be sure that the way they are folded keeps the middle open (so they can be filled).

    Bake for 15 minutes or until crispy.

    enchilada cups recipe steps 1-4.

    STEP 3. Make the filling

    While the tortilla cups are cooking, cook the ground beef. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking apart the ground beef into small crumbles as it cooks. Cook until no pink color remains.

    Add the taco seasoning and enchilada sauce and stir (photos 2-3). Add the black beans, corn kernels, and jalapenos (photo 4).

    enchilada cups recipe steps 5-7.

    STEP 4. Fill and Bake

    When the tortilla cups are done, spoon the beef mixture into the tortilla cups until nearly full (photo 5). Add a pinch of cheese on top of each tortilla cup (photo 6).

    Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. The cheese should be melted and the filling heated through (photo 7).

    Remove and serve with your favorite toppings.

    Variations and Substitutions

    Use shredded chicken. You can substitute cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken or other leftover chicken OR shred our Air Fryer Chicken Breast) if you love chicken enchiladas. Use 3 cups and make sure it's in small pieces (or chop it). Add it with the other ingredients since it will already be cooked.

    Use our Instant Pot Mexican Chicken. If making this substitution you won't need as much taco seasoning (or any depending on the salsa you used to cook the chicken). Either remove the chicken with a slotted spoon or use the chicken AND the cooking sauce and don't use the can of enchilada sauce.

    enchilada cups on platter.

    Expert tips

    Warm the tortillas first. This helps make them pliable so they'll fit into the muffin cavities without tearing. This method is great any time you are serving flour tortillas or corn tortillas right out of the refrigerator too for any Mexican food recipes.

    Gently press tortillas. Gently press them into the prepared muffin tins to avoid tearing them and to ensure a proper cup.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use street taco size tortillas?

    Those are usually around 4.5 inches in diameter. So they should work. We wanted to have a bit more tortilla to extend past the top of each cup so used 5-6 inch tortillas.

    Can I use corn tortillas?

    Corn tortillas tend to break more easily and are not as soft or pliable as flour tortillas. They also break more easily with more liquid. You can certainly try them but we recommend using flour tortillas for best results.

    How to store

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.

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    Recipe

    Enchilada Cups

    Weight Watchers Points6
    Click to track Weight Watchers Points
    These mini Enchilada Cups or Taco Cups are fun and easy to make. They are brimming with favorite Mexican flavors and make a great unexpected main dish, appetizer or large batch serving for a party or game day.
    5 from 92 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 179kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
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    Ingredients

    Enchilada Cups

    • 12 small flour tortillas 5-6 inch flour tortillas; regular or gluten-free
    • 1 pound extra lean ground beef 96% lean 4% fat
    • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
    • 1 10-ounce can mild red enchilada sauce
    • 1 14-ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
    • ½ cup whole kernel corn fresh or frozen
    • ¼ cup chopped pickled jalapenos
    • 1 ½ cup reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese

    Optional topping ideas

    • ¼ cup cilantro chopped
    • 1 green onion sliced
    • ¼ cup diced tomato
    • ¼ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt or reduced-fat sour cream
    • ¼ diced avocado or guacamole

    Instructions

    • Heat the oven to 350°f. Spray 12 regular size muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Wrap the small tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable.
    • Place the small tortillas in the prepared muffin cavities to form bowls. You can fill them with beans or tin foil balls to keep their shape while baking. Ensure the center is kept open (that the folds don't protrude into the center areas).
      Bake for 15 minutes or until crispy.
    • While the tortilla cups are baking, cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat breaking the meat into small crumbles as it cooks. Cook until no pink color remains.
    • Stir in the taco seasoning and enchilada sauce.
      Add the black beans, corn, and jalapenos.
    • Remove the tortilla cups from the oven. Spoon the beef mixture into the tortilla cups until nearly full. Top with the shredded cheese.
    • Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the filling is warmed through.
    • Remove and serve with your favorite toppings.

    Notes

    Warm the tortillas first. This helps make them pliable so they'll fit into the muffin cavities without tearing. This method is great any time you are serving flour tortillas or corn tortillas right out of the refrigerator too for any Mexican food recipes.
    Gently press tortillas. Gently press them into the prepared muffin tins to avoid tearing them and to ensure a proper cup.
    Can I use corn tortillas? They tend to not be as pliable and break more easily so we don't recommend them for this recipe.
    How to store
    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 384mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 1mg
    enchilada cups taco cups on platter.
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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutritional Coach and certified Weight Loss Specialist, writer/blogger, photographer, chief recipe developer and creator of Make It Skinny Please. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her slimmed down recipes using real food ingredients bring excitement to the dining table and never taste like 'diet food'. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 92 votes (77 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Patricia Eckert says

      October 12, 2024 at 12:37 pm

      5 stars
      Followed recipe except I used hot ground pork sausage and kidney beans instead of black beans. Delicious
      thank you!

      Reply
    2. Angela says

      April 24, 2024 at 9:00 am

      5 stars
      We made these last night and got our kids to add their own fillings. Huge success and we'll definitely be making these again!

      Reply
    3. Caroline says

      April 24, 2024 at 8:47 am

      5 stars
      I love how easy and fun these are - perfect party food!

      Reply
    4. Tayler says

      April 24, 2024 at 7:52 am

      5 stars
      I made these enchilada cups for our Mexican night last night and they were a hit! The kids loved them too!

      Reply
    5. Paula says

      April 24, 2024 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      These are so tasty and fun to eat, too! My kids loved that they were bite size. Such a fun dinner idea!

      Reply
    6. Vicky says

      April 24, 2024 at 7:09 am

      5 stars
      These enchilada cups were AMAZING! I love the idea of individual portions and that spicy kick was perfect.

      Reply
    7. cate says

      August 22, 2022 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      We loved these so much, they were so flavorful!

      Reply
    8. Karen H says

      August 22, 2022 at 3:46 pm

      5 stars
      We had family friends over for Taco Tuesday and made these as a fun appetizer! So easy to make and delicious!!

      Reply
    9. Erin says

      August 22, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy!

      Reply
    10. Shadi says

      August 22, 2022 at 9:48 am

      5 stars
      This was amazing and such a treat! Thank you! Everyone in my family loved it.

      Reply
    11. Tayler says

      August 22, 2022 at 9:27 am

      5 stars
      We had these enchilada cups for dinner last night and I already can't wait to make them again. So delicious and easy!

      Reply
    12. Kali Alexandria says

      August 22, 2022 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      I made this recipe over the weekend for a social event. It was a hit!!

      Reply
    13. Katherine says

      August 22, 2022 at 7:19 am

      5 stars
      I love this creative twist on enchilada!

      Reply
    14. Jen says

      August 22, 2022 at 7:11 am

      5 stars
      We just tried it and it was a huge hit!! My kids loved it! I will definitely make it again!

      Reply
    15. Sophia says

      August 22, 2022 at 7:10 am

      5 stars
      These are so cute and really filling! I'm making them again this weekend for a party.

      Reply

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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I'm a Certified Nutrition Coach and NASM certified Weight Loss Specialist. I'm excited to share Classic Recipes made more calorie friendly using real food!

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