Cheetos Walking Tacos

Frito Pie, Tacos in a Bag, Walking Tacos – no matter what you call them I bet you haven’t tried Cheetos Walking Tacos before and it’s high time you changed that.

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I recently had a discussion with a friend of mine (born in Colombia and has also lived in Europe) about how eating while on the go is a very American concept. Many other countries would never dream of rushing a meal but here in the US, where being overworked is a virtue, it is a necessity – a way of life. (But I am in no way praising this fact.)

This discussion started when I mentioned I was going to make walking tacos with Cheetos instead of Fritos (much like my Cheetos salad instead of Doritos) and my friend had not heard of such a thing. To be fair it is quite the American dish to begin with: Fritos corn chips topped with taco meat, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and any of your other favorite taco toppings. I’ve also seen recipes for Doritos walking tacos.

Walking tacos are aptly named by the ease at which you can walk around with it, hang out around a campfire, or tailgate for a game, without the need for plates and little mess to clean up. They are also sometimes called tacos in a bag, or Frito pie. Whatever you call it, I associate it most with fair-type food, where you are indulging in something nostalgic while enjoying some other kind of entertainment at the same time, which often requires being mobile.

With today being #NationalCheeseDoodleDay , I decided it was time to make a Cheetos version of this American delicacy. If it’s good on Fritos and Doritos, why not another cheesy corn chip-like item to serve as the vessel? Surely more cheese cannot be detrimental to the integrity of the walking taco and I was correct. Which means if you liked this recipe you should also check out my Cheetos Pie!

What are Cheetos Walking Tacos made with?

• Cheetos
• Ground Beef
• Onion
• Taco Seasoning
• Died Tomatoes with Chiles
• Kidney Beans
• Shredded Cheese
• Lettuce
• Sour Cream

Don’t have anywhere to go? Just dump the Cheetos out onto a ::gasp:: plate and assemble with your favorite toppings.

Check out a couple of my other blogger buddies that are also celebrating #NationalCheeseDoodleDay !

• Cheetos Cheddar Beer Bread by Sweet ReciPEAs
• Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Mozzarella Sticks by Jen Around the World

CHEETOS WALKING TACOS

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Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2-1/2 Tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 (14 oz.) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes and green chiles
• 6 snack sized bags of Cheetos bags
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• Jalapeno slices, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a large skillet pan over medium heat, add the oil until hot. Add the onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink, about another 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.
2. Stir in taco seasoning, kidney beans, and tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
3. To assemble, slice open the longer side each Cheetos bag*. Fill each bag about 2/3 full with meat, top with cheese, lettuce and sour cream. Garnish with jalapenos if desired. Serve immediately. 

Notes

*Alternatively you could dump each into a shallow bowl and assemble with toppings.

Source: Adapted from NeighborFood and Taste of Home.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE