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All your favorite taco fixings inside a warm, fluffy fried cob! Homemade chalupa is a knockout dinner the whole family will go crazy for.

Switch up your taco night and try some of these other Mexican inspired recipes below: mullets, tostadas, or chile relleno!

3 chalupas on a blue and green serving plate.

What is Chalupa?

If you’ve never had one from Taco Bell before, here’s what a chalupa is and why it’s so good! Chalupas are a delicious Mexican dish known for their crispy fried tortillas topped with various delicious ingredients. (You can customize them however you like!) This recipe makes fresh chalupa rolls by mixing flour, baking powder, and milk to form the dough. After frying, fill with seasoned ground beef, pico de gallo, sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and cheese.

Try making chalupas at home – it’s easier than you think! You have the basic ingredients and straightforward directions to prepare these delicious Mexican dishes in your own kitchen. So whip up a fresh batch of fry bread, get your toppings, and get ready to make a dinner the whole family will love!

For Chalupa Shells:

You probably have everything in your pantry to make delicious fried rolls. From there, all you need is some taco meat, fresh veggies, and any sauces or seasonings you’d like to add!

  • Flour for all uses: To give your chalupa wraps structure.
  • baking powder: A leavening agent helps the chalupa rolls rise and become nice and airy.
  • salt: So the wraps don’t taste bland!
  • Pure milk: It adds moisture and richness to the dough.
  • Vegetable oil: Use to fry chalupa rolls until crispy and golden.

Class

  • minced meat: The main protein for the chalupa filling. You can also use ground pork, turkey, ground chicken, or chorizo ​​if you wish!
  • White onion cut into cubes: It adds a mild sweet onion flavor to the ground beef filling.
  • Taco seasoning: So the meat has the perfect amount of flavour. Use packaged taco seasoning or try making your own!
  • water: This way the meat mixture remains moist.
  • Pico de gallo: Fresh salsa made with diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro and lime juice. You can also use any other type of sauce you prefer, or omit it completely.
  • Cheddar cheese: It adds a rich, cheesy flavor to the chalupa.
  • Avocado slices: For some creamy goodness.
  • lettuce: Shred it to add a crunchy texture.
  • sour cream: A refreshing, creamy topping that complements the flavors of the chalupa.

How to Make Homemade Chalupas

I know it can be intimidating to fry your own chalupa rolls, but trust me, they’re actually pretty simple! The dough is very easy to prepare, and each roll only needs to be fried for a few minutes in a pan or pot. No need for a deep fryer!

Chalupa wrap

  1. Dry ingredients: In the mixer bowl, put the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk them by hand to combine.
  2. Add milk: Pour half the amount of milk into the bowl, and using a dough hook, knead the dough at medium speed, then add more milk gradually until the entire amount is added.
  3. break: After all the ingredients come together and the dough is smooth, remove it from the mixing bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the dough and let it rest for 45 minutes to an hour.
  4. appearance: When the dough has rested, divide it all into 2-inch circles. Place the circles on a floured surface and roll them all out to â…› to 1/4 inch thick. You can roll it with a rolling pin or flatten and stretch it using your hands.
  5. Fry: Add vegetable oil to the pan and heat it over medium-high heat. When the oil is ready, start frying the chalupa rolls one roll at a time by carefully placing them in the oil, then frying them for 2-3 minutes on each side.
  6. Transfer to plate: The rolls should be puffed and golden brown. When cooked, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
  7. break: Let the rolls rest a little before filling them.

Fillings

  1. Heating the pan: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Cooking beef and onions: Place the ground beef in the pan with the onions and cook until the meat is almost completely browned, 5-8 minutes.
  3. Add water and taco seasoning: Add 1/4 cup of water and taco seasoning and stir until the meat is completely covered. Continue cooking until the beef is completely cooked and all the water has evaporated.
  4. Filling lids: Fill the chalupa wraps with a generous amount of meat, pico de gallo, cheese, avocado, lettuce, and sour cream.
  5. Enjoy: Serve fresh!
The set of rolls is fried and the minced meat is browned in a pan.

Tips for cooking your own rolls

  • Let the dough rest: After preparing the chalupa dough, be sure to let it rest in a covered bowl. Allowing it to rest for 45 minutes to an hour helps it relax, making it easier to handle when shaping it.
  • Get the oil hot: The temperature of the vegetable oil should be around 350-375°F before adding the chalupa dough. Test by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil (it should sizzle) or using a cooking thermometer.
  • Fry in small batches: Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry only one or two pieces of dough at a time so they cook evenly!
  • Drain excess oil: After frying, transfer the chalupa rolls to a plate covered with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Chalupa class

You can customize the layer as much as you want! Add black beans, refried beans, guacamole, replace ground beef with ground turkey, or any number of changes that suit your taste!

Roasted Tomato Sauce (Tatemada Sauce)

15 minutes

Pico de gallo

10 minutes

Guacamole

15 minutes

Homemade refried beans

15 minutes

Close-up of three chalupas filled with beef and vegetables.

Storing leftovers

Chalupas shine brightest when served fresh and hot, straight from the fryer. Those crispy rolls and warm fillings? This is what makes them irresistible! Although it’s best to serve it right away, if you have leftovers, here’s how to store them:

  • Remaining covers: If possible, store the rolls separately from the toppings so as not to make the bread soggy. In an airtight container, the wraps will keep good for about 3 days at room temperature.
  • Meat and toppings: My general rule is to keep the taco meat in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat over the stove over medium heat with a little water if necessary to add moisture. Avocados are best served the same day to prevent them from turning brown, but pico de gallo and other vegetables can be stored in separate containers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Want to serve leftover chalupas warm?

For that fresh effect, add the remaining chalupa wrappers to a baking sheet and heat in the oven for 5 minutes at 250°F.

Chalupa is captured.

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Chalupa wrap

  • In the mixer bowl, put the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk them by hand to combine.

  • Pour half the amount of milk into the bowl, and using a dough hook, knead the dough at medium speed, then add more milk gradually until the entire amount is added.

  • After all the ingredients come together and the dough is smooth, remove it from the mixing bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the dough and let it rest for 45 minutes to an hour.

  • When the dough has rested, divide it all into 2-inch circles. Place the circles on a floured surface and roll them all out to â…› to 1/4 inch thick. You can roll it with a rolling pin or flatten and stretch it using your hands.

  • Add vegetable oil to the pan and heat it over medium-high heat. When the oil is ready, start frying the chalupa rolls one roll at a time by carefully placing them in the oil, then frying them for 2-3 minutes on each side.

  • The rolls should be puffed and golden brown. When cooked, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

  • Let the rolls rest a little before filling them.

Fillings

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  • Place the ground beef in the pan with the onions and cook until the meat is almost completely browned, 5-8 minutes.

  • Add 1/4 cup of water and taco seasoning and stir until the meat is completely covered. Continue cooking until the beef is completely cooked and all the water has evaporated.

  • Fill the chalupa wraps with a generous amount of meat, pico de gallo, cheese, avocado, lettuce, and sour cream.

  • Serve fresh!

Calories: 2843CaloriesCarbohydrates: 323gprotein: 133gfat: 110gSaturated fat: 44gUnsaturated fats: 4gMonounsaturated fats: 43gUnsaturated fats: 6gCholesterol: 381mgsodium: 3250mgPotassium: 4782mgFiber: 12gsugar: 25gVitamin A: 1260international unitVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 1781mgiron: 29mg

Nutritional information is calculated automatically, so should only be used as an estimate.

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