Naked Sheet Pan Tacos

Make these Naked Sheet Pan Tacos for your next taco night! A high protein dinner that everyone will love, super easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes. Set out a whole bunch of taco toppings and everyone can customize their own portion. The only thing that makes these tacos more delicious is a generous drizzle of our Creamy Salsa Dressing!

Why Do We Call These “Naked” Sheet Pan Tacos?

We’re taking a little liberty with the name here…but we’ve been calling this recipe Naked Sheet Pan Tacos for over 10 years. We sort of think we were the OG’s of this method, which so many people seem to do now for high protein recipes. Ditch the taco shell and you can enjoy these sheet pan tacos any night of the week.

AND If you happen to follow any kind of programs like Weight Watchers…using a 90% lean ground beef or above along with low fat cheese, a serving of this is only 1 point. That will vary depending on what toppings you use, but topping like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños are all free. So when I say that we make these all the time – we make them ALL the time because there’s no guilt in enjoying them!

How To Make Naked Sheet Pan Tacos

The base for this taco recipe comes together in no time at all. About 2 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes in the oven!

• Press the ground beef onto your sheet pan in an even layer. Season with salt and taco seasoning and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Carefully tilt the pan (grab a hot mitt!) and drain as much grease off the pan as possible.
• Cover the top of the beef with shredded cheddar cheese and bake for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. If enjoying right away, add your taco toppings on to, slice and serve. If making for meal prepping, let cool then slice into portions and refrigerate. When ready, warm in the microwave and then add the cold toppings.

What Kind Of Toppings Can I Add?

Just about anything goes in my house! But we’ve got some ideas here for you below. You can keep it simple with just shredded lettuce or add on as many toppings as you like.

• Shredded Lettuce/Cilantro
• Different types of cheese like cheddar, pepper jack, or a drizzle of queso
• Diced tomatoes
• Pickled or fresh jalapeños
• Diced avocado or guacamole
• Black beans or dollops of refried beans
• Salsa or pico de gallo
• Sour Cream
• Creamy Salsa Dressing

Of course you can go all out with the toppings, especially if you’re serving these for a party. Pickled onions are another favorite of ours, along with some fresh lime wedges for a nice looking platter and a tangy finish.

Tips For Success

This sheet pan taco recipe really can’t get much easier, but we do have a few tips to make sure they turn out tasting their best!

• Use a lean ground beef: The leaner the beef, the less grease to drain. You’ll still have to drain the grease from the pan but there will be much less if you use a 90% lean ground beef or above. Also since there will be less fat to drain off you’ll end up with a bigger rectangle of beef.
• Drain the grease well: To make sure you get those nice, caramelized crispy beef edges…make sure you drain the grease off as much as possible. Sometimes we’ll even dab the top of the beef lightly with paper towels.
• Hold off on adding toppings: Don’t add the toppings until right before you’re ready to eat. The combination of the melty cheese and hot beef with cool, crisp lettuce and veggies is the move. Wilted lettuce and warm tomatoes are not as fun to eat.

Looking For More Taco Recipes?

• Pan Fried Beef Tacos
• Air Fryer Tacos
• Baked Tacos (great for parties!)
• Smash Tacos

Naked Sheet Pan Tacos

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5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Dan
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Make these Naked Sheet Pan Tacos for your next taco night! A fun and delicious way to make tacos right on a sheet pan – with no shell! This ground beef dinner is also perfect for meal prepping, just add the toppings after reheating.

Ingredients

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• 2 1/2 pounds ground beef (use a 90% lean or above)
• 1/4 cup taco seasoning or our All Purpose Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (depending on the seasoning you’re using, you might need a little more or less)
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 2 cups diced tomatoes (optional, for topping)
• 2 avocados, diced (optional, for topping)
• 1 cup pickled jalapeños (optional, for topping)
• Cilantro for garnish (optional, for topping)
• Creamy Salsa Dressing (optional for drizzling on top but highly recommended)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray. Press the ground beef into the sheet pan in an even layer, covering the whole pan. Season with the taco seasoning (or all purpose seasoning) and salt.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, testing with a thermometer to make sure the beef registers about 135-140 degrees (the beef will continue to cook after adding the cheese). Using a hot mitt, grab one corner of the pan and carefully tilt to drain the grease into a bowl. We like to get as much great off as possible, you can also grab paper towels to lightly dab the top of the beef.
4. Add the shredded cheese on top of the beef and return to the oven for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
5. If you’re enjoying this right away, top with lettuce, tomatoes, avocados and all of your favorite taco toppings. If you’re meal prepping, let cool, cut into squares and refrigerate. Reheat a portion when ready and then top with the cold toppings.

Recipe Notes

Using a lean ground beef is best for this recipe. Less grease to drain and the beef won’t shrink as much as if you’re using ground beef with more fat.

Store: Let cool to room temperature, cut into squares and store in a container for up to 4 days.

Reheat: Reheat a portion in the microwave until warmed through and then top with your favorite taco toppings.

• Category: Dinner
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American