Throw It Back to the 90s With ArnieTex's Crispy Tacos

Crispy beef tacos topped with cheese, salsa, and avocado
May 1, 2026

We’ve been fans of the internet's favorite tio ArnieTex’s cooking for a while now. A few years back, we convinced him to share his recipes for Beef Barbacoa, Choriqueso, and Carne Asada Fajitas—the kind of dishes that feel lived-in and passed down, not overworked.

Crispy tacos sit right in that lane. They’re simple, but not basic. Nostalgic, bringing us back to simpler times (before cell phones and seed oil panics). A tortilla fried just enough to hold its shape, filled with seasoned beef, and finished with fresh toppings. This version comes straight from Arnie’s cookbook, a collection that captures the food he grew up eating—Mexican-American staples that are as much about memory as they are about flavor.

From ArnieTex: Over 100 Recipes for Mexican-American Cooking and Texas-Style BBQ:

These tacos were one of my favorite things my mom would cook when I was a kid. The crunchy taco shell, seasoned beef, and fresh toppings just made for a big bite of flavor. Crispy tacos are also a staple in Mexican American cooking and Tex-Mex restaurants.
Crispy Beef Tacos

Crispy Beef Tacos

Arnie Segovia

Servings

12 tacos

Category

Tacos

Ingredients

    blank

    • 1 tsp cooking oil

    • 1 tbsp finely diced white onion, or 1 tsp onion powder

    • 1 lb (450g) ground beef

    • 2 tsp salt

    • 1 dash of black pepper

    • 1 garlic clove, minced, or ½ tsp granulated garlic

    blank

    • 3 cups cooking oil

    • 12 corn tortillas

    blank

    • ⅓ cup chopped iceberg lettuce

    • 1 cup diced Roma tomatoes

    • 1 cup shredded American cheese

    • 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

    • Salsa

    Directions

    1. Heat a 12-inch (30.5cm) skillet over medium heat, and add 1 teaspoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and ground beef, and begin to brown the meat, stirring continuously.

    2. After 3 minutes, add the salt, pepper, and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir to incorporate. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

    3. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside.

    4. In a separate 12-inch (30.5cm) skillet, heat 3 cups of oil to 300°F (150°C). Using tongs or a spatula, add the tortillas to the oil, one at a time, and immediately flip them over and then fold them in half.

    5. Fry until the tortilla develops a golden-brown color, 30 to 40 seconds or up to 1 minute, flipping once at the halfway mark. To encourage a taco-shell shape, use the tongs or spatula to hold the tortilla open slightly. When the tortilla is fully crispy, transfer it to a cooling rack or a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

    6. Fill the crunchy taco shells with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ground beef and your toppings of choice, and serve.

    1 comment

    ARMANDO YSLAS |

    Recipe sounds lovely however, the addition of a tablespoon or two of red chile powder (I recommend Santa Cruz Chile from Tumacacori AZ) to the onions and then maybe a half cup of meat broth to the ground beef will greatly enhance your tacos. Also, let the broth almost completely evaporate before putting it in the shells

    Leave a comment

    Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

    Read More

    A Guide to Masa Harina

    A Guide to Masa Harina
    How to Get Your Tortillas to Puff Every Time

    How to Get Your Tortillas to Puff Every Time
    Alexa Soto's Mole with Mushrooms

    Alexa Soto's Mole with Mushrooms