Making crispy cheese taco shells is easier than you think. These cheese taco shells are crunchy, delicious and taking the keto world by storm! Gluten-free, too.
If you’ve missed eating crunchy tacos like I have, then you are in for a treat. Low carb taco shells made from cheese are the new “in” thing.
We’ve baked cheese into cheese chips for dip, taco shells, chalupa or tostada shells and bowls for salads or appetizers. They are very versatile and my family loves them.
Looking to make low carb beef tacos? Take a peek at my recipe for low carb taco seasoning and then see how I make the BEST tasting ground beef taco filling. It’s super easy.
Cheese Taco Shells Recipe
A Google search for low carb tortilla recipes yields many options for crepe-like and wrap-like tortillas. My recipe for Almost Zero Carb Wraps, which we use as breakfast wraps or fill with thick Southwestern stews, is right there on page 1.
Crunchy low carb keto taco shells recipes have been elusive… until a year or two ago, when cheese taco shells made their appearance.
Lowcarbers and Ketonians have used cheese to make chips for years now, so making them bigger to accommodate fillings is just a natural progression – and genius! I get a kick out of all of the possibilities these fun snacks provide.
All kinds of cheeses can be used to make cheese taco shells and they all have different flavors and levels of crispness. Some yield a cheese shell that is more crisp while others are a little more tough in texture.
The shells can be made with shredded cheese or cheese slices. They can also be made in the oven, on the stove or in the microwave.
Celiacs: If you are looking for gluten-free taco shells, this may be the recipe for you. Make sure that the pre-shredded cheese you use, is free from gluten and you will be fine.
Do low carb taco shells have carbs?
Yes, a small amount of carbs comes from the lactose in cheese. Most cheese has 1 carb per ounce. Many brands will list zero carbs because of FDA rules that say if a product is below 1 carb per serving it can be listed as zero even if it has .8 carbs. So, I generally count 1 ounce of cheese as 1 carb. The cheese taco shells are 1 carb per shell.
How to Make Low Carb Keto Taco Shells
Making low carb cheese taco shells is easy. Place slices of cheese or a pile of shredded cheese on a prepared surface and cook:
- Crisp in a frying pan
- Bake on Parchment or a silpat in the oven
- Place on parchment and cook in the microwave for single tacos
Once cooked, give the cheese shells just a second to cool before removing, but work fast! They need to be shaped while still pliable. Simply drape them over a wooden spoon or dowel until the cool and are crispy.
They can also be stuffed into a muffin tin cup to make into a bowl for appetizers. For chalupa or tostada shells and chips, simply let cool on the baking pan, then cool completely on a cooling rack before storing in an air-tight container.
Recently, I have been using a taco shell maker for making cheese taco shells. I think it’s much easier than using wooden spoons.
I tried several kinds of cheese and found that pre-shredded cheddar cheese from the grocery worked the absolute best. Also, the sharp variety became more crispy than the mild. Monterey jack and Colby jack cheese didn’t get as crispy but also worked well. Parmesan cheese made delicious chips which we enjoyed on our salads.
Each cheese taco shell is 1 carb.
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Making crispy cheese taco shells is easier than you think. These low carb taco shells are crunchy, delicious and taking the keto world by storm!
- 9 oz pre-shredded cheddar cheese
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and place one rack in the upper third and the other rack in the lower third. Line two large jelly roll pans with parchment paper. I like to trace 3, 6-inch circles on each parchment, flipping it over, so my shells are the same size.
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Measure 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) of shredded cheese per circle and spread evenly.
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Bake for 5 minutes and swap the lower backing sheets and bake another 5-10 minutes or until little holes have appeared in the surface and the edges begin to brown.
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Remove from the oven and let cool for just a second before removing to wooden spoons or spatulas suspended by glasses to shape taco shells. Leave on the pans to cool flat for chalupa or tostada shells.
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Cool completely and store in an air-tight container.
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NOTE: When I make my taco meat for my family, I add 2 tbsp of tomato paste, 1/2 cup of water and 1 tsp of beef base to the ground beef and taco seasoning. Simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Adjust final seasoning with salt and pepper. If it is more bitter than you like (some pepper varieties are more bitter than others) add a touch of sweetener.
To make a single serve cheese taco shell in the microwave, spread 1/3 cup of cheddar cheese into a circle (see photos in post) and microwave for approximately 2 minutes. This will take more or less time depending on the strength of your microwave. My microwave is not very strong.
Low Carb Keto Taco Seasoning Recipe
Can you make these ahead of time? If yes, how is it best to store them?
Absolutely! Let them cool completely, then store in an air tight container. I keep them on the counter for 1-2 days or the refrigerator for longer. Make sure that the cheese shells are completely cooked (crispy) and not soft in the middle if you are going to keep them on the counter. Some cheeses do not crisp as well as others and the shells can be a little leathery if not used right away. -Kim
Instead of draping them over a spoon, I transferred them from the parchment paper to a paper towel… Rolled up another paper towel and folded the shells around that…
So 2 shells side-by-side on a paper towel with the next paper towel with 2 shells wrapped around that… They don’t stick to the paper towels because they’re naturally oily.
It’s a little different, but more manageable for me than draping and dripping
Great idea, Sara. Thanks for sharing. -Kim
love your recipes. thank you for sharing
I cant get the darn cheese to come off the wax paper. It just rips the paper completely. What is going wrong? Using microwave and cheddar cheese
Hi Jess. Waxed paper doesn’t work – the cheese sticks. You have to use parchment paper or a silicone mat. If you are doing one at a time, use a non-stick skillet. -Kim
These were delicious! I bent some using the wooden spoon method and some cooled flat. Next time we will cool them flat only. Since they are made of cheese, they easily bend when adding warm filling, so the flat ones just nicely folded over. I would only use with warm, not hot, filling. If the cheese gets too hot it stretches out and can collapse beneath the taco.
Hi April. Cheese shells are the best thing in the world! Lol. I like to make them flat, too, but I bought a taco shell shaper and will try that next time as well as your trick of having the warm filling soften the cheese. Thanks for sharing that trick, BTW. Have a wonderful week. -Kim
We love these!! So easy! I draped over wooden handles and put newspapers down to catch the few oil drips from the cheese.
Hi I cant seem to get these to be crispy, what can I be doing wrong?
Hi Judy. Can you tell me what method you are using and what kind of cheese? -Kim
Does the Cheese Shell melt when you put the meat and other taco fixings into it? I love a Crunch with my tacos and soooo miss it! Thinking of making these tonight!
Hi Jamie. No, the shells stay nice and crisp! -Kim
Rather than use a wooden spoon, I’d recommend using a short piece of 1/2″ PVC pipe with wax paper over it for cooling/shaping the taco shells.
I make cheese taco shells by draping them over the side of a large bowl after the cheese has baked. You do have to work quickly with these!
Thank you for all of your delicious recipes.
Great idea, Amy. Thanks! -Kim
This sounds so delicious, can’t wait to try tomorrow. It’s a little late, around 11:00 pm, to be trying tonigjt
How do you store these if you don’t eat them all?
Hi Jenn. I put them in a plastic bag or large air-tight cookie tin and put them in the refrigerator. They can probably be kept in a bag on the counter, too, if the house isn’t too hot. -Kim
How long will they keep usually?
Great question, Melissa. I made a whole bunch and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. I’m sure they can last longer, but we use them by then. They are just cooked cheese. -Kim