Name: Puffy Tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Ingredients: 15 ounce can chili with beans; ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded); ¼ cup diced tomatoes and chiles (Rotel) (drained); ½ tsp seasoned salt; 17 ounce box puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)

If you’ve got 5 ingredients and just 30 minutes, you’ll soon be sitting down to the mouth-watering sensation of puffy tacos!

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Table of Contents

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE for Puffy Tacos
Ingredients
HOW TO MAKE PUFFY TACOS RECIPE
VARIATIONS / OPTIONS / ADD-INS
CAN I MAKE PUFF PASTRY TACOS AHEAD OF TIME?
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PUFFY TACOS
Other Easy Appetizer Recipes
Puffy Tacos Recipe

If you’ve got 5 ingredients and just 30 minutes, you’ll soon be sitting down to the mouth-watering sensation of puffy tacos! Chili, sharp cheddar, and juicy tomatoes perfectly combine to create golden delicious pastries that are irresistible and simple to make! This amazing appetizer is ready for guests in only 30 minutes! Puffy tacos are sure to be a winner on game night, movie night, or any night!

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE for Puffy Tacos

Quick and easy to make
Kid-friendly and approved
Delicious appetizer
Only 5 ingredients needed
Ready in 30 minutes
Bursting with flavorful filling
Versatile ingredients
Can freeze leftovers for up to 2 weeks
Perfect for a game day snack or a quick lunch/dinner meal
Make ahead and bake later

Ingredients

17.3-ounce box puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)
15 ounce can chili with beans
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup diced tomatoes and chiles (Rotel) drained
½ tsp seasoned salt

HOW TO MAKE PUFFY TACOS RECIPE

Puffy Tacos are so simple to make and they are ready in just 30 minutes. Prepping and filling your pastries will only take about 10-15 minutes.

Combine chili, cheese, tomatoes, and salt and heat in a saucepan.
Cut puff pastry into squares.
Place the mixture into the center of each pastry square.
Pro-tip: Add ONLY 1 Tablespoon of filling to each taco. It’s not going to seem like a lot, but the tacos will puff in the oven and expand. If it’s overfilled, they will end up oozing all over your pan.
Fold the top and bottom ends of the pastry toward the center.
Pro-tip: Add a drop of water where the two sides meet and firmly pinch together. For extra hold, pierce the center of each pastry with a toothpick.
Bake for 18 minutes at 400 degrees.

VARIATIONS / OPTIONS / ADD-INS

CHEESE: Feel free to swap out the sharp cheddar cheese for your favorite kind of cheese. The shredded Mexican blend or Pepper Jack cheese are both amazing options for this recipe.
PROTEIN: You could replace the chili entirely with your choice of protein like seasoned ground beef or chicken. You could also use your favorite chili recipe!
VEGETABLES: You can try adding in your favorite veggies such as peppers or onions. If you want to make these spicy, try adding in some diced jalapeño!
RICE: A delicious addition to your tacos is a bit of rice. Mexican rice adds a hearty texture and great flavor.

CAN I MAKE PUFF PASTRY TACOS AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, your Puffy Tacos can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the freezer to bake at a later time. Just be sure you don’t make them too far in advance. Keep it under 2 weeks. You will also need to adjust the baking time slightly since you will be baking them frozen.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PUFFY TACOS

Wrap your puffy tacos in aluminum foil or other preferably airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
When reheating your puffy tacos, use an oven to keep that crispiness. Reheat at 350 for 5-8 minutes.
You can also freeze these for up to 2 weeks, but after that, the pastry will get too stiff.

Other Easy Appetizer Recipes

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Puffy Tacos

Author — Jennifer

Serves —

If you’ve got 5 ingredients and just 30 minutes, you’ll soon be sitting down to the mouth-watering sensation of puffy tacos!

Print Rate PinSave

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Total Time 33

Ingredients

▢ 15 ounce can chili with beans
▢ ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
▢ ¼ cup diced tomatoes and chiles (Rotel) drained
▢ ½ tsp seasoned salt
▢ 17 ounce box puff pastry sheets 2 sheets

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare two sheet pans by lining them with parchment paper and then setting them aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the chili, cheese, diced tomatoes, and seasoned salt. Heat until simmering and all the cheese is melted.
Cut each puff pastry sheet into 9 squares.
Place 1 Tablespoon of the chili mixture in the center of each pastry square.
Fold the top and bottom ends of the pastry toward the center. Add a drop of water where the two sides meet and firmly pinch together. For extra hold, pierce the center of each pastry with a toothpick.
Roll each puff pastry in half diagonally and then bake in the oven for 18 minutes.
Plate and serve.

Notes

If you decide to use water to help hold the pastry together, only use a drop. Too much water will make the pastry soggy and it won’t hold together. If this happens, use a toothpick instead.
Make sure to follow the directions on your package of puff pastry. It will typically tell you to defrost your pastry at room temperature for about 40 minutes or until the point where you can unfold the pastry without it breaking but it still remains cold. This will make it easier to work and mold your pastry. If you let it sit for too long, your puff pastry will become soggy and sticky. If this happens, add a little flour to the top or put it in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes to cool down.