Taco Sticks

Great for a meal or snack that the whole family will love, taco sticks are made from ready-made pizza dough filled with tasty beef and gooey cheese.

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Table of Contents

Cheesy Taco Sticks Ingredients
Taco Sticks Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Taco Sticks Recipe
How To Serve Taco Sticks
Cheesy Taco Sticks Storage
Why These Taco Sticks Are the Best
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Taco sticks are buttery breadsticks made from pizza dough that is stuffed with seasoned taco meat and melted cheese. They’re super simple to make and taste incredible for dinner or a snack.

Cheesy Taco Sticks Ingredients

taco sticks raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 packet taco seasoning mix, plus water called for on the envelope
2 tubes of Pillsbury pizza dough
12 Colby Jack cheese sticks
¼ cup of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes

Taco Sticks Substitutions And Additions

GROUND BEEF: Ground chicken or ground turkey would also work for this easy recipe, or you could make vegetarian taco sticks using your favorite meat alternative.

TACO SEASONING: If you already have a fully stocked spice rack, then you don’t need to buy a taco seasoning packet. Check out our homemade taco seasoning recipe for instructions on making your own.

CHEESE: You can use any type of cheese sticks you’d like in this recipe. Mozzarella cheese sticks will give a more mild flavor, sharp cheddar cheese sticks will have more flavor, and pepper Jack cheese sticks will give it a kick of heat.

GARLIC: This recipe uses fresh garlic and garlic powder. If you don’t have both, then you can substitute one for the other.

JALAPEÑOS: If you love spicy food, you can add jalapeño peppers inside these cheesy taco pizza sticks.

VEGETABLES: Sneak some veggies into your kids’ meals by adding some mushrooms, peppers, onion, or corn to the beef mixture.

BEANS: Try adding black beans or refried beans to these taco sticks for even more flavor and protein.

How To Make This Taco Sticks Recipe

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

This would be a great recipe to make if you have leftover taco meat in the fridge.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Keep the tubes of pizza dough in the refrigerator until ready to use.

STEP TWO: In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook beef for five to seven minutes until thoroughly cooked. Drain off the excess grease.

STEP THREE: Into the frying pan with the beef, add the minced garlic, taco seasoning, and the amount of water called for on the seasoning package.

Cook on high for two to three minutes until the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat.

seasonings added to a skillet of ground beef

STEP FOUR: Remove the pizza dough from the can and unroll it on the parchment paper. Using your hands, shape into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.

dough rolled out and cut with a pizza cutter

STEP FIVE: Cut the dough into 12 even pieces.

When each tube is rolled out and cut into six rectangles, each piece will be 4 x 4 inches.

STEP SIX: Scoop three tablespoons of meat mixture into the center of each pizza dough rectangle.

Cut a cheese stick in half and place a halved cheese stick on top of the meat.

PRO TIP:

Don’t overfill your taco sticks, otherwise, they will be too hard to pinch together and the filling may ooze out when you bake them.

meat and cheese sticks placed on top of a piece of dough

STEP SEVEN: Bring up the sides of the dough and pinch them together. Then pinch each end together and fold it up to the same side as the pinched center seam.

Place the seam sides down on the parchment-lined baking sheets.

PRO TIP:

Be careful not to stretch the dough too much or the pastry won’t puff up in the oven.

STEP EIGHT: In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in the garlic powder and dried parsley.

Use a spoon to evenly coat each of the taco sticks with the melted butter mixture.

STEP NINE: Bake in the preheated oven on a large baking sheet for 12 to 14 minutes until lightly golden brown.

taco sticks after being cooked on a parchment lined baking sheet

STEP TEN: Serve hot. Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or even ranch dressing would be a delicious dip for these!

How To Serve Taco Sticks

These delicious cheesy taco sticks are a great way to reinvent taco night. You could serve with your favorite toppings like shredded lettuce and fresh diced tomatoes. They would be very yummy with our creamy ranch crack dip, too!

These would also be a delicious idea for a school snack or lunch. Send the kiddos with a small container of dip, and they will have a fun surprise to enjoy.

For more taco recipes, our taco lasagna and sheet pan tacos are two more winning choices.

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Cheesy Taco Sticks Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Leftover taco sticks can be stored in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. Reheat before serving.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze these easy cheesy taco sticks for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Reheat Taco Sticks

In the Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Reheat your taco sticks for eight to ten minutes until warmed through. You may want to cover with foil to prevent them from browning too much.
In the Air Fryer: Heat your air fryer to 350°F and line the cheesy taco sticks in a single layer in the basket. Cook for three to four minutes.
In the Microwave: Put the taco sticks on a microwave-safe plate and and warm in 30-second increments until the desired temperature before serving.

Why These Taco Sticks Are the Best

Fun Twist on Tacos: Combines the flavors of traditional tacos in a unique, stick-like form.

Convenience: Easy to make, ideal for quick meals or snacks.

Portability: Great for on-the-go eating.

Customizable: Can be filled with a variety of ingredients to cater to different tastes.

Texture and Taste: Crispy exterior with a savory filling, offering a pleasing sensory experience.

close up shot of a tray of taco sticks with bowls of dipping sauce

Cheese taco sticks are a cross between Mexican tacos, Italian pizza, and the American favorite, cheese sticks. They have a crispy pizza crust shell filled with taco beef and lots of cheese. It’s a fun combo that the whole family will love.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze these taco sticks?

These simple cheesy taco sticks can be frozen for up to three months for a quick dinner or snack later.

Can I use homemade pizza dough for this recipe?

If you have a preferred pizza dough recipe, you can certainly use that instead of store-bought.

Can I add veggies to my taco sticks?

These taco sticks are very customizable, and if you have veggies that you’d like to add, go for it. Just make sure you don’t stuff the taco sticks too full, or they may ooze out during baking.

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Taco Sticks

5 from 3 votes

Great for a meal or snack that the whole family will love, taco sticks are made from ready-made pizza dough filled with tasty beef and gooey cheese.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

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Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 package taco seasoning, plus water called for on the envelope
2 tubes Pillsbury pizza dough
12 Colby Jack cheese sticks
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Keep the tubes of pizza dough in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cook the ground beef on medium-high heat in a frying pan until thoroughly cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off excess fat.
Into the frying pan with ground beef, add minced garlic, taco seasoning, and the water called for on the seasoning package. Cook on high for 2 to 3 minutes until the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat.
Remove pizza dough from the can and unroll it on the parchment paper. Using your hands, shape into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 12 even pieces, with each tube rolled out and cut into 6 rectangles. Each piece will be 4 x 4 inches.
Scoop approximately 3 tablespoons of meat mixture into the middle of each of the 12 dough rectangles.
Cut a cheese stick in half and place it on top of the meat.
Bring up the sides of the dough and pinch them together. Then pinch each end together and fold it up to the same side as the pinched center seam. Place seam sides down on the parchment-lined baking sheets.
Melt butter in the microwave, then stir in the garlic powder and dried parsley. Use a spoon to evenly coat each of the 12 taco sticks with the butter mixture.
Place in the oven and cook for 12 to 14 minutes until tops of taco sticks are lightly browned.
Serve hot. Salsa and sour cream would be a delicious dip for these!

Video

Notes

This would be a great recipe to make if you have leftover taco meat in the fridge.
Don’t overfill your taco sticks, otherwise, they will be too hard to pinch together and the filling may ooze out when you bake them.
Be careful not to stretch the dough too much or the pastry won’t puff up in the oven.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant

Taco Sticks

Cheesy Taco Sticks Ingredients

Taco Sticks Substitutions And Additions

How To Make This Taco Sticks Recipe

How To Serve Taco Sticks

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