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This Taco Braid brings a fun twist to taco night! Filled with taco meat & plenty of cheese, it’s a recipe the whole family will love!
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Why I Love this Taco Braid!
- It looks beautiful and fancy (but I promise, it’s easier than it looks!!)
- It uses simple ingredients I typically already have on hand
- It’s a fun twist on a regular taco
- Braids are always a big hit with the kids (they love seeing the surprise inside!)
- It’s great when I need easy dinner ideas, but also when I’m cooking for game day or tailgate food!
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef – Feel free to swap this out for ground pork or ground turkey instead.
- Taco Seasoning – Use a packet of store-bought seasoning or homemade taco seasoning. I like to use a packet of low sodium taco seasoning so it’s not overly salty.
- Salsa – Use whatever spice level your family prefers (I use mild when cooking for my family).
- Refrigerated Pizza Dough – You can opt to use two 8 ounce tubes of crescent roll sheets and pinch them together to form a rectangle.
- Shredded Cheese – We prefer shredded cheddar cheese, but you can opt to use Colby Jack or Pepper Jack instead.
- Egg – You’ll need this for the egg wash that goes over the braid prior to baking; it gives the braid a shiny golden brown appearance!
- Your favorite toppings! Though toppings aren’t totally necessary, it’s fun to customize the dish to your liking!
How to make a Taco Braid
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and preheat the oven.
Prepare the Taco Meat
Over medium heat, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Next, drain excess grease really well so it doesn’t make the pizza crust soggy.
Then you’ll add the taco seasoning, water and salsa to the beef and cook until bubbly and thickened.
Assemble the Braid
Remove the dough from the tube and press it into a large rectangle. Cut the two long sides of the rectangle into 1 inch wide strips using a pizza cutter or a knife, making sure to leave a spot for the fillings in the middle.
Sprinkle some of the cheese down the center followed by the ground beef mixture and the remaining cheese.
Starting at one end of the rectangle, bring a strip of dough to the opposite side (over the filling) diagonally. Continue with remaining slices, alternating from side to side until you’ve reached the end of the braid.
Combine the egg and water to create an egg wash and brush it over the braided pizza dough.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked in the center.
Fun Ways to Change It Up!
- Veggie Lovers – Add diced bell peppers and onions to the ground beef mixture.
- Make it Spicy – Use “hot” taco seasoning and salsa. You can also use pepper jack cheese and add a few fresh jalapeño slices on the braid before baking.
- Add Black Beans – Sprinkle some black beans over the ground beef mixture for more texture and flavor!
- Creamy Taco Braid – Add 4 ounces of cream cheese to the meat. This is a fun way to change up the braid, especially if serving in small slices as an appetizer!
How to Serve a Taco Braid
This taco braid is great served as a main dish or as an appetizer. Either way, I like serving it with my favorite taco toppings!
- Romaine lettuce
- Refried Beans
- Sour cream
- Taco sauce
- Tomatoes or pico de Gallo
- Chopped onion or green onions
- Hot sauce
How to Store Leftover Taco Braid
If you have leftovers, let it cool to room temperature and store refrigerated in an airtight container.
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Taco Braid
Equipment
- One Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef*
- One 1 ounce packet low sodium taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1/4 cup water
- One 13.8 ounce tube refrigerated pizza crust
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Toppings such as sour cream, taco sauce, lettuce, avocado, etc. optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet; drain the excess grease.
- Return the skillet to the stovetop and add the taco seasoning, salsa and water. Stir and cook until thickened and bubbly; remove from the heat.
- Unroll the pizza dough onto the parchment paper and press into a rectangle.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheese down the center of the dough.
- Spoon the taco meat over the shredded cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the taco meat.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut each side of the braid into about 12 strips.
- Fold the strips of dough over the filling, alternating sides.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water; brush the egg wash over the dough.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Slice and serve warm with toppings, if desired.
I made it the other day snd it was delicious! So easy too
I’m wondering if I can make the taco braid the day or two ahead and refrigerate before baking?
So Yummy & Fun 🙂
I fried green & red peppers & onions w the beef before filling the dough .
& topped the taco braid with taco sauce ,garden onion & sour cream .
I will try this recipe as a Pizza Braid next time !!
I made this when my so (12) had a sleepover and they LOVED it! I’ve since share this recipe with many and they’ve all loved it!! Staple in our house now!
Awww that’s SO great to hear!!! Thank you for the excellent review & for sharing with friends and family! ~Kelsey