Grab This Store-Bought Ingredient For The Crispiest Taco Shells Ever

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Look away taco purists — this hack for hard shell tacos isn't quite a traditional move, but if you're willing to switch things up and lean into the fun of something different, chances are that you won't regret it. If you're in the latter half, the crispiest, cheesiest taco shells of your life await you: All you need is shredded cheese, a sheet pan, and a dream. Essentially, the trick is to make small taco-sized piles of shredded cheese on a pan before toasting them in the oven, then fold them in taco shapes as they cool and fill 'em with all the usual accoutrements. The toasted cheese creates a bite of pure crispy, rich, and cheesy shell that's guaranteed to up your taco game.

In fact, this move isn't entirely untraditional if you think about it. Vampiro tacos, a kind of Mexican street food, put a layer of crispy jack cheese on top of grilled corn tortillas, and are not afraid to cross the bounds of the meat, onion, and salsa street taco framework. This hack just takes things one step further, entirely replacing the tortilla with a circular cheese shell. And yes — you will probably need paper towels, because they will be greasy.

If you like eating crispy curds on, say, a grilled cheese, you know there's a fine line between perfectly caramelized and totally burnt. You'll have to watch your cheese shells carefully while they're in the oven, removing them when they start to bubble so that they're still soft enough to shape. So far as the logistics of shaping go, any V-shaped or U-shaped solid object will work. Some people use a three-fold taco stand like this stainless steel rack by ARTHOME, but you could also try balancing two metal spatulas together or cooling them over top of a rolling pin.

These shells are a no-brainer to try for any cheese lover, but any skeptics will likely be convinced by the salty umami boost the swap offers to amp up your tacos. And if you do really miss the tortilla, double-stack it and use the cheese as an inner layer to the already crispy corn shell (or another fun taco tortilla swap of your choosing).