Muffin Tins Are Your Secret Weapon For A Low-Mess Taco Night

A full array of cookware is a boon to any kitchen, but if you're not a frequent home chef, it can be hard to justify purchasing equipment that appears to have limited uses. Take, for example, the humble muffin tin. At first glance, it's easy to assume that this tool isn't good for much else besides making muffins, cupcakes, and the occasional cornbread. However, muffin tins have multiple uses and are actually quite versatile. They can make snacks easier to carry and they can even act as a planter. But a metal muffin tin can also help you make tacos that are way less messy to chomp into.

Tacos are many things — customizable, culturally transcendent, and delicious. But one thing they are not is neat. All it takes is one bite into a crunchy taco to cause all of the fixings to squeeze out the other end. And due to their tendency to result in fallen meat, cheese, and veggies, tacos are also far from the ideal handheld party food. Thankfully, if you're set on having tacos at your next soirée, you can easily solve these problems with a muffin tin. The divots of the tin will help you mold tortillas into portable, self-contained taco cups.

The crux of this hack revolves around baking a muffin tin full of soft tortillas at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 20 minutes, to make crunchy little bowls that are perfect for keeping the chaos usually caused by messy tacos under control. All you need is a pack of store-bought (or homemade) tortillas and some cooking spray to grease up the muffin tin. To fit the tortillas into the muffin tin holes, either cut them down to size or fold them into quarters. Just note that if you opt to fold up the tortillas, they may need a bit more cooking time to become golden and crispy.

You can either cook the tortilla cups with the fillings already inside for a more baked and toasty final product, or add the fillings afterward to keep the tortilla as crunchy as possible. One great thing about this trick is that you can load up the mini tortilla bowls with any taco recipe you like, such as these amazing grilled shrimp tacos. This creative take on traditional tacos not only adds a touch of novelty to your dinner table, but it also simplifies the serving process, making it an ideal choice for gatherings or casual family dinners. So, next time you're planning a Tex-Mex night, break out the muffin tin to take your meal to the next level.