Have Leftovers? Make This 10 minute Taco Bomb Recipe!

What to do with leftover taco meat and fixings?

So you have leftovers and you can also eat them so many times before they sit in your refrigerator for the next 3 weeks… am I the only one?

If I’m being honest, my family isn’t the biggest fans of leftovers. (That’s why they just normally sit in the fridge). But, if I am able to repurpose and reuse leftovers to create something new, then you know I’m going to do that!

When I discovered this awesome hack to make taco bombs with leftover taco meat, I thought it was brilliant. Of course we tried it and it was a hit! If you have leftover meat, then you need to try and make these taco bombs in the air fryer!

Air fryer Taco Bombs Ingredients

Of course, the best way to make taco bombs is to not really make them at all. If you have leftover taco meat from a previous night, use the rest to make these delicious taco bombs. Or, you can make this recipe fresh with these ingredients:

• ½ pound ground beef/turkey
• 1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning (see this homemade taco seasoning mix)
• ½-1 cup Mexican cheese blend
• 1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls

I love that you only need 4 ingredients to make this recipe!

How to make mini taco bites?

Just like the recipe ingredients, the steps to making taco bombs are so simple!

Brown the meat

You can use ground turkey, ground beef, or a combination of the two for this recipe. SImply, brown the meat on a large skillet. Or you can also cook it in the air fryer by following these air fryer instructions.

You can also use any of your other favorite meat or seafoods that you like to eat on a taco such as shrimp, chicken, or pork.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Cook your meat and then combine it with 1-2 tablespoons of a taco seasoning mixture. You can use a store bought mixture or these ingredients for a homemade taco seasoning mix.

• 1tablespoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Once the meat mixture has cooled, stir in a tablespoon or so of the cheese.

How to make taco bombs

To assemble the taco bombs, unroll the crescent roll dough and separate the dough into at least 4 squares; press perforations to seal. You can make more smaller taco bombs, if desired. Just cut more squares.

Then, place 1/2 cup cooled taco meat mixture in the center of each rectangle. Or less if you have more than 4 squares.

After this, sprinkle each square with a Mexican blend of cheese. Then, take each of the four corners of the sheet to the center and twist them together to seal. Make sure to pinch all seams to close everything properly so nothing falls out during the cooking process!

Air fryer instructions

In batches, place each of the taco bombs in a single layer on a lightly greased air fryer basket. Or, you parchment paper, and place the taco bombs on top of the parchment paper. Learn more about why you need to use parchment paper in the air fryer. 

Cook the taco bombs for 10-12 minutes at 320 degrees Fahrenheit or 160 degrees Celsius, or until the crescent dough is a nice golden brown.

Oven Instructions

Place the tacos bombs on a cookie sheet or baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 degrees Celsius, or until they are golden brown.

Serving Suggestions

Once the bombs are done cooking, remove them from the air fryer basket and enjoy with your favorite taco toppings. I love to serve this one with cilantro, a little lime juice, sour cream, pico de gallo, jalapeños , and guacamole or slices of avocado.

Or you can simply dip and enjoy these bites with some good old ketchup or salsa.

Final Thoughts

Gobble up air fryer taco bombs any night of the week. These make a perfect afternoon snack, a repurposed leftover dinner, a fun appetizer for the Super Bowl or other ball game, or even as a different and new side for a family gathering like Easter or the Fourth of July.

Share with us in the comments below when you will be serving up this air fryer recipe!

More air fryer quick dinner ideas

• Tasty Parmesan Air Fryer Salmon
• Brown Sugar Spiced Pork Tenderloin in the Air Fryer
• One Pan Teriyaki Chicken in the Air Fryer
• Simple and Delicious Lasagna Cups for the Air Fryer

Air fryer tips, tricks, and how-to’s you don’t want to miss

• Air Fryer 101
• Learn these common Air Fryer Mistakes!
• All about the Best and Worst Air Fryer Accessories
• How to Clean Your Air Fryer
• How to Cook Any Recipe in the Air Fryer
• FREE Download → Air Fryer Tips & Temps

Air Fryer Taco Bomb Recipe

Air fryer taco bombs is a great recipe to make when you'd like a quick dinner. You can make this recipe with leftovers or the night of. Either way, it is a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love!

4.80 / 5 ( 5 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Serves: 4

Adjust Servings: 4

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

• ½ pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1/2-1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese
• 1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls

Instructions

• Brown the ground beef or turkey on the stove top in a skillet or in the air fryer. Drain any excess grease if you cooked on the stovetop. Then season the meat with the desired amount of taco seasoning. Set aside and let the taco meat cool completely.
• Once the meat mixture has cooled, stir in a tablespoon or so of the cheese.
• Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate into at least 4 squares; press perforations to seal. You can make smaller taco bombs by cutting more squares.
• Place, at most, a 1/2 cup cooled taco meat mixture in the center of each rectangle (Place enough taco meat to still be able to close the dough). Then, sprinkle with Mexican cheese blend. Bring 4 corners to the center and twist the dough to seal. Be sure to pinch to seal.
• In batches, place the taco bombs in a single layer on greased tray in air-fryer basket. Cook for 10-12 minutes at 320°F/160°C, or until golden brown.
• Remove the bombs from the air fryer basket and enjoy with your favorite taco toppings/fixings.

Recipe Notes

See: Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix Recipe for taco seasoning packet substitute.

Nutrition

Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 27g | Sodium: 617mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g