Description
These Cheesy Taco Sticks are a delicious and fun twist on traditional tacos, combining seasoned ground beef and melted Colby Jack cheese wrapped in soft pizza dough. Perfect as a snack or party appetizer, they bake up golden and buttery with a flavorful garlic and parsley coating.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Filling
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 package taco seasoning
- Water as called for on the taco seasoning package
Dough and Cheese
- 2 cans Pillsbury Pizza Dough
- 12 Colby Jack cheese sticks
Butter Coating
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Cook Ground Beef: Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, and cook for 5-7 minutes until fully browned. Drain excess fat to keep the filling lean.
- Add Seasonings: Stir in minced garlic, taco seasoning, and the water amount specified on the seasoning package. Cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes until the water evaporates. Remove from heat.
- Prepare Dough: Remove pizza dough from the refrigerator and cans. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, unroll the dough and hand-shape each tube into a 12×8 inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle into 6 even pieces approximately 4×4 inches each, making a total of 12 dough squares.
- Assemble Taco Sticks: Place about 3 tablespoons of the beef mixture in the center of each dough square. Cut each cheese stick in half and place one half on top of the meat.
- Seal Taco Sticks: Carefully bring the sides of the dough up and pinch them together to seal around the filling. Pinch the dough ends and fold them up toward the pinched center seam, ensuring not to stretch the dough too much to maintain a fluffy pastry shape. Position each stick seam-side down on the prepared baking sheets.
- Prepare Butter Coating: Melt the butter in the microwave, then stir in garlic powder and dried parsley. Using a pastry brush or spoon, evenly coat each taco stick with this buttery mixture.
- Bake: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake the taco sticks for 12-14 minutes until the tops turn lightly browned and the dough is cooked through.
Notes
- Be sure to drain excess grease from the ground beef to avoid soggy dough.
- Don’t overfill the dough squares to prevent filling from leaking during baking.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and facilitate cleanup.
- Ensure the dough seams are well sealed to keep the filling inside while baking.
- Serve warm for the best gooey cheese experience.
