Description
Taco Sticks are a delicious and easy-to-make snack or appetizer combining seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and soft pizza dough baked to golden perfection. These handheld treats are perfect for parties or a casual meal, served hot with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.
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 & Cheese
- 2 cans Pillsbury Pizza Dough
- 12 Colby Jack cheese sticks
Butter Topping
- 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 for 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
- TIP: Serve taco sticks hot with your favorite dips such as salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
- STORAGE: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Be careful not to overstretch the dough when sealing to keep the taco sticks puffed and avoid them falling flat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco stick
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
