Walking Tacos on the Griddle

If you’ve never had a walking taco, you are in for a treat! Walking tacos, aka “taco in a bag,” easy to make and customizable to your crowd.

You take a small chip bag like Doritos or Fritos and load it with taco meat and a variety of taco toppings. It’s similar to the classic Texas Frito Pie but easier to carry around. 

They make an amazing game-day snack for all ages. When I worked as a camp counselor, this was my favorite campfire meal with the kids. Now, it’s become my favorite game-day staple for all ages. 

Walking tacos on the griddle

You can cook the ground beef filling on a skillet, but after 15 years of making walking tacos at tailgates, game day parties, camping trips, and backyard barbecues, I don’t think you can beat the griddle.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Ground beef – this recipe works best with ground beef, but we love it with other proteins like shredded beef, chicken, or pulled pork. I used Snake River Farms American Wagyu Ground Beef. 
• Fajita seasoning – I recommend our homemade fajita seasoning recipe, but your favorite fajita rub or spicy BBQ rub will also work if you’re in a pinch.

• Salsa and hot sauce – use your favorite salsa and hot sauce. I love to use chunky salsa and a variety of my favorite hot sauces.
• Cheese – I used Mexican blend cheese and Queso Fresco. Use these or your favorite taco cheese.
• Taco toppings – this recipe uses red onion, lettuce, cilantro, guacamole, hatch chilies, and Mexican crema. Use these and/or your favorite taco toppings.
• Individual chip bags – I use a variety of chips, such as Doritos Nacho, Doritos Cool Ranch, and Fritos, for my walking tacos. I like to get a variety box from the grocery store to have different flavor options and a gluten free option. 

Equipment you’ll need

• Griddle –  I used my Traeger Grills Flatrock for this recipe, but any griddle or flat-top cooking surface will work. 
• Griddle-safe spatula
• Cutting board
• Knife – for the chopping and dicing.

Best protein to use for walking tacos

This walking taco recipe uses ground beef, however you can use other ground or shredded proteins. Here are some options for alternative protein ideas:

• Traditional 80/20 ground beef – 80/20 ground beef if 80% lean and 20% fat. This ratio will produce a great flavor and keep the meat hydrated. 
• American Wagyu ground beef – I love leveling up my weeknight recipes with a high quality protein. I use Snake River Farms American Wagyu ground beef to enhance the quality and flavor of my dishes.
• 90/10 lean ground beef or grass fed – for a higher protein content and for someone trying to save on calories, this is a great option. I recommend cutting the heat on the griddle as soon as it’s fully cooked, then hydrating the ground beef with a little extra salsa or hot sauce to keep it hydrated. 90/10 and grass fed ground beef is incredibly leaner, which can result in a dry texture if not cooked properly.
• Ground poultry – using ground chicken or turkey is a great option for this dish if you need to substitute using beef. However ground chicken and ground turkey is very lean, so I would also suggest using a little extra salsa or hot sauce to keep it hydrated and cutting the heat of the griddle as soon as it’s cooked. 
• Leftover BBQ proteins – leftover pulled pork? Leftover shredded chuck roast or brisket? Leftover shredded smoked chicken? Any of these leftover bbq protein leftovers would make an awesome version of this dish. 

How to make walking tacos

1. Fire up the grill

Preheat one section of your griddle to medium heat.

2. Cook the beef

Add the ground beef to the heated griddle and begin to brown it.

Season with our homemade fajita seasoning or use your preferred fajita or spicy BBQ rub. 

Continue to brown and occasionally mix and break up the meat with a spatula.

Once browned, reduce heat to low and add the hot sauce or salsa.

3. Prep the toppings

The best part about this recipe is that you can do whatever toppings you like.

I like to add diced red, not too big a dice, you don’t want to overpower everything, some finely shredded iceberg lettuce, a bunch of chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, hatch chilis, guacamole, and a few sauces to cater for all heat levels preferences.

I also love to serve walking tacos with our smoked queso dip.

4. The topping station

Begin assembling your taco topping station with your meat, toppings, and bags of chips.

I like to use a variety of chips, like different flavors of Doritos and Fritos. Fritos are also gluten-free, so it’s nice to have a gluten-free option when serving for a crowd. 

5. Assemble

To make your walking taco, start by slightly crushing your chips, then cut the chip bag open horizontally. You can also just open the bag up from the top. I personally think the walking taco eats better on its side because the opening is slightly bigger, and you get a longer package that is not so deep.

Load up your bag of chips with ground beef, toppings, and sauces of choice!

Walking Tacos Recipe

This game-day walking taco recipe is perfect for any gathering, offering delicious flavors and the convenience of customization right in a chip bag! If you try it and enjoy the ease and taste, please leave a 5-star rating and drop any questions or comments below.

If you’re looking for another tasty griddle recipe, try our Blackstone Crunchwraps or check out our full list of Game Day Recipes.