These Jose Ole mini tacos in the air fryer are hassle-free! If you want crunchy tacos on the go, this is a perfect quick meal for you. All you need is a couple of minutes! Kids will love snacking on these after school and since they only take minutes to make..it is a quick snack!
WHAT ARE JOSE OLE MINI TACOS?
Jose Ole Mini Tacos are a frozen convenience food. They are bite-sized small tacos with small corn tortillas making the taco shells. If you prefer flour tortillas for your tacos you may not care for these.
The tacos are packed with ground beef, real cheddar cheese, authentic seasonings, zesty green chiles and are delicious! The taco seasoning flavor is just perfect in these tacos.
There are no refried beans in these mini tacos.
I like that there are 7 grams of protein in every serving of these tacos. Yum!
WHERE TO BUY MINI TACOS
Many groceries stores carry the Jose Ole brand. I have purchased these Jose Ole Mini Tacos at Dillons (a Kroger store), and Wal-Mart. I also like to check Sam's Club and Costco because you never know when they might have this brand or something very similar!
Don't forget to check Trader Joe or other health-conscious stores for a “healthier” version of frozen mini tacos.
The best way to be prepared for a craving of mini tacos is to always keep a box on hand in the freezer. When you are out shopping keep an eye out for other yummy frozen Mexican foods. I love the frozen chicken taquitos.
OTHER COOKING METHODS
If you don't have an air fryer, no worries! There are other great ways you can cook your mini tacos. Here are 2 other cooking methods to do so:
- Conventional Oven
For this method, you will have to preheat your oven to 425°F. Then place the frozen mini tacos on a baking sheet in the center of the oven. Bake this for about 7 to 10 minutes or until hot. Once that's done, let the tacos cool for a minute or so.
- Microwave Ovens
Grab yourself a microwave-safe plate or container to place mini tacos (5 pieces). Set your microwave on high and heat the tacos. The cooking time for this would be 45 seconds to a minute or just until they're hot. Make sure to let them cool for at least 1 minute.
Note: I don't recommend this cooking method just because they wouldn't be crispy like cooking Jose Ole mini tacos in the air fryer. But you can cook using a microwave oven if you prefer soft tacos.
- Pan Fry
Another method for cooking mini tacos is to pan fry the tacos. I have not tried this method myself so am not sure of how long it will take. If you try it, leave a comment and share how it goes.
These cooking methods and time are also applicable to other brands of mini tacos. Another brand you could try is Don Miguel if ever Jose Ole is not available at your grocery stores.
HOW TO COOK MINI TACOS IN AN AIR FRYER OVEN?
Did you know there is more than one type of air fryer? Before we get to that, let's talk about the difference between an air fryer and an air fryer oven. A lot of us already know what a traditional air fryer is. Just like a toaster, coffee maker, microwave – an air fryer is also a countertop appliance. With an air fryer, you get the same results as deep-frying but with less usage of oil.
An air fryer oven on the other hand is a hybrid of an oven and air fryer…obviously! It has the size of a conventional oven and the features a traditional air fryer has.
Now, how to cook mini tacos in an air fryer oven?
It's simple, just preheat your air fryer oven to 400F (if applicable). Then, cook the mini beef tacos for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. They will crisp up more after they are done cooking.
I have been using the Magic Chef Air Fryer Oven for well over a year now and it works great. I can cook large quantities of food inside this VERY large oven.
MY FAVORITE TOPPINGS FOR MINI TACOS
Of course, these cheese mini tacos with beef wouldn't be complete without toppings! Here are some ideas for you that you could try:
- Salsa
You can either buy made salsa or make your own. There are a lot of yummy store-bought salsas. Some of the best ones are Tostitos, Pace, Herdez, Chi-Chi's, Frontera, and many other brands to choose from depending on your taste. But, if you're thinking to make your own, the main ingredients are tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.
- Queso
Add some queso to get your tacos cheesier. For thick queso, you should try Tostitos' salsa con queso. And for something more creamy be sure to try the salsa con queso by On The Border. It has an authentic cheese taste and also has a thick consistency.
- Sour Cream
Mexicans usually don't use sour cream. If ever they do, they use Crema Mexicana. It's slightly more creamy and salty than the regular sour cream. It tastes good either way.
- Lettuce
Adding lettuce to your cheese and beef taco is a great combination. Plus, it is always good to get some veggie nutrients.
- Jalapeños
If you love some spice to your tacos, jalapeno peppers are the way to go.
WHAT MAKES JOSE OLE MINI TACOS AN EASY APPETIZER?
No time to cook? We all have that moment when you're too lazy to cook but starving at the same time. You're in luck because Jose Ole mini tacos are quick and easy to prepare.
- You don't have to do much. Just pop them in the air fryer.
- You don't have to wait long. You'll have crunchy tacos in minutes.
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED?
That's the great thing about this, all you need is one thing:
- Jose Ole Mini Tacos
No hot oil is needed in order to get crispy mini tacos in the air fryer. I also didn't need to use parchment paper. There was no sticking at all!
HOW TO COOK JOSE OLE MINI TACOS IN THE AIR FRYER
Once you have your mini tacos, it is time to get cooking. Follow the instructions below for the best results and a flavorful fiesta dinner the whole family will love.
STEP ONE: PREHEAT AIR FRYER
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. (If your air fryer does not have a preheat function, you can skip this)
STEP TWO: PLACE MINI TACOS
Inside your air fryer basket, place your Jose Ole mini tacos in a single layer. Make as many or as few as you want…just don't overcrowd the basket! If the batch size is too big for the air fryer just cook in batches. There is no need to spritz the air fryer basket with oil before placing the tacos in the basket.
STEP THREE: COOK
Set the air fryer to 400°F and cook for 6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. I did not even need to turn these over halfway through. The air circulated all around them and they were crunchy on both sides with no flipping required!
STEP FOUR: SERVE
Remove from the basket promptly. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy a quick meal or snack!
Did I mention these also make a great party appetizer?? What a simple and easy air fryer recipe.
JOSE OLE MINI TACOS IN THE AIR FRYER RECIPE CARD
Now that you know all about mini tacos it is time to print the recipe or save the recipe. You can print off the complete ingredients and instructions for Jose Ole mini tacos in the air fryer via the recipe card below.
If you don’t have time to print it off right now, no worries! Just save the pin to your Pinterest account by clicking the pin button located in the recipe card below.
If you make this recipe and LOVE it…please come back and leave a 5-star rating. It would mean so much to me!

This is quick and simple way of cooking your Jose Ole mini tacos in the air fryer.
- 1 box Jose Ole Mini Tacos
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Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
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Place frozen mini tacos in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
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Air fry for 6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
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Remove from air fryer basket and serve with your favorite mini taco toppings.
- I did not have to turn these over. They got very crispy without turning.
- I did not need to spray the basket with olive oil. No oil was used.
- If you let these sit for a couple of minutes they will crisp up even more.
- Depending on how many mini tacos you want to cook, you may have to cook in batches.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket or tacos won’t get as crispy.
If you liked this delicious recipe, be sure to check out these other great air fryer recipes:
- Easy Homemade Air Fryer Pizza Pockets
- Bacon-Wrapped Sausage Jalapeño Poppers
- Copycat Taco Bell Nacho Fries
- Mini Jalapeño Popper Cheese Balls
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