Description
Melty cheese and zesty taco seasoning combine in these irresistible cheesy taco sticks, creating a crowd-pleasing snack that brings Mexican-inspired flavors to your table. Crispy on the outside and gooey inside, you’ll love this easy appetizer that delivers a perfect bite of comfort and spice.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) lean ground beef
Cheese and Dough:
- 5 colby jack cheese sticks, halved
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
Seasonings and Toppings:
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Sauté ground beef in a skillet until thoroughly browned, eliminating excess grease. Stir in taco seasoning and allow the mixture to cool completely.
- Transform pizza dough into 10 uniform rectangles by first slicing lengthwise, then creating five equal segments from each half.
- Position a portion of seasoned beef and half a cheese stick centrally on each dough rectangle.
- Carefully envelop the filling by rolling the dough around it, meticulously sealing the edges to prevent leakage.
- Craft a savory topping by blending melted butter with garlic powder and finely chopped parsley, then generously brush over the prepared sticks.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the exterior achieves a golden, crispy appearance.
Notes
- Quick Meat Prep Brown beef thoroughly to ensure no pink remains, enhancing food safety and flavor intensity.
- Cheese Melting Use room temperature cheese sticks for smoother, more even melting inside the dough.
- Dough Handling Roll dough gently to prevent tearing and ensure complete sealing of filling.
- Dietary Adaptations Swap ground beef with plant-based crumbles for vegetarian version or use ground turkey for leaner option.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg