Taco Beef Nuggets With Dipping Sauce

Submitted by Brenda.

"Recipe from P.Hurd, MN. First place recipe in Handheld Kid Pleasers category in the 2003 National Beef Cook-Off."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 453.59 g ground round
• 29.58 ml taco seasoning mix
• 113.39 g can mild green chilies, drained, chopped
• 226.79 g package colby-monterey jack cheese (cut into 16 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1 egg white
• 14.79 ml water
• 473.18 ml nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips, crushed
• 88.74 ml taco sauce, thick style
• 44.37 ml honey

directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine ground beef, taco seasoning and green chilies in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.
3. Divide beef mixture into 16 portions; shape each portion around a cheese cube, completely covering cheese.
4. Beat egg white with water in shallow dish until blended.
5. Place chips in second shallow dish.
6. Dip each meatball into egg white mixture, then into chips to coat completely.
7. Press each meatball with palm into a flattened nugget shape, generously coating both sides of nugget with chips.
8. Spray large baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place nuggets in baking pan; spray tops of nuggets generously with nonstick cooking spray.
9. Bake in 400°F oven 15 to 20 minutes until no longer pink and juices show no pink color.
10. Meanwhile combine taco sauce & honey in a small microwave-safe dish. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds or until warm.
11. Serve nuggets with sauce.

Reviews

[Mary N.]

These are the best appetizers I've made in a long time! Something new and different from the same ol, same ol! Gave some to my neighbors and they loved them as well. These are easy to make and SOOOO good. Make sure that if you see the cheese leaking out, they are more than done. Watch them so that doesn't happen. When they just start leaking, they are done. They continue cooking as they cool. And make sure you use doritoes. Tortilla chips would not remotely be the same! I did not try the taco sauce but made a creamy dip with sour cream, taco seasoning, cumin, cilantro and lime juice. Very good, would definitely recommend!

 

[Sam 3]

Made these tonight, minus the sauce and the dorito crust (only cause I didn't have any). They turned out super yummy! I think because I was missing the doritos crust, my cheese leaked out of them. I also love this meatball baking method. I'll be making them again!

 

[Skylar]

These came out pretty good, a little messy to make since it's hard to throughly drain the chilies. Next time I would cut the cheese cubes smaller so I could use less meat to wrap them with and it would have been more like nuggets, also I would spray the bottom of the pan since it sticks. I could have crushed my chips into smaller pieces and I didn't try the dipping sauce.

 

[Heavens Kitchen]

These were good, but we found them to be a little too greasy for our tastes. I used VERY lean beef to make them, but the fat in the co-jack cheese (and also in the Doritos, too, I think), made these very heavy with grease. They did taste good and smelled great while cooking. The time involved was minimal, as these were pretty quick and easy to put together; however, tacos are even quicker to make and my family said they prefer tacos over these nuggets, so I don't think I'll be making this recipe again. It's good and I'm glad I tried it, but it's just not a repeat at our house.

 

[Susie D]

The biggest surprise from this recipe for me was the size of the beef nuggets. I had these pictured in my mind as tiny appetizer meatballs. Not at all! Mine were golf ball size which made them very filling. I baked 8 of the nuggets and put the other 8 in the freezer to bake later. The taco nuggets have a nice taco flavor, loads of gooey cheese, and the crunchy breading is truly outstanding. I personally didn't care for the honey salsa, but DH enjoyed it. I think these would be terrific made half size for an appetizer tray or a Superbowl party. Thank you for sharing the recipe!