The Muffin Tin Hack For Perfectly Tiny Taco Salads

Making meals for a crowd isn't always easy. Besides having to cook so much food, it can be difficult to create a dish everyone will love. If you're starting dinner with salad, how can you be sure that everyone will love all of the toppings? One option is to create tiny, single-serving salad cups that guests can enjoy, which allows you to use different toppings for variation. The perfect option here is to serve taco salads in tiny tortilla cups that can be made from a muffin tin.

Besides being a conversation starter, mini taco salads are a way to make sure every guest gets what they want. You can leave the meat or hot peppers off if guests have dietary restrictions or don't love spicy food. Or, you can set out a salad bar for guests to fill the tortilla cups themselves. (Just make sure you keep everything cold.)

The next time you're unsure of what to serve guests, break out the muffin tin and make mini taco cups — the process is so simple. Just place flour tortillas inside each individual muffin tin (tortillas differ in size, but you'll likely have to cut them a little bit to fit properly), then spray them with a little cooking spray to help them crisp up. Bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.

Another option for larger tortilla bowls is to actually flip the muffin over, then place the tortillas in between the muffin cups. It will give them somewhat wavy edges, and they'll be able to hold more salad (but note that you can cook fewer of them at a time because they're bigger). Once the tortillas are cooked, you can either fill them yourself or let your guests fill them.

If you're having a number of people over but aren't sure what everyone likes, try creating a salad bar for guests. Some prefer spice, such as chopped jalapeños, while others don't. And some might want chicken or beef in their mini taco salad, while others are vegetarian. By setting out bowls and utensils, you're giving guests a fun, interactive dish while ensuring everyone is happy with the appetizer.

You can also use tiny tortilla cups for things beyond salads. Create mini nacho cups with cheese and refried beans or mini enchilada cups with chicken, cheese, and enchilada sauce. They're less messy than nachos and ensure that guests have a snack that they don't have to put their hands all over. 

You can make the tortilla shells in advance, but don't fill them until you're ready to serve, or they could end up soggy.