Now you can make your own crispy, fluffy homemade chalupa recipe with just a few simple pantry ingredients. This easy chalupa shell is soft inside, slightly crunchy outside, and ready to fill with your favorite toppings like seasoned ground beef, shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream. Trust me — once you taste these, you’ll never hit the Taco Bell drive-thru again.
Fun fact about me: I worked at a few fast food joints when I was younger — McDonald’s, Subway, and Taco Bell. (Yes, I basically lived the teenage dream of unlimited fries and tacos. 😂)
Out of everything I tasted, Taco Bell’s chalupas were always my go-to. That warm, fried bread? Totally addictive. I didn’t realize it back then, but a chalupa shell is basically like a non-glazed donut for tacos — and yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds.
What is a Chalupa?
Typically in Mexico, Chalupas are made using masa and are flat. They are then topped with various toA traditional Mexican chalupa is made from masa dough, shaped into a small boat, and lightly fried until crispy. It’s usually topped with ingredients like shredded chicken, refried beans, queso fresco, avocado, and salsa.
In the U.S., especially at places like Taco Bell, chalupas are a little different — think puffy fried bread (similar to Indian Fry Bread) loaded with meat, cheese, lettuce, and all your favorite toppings. This homemade chalupa recipe is inspired by the American-style version we all crave.
How to make Chalupa Shells?
What I loved the most about Chalupas was the bread itself. I mean, it’s almost like donuts, just without the glaze if you think about it. It’s fried dough just like a donut, right? That would make so much sense as to why I like them so much. You know what? Making the chalupa dough is easy and only takes a few basic ingredients.
All you need is
- Flour
- Milk
- Salt
- Shortening
- Baking powder
Mix all those ingredients into a dough ball, and you have the basis for the chalupa bread. Divide the dough into equal parts eight pieces and shape dough into a round circle.
After you have divided and rolled out the dough, you place half of the dough in a heavy-duty skillet, like a cast-iron skillet, and allow it to fry for about a minute. Then you flip the dough and allow the other side to fry, which should make for a nice curved chalupa shell. I won’t lie, you won’t get them all right, but you will get a few curved the way you like.
You will then fill the chalupa bread with your favorite taco fillings such as ground beef, chicken, or steak and lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream! You can fill the chalupas with whatever you want. This Homemade Mexican Chalupas copycat recipe allows you to be as versatile as you want. You can fry the chalupa bread, set out different toppings, and let everyone serve themselves.
I watched this video to learn how to make chalupa bread and this one. They both were helpful.
This chalupa recipe is one of my personal favorites. I don’t have a lot of copycat recipes on my blog but between this Copycat Taco Bell Chalupa recipe and the ones I have, which are Copycat Chocolate Hostess Cupcakes and Copycat White Castle Burgers, this chalupa recipe comes close to being as identical to the true version. I hope you like this recipe as much as I did eating them. This chalupa recipe tastes almost like the ones you get at Taco Bell.
Ingredients for Homemade Chalupa Shells
You probably have most of what you need already in your pantry:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ounce shortening
- 1 cup milk
- Canola oil (for frying)
Optional fillings:
- 1 lb. ground beef (or shredded chicken, steak, or even beans)
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Sour cream
- Taco sauce
How to Make Chalupa Shells (Step-by-Step)
Making chalupa shells from scratch is easier than you think!
1. Make the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening using a fork until crumbly. Stir in the milk to form a soft ball of dough.
2. Shape the Dough
Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Knead lightly until smooth. Shape it into a loaf about 8 inches long, then divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a 4–5 inch round disk.
3. Fry the Chalupa Shells
Heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a heavy skillet (cast iron is perfect) over medium-high heat.
Using tongs, carefully lower half of the dough circle into the oil. Fry for about 30–60 seconds, then flip to fry the other half. This gives you that classic “puffy taco” curve for fillings. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes total per shell.
Tip: If you don’t care about the shape, simply fry flat and flip once golden!
4. Fill and Enjoy
Load your homemade chalupas with seasoned ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and a drizzle of taco sauce. Serve hot and watch them disappear fast!
Why You’ll Love This Chalupa Recipe
- Simple ingredients: Nothing fancy — just pantry staples.
- Customizable: Choose your favorite fillings, from spicy beef to veggie-packed options.
- Family-friendly: Let everyone build their own chalupa at the dinner table.
Tips for Perfect Chalupa Shells
- Use a cast iron skillet for the best frying results.
- Don’t skip the baking powder — it’s what makes the bread puff up nice and fluffy!
- Keep the oil hot (about 350°F) but not smoking to avoid greasy shells.
- Work quickly once you start frying so the dough doesn’t dry out.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes. You need fat to bind and hold everything and to ensure the bread isn’t dry.
Yes, you can freeze homemade chalupa bread. Make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag to maintain its freshness. When ready to use, thaw it at room temperature or reheat in the oven for a few minutes.
Yes! Fry the shells and let them cool completely. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in the oven before filling.
A tostada is flat and crispy, while a chalupa is often puffier and slightly curved. Tostadas are usually made with corn tortillas; American-style chalupas use a thicker, softer dough.
You can try, but they won’t have the same crispy, chewy texture. Frying is the way to go if you want that authentic experience!
Similar Recipes
If you like copycat recipes like this, you will enjoy the ones below:
- Copycat White Castle Burgers Recipe
- Spanish Style Crunchwrap Supreme Recipe
- Taco Bell Copycat Cinnamon Twist
- Copycat McRib Sandwich
- Copycat Chocolate Hostess Cupcake Recipe
Items you may need
The Best Homemade Chalupa Recipe (Crispy, Fluffy, Easy!)
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Mexican Chalupas are easy to make. This recipe makes eight chalupas that are soft, chewable, affordable, and delicious. Learn how to make them here.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 oz. shortening
- 1 c. milk
- Canola oil, for frying
- 1 pound ground beef, cooked
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Sour cream
- Taco sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy-duty shallow skillet such as a cast-iron skillet on medium heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening. Use a fork to mix the ingredients together. Pour the milk into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix ingredients in with the milk to form a ball of dough.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll until smooth. Mold the dough into a loaf about 8 inches. Divide the dough in half, then into fourths. See the picture above. Roll each individual section into a ball and roll out the small ball of dough into a round circle about 4-5 inches wide.
- Use tongs and carefully dip half of the chalupa dough into the hot oil. Once that half of the dough has begun to fry up but not quite brown, flip the chalupa bread with the other half of the dough frying in the oil. This is if you want to try to have the chalupas have the dip on the bottom for your fillings. If it doesn’t matter to you, just fry on both sides for 2 minutes until golden brown and remove from oil onto cooling rack lined with paper towels.
- Fill your chalupas with beef seasoned with taco seasoning, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream. Top with taco sauce if desired.
Notes
Alternative: You can try this recipe with gluten-free flour
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Fry
- Cuisine: Mexican
This sounds very good, I started to go to the kitchen when my wife gave birth to her first child, indeed the first time was very difficult to get to know, I wandered on blogs, read about recipes, I knew about blogs Your also from here. I find inspiration with what you share
eatfrysmith recently posted…Best Pellet Grill Under 500
Thank you!
It physically won’t let me give 5 stars but this deserves it. I have been making this nonstop for 3 days making mini tacos. Even made a desert this this bread some sweetened cream cheese and raspberry sauce and it was AMAZING. SOO GOOD
Thank you so much Tiffany. I’m glad you like it!
Hi!
I just read this. Congratulations on your first child! By now, your baby is two years old?
Happy Happy Day for both of you!
Sincerely yours,
Tierney Young
Just bought everything to make you wonderful Chalupas can’t wait!! Thanks
adams@nationalrestaurantny recently posted…Traeger vs. Camp Chef Reviews [2019]
Great! I hope you liked them!
Can you store half this dough for the next day to make again or do you need to cook it right away?
Hello Kely,
I don’t see why not. I think it would be fine.
Can this dough be made a day ahead?
I think it will be fine if you did that.
Hi so I made mine and it is hard..It won’t fold..Did I do something wrong?Its not as thick as the pictures chalupa..Yours seems like it’s breadish like mine seems like a crispy hard round plate.It taste yummy..
Without seeing your steps it’s hard for me to say As far as it is too hard, I would think its because you may have fried it too long. That’s all I could think of.
Do you know what we could substitute for shorting?
what can I substitute shorting with if I don’t have any?
I’m not sure Jessica but may ask Google?
Use lard. It’s the best to make masa for tamales and is great to make your dough for chalupas!
Lard
Can I use Veg shortening or butter Crisco?
I think you will be fine.
It says 1oz of shortening how many cups is that cause I have a big container
That should be about 1-2 tablespoons.
Homemade Mexican Chalupas Recipe is great! To be honest, I’m not good at cooking but I like them, they give me joy and excitement every time I finish the dishes, which is a great thing. With your recipe, I just need to follow the instructions and the rest is simple, Thanks for sharing.
Williams Chris recently posted…Top 5 Best Asphalt Driveway Sealer Consumer Reports for 2019
You are very welcome William!
Chalupas are my favorite thing to eat at taco bell and I have been looking for a recipe I’m so glad I found you can’t wait to try them. Thanks they look delicious
Let me know how they come out!
They were SO good!
Look yummy! One of my favorite Chalupas, nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thanks you!
Thank you Thomas!
Nicole, I made your chalupas last night for dinner!! They were very easy to make, the recipe was so easy to follow????????They were absolutely delicious!! Light and Crispy on the outside yet chewy on the inside❤️Amy husband and I absolutely loved them, a lot of happy tummy sighs during dinner!! I won’t be able to eat Taco Bell’s chalupas again!! Thanks for sharing your recipe, I’ll be making these a lot not only for us but for family n friends!!I tried to give you 5 stars but it would only allow me to do 4????????♀️
Thank you Brenda!!!!!!
What type of flour? All purpose?
All-purpose
Can you substitute butter for shortening?
I don’t see why not.
I’ve made these like 4 times in the past month. They are yummy and a family favorite.
They are super addictive! Glad you like them!
My husband said now does she have a recipe for the Baja sauce ;). Trying this out tomorrow for taco Tuesday.
Great!
Made this for dinner tonight and we loved it!! Delicious!!
Awesome!
can these be baked?
Yes. I would brush them with olive oil and then bake them so they still come out crispy.
You can make this with self rising flour. Just use a 1 to 2 formula. 2 cups flour to 1 cup milk. Stir together. If too thin add small amounts of flour to thicken it up until it easily stirs into a sticky ball.Place on floured surface. Fold over each side (knead) on floured surface. Let rest about 2 to 5 minutes. Divide into equal pieces. Roll pieces into circles and quickly deep fry. This easier recipe will make the above chalupa shells. You also can add sugar to the mix and fry it up then season as you desire for elephant ears. You can top it with Mexican inspired ingredients or eat with jams or jellies. You can literally make it with 2 tblsp self rising flour and 1 tblsp milk if you just want to make one.
Thank you!
Can you provide the exact recipe we need to mix in a bowl and how many it would make ?
I see ingredients but how many does this make?
Thank you !!
This makes 8.
I love the Chalupas at Taco Bell!!! I am definitely going to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Are there no spices added to the ground beef?
Yes, I’m sorry. Definitely add taco seasoning.
I loved this recipe. To make the frying easier because I wanted a curved Chalupa, I placed the chalupas on a rolling pin and covered with cling wrap and put them in the freezer for 25 minutes until almost frozen then fried them as specified. They turned out amazing. We have no Taco Bell’s here in Germany close so this is a treat!
I’m glad it worked out Catherin!
Very nicely done. Can maida floor be replaced by something else?
Uma Joshi
Thank you but what is “caida floor” mean?
I’ve used this recipe several times this year (subbing shortening with butter) and I get consistently amazing results and the chalupas are waaaaay better than Taco Bell’s (still love you TB!). I highly recommend this recipe if you are looking for something close to Taco Bell’s but better. 🙂
Yay Tay Tay!
Was very easy and taste amazing!! Will make again for sure! Kid approved as well!
I’m glad you enjoyed it Jackie!
When you roll the ball of dough, what should the thickness be approximately?
About 1/4 inch perhaps.
Absolutely fantastic, never been to Taco Bell but don’t think I’ll bother now anyway. Brilliant recipe, thanks so much.
Awesome Rob!
This is a very well written recipe I will use. Thank you.
My family wanted chalupas for dinner, we tried this recipe and everyone loved it. I did alter the flour, we use einkorn for its nutrient density. It absorbs liquid a little slower and has a different gluten structure. Boy what a treat. Definitely will be making these again. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you Virginia!
Can these Calupas shells be made using cornmeal instead of white flour. Never thought of white flour for chalupa shells.
I am not sure to be honest with you. I feel that it should be fine, but not sure. It may be more like a taco shell.
This was one of the best recipes I have found for the fry bread
Sounds great but these are not chalupas.
Kudos for the effort but these are definitely not Chalupas… not even close…
Kinda tasteless. Next time I will salt as they come out of the oil, and cut out 6 and roll them out bigger so they hold more toppings.
This is so great both fo4r Indian Fry Bread and yes even for doughnuts and mostly chalupa’s.
These were fantastic! This is the best chalupa recipe I’ve found online. Thank you so much for sharing it.
You’re welcome!
Kinda tasteless. Next time I will salt as they come out of the oil, and cut out 6 and roll them out bigger so they hold more toppings.
Can not wait to make this recipe. I do have one question: once the dough is combined, do you have to let is rise? If so, for how long?
No need to rise! Enjoy!
Can you freeze the cooked chalupa shells?
Great question!
Yes, you can freeze homemade chalupa bread. Make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag to maintain its freshness. When ready to use, thaw it at room temperature or reheat in the oven for a few minutes.
Yes you can use pita bread. fry in shortening or hot oil and it’s perfect.