Name: Sheet Pan Taco Bake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb. ground turkey (can substitute chicken or ground beef); 1/4 cup onion, chopped; 1 packet taco seasoning; 1 cup water; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1 refrigerated puff pastry sheet; 1 1/2 cups green lettuce, chopped; 1 cup black olives, sliced; 1 cup cocktail tomatoes, sliced; 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1/4 cup ranch dressing or sour cream

Jump to Recipe

Sheet Pan Taco Bake makes Taco Night even more fun! You’ll love how easy this recipe is to create, and your family will get excited about adding their own special toppings.

two rectangle slices of taco bake on a white plate and one has a sour cream drizzle on top

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Few recipes could be easier and faster than making a taco bake on a sheet pan.

The puff pastry crust is absolutely yummy and a perfect base for lots of toppings. It’s solid enough to hold in one hand like a pizza slice, which makes dinner casual and fun.

This recipe can also be served as an appetizer by cutting it into 16 rectangles instead of 8, which is bound to get the party started. Try serving Sheet Pan Taco Bake with Blueberry Sriracha Margaritas at your next get-together, and you’ll be the hostess with the mostest!

sheet pan filled with puff pastry tacos including toppings like lettuce, tomatoes and cheese with a sour cream drizzle

How to Make It

Start by preparing your protein, which can be ground turkey, ground beef, or diced chicken. Sauté in a cast iron skillet for 10 minutes with a few chopped onions until browned throughout.

Add a packet of taco seasoning and 1 cup of water, then stir well. Simmer until the water cooks down, then add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and stir until creamy. This creates your base.

cast iron skillet with browned ground turkey and a wooden spoon

skillet filled with ground turkey and taco seasoning with cheese on top

black cast iron skillet with ground turkey that has been mixed with seasoning and cheese

Preparing the Crust

Roll out the puff pastry onto a half size sheet pan (18″ x 13″) lined with parchment paper. Pierce the crust with a fork in several places, then slightly roll the edges around the entire pastry to hold the protein.

Spoon the protein onto the puff pastry and spread it up to the rolled edges. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, then remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes before adding the toppings.

slices of taco bake on a sheet pan with first slice covered in a sour cream drizzle

What Toppings Should I Use?

Basic taco toppings work great in this recipe, but you can go all out and offer other options your family enjoys. The sky’s the limit!

The main ingredients you’ll need are lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. Everything else is up to you! Try black olives, avocado, onions, cilantro, salsa, spicy ranch dressing, sour cream, or any other topping you can dream up.

Chop the toppings and place them in separate bowls so folks can choose what they like, or put the base ingredients on and encourage everyone to add the extras they like most.

four white bowls filled with different taco toppings like olive, tomatoes, lettuce and cheddar cheese

How to Put It All Together

To assemble, start with the base, then add lettuce, olives, tomatoes, and cheese.

Use a pizza cutter to cut into 8 rectangles, then add a drizzle of ranch dressing or sour cream to a few of the slices. Or, let your guests do the honors.

Serve this delicious Taco Bake directly from your sheet pan and watch it disappear! The concept of make, bake and take on the same pan is a wonderful thing.

ground turkey on puff pastry on a sheet pan

sheet of puff pastry topped with lettuce, tomatoes and olives

pastry crust topped with lettuce and olives on a sheet pan

Can I Substitute Crescent Rolls for Puff Pastry?

You’ll be much happier with the outcome if you use puff pastry instead of crescent rolls. Most grocery stores carry puff pastry in the same section as the refrigerated pie crusts.

Puff pastry is thicker and flakier which gives this recipe its unique flavor. It also puffs up to make a heartier slice.

However, if puff pastry isn’t available, crescent rolls can be used as long as you seal the edges together before baking. Just be aware that the crust may not be easy to hold since crescent rolls could collapse with the weight of the protein.

slices of sheet pan taco bake with every other one drizzled in sour cream

Serving Ideas

Sheet Pan Taco Bake is perfect for taco night, Taco Tuesday, the big game, birthdays, baby showers, or tailgate parties. It’s easy, fast, and economical to make more than one if you’re serving a big crowd.

Making a giant taco bake on a sheet pan couldn’t be easier and more fun…no matter when you do it!

More Puff Pastry Recipes to Love

If you love puff pastry like I do, be sure to try my other yummy recipes…