A Cheese Crisp Is Exactly What Your Tacos Have Been Missing
When you're thinking up ways to take your tacos to the next level, your mind may immediately go to tried and true tips like putting your cheese on the bottom of the tortilla instead of atop the other ingredients (which simultaneously helps the cheese melt more quickly and holds the taco together) or simply swapping out you pre-shredded mix for queso fresco. But a cheese crisp may be the elevated addition you're searching for if you want to give your dish an interesting textural component – and it's easier to incorporate than you might think.
Also known as a tuile, cheese crisps are thin, crunchy wafers made entirely of ... well, cheese (via Food Network, Taste of Home). The process to make them is fairly straightforward and easy to replicate at home: simply spread some shredded cheese in a thin circle on either a pan or baking sheet and cook. Once the edges begin to brown, you're done! Let cool for flat crisps or carefully lay over a rolling pin for a rounded shape. Often found gracing the menu at upscale restaurants, there are a few ways to incorporate the cheese crisp into your go-to taco recipe.
Three ways to add a cheese crisp to your taco
The most obvious method of adding a cheese crisp to your taco is using the ingredient as a garnish, cooking up small tuiles and placing them on your taco at the same time as your standard toppings like cilantro, crema, or even more cheese. Taste of Home explains cheese crisps can be stored in an airtight container for a few days, so this may be the best method if you want to cut down on any prep time or create a taco bar for a party.
Serious Eats suggests you incorporate the cheese crisp into the taco construction, melting a small amount of cheese in a pan and then placing the tortilla on top. The outlet recommends you don't fully cover the cheese with your tortilla, allowing the crispy collar to stick out.
And if you're really committed to the cheesy lifestyle, Chrissy Teigen takes the cheese crisp taco a step further, making a full taco shell out of cheese and stuffing it inside a flour tortilla. While this method is the most time-consuming, serious crunch fans will never want to eat a normal taco again.
The other cheese crisp
If you're from Arizona, you may be looking at this article and thinking "That's not a cheese crisp," as the state is home to another kind of cheese crisp, which is pretty different from what we're suggesting you make to upgrade your tacos, though equally cheesy and delicious.
Similar to an open-face quesadilla, The New York Times explains the Arizona cheese crisp is made by topping a flour tortilla with cheese and then broiling it. Like your standard taco (or not so standard, if you follow our cheese crisp tip), Arizona cheese crisps can be topped with just about any ingredient your heart desires. El Minuto Cafe, a popular Tucson Mexican restaurant that's been open since 1936, offers 10 different cheese crisp options on its menu, including green chile, guacamole, ground beef, and chorizo.