Air-Fryer Chalupa Shells: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Chalupas are a Mexican dish that are usually made by frying corn tortillas in oil. However, you can also make chalupas in an air fryer, which is a healthier alternative that requires less oil. To make chalupas in an air fryer, start by brushing or spraying corn tortillas with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Then, preheat your air fryer to 375°F and place two tortillas inside, preferably using a basket with a lid to prevent the tortillas from touching the heating element. Cook the tortillas for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Repeat this process for the remaining tortillas. Once the chalupa shells are ready, you can fill them with your desired toppings, such as refried beans, shredded cheese, salsa, lettuce, and tomatoes.

How to make chalupa shells in an air fryer without oil

Chalupas are a Mexican street food staple made from fried dough. They are similar to tostadas and tacos but have a thicker, crispier, and fluffier shell. You can easily make chalupa shells at home in an air fryer without oil. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Ingredients

• Flour (all-purpose or masa harina)
• Milk (regular or plant-based)
• Shortening or butter
• Baking powder
• Salt

Method

• Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir thoroughly with a spoon.
• Add butter or shortening: Use your hands or a fork to mix in the shortening or cold butter until the mixture resembles crumbs.
• Add milk: Pour in the milk and combine everything into a dough ball. You can use a wooden spoon or your hands for this step.
• Knead the dough: On a floured surface, knead the dough into a big ball. You may need to add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
• Cut and roll the dough: Flatten the dough ball and cut it into wedges (4 for larger chalupas, 8 for smaller ones). Roll each wedge into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a circle about 1/4 inch thick.
• Preheat the air fryer: Set your air fryer to 350°F (175-190°C).
• Prepare the chalupa shells: Brush both sides of the dough circles with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Place two circles in the air fryer basket, one on top of the other, separated by a rack if possible. If your air fryer doesn't have a lid, cover the top of the basket with aluminum foil to prevent the shells from touching the heating element.
• Cook the chalupa shells: Fry the shells for 3 minutes, then turn them over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as they can brown quickly.
• Shape the shells: If you want a taco shape, use tongs to carefully fold one side of the shell over the other while frying.
• Drain and serve: Remove the chalupa shells from the air fryer and drain any excess oil on a paper towel. Fill them with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Tips:

• Make sure your oil is hot enough (around 350°F) before frying to prevent the shells from absorbing too much oil.
• Don't overmix or over-knead the dough, as this will make it tough.
• For a vegan option, use plant-based milk and butter.
• You can also bake or fry the chalupa shells if you don't have an air fryer.

How to make chalupa shells in an air fryer with oil

Chalupas are Mexican street-food snacks with a crispy boat-shaped shell. They are made from masa harina dough and can be topped with salsa, lettuce, cheese, beans, or meat.

Ingredients:

• Flour (all-purpose or masa harina)
• Milk (regular or plant-based)
• Shortening or butter
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Oil for frying (about 1 cup)

Steps:

Make the Dough:

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• Add shortening or butter and mix by hand or with a fork.
• Pour in milk and mix until a dough ball forms.
• Knead the dough on a floured board and form it into a big ball.

Shape the Chalupas:

• Flatten the dough ball and cut it into 4 wedges for large chalupas or 8 wedges for small chalupas.
• Roll each wedge into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a circle about 1/4 inch thick.
• Preheat a skillet with oil to medium-hot. Test the oil by adding a small piece of dough; if it starts bubbling, the oil is ready.

Fry the Chalupas:

• For taco-shaped chalupas, use tongs to carefully dip half of a chalupa circle into the hot oil.
• Fry each side for about 1-2 minutes, or until light brown.
• If you prefer tostadas, fry the chalupas flat.
• Drain the fried chalupas on a paper towel.

Tips:

• If you want to make the chalupas vegan, substitute regular butter with plant-based butter and regular milk with unsweetened almond, soy, or oat milk.
• You can freeze chalupa dough or fry the chalupas and then store them.
• To reheat chalupas, you can fry them, bake them in the oven, or use an air fryer.

How to make chalupa shells in an air fryer with pre-made shells

Ingredients:

• Pre-made chalupa shells
• Olive oil or cooking spray
• Salt (optional)
• Your choice of toppings, such as lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream

Instructions:

• Start by preheating your air fryer to 375°F/190°C for about 3 minutes.
• Brush both sides of the pre-made chalupa shells with olive oil or spray them with cooking spray. You can also use vegetable oil for this step.
• Place two shells in the air fryer basket, with one on the bottom and the other on a rack above it. If your air fryer basket does not have a lid, cover the top of the basket with aluminium foil to prevent the shells from touching the heating element.
• Cook the shells for 3 minutes, then flip them over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as corn tortillas can brown quickly.
• Repeat the process for any remaining shells.
• Once the shells are cooked, you can fill them with your desired toppings. Some popular options include lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream, but you can get creative and add your favourite ingredients.
• Enjoy your delicious chalupa shells!

Note: If you want to make the chalupa shells ahead of time, you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to a week. Alternatively, you can freeze them in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months.

How to make chalupa shells in an air fryer with homemade shells

Chalupas are a specialty dish of south-central Mexico. They are small, thick, boat-shaped fried dough topped with salsa, cheese, and shredded lettuce. The shell is usually crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Here is a recipe for making chalupa shells in an air fryer with homemade shells.

Ingredients:

• Flour (all-purpose or bread flour)
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Milk (whole milk or plant-based milk)
• Butter (unsalted or salted)
• Vegetable oil or cooking spray

Optional Ingredients:

• Cumin seeds powder
• Ghee

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. You can also add cumin seeds powder for extra flavor.
• Add the butter to the bowl and mix it with the dry ingredients. You can use a fork or mix it by hand.
• Pour in the milk and combine all the ingredients into a dough ball.
• Knead the dough on a floured board and form it into a big ball.
• Flatten the dough ball and cut it into wedges. Cut into 4 wedges for larger chalupas or 8 wedges for smaller ones.
• Roll each wedge into a ball and then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a circle about 1/4 inch thick.
• Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
• Brush both sides of the dough circles with vegetable oil or spray them with cooking spray.
• Place two dough circles in the air fryer basket, one on the bottom and one on a rack above it. If your air fryer doesn't have a rack, you can place one dough circle directly on the bottom of the basket.
• Cook the dough circles for 3 minutes, then turn them over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they can brown quickly.
• Repeat the process for the remaining dough circles.
• Once the shells are ready, you can fill them with your desired toppings. Traditional chalupa toppings include salsa, shredded cheese, and lettuce, but you can also add things like sour cream, beans, and meat.

Tips:

• If you want to make the shells ahead of time, you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
• You can also freeze the chalupa shells for up to 3 months.
• To reheat the shells, you can use an air fryer, oven, or even fry them in oil for a few seconds.

How to make chalupa shells in an air fryer with gluten-free ingredients

Chalupas are a specialty dish of south-central Mexico. They are small, thick, boat-shaped fried dough topped with salsa, cheese, and shredded lettuce. The shell is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Ingredients:

• Gluten-free flour (you can use all-purpose gluten-free flour or masa harina)
• Milk (regular or plant-based)
• Shortening or butter
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Cooking spray (optional)
• Prepared refried beans
• Shredded pepper jack cheese or cheese of your choice
• Optional toppings: crumbled or shredded cotija cheese, finely chopped cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce, hot sauce, taco sauce, salsa, or pico de gallo

Instructions:

Start by combining the refried beans with salsa and taco seasoning. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit of water or broth to make it more spreadable.

Next, prepare the chalupa dough. In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the shortening or butter and mix by hand or with a fork. Gradually pour in the milk and mix until a dough ball forms.

Knead the dough on a floured surface and cut it into 4 wedges for larger chalupas or 8 wedges for smaller ones. Roll each wedge into a ball and then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a circle about 1/4 inch thick.

If you want a crispier chalupa, you can air fry the plain tortilla first for about 5 minutes on one side, then flip and add the fillings.

Spray the chalupa dough lightly with cooking oil. Spread the bean mixture on the dough and sprinkle with cheese.

Air fry the chalupas at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8 minutes, or until the bean mixture is heated through, the cheese has melted, and the tortilla is beginning to brown.

Remove from the air fryer and add your desired toppings. Enjoy!

Frequently asked questions