Description

This Spider Taco Ring is a fun, festive twist on traditional tacos, perfect for parties or Halloween gatherings. Ground beef and black beans are seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and oregano, then baked inside a crescent roll ring shaped like a spider body, with rolled crescent rolls forming the legs. The center is filled with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and olive ‘eyes’ for a spooky presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Filling

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3/4 lb. ground beef
1 (14.5-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
4 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Dough and Assembly

3 (8-oz.) cans crescent rolls
2 cups shredded lettuce (or more as desired)
3/4 cup chopped tomatoes (or more as desired)
1/4 cup sour cream (or more as desired)
2 black olives, pitted

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Instructions

Cook Aromatics and Beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add chopped onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, cooking until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.
Prepare Filling: Stir in black beans, 1/2 cup water, chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and warmed through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Form Spider Body: Unroll two cans of crescent rolls and separate into individual triangles. Arrange the triangles on one prepared baking sheet with all points facing outwards, overlapping the shortest sides to create a 6-inch circle with an empty center.
Add Filling and Fold Dough: Spoon the cooled taco filling over the overlapping parts of the crescent dough, creating a ring of filling. Fold the pointed ends of the dough over the filling and tuck under to secure, allowing some filling to peek through between the strips.
Create Spider Legs: Separate the remaining can of crescent rolls into triangles. Fold the tip of each triangle inward by about 1 inch, then roll each triangle from the longest side to form thin rods approximately 7 inches long. Arrange these rods in a wide ‘V’ shape on the second baking sheet to resemble spider legs. Repeat with any remaining crescent roll triangles.
Bake: Place the spider body on the lower oven rack and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. At the same time, bake the spider legs on the upper rack until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let all pieces cool slightly after baking.
Assemble and Serve: Place the spider body on a serving platter. Insert four legs on each side of the body between the dough strips so they stand upright. Fill the empty center circle with stripes of shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and sour cream. Place the pitted black olives in the sour cream to create the spider’s eyes. Serve with additional sour cream, lettuce, and tomatoes on the side if desired.

Notes

For extra flavor, you can add diced jalapeños or bell peppers to the filling while cooking the aromatics.
Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to separate crescent rolls neatly if needed.
Let the filling cool slightly before adding cheese to prevent it from melting too much and making the dough soggy.
For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with plant-based ground crumbles or add more beans and veggies.
The crescent roll legs can be brushed with an egg wash for a shinier finish if desired.
Olives are used for decoration; black beans add protein and texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 390 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 720 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 20 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg