Tacos make for the perfect quick and easy meal. With a variety of tasty fillings wrapped in soft corn or flour tortillas, they can be customized to suit any taste. This comprehensive 2000 word guide will provide you with 27 amazing taco recipes to spice up your dinner routine.
From classic ground beef to shrimp and pineapple, these taco ideas range from traditional to innovative fusion dishes. We’ll also cover the essentials like different types of tacos, key ingredients to have on hand, and tips for building flavorful tacos that won’t fall apart. With this extensive collection, Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot more interesting!
A Brief History of Tacos
Tacos have a long and storied history stemming from Mexican street food. The word “taco” originally meant “light lunch” or “small snack” in Spanish. Tacos were sold as street food by street vendors in Mexico City and other large cities beginning in the 19th century. These early tacos consisted of small corn tortillas filled with meat, vegetables, and salsa.
Pork and beef were the most common taco fillings, as they were affordable and readily available protein sources. Street taco vendors would set up small stands with steam tables to keep the tortillas warm and fillings hot throughout the day. Customers could walk up and order quick, hot tacos on the go.
As Mexican immigrants came to the United States, taco traditions traveled north too. Tex-Mex cuisine was born as Mexican cooks adapted dishes like tacos and enchiladas to appeal to local tastes. The crunchy fried taco shell became popularized in the U.S. by fast food chains and restaurants.
Today, tacos are beloved all over the world. From Mexico City to Los Angeles to Tokyo, you’ll find taquerias putting their own spin on tacos while staying true to the dish’s humble, hand-held origins. The possibilities for creative fillings and global flavors are endless!
The Essentials: Types of Tacos and Key Ingredients
There are a few main types of tacos:
Hard shell tacos – Crunchy taco shells made from corn or flour that are filled and eaten by hand. Hard shells can be store-bought or homemade by frying the tortillas into a U-shape. They provide a crispy contrast to the fillings.
Soft tacos – Tortillas grilled or lightly pan-fried before filling, making them soft, warm, and pliable. Soft corn and flour tortillas are more traditional and popular for their versatility.
Fish tacos – Tacos filled with seasoned, grilled white fish like tilapia, cod, halibut, or mahi mahi. They often include cabbage slaw and chipotle or citrus crema.
Breakfast tacos – Tacos made with eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, cheese, or other breakfast items as fillings. A popular morning meal.
Street-style tacos – Traditional, authentic Mexican-style tacos with simple fillings like carne asada, carnitas, or chorizo along with onions, cilantro, and salsa on soft corn tortillas.
Gourmet tacos – Elevated tacos featuring non-traditional, creative fillings and toppings like Korean beef, jerk shrimp, or cauliflower al pastor. Usually on artisanal tortillas.
No matter what type of taco you’re making, there are some key ingredients that will help build complex layers of flavor:
Tortillas – The edible wrapper that encloses taco fillings. Look for quality over quantity when buying tortillas. Handmade from masa flour taste best.
Proteins – Ground beef, shredded chicken, grilled steak, chorizo, carnitas, fish, shrimp, etc. Opt for fattier cuts like skirt or flank steak for more moisture.
Toppings – Lettuce, cabbage, tomato, onion, cilantro, cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc. Load up tacos with fresh contrasting textures.
Seasonings – Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, lime juice, salt, pepper. Use restraint to avoid overwhelming fillings.
Pro Tip: Have all your ingredients prepped ahead of time before assembling tacos. Slow cookers are great for making proteins like chicken, beef, or pork. Chop, shred, grate, and assemble toppings in advance too.
How to Build Amazing Tacos
- Want your tacos to be Instagram-worthy? Here are some keys to constructing epic tacos every time:
- Start with quality tortillas – Fresh, handmade tortillas will always taste better. Try both corn and flour to see which you prefer. Warm them before assembling.
- Perfectly cook proteins – Meat and veggies will have the best flavor when grilled, sautéed, or roasted. Know proper cooking times.
- Layer on seasoning – Use dry rubs, marinades, and finishing sauces to make fillings pop with flavor.
- Include crispy, crunchy elements – To add fun textures, think fried tortilla strips, chicharrones, crispy shrimp, slaw, etc.
- Drizzle on creamy sauces – Sour cream, guacamole, crema, cheese sauces, and mayo-based sauces help balance out tacos.
- Load up on fresh toppings – Onions, cilantro, jalapeños, tomatoes, lettuce, and lime wedges give tacos brightness.
- Wrap it up right – Don’t overstuff. Fold tortillas tightly so fillings don’t escape. Double wrap with two tortillas if needed.
- Serve immediately – Tacos are best consumed right after assembly. Don’t let them sit and get soggy. Dig in!
27 Must-Try Taco Recipes
Get ready to take your taco game to the next level! Here are 27 amazing taco recipes to add some excitement to any weeknight dinner routine:
1. Baja Shrimp Tacos With Creamy Slaw
Juicy shrimp tacos loaded up with crunchy cabbage slaw and a tangy crema sauce. These have an authentic Baja fish taco shack flavor.
Key Ingredients: Shrimp, cabbage, crema, cilantro, lime
2. Mushroom and Corn Tacos
Hearty tacos packed with sautéed mushrooms, corn, poblano peppers, and queso fresco cheese. Perfect for Meatless Monday or any veggie lover.
Key Ingredients: Mushrooms, corn, poblanos, queso fresco, tortillas
3. Summer Tacos With Scallion-Peanut Relish
These oven-roasted chicken tacos are topped with a bright Thai-inspired peanut sauce full of sweet, savory and spicy flavors. A tasty twist on taco night.
Key Ingredients: Chicken, peanut sauce, scallions, cabbage, cilantro
4. Vegetarian Tacos With Sweet Potatoes and Corn
Roasted cubed sweet potatoes, corn, black beans, and avocado get wrapped in warmed corn tortillas for an easy vegetarian taco everyone will love.
Key Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, corn, black beans, avocado
5. Fish Stick Tacos
A family-friendly crispy fish taco recipe using fish sticks, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and chipotle crema. Quick, easy, and customizable for kids or adults.
Key Ingredients: Fish sticks, cabbage, pico de gallo, crema
6. Creamy Rajas and Greens Tacos
Fire-roasted poblano rajas (roasted poblano pepper strips) combine with queso fresco and hearty Swiss chard for an all-vegetarian roasted veggie taco filling.
Key Ingredients: Poblano peppers, Swiss chard, queso fresco, crema
7. Chicken Tacos With Slaw
Shredded roast chicken and vibrant citrus-cabbage slaw pair beautifully in these easy homemade soft tacos. Keep some slaw on the side for extra crunch.
Key Ingredients: Chicken, cabbage, citrus, cilantro
8. Bulgogi-Inspired Beef Tacos
Savory Korean-style marinated beef gets a taco twist and is topped with quick-pickled veggies and a gochujang crema. A fiery fusion flavor!
Key Ingredients: Flank steak, gochujang, kimchi, sesame oil
9. Cuban Pork Tacos With Orange Slaw
Slow cooker Cuban-mojo pork shoulder takes center stage in these tacos topped with a bright, citrusy slaw. The contrast of flavors is sublime.
Key Ingredients: Pork shoulder, orange, lime, cilantro
10. Grilled Chili Shrimp Tacos
Succulent shrimp is marinated in a smoky ancho chili paste and topped with charred pineapple-jalapeño salsa full of sweet and spicy notes.
Key Ingredients: Shrimp, pineapple, ancho chili, cilantro
11. Scrambled Egg Tacos
Quick breakfast tacos with fluffy eggs, shredded cheese, salsa, and avocado tucked into a warm corn tortilla. Customize with meats, veggies or potatoes.
Key Ingredients: Eggs, cheese, avocado
12. Pork and Pineapple Tacos
Tacos filled with juicy grilled pineapple, vibrant pico de gallo, and mojo-marinated pork are garnished with cilantro. A sweet and savory combo.
Key Ingredients: Pork, pineapple, cilantro, pico de gallo
13. Smoky Flank Steak Tacos
Thinly sliced flank steak gets a delicious mesquite rub and is served with caramelized onions and chimichurri sauce for incredible tacos.
Key Ingredients: Flank steak, onions, chimichurri
14. Tilapia Tacos With Cucumber Relish
Fresh tilapia fillets are blackened and served in flour tortillas with crunchy cucumbers, red onion, and cilantro for a light, refreshing taco.
Key Ingredients: Tilapia, cucumber, onion, tortillas
15. Garlicky Skirt Steak Tacos
Marinated and grilled skirt steak is the star of these tacos, along with charred scallions and quick sautéed Napa cabbage for some crunch.
Key Ingredients: Skirt steak, scallions, cabbage
16. Shrimp Tacos With Guacamole Cream
Crispy shrimp joins forces with smooth and creamy guacamole sauce in these crave-worthy tacos for a luxe texture combo.
Key Ingredients: Shrimp, guacamole, crema
17. Vegetarian Tacos With Goat Cheese
Charred poblano peppers combine with protein-rich beans and tangy, creamy goat cheese in these satisfying vegetarian tacos.
Key Ingredients: Poblanos, beans, goat cheese, tortillas
18. Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Lemony garlic shrimp is grilled and topped with avocado salsa verde for fast and fresh grilled shrimp tacos with lots of bright herb flavors.
Key Ingredients: Shrimp, avocado, cilantro, lime
19. Shrimp and Pineapple Tacos With Black Bean Salad
Sweet grilled pineapple pairs with spicy shrimp and sauteed bell peppers in tacos served over vibrant black bean salad for a fun fusion of flavors.
Key Ingredients: Shrimp, pineapple, black beans
20. Crispy Bacon and Egg Tacos
These hearty breakfast tacos are loaded with crispy bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, melty cheese, and creamy avocado. An instant morning favorite!
Key Ingredients: Bacon, eggs, cheese, avocado
21. Squash Blossom Tacos
Crispy fried zucchini flowers, melty Oaxaca cheese, and roasted poblano rajas come together for an upscale veggie taco with fun textures.
Key Ingredients: Zucchini blossoms, cheese, poblanos
22. Seared Salmon Tacos With Sriracha Mayo
Blackened salmon gets paired with crunchy cabbage slaw and given a kick from sriracha spiked mayonnaise in these tasty fish tacos.
Key Ingredients: Salmon, sriracha, cabbage, cilantro
23. Cauliflower Tacos al Pastor
Roasted cauliflower flavored with a blend of traditional al pastor seasonings makes for a stellar meatless taco filling. Top with pineapple salsa.
Key Ingredients: Cauliflower, pineapple salsa, cilantro
24. Shrimp Tacos With Citrus Cabbage Slaw
Juicy sautéed shrimp is loaded into tacos along with crunchy citrus-infused cabbage slaw. The contrast of textures takes these over the top.
Key Ingredients: Shrimp, cabbage, citrus, cilantro
25. Skirt Steak Tacos With Greek Salsa
Grilled, sliced skirt steak and caramelized onions meet creamy feta cheese and briny olives in these Mediterranean-inspired tacos.
Key Ingredients: Skirt steak, feta, olives, onions
26. Blistered Tomato Salsa and Roasted Chicken Thigh Tacos
Shredded roasted chicken thighs pair perfectly with sweet blistered tomatillo salsa in these easy chicken tacos.
Key Ingredients: Chicken thighs, tomatillos, tortillas
27. Shrimp Tacos With Black Beans
Crispy shrimp joins protein-packed black beans, cabbage, and avocado crema in warm tortillas for a fast, filling taco everyone will love.
Key Ingredients: Shrimp, black beans, cabbage, avocado
Taco Recipe Inspiration
With 27 taco recipes covering breakfast, meat, shrimp, fish, and vegetarian options, you’ll never get bored with taco night again! Feel free to substitute different proteins, veggies, salsas, and global flavors to put your own unique spin on tacos.
Tacos make for a fun, interactive meal where guests can customize and dress up their tacos however they wish. Set up a taco bar with lots of optional toppings and let everyone build their perfect taco creations.
Here are some more tips for taco success:
Season proteins well and add marinades or rubs for extra flavor
Warm tortillas in the microwave or skillet so they are soft and pliable
Have lots of lime wedges, fresh salsa, and hot sauce on hand
Fry flour tortillas into taco shape shells for fun homemade crunchy tacos
Make it a taco potluck where everyone brings different proteins and salsas
With the right combination of warm tortillas, seasoned meats, and tons of toppings, you really can’t go wrong. Tacos are endlessly versatile and satisfying. Simply wrap up your favorite ingredients in an edible vessel and enjoy! ¡Buen provecho!