Recipe Roundup

49 Taco Recipes to Make Every Day Taco Day

With these recipes, you could eat tacos every day for the next 49 days and never be bored.
49 Taco Recipes to Make Every Day Taco Day
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

You might think that the beauty of a taco recipe is that you hardly need one. A taco can start with nearly anything that's delicious, tucked into a delicious tortilla, topped with whatever fits: some cilantro, a little onion, a squeeze of lime, a well-chosen salsa. But it can be nice to have a guide as you plot your next taco night, and these recipes are all winners. Here are 49 of our favorite taco recipes to get you started.

  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    3/49

    Pork Volcánes al Pastor

    Juicy pork al pastor and oozy Oaxacan cheese make a brilliant combo. Thinly slicing the pork and cooking it in a hot skillet with plenty of marinade still clinging to the meat yields the charred edges and deep flavor of traditional spit-roasted pastor.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    4/49

    Spicy Black Bean and Corn Tacos

    Filled with black beans, avocado, and raw corn marinated in bright lime juice along with jalapeño, cilantro, and toasted nuts and seeds, these hearty tacos make an easy-to-cook, easy-to-eat weeknight dinner.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    5/49

    "Nextover" Chicken Tacos with Quick Refried Beans

    Looking for a taco recipe that'll help use up some leftover roasted chicken thighs? This is the one you need. The chicken, dressed in tangy tomatillo salsa, is topped with a bright cabbage slaw. Super-fast, garlicky beans round out the meal.

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  • Sara Remington
    6/49

    Mushroom, Rajas, and Corn Taco with Queso Fresco

    This sumptuous vegetarian feast is based on the classic combination of roasted poblano chiles and mushrooms, with the addition of corn and mild-flavored, soft queso fresco. This taco is often favored by even the most committed carnivores.

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  • Photo by Linda Xiao
    7/49

    Double-Pork Carnitas

    It’s worth seeking out pork belly for the amazing texture it lends to this taco recipe, but if you can’t get it, substitute with another pound of pork shoulder.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    8/49

    Grilled Cheese Tacos

    Salty, smoky grilled halloumi is the star of this tasty, satisfying vegetarian option for the grill.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    15/49

    Bacon-Fat Flour Tortillas

    Tacos aren't complete without tortillas. And the very best tortillas are super-fresh. So don't be intimidated! There’s no need to roll these super-thin. In fact, a little heft keeps them moist.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li
    16/49

    Braised Birria

     Though Birrieria Zaragoza uses goat, this deeply spiced braise is equally good with lamb. You'll want a lot of warm tortillas on hand to make delicious taco after delicious taco.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    17/49

    Brussels Sprout Tacos with Spicy Peanut Butter

    Cooked and raw brussels sprouts are matched with a savory dressing and a spicy, nutty sauce in this surprising but winning taco.

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  • Photo by Lizzie Mayson
    18/49

    Jackfruit Tacos

    If you've never tried jackfruit, it's time to taco it! These tacos are perfect finger food, piled with zingy salsa and creamy guacamole.

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  • 19/49

    Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple

    This easy taco dinner has lots of quick tricks: like cooking the pineapple and shrimp on one sheet pan, and then tossing the filling with the same dressing you used to quick-pickle the onions.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    20/49

    Sheet-Pan Crispy Fish Tacos with Chili-Roasted Corn

    Skip the mess of deep frying. Pumpkin seed- and panko-crusted fish stays extra crispy when baked on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet, which allows air to circulate around the pieces.

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  • Photo by Tom Schierlitz
    24/49

    Tacos al Pastor

    These pineapple and pork tacos are the original fusion food—a cross between Middle Eastern shawarma and the guajillo-rubbed grilled pork served by Mexican street vendors. The pork needs to marinate awhile, so plan ahead.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    25/49

    Papas con Rajas

    If you've never tried stuffing your tacos with potatoes, you're not taco-ing right. This combination of roasted poblano chiles, cubed boiled potatoes, onions, and crema makes a divine vegetarian taco filling.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    26/49

    Jerk-Spiced Duck

    Bathe duck in a spiced (nutmeg, allspice) and spicy (habanero) marinade, stick it in the oven, ignore it for five hours, then serve it with fixings for build-it-yourself tacos.

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  • Photo by Todd Coleman
    33/49

    Chopped Fried-Fish Tacos (Tacos de Salpicón de Pescado)

    Take fried fish, break it up, and douse it with lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, chiles, and cilantro, and you have an incredible jumble of textures and flavors. Because you hack the fish into bits, there's no need to find perfect-for-presentation fillets, so this is a great way to use those that aren't flawless, as long as they're fresh.

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  • Photo by Sang An
    34/49

    Tequila-Lime Mahi Mahi Tacos

    Mild fish is the perfect vehicle to take on a zesty marinade. Yes, there's tequila in it. But no one says you have to make a margarita to serve alongside your tacos.

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  • Photo by Zach DeSart
    35/49

    Quinoa-Batter Fish Fry

    The batter for these fish tacos is made with quinoa flour and gets added texture and crispness from toasted quinoa. We like to top the fish with a little crisp slaw and some avocado.

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  • Photo by Alan Benson
    42/49

    Baja Fish Tacos

    Quick-cooking fish is served on a corn tortilla with pickled red onion, Baja cream, and slaw, plus a spoonful of your favorite tomato salsa. Most of these elements can be made ahead, so that taco night is all easy assembly.

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  • Photo by William Meppem
    43/49

    Spicy Korean Steak Tacos with Kimchi

    Baste grilled steaks with a sweet and spicy chile-ginger sauce, then pile into tortillas with kimchi, cilantro, and mayo for a flavorful taco dinner.

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  • Photo by Tina Rupp
    44/49

    Pressure-Cooker Beer-and-Mustard Pulled Turkey

    This quick taco recipe gives you a flavorful barbecue-sauce dressed filling for flour tortillas. We like sour cream on top, too.

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