15 Taco Night Favorites for the Best Fiesta Ever

Taco night is the best night. Whether you like them classic, crispy, or creative, there's a taco here with your name on it.

These 15 taco night favorites cover beef, chicken, fish, and veggie fillings plus the sides and salsas that make the fiesta complete.

Below you’ll find 15 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Classic Ground Beef Tacos

The weeknight standard: seasoned beef, crisp shells, and all the fixings.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 12 taco shells
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Salsa

Instructions

1. Brown the beef; drain and stir in taco seasoning with 2/3 cup water.
2. Simmer 5 minutes until thickened.
3. Warm the taco shells.
4. Fill with beef.
5. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

2. Slow Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Crisp-edged pork carnitas with onion, cilantro, and lime.

Ingredients

• 3 lb pork shoulder
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves
• Juice of 2 oranges
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp oregano
• Corn tortillas
• Diced onion, cilantro, lime

Instructions

1. Add pork, onion, garlic, juices, and spices to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on LOW 8 hours until shreddable.
3. Shred and spread on a sheet pan; broil 5 minutes for crisp edges.
4. Serve in warm corn tortillas.
5. Top with onion, cilantro, and lime.

3. Baja Fish Tacos

Crispy battered fish with chipotle crema and crunchy slaw.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb white fish (cod or tilapia)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup cold beer or sparkling water
• 1 tsp paprika
• Oil, for frying
• 8 flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Whisk flour, beer, and paprika into a batter.
2. Fry battered fish in hot oil 3-4 minutes per side; drain.
3. Stir mayo with chipotles and a squeeze of lime for the crema.
4. Warm the tortillas.
5. Fill with fish, slaw, and chipotle crema.

4. Chicken Tinga Tacos

Smoky tomato-braised chicken piled into warm tortillas.

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken breast
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 can (15 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo
• 1 tsp oregano
• Corn tortillas
• Crumbled cotija
• Pickled onions

Instructions

1. Poach chicken in salted water 15 minutes; shred.
2. Blend tomatoes, chipotles, garlic, and oregano.
3. Sauté onion; add sauce and shredded chicken.
4. Simmer 10 minutes until thick.
5. Serve in tortillas with cotija and pickled onions.

5. Veggie Black Bean Tacos

Smoky black beans and charred corn — hearty with zero meat.

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz) black beans, drained
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• Juice of 1 lime
• 8 corn tortillas
• Avocado
• Crumbled cotija
• Cilantro

Instructions

1. Char the corn in a dry skillet 4 minutes.
2. Add onion, beans, chili powder, and cumin; cook 5 minutes.
3. Mash slightly and stir in lime juice.
4. Warm the tortillas.
5. Fill with beans, avocado, cotija, and cilantro.

6. Birria Tacos with Consommé

The viral sensation: cheesy, crispy tacos dunked in rich consommé.

Ingredients

• 3 lb beef chuck
• 4 dried guajillo chiles, seeded
• 1 onion, quartered
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 4 cups beef broth
• Corn tortillas
• Shredded Oaxaca cheese
• Diced onion and cilantro

Instructions

1. Simmer beef, chiles, onion, garlic, and spices in broth 2 1/2 hours.
2. Blend the chiles with some broth into a sauce; return to the pot.
3. Shred the beef.
4. Dip tortillas in the consommé; fill with beef and cheese and crisp in a skillet.
5. Serve with consommé for dunking, plus onion and cilantro.

7. Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

Chili-lime shrimp with sweet mango salsa — bright and fresh.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled
• 2 tsp chili powder
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 mangoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 8 flour tortillas

Instructions

1. Toss shrimp with chili powder, half the lime juice, and oil.
2. Sear 2 minutes per side.
3. Mix mango, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and remaining lime juice.
4. Warm the tortillas.
5. Fill with shrimp and mango salsa.

8. Korean BBQ Beef Tacos

Sweet-spicy bulgogi beef with kimchi slaw in flour tortillas.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb flank steak, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 flour tortillas
• 2 cups kimchi slaw
• Sliced green onions
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Marinate beef in soy sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, sesame oil, and garlic 1 hour.
2. Sear in a screaming-hot skillet 3-4 minutes.
3. Warm the tortillas.
4. Fill with beef and kimchi slaw.
5. Top with green onions and sesame seeds.

9. Breakfast Tacos

Fluffy eggs, chorizo, and potatoes — the best way to start the day.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb chorizo
• 8 eggs, scrambled
• 2 cups diced potatoes, crisped
• 8 flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• Salsa
• Diced avocado
• Cilantro

Instructions

1. Crisp the potatoes in a skillet; set aside.
2. Brown the chorizo; add eggs and scramble together.
3. Warm the tortillas.
4. Fill with potatoes, egg-chorizo mixture, and cheese.
5. Top with salsa, avocado, and cilantro.

10. Cauliflower Al Pastor Tacos

Charred, achiote-spiced cauliflower with grilled pineapple.

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower, cut in florets
• 3 tbsp achiote paste
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 cup grilled pineapple, diced
• Diced onion
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss cauliflower with achiote paste, pineapple juice, and oil.
3. Roast 25 minutes until charred at the edges.
4. Warm the tortillas.
5. Fill with cauliflower, pineapple, onion, and cilantro.

11. Walking Tacos Bar

Taco fillings served right in chip bags — the ultimate party setup.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef
• 2 packets taco seasoning
• 12 single-serve chip bags (Fritos or Doritos)
• 3 cups shredded lettuce
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• Salsa and guacamole

Instructions

1. Brown the beef with taco seasoning.
2. Set out all toppings buffet-style.
3. Crush each chip bag lightly and open the top.
4. Let guests layer beef and toppings into their bags.
5. Eat straight from the bag with a fork.

12. Crispy Potato Tacos

Golden smashed potatoes with chipotle crema — cheap, crispy, addictive.

Ingredients

• 2 lb baby potatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipotles in adobo, minced
• Shredded cabbage
• Crumbled cotija
• Lime

Instructions

1. Boil potatoes until tender; smash flat on a sheet pan.
2. Drizzle with oil and paprika; roast at 450°F for 25 minutes.
3. Stir mayo with chipotles for the crema.
4. Warm the tortillas.
5. Fill with crispy potatoes, cabbage, crema, and cotija.

13. Steak Street Tacos

Simply seasoned grilled steak with onion, cilantro, and lime.

Ingredients

• 2 lb flank steak
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of 2 limes
• 16 small corn tortillas
• Diced onion
• Cilantro
• Salsa verde

Instructions

1. Marinate steak in oil, spices, garlic, and lime juice 1 hour.
2. Grill 5-6 minutes per side; rest 10 minutes.
3. Chop the steak against the grain.
4. Warm the tortillas (double them up).
5. Fill with steak, onion, cilantro, and salsa verde.

14. Taco Salad Bowls

All the taco flavors over crisp lettuce with crunchy tortilla strips.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 8 cups chopped romaine
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 cup corn
• Tortilla strips
• 1 cup Catalina or salsa-ranch dressing

Instructions

1. Brown the beef with taco seasoning.
2. Arrange romaine in big bowls.
3. Top with beef, beans, tomatoes, corn, and cheese.
4. Add tortilla strips.
5. Drizzle with dressing.

15. Dessert Churro Tacos

Cinnamon-sugar tortilla shells filled with dulce de leche ice cream.

Ingredients

• 8 flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup cinnamon sugar
• 1 quart dulce de leche ice cream
• 1/2 cup cajeta or caramel
• Whipped cream
• Chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Brush tortillas with butter; coat in cinnamon sugar.
2. Drape over an inverted muffin tin to form shells; bake at 375°F for 10 minutes.
3. Cool completely.
4. Fill with scoops of ice cream.
5. Drizzle with cajeta; top with whipped cream and pecans.

Love these 15 taco night favorites? Pin this roundup for later and explore more easy recipes at simplymealful.us.