Our Favorite Taco Recipes

Toasted Tacos with Adobo Beans and Cheese

At Restaurante Bar Fernando, a casual eatery in Nayarit on the west coast of Mexico, we tasted simple bean- and cheese-filled tortillas, folded in half and lightly charred. The tacos are a typical side to pescado zarandeado, seasoned fish slow-cooked

By Courtney HillFebruary 1, 2023

Steak and Bacon Tacos (Tacos de Alambre)

Tacos de alambre, the skillet version of Mexican beef kebabs (alambres), features steak, bacon, peppers, onion, tomato and a blanket of melted cheese. If you like, serve the tacos with additional toppings to add fresh notes to balance the richness. We

By Julia RackowFebruary 4, 2019

Tacos Árabes

Tacos Árabes, from the state of Puebla in central Mexico, originate with Lebanese and Syrian immigrants who began arriving in the country during the late 19th century. A precursor to better-known tacos al pastor, tacos árabes fold sliced spit-roasted

By Lawman JohnsonFebruary 24, 2026

Oven-Fried Potato and Cheese Tacos Dorados

These crispy oven-fried tacos are loaded with cheese and potatoes, with a kick from pickled jalapeños and chipotle.

By Laura RussellNovember 16, 2022

Shrimp and Cheese Tacos (Tacos Gobernador)

If you think seafood and cheese don’t mix, this recipe will change your mind. Tacos gobernador, or “governor’s tacos,” are a modern Mexican classic said to have originated in the state of Sinaloa. A blend of shrimp and melty cheese is tucked inside to

By Laura RussellNovember 15, 2022

Chili Verde Turkey Tacos

When you reach the last bit of leftover turkey, these green turkey tacos are a welcome quick and light lunch. Fragrant cumin, tart tomatillos, and pickled jalapeños—plus lots of lime—bring just-right zinginess to rich turkey meat.

By Diane UngerOctober 8, 2018

Baja-Style Fried Shrimp Tacos

These fantastic tacos are a shrimp version of the ever-popular fried fish tacos. The recipe comes to us from Jorge Fritz and Beto Estúa, proprietors of Casa Jacaranda cooking school in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The shrimp, with their briny-sweet flavor an

By Courtney HillNovember 1, 2022

Beef Chili Colorado Tacos

Don’t wear your dry-clean-only for these succulent, stewy chili colorado, for the Spanish word colorado, or “red-colored.”

By Courtney HillApril 1, 2022

Mojo Pork Tacos

Cuban mojo is a tangy, pungent garlic-citrus mixture that’s often used as a marinade for pork as well as a sauce. We use it to balance the richness of tender, shredded pork in these flavorful tacos. A pressure cooker helps us keep the cooking time wee

By Diane Unger & JM HirschJune 4, 2018

Chili and Citrus–Marinated Fish Tacos

At Casa Jacaranda cooking school in Mexico City, Jorge Fritz and Beto Estúa showed us how to make delicious fish tacos that were not only quick and easy to pull together, but also a feast for the eyes. Snapper, marinated in a blend of citrus juice, gu

By Calvin CoxAugust 9, 2021

Fish Tacos with Lime-Pickled Jalapeños

The secret to the most delicately crisp fish taco with tender, flaky interiors: skip the batter!

Ancho-Spiced Pork and Potato Tacos

Flavorful, juicy tacos hit the table in 25 minutes. "Definitely a keeper!" one reader writes.

By Rose HattabaughOctober 13, 2020

Seared Shrimp Tacos with Tomatoes and Cotija

In her friend’s outdoor kitchen, Josefina López Méndez, chef at Chapulín restaurant in Mexico City, showed us how to make tacos gobernador, a modern Mexican classic that combines a sauté of shrimp, fresh tomatoes and chilies with quesillo, a stringy c

By Calvin CoxAugust 9, 2021

Yucatecan Citrus-Marinated Pork Tacos

Our editorial director J.M. Hirsch considered himself a “toppings guy” until poc chuc: citrus-marinated pork taco meat which takes taco meat to a new level.

By Courtney HillAugust 9, 2023

Fried Shrimp Tacos with Salsa Roja

Many will never know the crispy, shrimp-stuffed joy of Raul Ortega’s legendary tacos, but these are close!

By Courtney HillApril 1, 2022

Single-Seared Garlic Shrimp Tacos

We are very one-sided when it comes to shrimp. And that’s a good thing. Shrimp are notoriously easy to overcook, so to keep them plump and tender, we deeply brown them in a hot skillet on just one side. That develops plenty of flavor without turning t

By Rose HattabaughMarch 26, 2025

Traybake Tacos al Pastor

We’ve moved tacos al pastor off the spit roast and onto your baking sheet. Well-marbled boneless pork shoulder turns crisp and succulent in a high-heat oven, then gets drenched with a sweet-and-spicy chili blender sauce. To simplify prep, buy fresh pi

By Courtney HillJanuary 31, 2025

Tacos al Pastor

Our no-fuss riff on this Mexican street food staple relies on your oven's broiler to mimic the effect of a spit roast.

Grilled Tacos al Pastor

We figured out how to get dripping, fall-apart tender meat for the best shortcut tacos al pastor.

Dutch Oven Beef Birria Tacos

Slow-cooked, succulent meaty stew in a thick, chili-rich sauce.

By Diane UngerAugust 9, 2021

Instant Pot Beef Birria Tacos

Birria, from the state of Jalisco on the western coast of Mexico, is a succulent stew of shredded meat in a thick, intense, chili-rich sauce. It traditionally is made with goat, but these days, beef and lamb are common. Our version is made with meaty

By Diane UngerAugust 9, 2021

Instant Pot Cochinita Pibil Tacos

From the Mexican state of Yucatán on the Gulf of Mexico, cochinita pibil, in its most traditional form, is suckling pig (cochinita) that has been marinated in the juice of sour oranges and achiote paste, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted in an

By Diane UngerAugust 9, 2021

Chicken Chili Verde Tacos

Made with tangy tomatillos, earthy green chilies and herbal cilantro, and with allium underpinnings, chili verde hits many notes on the taste spectrum. For this simple, single-skillet version of chicken chili verde, we use canned tomatillos for conven

By Courtney HillFebruary 18, 2022

Skirt Steak and Green Chili Tacos

We turn sautéed onion, poblano chilies and cumin-seasoned skirt steak into an easy, flavorful taco filling. Dousing it with lime juice after cooking keeps the flavors bright and balanced. For the tenderest texture, slice the steak thinly and against t