12 Irresistible Taco Recipes to Make This Cinco de Mayo
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While Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, it has taken on a different meaning in the United States, evolving into a popular celebration of Mexican food and culture. In Mexico, the holiday is marked with military parades and historical reenactments. In the United States, its rise in popularity was largely driven by marketing campaigns – especially from beer and liquor brands, turning it into a festive occasion centered around tacos, margaritas (I vote you make big batch margaritas for a crowd!), and vibrant gatherings.
I’m sharing a list of my 15 favorite irresistible taco recipes to make below:
Meat
Authentic Birria Taco Recipe
This recipe is consistently one of my most popular recipes. The meat is slowly simmered in a chile broth until tender. It’s served with a simple onion cilantro salsa topping and with consomme for dipping.
Seared Steak Tacos
Everyone should have a simple steak taco recipe in their back pocket. The secret to this recipe is a spoonful of salsa macha, a vibrant Mexican chili oil condiment.
Carnitas Tacos Recipe
Chunks of pork are slow-cooked until tender then fried in the rendered fat until it’s golden brown and crisp on the outside. My secret to amazing carnitas is marinating the combination of both pork shoulder and fatty pork belly in sugar, salt and cayenne overnight.
Braised Tacos al Pastor
Rather than cooking pork on a vertical spit with pineapple this version is altered to be made more easily at home braised in a Dutch oven. I like to pair the meat with a spoonful of refreshing homemade tomatillo-avocado salsa.
Chicken
Baked Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos
Chicken breasts are cooked in a spicy, chipotle and tomato mixture and shredded. The spiced chicken filling can easily be prepped in advance for easy assembly and serving!
Mexican Chicken Street Tacos
This recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner! Juicy chicken thighs coated in a homemade spice mixture are served over tortillas for a homemade version of the street food favorite.
Vegetarian
Crispy Adobo Mushroom Tacos
Mushrooms take the place of meat in this vegan taco filling floored with chipotle peppers. It’s hard to find something to please meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans and this hits the spot!
Creamy Poblano Tacos
I love making rajas poblanos con crema tacos then using any leftover filling to kick up flavor in omelettes or quesadillas.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Filled with roasted sweet potatoes, creamy black beans, crispy sliced almonds and a roasted tomato salsa, these vegetarian tacos are full of flavor.
Seafood
Crispy Beer-Battered Baja Fish Tacos
Golden brown, crunchy fried pieces of fish are served wrapped in warm tortillas with a bit of shredded cabbage topped with a spoonful of creamy herb yogurt sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Grilled Honey Lime Shrimp Tacos
The tequila lime marinade is made from just a few ingredients and the shrimp don’t take long to soak up the flavor. Paired with creamy avocado and a spicy crema these are sure to be a hit!
Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce
These pan-fried tacos are perfect if you’re looking for a lighter (not battered) take on fish tacos. The flakey fish is served over flour tortillas with pico de gallo and a homemade cilantro lime sauce.
Drink Pairings
If you want a few refreshing cocktail pairings with your tacos, here are a few of my recommendations:
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