Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa)
These are not your ordinary Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa). Bringing more authentic tastes of Mexico, these tacos de papa have so much flavor! We reduced the amount of oil to make this a little healthier than the traditional deep fried tacos de papa, and increased the flavor in the filling to make them absolutely delicious!
This recipe is so versatile! It can be made as is, with a mild spicy filling. Or for those that like it off the charts spicy, it’s really easy to add more heat. Our potato tacos are satisfying for omnivores, perfect as a vegetarian or gluten-free main course, and an unctuous, but healthier vegan and dairy-free meal! Want to read more about this in our Blog Comments and Tips?
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
Recipe Updated: 4/1/22
POTATO TACOS (Tacos de Papa)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife (and protective gloves), deseed and chop the jalapeños and tomatoes. Then chop the onions. Set aside the tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions.
- In a 3 quart sauté pan on medium heat, melt butter (or 2 Tbs. oil - see Note #1). Add chopped onion, and diced jalapeños. Stirring occasionally, sauté until onions and peppers have softened (about 3-4 minutes). Add chopped tomatoes, and sauté until soft and cooked (about 3-4 minutes). Then add minced garlic, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, until cooked through.
- Add seasoned steamed potatoes (try our Instant Pot Steamed Potatoes) to the pan and smash them with the back of a fork (or potato masher, or bottom of a heavy glass). Sprinkle black pepper, and a pinch of cumin all over smashed potatoes. Combine with a silicone spatula, and add Better Than Bouillon (see Note #2), and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, and if potatoes are a bit too dry or need a little more flavor, stir in salsa verde to the potato mixture, combine, and heat through (about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- Line a baking sheet with 4 to 5 layers of paper towels and set aside. Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Warm tortillas (6 at a time) so they are pliable (see Note #3). Set up your assembly station to make it easier to assemble the tacos.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon or so of the shredded cheese over half of a tortilla. Spoon some of the potato mixture on top of the cheese, but do not overfill or spread to the edges. Fold tortilla over to form a taco, lightly press down, and seal the edges with your fingers. Make sure your filling does not squeeze out the sides (if so, just open and remove a little of the filing). Secure with a toothpick by sealing the top middle edge, and set on a plate. Repeat to form all 12 tacos.
- Add ¼ cup corn oil to a 5 quart sauté pan on medium-high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Once hot enough, test the oil with a tiny pinch of potato filling. If it vigorously sizzles, it’s ready. Carefully add 3 to 4 prepared tacos to the skillet (do not crowd them), and cook until lightly browned on the bottom (about 2 to 3 minutes). Then with tongs, carefully turn them over to cook the other side until lightly browned. Remove them from the oil onto the prepared baking sheet, to remove excess oil. Transfer baking sheet to oven to keep warm while you make the other tacos. Cook in batches until all tacos are cooked and ready to serve.
- Serve with a lime wedge, some fresh cilantro leaves, and your choice of fixings. Split open a taco and fill with your choice of fixings.
- We suggest a squeeze of lime, some Mild Three Chile Salsa, crumbled queso fresco, fresh cilantro, a slice of avocado, and a light drizzle of Mexican crema. See Note #4 for vegan, and dairy-free options.
Notes
- Filling: Vegan and dairy-free options: Just replace the butter with oil in Step 2.
- You can replace Better than Bouillon with 2 teaspoons powdered chicken bouillon (or vegetable).
- Warming Tortillas: As a quick way of heating the tortillas, thoroughly wet a few paper towels, and squeeze out water. Lay out the wet paper towels on the plate, and stack 6 tortillas on top. Fold over the wet paper towels until all tortillas are covered (creating a bundle). Heat in the microwave for a few seconds (about 15-30 seconds until just warm and pliable. To keep them warm and pliable, keep the tortillas covered during assembly.
- Toppings/Fixings: Vegan and dairy-free options, omit the Queso Fresco and Mexican crema toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
447.06Fat (grams)
16.89Sat. Fat (grams)
9.39Carbs (grams)
62.15Fiber (grams)
8.23Net carbs
53.92Sugar (grams)
4.87Protein (grams)
15.03Sodium (milligrams)
646.49Cholesterol (grams)
40.53Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Nutritional calculations do not include any of the Garnishes/Fixings.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
Taco Filling
STEP 1a
Deseed and chop 2 Roma tomatoes. Chop ½ cup white onion. Set tomatoes and onions aside.
Note: We used a variety of knife sizes for this recipe. We love and use these knives for almost all our recipes!
STEP 1b
We highly recommend wearing protective gloves when working with chile peppers. To prepare the jalapeños:
a) With a sharp knife, halve 1 jalapeño pepper.
b) With a spoon (see Note below), scoop the membrane from the jalapeño pepper.
c) Remove the membrane and seeds from the jalapeño pepper. If you like it super spicy, leave some of the seeds.
d) Chop the jalapeño pepper into small diced pieces, and set aside.
Note: We used a grapefruit spoon to remove the membrane and seeds. The pointed end and serrated edges make it easier to accomplish this task.
STEP 2
In a 3-quart sauté pan on medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive, vegetable, or avocado oil).
a) Add ½ cup chopped onion and diced jalapeño pepper. Stirring occasionally, sauté until onions and pepper have softened a little (about 3-4 minutes).
b) Add diced Roma tomatoes, and sauté until all veggies are soft and cooked (about 3-5 minutes).
c) Add 2 minced garlic cloves, and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
d) Vegetables should be cooked through.
STEP 3a
Our Instant Pot Steamed Potatoes recipe is perfect for this taco recipe.
a) Add 1 pound whole steamed potatoes to the pan with veggies.
b) Smash them with the back of a fork, or a potato masher (which really works best), or the bottom of a heavy glass.
c) They will break up even more as you continue to stir and cook them.
STEP 3b
a) Sprinkle 1 teaspoon ground black pepper and a pinch of cumin all over smashed potatoes. Combine with a silicone spatula.
b) Add 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon-vegetable (roasted veggie, or chicken flavor - see Note below), and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, and heat through.
c) Optional: If potatoes are a bit too dry or need a little more flavor, stir in ¼ to ½ cup Herdez salsa verde (mild or medium - or your favorite brand of green salsa) to the potato mixture, combine and heat through (about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Note: We prefer the Better than Bouillon flavor over the powdered bouillon. If you don’t have any on hand, you can certainly replace it with 2 teaspoons powdered chicken bouillon (or vegetable).
Assembly
STEP 1
Line a baking sheet with 4 to 5 layers of paper towels and set aside.
Preheat oven to 250°F.
STEP 2a
Warm the tortillas so they are pliable.
A quick method is to thoroughly wet 1 or 2 paper towels and squeeze out the water. Lay out the paper towels on a small plate and stack 6 corn tortillas on top of the wet paper towels. Cover the tortillas with the wet paper towel, folding them over the stack of tortillas (creating a bundle).
Heat in the microwave for a few seconds (about 15-30 seconds until just warm and pliable). To keep them warm and pliable, keep the tortillas covered during assembly.
STEP 2b
Set up your assembly station with the potato mixture, warmed tortillas, cheese, toothpicks, and a dinner plate. You can assemble each taco on another plate, but we prefer to lay out wax paper sheets on the counter instead.
STEP 3a
To assemble the tacos:
a) Spread about 1 tablespoon or so of the shredded monterey jack cheese (or Oaxaca cheese) over half of a tortilla.
b) Spoon some of the potato mixture on top of the cheese, but do not overfill. Also, do NOT spread filling to the edges.
c) Fold tortilla over to form a taco, lightly press down, and seal the edges with your fingers. Make sure your filling does not squeeze out the sides (if so, just open and remove a little of the filing).
d) Seal top middle edge with a toothpick and set on a plate.
STEP 3b
Repeat to form all 12 tacos. Now you are ready to cook!
Note: Yes, there are only 6 in the photo. Oh well, we forgot to take a photo of all 12 tacos. We do recommend assembling them all first.
Cooking
STEP 1
Add ¼ cup corn oil to a 5-quart sauté pan on medium-high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Once hot enough, test the oil with a tiny pinch of potato filling. If it vigorously sizzles, it’s ready.
a) Carefully add 3 to 4 prepared tacos to the skillet (do not crowd them) and cook until lightly browned on the bottom (about 2 to 3 minutes).
b) Then with tongs, carefully turn them over to cook the other side until lightly browned.
c) Remove them from the oil onto the prepared baking sheet (lay them onto the paper towels) to absorb excess oil. Transfer baking sheet to oven to keep warm while you make the other tacos. Cook in batches until all tacos are cooked and ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions & Garnishes
SERVE!
Remove toothpicks and serve immediately with a lime wedge, some cilantro leaves, and your choice of fixings.
SUGGESTED GARNISHES/FIXINGS
Split open a taco and fill with your choice of fixings.
Squeeze of Lime
Mild Three Chile Salsa (or your favorite red salsa, salsa verde, hot sauce, or Herdez Guacamole Salsa)
Queso Fresco, crumbled
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Avocado, sliced or diced
Mexican Crema (table cream, or sour cream)
Guacamole salsa or salsa verde
SERVING SUGGESTION - With Dairy
VEGETARIAN & OMNIVORES: We suggest serving with a squeeze of lime, some of our Mild Three Chile Salsa, crumbled queso fresco, fresh cilantro leaves, a slice of avocado, and a light drizzle of Mexican crema. These tacos are gluten-free, as well!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
VEGAN & DAIRY FREE: The suggested combination of fixings are perfect for these tacos, but omit the queso fresco and mexican crema fixings if you are vegan or dairy free. Also, omit the cheese in Assembly Step 3a.
VIDEO
How to Make these Unbelievably Delicious Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa)!
Blog Comments & Tips
Potato Tacos have never been so delicious!
These are not your ordinary potato tacos. Bringing more authentic flavors of Mexico, these tacos de papa have so much flavor! We reduced the amount of oil to make this a little healthier than the traditional deep fried tacos de papa, and increased the flavor in the filling to make them absolutely delicious!
I have been a big fan of potato tacos for years and can tell a lot about a Mexican restaurant by their papas de taco. Just as Arrabbiata Sauce is my personal barometer for Italian Restaurants, Potato Tacos are my barometer for Mexican restaurants!
Many restaurants use mashed potatoes, or plain boiled potatoes for the filling and they often don’t have much flavor. I’m so excited to report that we have zhuzhed up the filling in this authentic dish by sautéing onions, jalapeños, and tomatoes, along with a few spices, to add tremendous flavor. These little babies are usually fried in at least 1 cup of oil, if not deep fried. To healthify this recipe, we used only ¼ cup of corn oil and it’s more than enough to fry up all 12 tacos!
Although I love very spicy food, we prefer these tacos to have a mild spicy quality instead. We feel the flavors of the filling shouldn’t be covered up with too much heat. Topping these potato tacos with salsa adds another level of spicy. The salsa we recommend for these papas de taco, is our easy to make Mild Three Chile Salsa. It can be made ahead and it actually gets better over time. This salsa adds the perfect balance of flavors and tang to this dish.
The spiciness of the taco filling can really be left to you, and it is a very personal choice. If you like it very spicy, then the spice level is super easy to adjust. See below for ways to Pimp Our Recipe.
Pimp Our Recipe:
Make it Less Spicy: For mild spiciness, make the filling according to the recipe and remove ALL the jalapeño seeds. If you like it with NO spice, then omit the jalapeño all together.
Make it More Spicy: For major spicy heat, remove the membrane, but leave in a fair amount of the jalapeño seeds. If you are a glutton for punishment, leave all the seeds and hope for the best!
Make it Healthier: Try our recipe for Healthy Potato Tacos (recipe coming soon)!
Make it Garlicky: Add 2 more cloves of minced garlic (a total of 4 garlic cloves) to Filling Step 2c.
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Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: When assembling the tacos, remember to not overfill them. Also, do NOT spread filling to the edges, or they it will spill out when they are cooking.
Adapted from the Tacos de Papa (Fried Potato Tacos) recipe by Food.com, we’ve taken this recipe and made it a little healthier and amped up the flavor in a big way!
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