Best Taco Recipes: The Ultimate Guide

It’s time to talk tacos.

Whether’s it’s Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday or just an evening you’re craving Mexican food, tacos make an ideal meal because of their versatility. A taco bar works great for a group dinner or game watch, since everyone can create their own individual meal. With plenty of ingredients, taco bars allow everyone to select their favorite proteins and toppings.

How to Make Tacos

Taco meat can be cooked, grilled or prepared in a slow cooker. Slow cookers are ideal for shredded chicken and ground beef, especially for large portion sizes, while fish and steak are great choices for grilling. Soft tortilla shells can be toasted on a skillet or stovetop, and hard shells taste great out of the oven or air fryer. Pico de gallo, tomatoes, red onion, corn and avocado are staple toppings. Grilling and sautéing your veggies can really bring out their flavor. Add cheese, lettuce and sauces or seasonings to elevate your tacos.

Let’s look at some common ways to prepare tacos.

Chicken Taco Recipes

Chicken is a popular protein pick, and it’s excellent paired with the scallions in our Soft Chicken Tacos with Charred Scallions recipe. Charring scallions brings out their natural sweetness, while also adding a subtle smoky flavor. Our Chicken and Bean Tacos are a classic combination. For a twist, combine tacos with chicken tikki masala for our best-of-both-worlds Chicken Tikki Tacos.

Steak and Beef Taco Recipes

While a traditional street taco includes only meat, onions and cilantro on a tortilla, most Ground Beef Taco recipes include cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. Walking Tacos are a popular variation served on tortilla chips instead of in a shell.

For those who like machaca, our Slow Cooker Machaca Tacos recipe skips the traditional drying and reheating of the meat but delivers the same rich, delicious flavors. When making birria, the cooking broth is as important as the meat – as in Quesa Birria Tacos, in which a cup of broth is served on the side for extra dipping.

Fish and Shrimp Taco Recipes

Fish Tacos, either grilled or fried, feature fresh veggies like pico de gallo or coleslaw alongside the seafood. The mango in our Grilled Cod Tacos recipe adds a tropical sweetness.

Our Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Sauce and Sheet Pan Shrimp and Corn Tacos can be made in minutes, while Slow Cooker Shrimp Tacos take time to soak up a flavorful sauce during cooking.

Vegan Taco Recipes

Many tasty tacos can be made with plant-based ingredients. Grilled Mushroom Asada Street Tacos take inspiration from the marinade used for carne asada, but use it for mushrooms. A quick herb and veggie green sauce adds both color and flavor to Potato Verde Tacos.

Taco Bowl and Taco Salad Recipes

For less of a mess, try putting your meat, veggies and toppings into a bowl. A few of our favorite recipes are Steak Taco, Chicken Taco or Fish Taco bowl recipes. You can spice up taco night even more with canned chipotles en adobo, accompanied by a touch of creamy salsa con queso, in our Chipotle Taco Bake.

Additional Inspiration

We’ve got all the freshest finds when shopping for taco meats, tortilla shells, sauces and salsa, and more toppings. For more meal ideas, visit and shop more of our favorite taco recipes or check out our blog.