Real Mexican tacos are typically simple, just a spoonful or two of filling on a soft corn tortilla topped with a good homemade salsa, diced onion, finely chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. This collection features authentic Mexican taco recipes made the traditional way. Try the crispy ribeye tacos, chicken tacos with avocado salsa, garlic shrimp tacos, fish tacos with pico de gallo, potato and chorizo tacos, queso fresco tacos, and crunchy chicken taquitos. Each recipe includes step-by-step instructions plus recommended salsa pairings.
- Crispy Ribeye Tacos
- Queso Fresco Tacos
- Rice and Hard-Boiled Egg Tacos
- Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa
- Ribeye Tacos with Habanero Salsa
- Asadero Cheese Tacos with Salsa Verde
- Arrachera (Skirt Steak) Tacos
- Garlic Shrimp Tacos
- Fish Tacos with Pico de Gallo
- Potato and Chorizo Tacos
- Chicken Taquitos with an Avocado Salsa
Common Questions
An authentic Mexican taco is typically a small, soft corn tortilla filled with meat, seafood, or vegetables and topped with onion, cilantro, salsa, and lime. Cheese, lettuce, and tomato are less common toppings.
Traditional Mexican tacos are topped with finely diced white onion, chopped cilantro, a homemade salsa, and a squeeze of lime. Other toppings are sliced radish, avocado, cabbage, beans, queso fresco, or a spoon of Mexican crema. Popular toppings vary regionally.
Authentic Mexican tacos are traditionally made with corn tortillas, which are the standard across most of Mexico. Flour tortillas are used more in northern Mexico and for certain regional tacos, but corn is the classic choice.
Popular Mexican tacos include tacos al pastor (marinated pork), carne asada (grilled beef), carnitas (braised pork), fish tacos, and chicken tacos. Each region of Mexico also has its own specialties and favorite fillings.
Mexican tacos use smaller soft corn tortillas with minimal toppings like onion, cilantro, and salsa, while Tex-Mex tacos often use crispy shells or flour tortillas topped with yellow cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. Regional taco styles developed due to local preferences, culture, and ingredient availability. All tacos are delicious though. If you are interested in Texas tacos you’ll want to read, The Tacos of Texas by Mando Rayo and Jarod Neece.