31 Taco Recipes for Any Night of the Week
When in doubt, make tacos. The crowd-pleasing dinner can satisfy just about any craving. From carne asada and crispy pork carnitas to easy chicken tacos, flaky fish, and plenty of vegetarian options, these taco recipes cover quick weeknight dinners, easy breakfast options, and more ambitious weekend projects too.
Some come together fast—like broiled shrimp tacos and skillet-cooked fish—while birria, carnitas, and al pastor reward a little more time. Most call for store-bought corn or flour tortillas, though you can always make your own corn tortillas. Add pico de gallo, guacamole, or refried beans if you’re feeling ambitious. However you fill them, the taco recipes below give you plenty of reasons to declare any night taco night.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr, Prop Styling by Alex Massillion, Food Styling by Thu Buser2/31Smashed Pork Tacos
Spread seasoned ground pork directly onto tortillas before they hit the broiler for these quick-dinner tacos. Packed with the sweet-savory flavors of al pastor, they’re ready in under 30 minutes.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott6/31Tacos Norteños With Bacon-Fat Flour Tortillas
These northern Mexican–style tacos pair steak, tomato, and plenty of melted cheese with homemade flour tortillas. Enriched with bacon fat, the tender, savory tortillas take some effort but are very worth it.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness7/31Puffy Tacos With Picadillo
These San Antonio–style ground beef tacos start with packaged corn tortillas fried until they puff into crisp, airy shells. Fill them with savory beef picadillo, then add shredded lettuce, tomato, cheddar, cilantro, and salsa.
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie8/31Spiced Beef Taco Bowls
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich9/31Goat Birria Tacos With Cucumber Pico de Gallo
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich11/31Duck Carnitas Tacos With Radish Escabèche
Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic12/31Easy Chicken Al Pastor
Boneless chicken thighs make this streamlined al pastor weeknight-friendly. A smoky-sweet chipotle marinade and blistered pineapple deliver many of the flavors you want from the classic without a trompo—or an all-day project.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Yekatarina Boytsova13/31Chicken Tinga Tostadas With Bacony Black Beans
Saucy shredded chicken tinga, creamy refried beans, and queso fresco are layered over crisp tortillas in this tostada recipe. It scratches much the same itch as a chicken taco, only with substantially more crunch.
Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero, Prop Styling by Kelsi Windmiller14/31Smoky Orange Chicken Thighs
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson15/31Easy Fish Tacos With Spicy Sauce
These easy fish tacos get a weeknight dinner on the table fast: Pan-seared cod or halibut meets crunchy lime slaw and a creamy, spicy sauce, all tucked into warm corn tortillas.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio17/31Salmon Tacos With Pineapple-Chile Salsa
Photo by Heidi's Bridge20/31Honey-Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
Tuck flash-marinated and seared shrimp into warm tortillas with lime-massaged onions, cabbage, and a garlicky mayo-based sauce for this 15-minute dinner.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks22/31Adobo Mushroom Tacos
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy23/31Very Good Vegan Tacos
Soy curls soak up vegetable broth before frying into crisp-chewy strips for the satisfying centerpiece of these vegan tacos. Avocado, radishes, and a punchy salsa pile on freshness and texture.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio24/31Cauliflower Tacos With Cashew Crema
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua26/31Roasted Squash Vampiro Tacos With Cucumber Salsa
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Thu Buser, and Prop Styling by Christina Allen27/31Jalapeño Popper Skillet Tacos
Roasted poblanos, jalapeños, and onion are folded into a creamy pepper Jack filling, baked until bubbly, and spooned into warm tortillas. It’s all the appeal of a jalapeño popper without individually stuffing and frying anything.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni28/31Papas con Rajas
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Gerri K Williams29/31Chipotle-Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
