Crispy Potato Tacos (tacos dorados de papa) are a delicious and simple Mexican taco recipe. They’re loaded with spiced potatoes, melty cheese, and fried to perfection. I love topping them with shredded lettuce, crema, cilantro, cotija, and thinly sliced onion. You know I’m all about the toppings, and these tacos are perfect for loading them on!
Table of contents
Not-Your-Average Vegetarian Taco Recipe!
This is yet another recipe that my dad introduced me to. He would make crispy potato tacos for us all the time growing up. Not to mention, every taco shop in San Diego has some version of potato tacos on their menu. This recipe is a staple of my childhood, and I know you’ll love them too!
In Spanish, Tacos Dorados de Papa translates to golden potato tacos because they’re fried perfectly until golden brown. These tacos are crispy crunchy, cheesy, and SO good.
They’re a wonderful weeknight meal because they’re easy to make and can be customized many different ways. You can also prep them ahead of time and just fry right before serving. Potato tacos are also budget-friendly and a favorite for any game day, Taco Tuesday, or casual parties.
If you’re looking to eat more plant based foods this year, these tacos are perfect! Even though they’re vegetarian, you won’t miss the meat at all.
Ingredients You’ll Need (+ Substitutions)
- Potatoes. I love using Yukon gold potatoes here, but you can swap in Russets.
- Onion. You can leave these raw for a stronger onion flavor, but I like to sauté them to tame their fiery bite.
- Spices. Chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano are classic Mexican spices.
- Corn tortillas. Choose some nice quality corn tortillas.
- Cheese. I always use Oaxaca cheese here because it’s so melty. You could swap in monterrey jack, pepper-jack, or even mozzarella if that’s what you have on hand.
- Oil. You’ll need a high-temp frying oil like canola, grapeseed, avocado, or sunflower oil.
- Toppings. You can really go wild here, but my favorites are shredded lettuce, Mexican crema, cotija cheese, cilantro, and thinly sliced white onion.
Grab These Tools
How to Fry Potato Tacos So They’re Super Crispy
- Make the mashed potato filling. The potatoes are first peeled and boiled as if you’re making classic mashed potatoes. But instead of mashing them with butter and milk, you’re going to mash in a blend of Mexican spices and sautéed onions!
Jenny’s Tip: Don’t overmash the potatoes. You want them to be spreadable but still a little clumpy.
- Warm the tortillas. This step is optional, but I like to warm the corn tortillas in a 350ºF oven to make them more pliable. This way, they don’t crack or break when you add the potato taco filling.
- Assemble the tacos. Working with the tortillas laid flat, spread about 1/3 cup of the potato filling over one half of the tortilla. Then, top with cheese and fold the clean side of tortilla over the filling.
- Fry until crispy. You need to heat only a very thin layer of oil in the skillet to fry the tacos. Corn tortillas crisp up very easily, and you don’t want to make them greasy with too much oil.
- Pile on the toppings. I’ve listed my favorites in the recipe card below.
Make-Ahead Option
Planning a party or gathering? No problem, because crispy potato tacos are easy to prep ahead of time!
Prep the filling. You can make the filling up to 4 days in advance! Let the potato filling cool to room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate until you’re ready to use, but I recommend letting it come to room temperature before filling the tortillas so it’s easy to spread.
Jenny’s Tip: You can also freeze the filling. Add the cooled potato filling to a freezer-safe ziplock bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before using.
Prep the tacos ahead of time. You can follow all the steps up to filling the tortillas with potato and cheese. You can layer them on a sheet between sheets of parchment paper and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Alternately, you can freeze the assembled potato tacos in a single layer on a baking sheet and then fry them directly from frozen, no need to defrost the potato tacos.
Customizing Your Tacos
I love these crispy potato tacos for a lot of reasons, but one of my favorites is that they’re so easy to customize! You can adapt this recipe to your tastes and dietary needs.
Add a protein. You can enjoy these potato tacos as-is, but you can also add some protein to bulk these crispy potato tacos up. My favorites include seasoned ground beef or carne asada, shredded Mexican chicken, salsa verde shrimp, and even meatless options like tempeh, beans, or meatless crumbles.
Add some veggies. Have some veggies you need to use up? Throw them into the filling! Roasted poblanos or bell peppers would be amazing. You can also add some sautéed zucchini, fresh corn, carrots, etc.
Make them vegan. You can either omit the cheese, or swap in your favorite plant-based cheese. Skip the crema on top and top these with your favorite red or green salsa recipe.
Serving Suggestions
You can easily turn these crispy fried potato tacos into a whole Mexican fiesta! Here are some of my favorite Mexican side dishes and appetizers.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Unique Taco Recipes to Try Now
- Migas Breakfast Tacos (also vegetarian!)
- Beer Battered Shrimp Tacos
- Chicken Tinga Tacos
- Carne Asada Street Tacos
- Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos
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Crispy Potato Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
Potato Tacos
- 1 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese
- canola oil, for frying
- kosher salt
Toppings
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Mexican crema
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a sauce-pot and cover with cold water. Season with salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain them and let them cool a bit. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- While the potatoes cook, heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute and diced onions for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the onions to the potatoes and add all the spices. Mix well until the potatoes are the texture of clumpy mashed potatoes. They should be fairly spreadable. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat an oven to 350 F. Spray the tortillas with nonstick spray and lay them out on two baking sheets. Bake the tortillas for 4-5 minutes, until soft and flexible. Cool slightly.
- Lay a tortilla flat on a work surface. Gently spread about 1/4-1/3 cup of filling on one side of the tortilla. Sprinkle with some of the shredded Oaxaca cheese and fold into a half moon. Press down so that the tortilla sticks to the potato and stays closed.
- Heat a thin layer (about 1/2 cup) of oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the tacos in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined tray to drain excess oil.
- Top the crispy potato tacos as desired and serve warm!
Nutrition
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