The Best & Most Popular Taco Toppings | Mexico in My Kitchen (2024)

Don't know what toppings to put on the tacos you just made? Here is a list of some of the most popular, but most importantly, the most delicious taco toppings to bring out the best flavors from your tacos!

The Best Taco Toppings to Bring Out the Best Flavor from Your Tacos

Tacos are generally straightforward and quick to prepare. However, each taco is unique, with many flavors for different taste buds. In Mexico, we have street tacos, fried tacos which are part of the “antojitos,” and homemade tacos.

Let's start with the foundation of a good taco, a good tortilla. Whether you choose corn or flour, make sure the tortilla has a soft consistency to avoid the tortilla being too hard or breaking while eating your tacos. If you decide to make your tortillas from scratch, here are two recipes to try.

Corn Tortillas: This recipe is effortless to make, quick, and with a few ingredients. The technique requires having a tortilla press or a flat glass baking dish.

Flour Tortillas: Soft, delicious, and warm flour tortillas are perfect for your tacos made by you. With only five ingredients and little effort, you can have your soft tortillas in a matter of minutes.

What are the most typical/popular fillings for tacos in Mexico?

Most of the time, some source of protein is the number one option, followed by potatoes, seafood in some parts of the country, and vegetables. However, one thing that stays the same is the prevalence of good salsas. Like many people can’t conceive of eating their French fries without ketchup, we feel the same about eating a taco without salsa!

In this post, I’ll explain some of the many taco fillings and toppings we prepare in my beautiful county of Mexico. Just know that you can always experiment and create your taco combinations according to your taste.

The list is extensive, and I will break the topping by groups.

Most Popular Meat Taco Fillings and Toppings

The list below are tacos that people prefer to top with cilantro and onions. Some like adding a few drops of lime juice and, of course, some salsa.

Steak Tacos, The most popular street-style tacos in Mexico, are made with steak, and cooked on a griddle or a charcoal grill, and those tacos are usually only topped with chopped onion and cilantro. Alongside the meat, some taco vendors will also sauté or grill some white or green onions,jalapeño, or serrano peppers.

Tacos de trompo / Tacos al pastor. Marinaded Pork in a combination of dry chiles and pineapple juice, grilled to perfection and served with pineapple, makes these tacos an absolute favorite among taco lovers.

Lamb Barbacoa. Using your pressure cooker or slow cooker, I will teach you an alternative to the traditionally slow-cooked method. This barbacoa recipe is tender and full of flavor.

Birria Tacos Rich, flavorful, and juicy birria is possibly the most famous taco found on social media, and there is a reason. Not only is it a delectable combination of flavors is also a very colorful and tasty taco. Top with onion, cilantro, lime, and a good salsa.

Pork Carnitas. It is made with small pieces of pork slowly cooked to a crisp, making it an excellent filling for your warm tortilla. Top it off with some lime juice, cilantro, and salsa.

Another favorite meat tacos in Mexico are Beef Barbacoa Tacos, a quicker alternative to Lamb Barbacoa. Other favorite tacos that aren’t as popular outside of Mexico are tacos de Cecina, Tripitas Tacos ( Tripe Tacos), Tacos Tlaquepaque, Mollejas, and Suadero, just to name a few. The tacos you will find will vary according to each region.

Most Popular Fried Taco Fillings and Toppings

The most common toppings that you will find for crispy tacos are shredded lettuce (romaine or iceberg lettuce), finely shredded cabbage, sliced or chopped tomatoes, and onions (white onion is more popular than red onion). This list can go on for ages, but I will only mention the most popular fried tacos.

Shredded Beef. The number filler of fried tacos is shredded beef, juicy and flavorful, ready to be added to your flautas, Morning Tacos, and even on a non-fried corn tortilla.

Potatoes. Don't underestimate the flavor of Potatoes; they are affordable and easy to combine with other ingredients. Potatoes by themselves and a few seasonings are an excellent filler for Potato Crispy Tacos. Adding some chorizo becomes the best topping for Chorizo and Potato Crispy Tacos, or with some tomato, onion, and jalapeños to make Mexican Style Potatoes Tacos.

Refried beans. Yes, beans, you can ask any Mexican what is in their pantry or refrigerator, and beans will be in one of the top three spots. This is because beans are versatile, rich in vitamins, affordable, and tasty.

What are some healthy taco toppings?

A lot of healthy alternatives for your tacos are easy to prepare and quick. Here are a few examples for your next healthy taquiza.

Huitlacoche. You only need to saute onions, chopped garlic, and a few Epazopet leaves for this quick and easy mushroom topping.

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos. The sauce from the canned chipotle peppers adds an extra kick of flavor to the shrimp, perfect for serving with some avocado slices on the side or some avocado salsa.

Roasted Poblano and Cheese. The combination of the queso fresco and roasted peppers is the perfect filling for any taco. Poblano peppers have a similar texture to bell peppers but with a smoky and spicy flavor.

For other healthy alternatives, try the Chicken Tinga or The Easy Fish Fillets; both recipes are effortless to make and a great source of protein.

Other Taco fillings at home

In Mexico, we make tacos out of everything at home, from meat to black beans to insects. People sometimes make tacos out of leftovers like rice y picadillo made with ground beef from the night before, topped with salsa. Breakfast tacos can be filled with your favorite refried beans recipe and eggs to make scrambled eggs and beans tacos and topped with avocado, queso fresco, and salsa or hot sauce. Another example is as easy as making eggs and chorizo to make them into Chorizo and egg tacos.

What are the most common salsas for tacos?

Although almost every taqueria here in the States offers a salsa called “Salsa Taquera”, you will find a slightly different version of it in each taqueria. Here are the most popular and all great for your next taco bar.

Salsa Taquera. The traditional salsa usually consists of a salsa made with a combination of tomatoes, tomatillos, and Arbol peppers.

Salsa Verde Easy to make with cooked tomatillos, serrano (or jalapeno) peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro. The result is a tangy and mild salsa perfect for your tacos.

Chile de Arbol or Puya pepper Salsa. For those that love spicy salsas, they are spicy but so good.

Raw Salsas for Tacos

Pico de Gallo salsa. Also known as Salsa Mexicana in some places, it is perfect for fish or seafood tacos. It also makes an excellent topping for Carnitas Tacos.

Raw Tomatillo Salsa is another great salsa for Carnitas Tacos. This Raw Tomatillo Salsa keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Xnipec Salsa. Made with Habanero Peppers, it is a good choice for topping Pork Pibil Tacos.Mango salsa. Some prefer salsas with fruit like mango or pineapple to make a pineapple salsa.

Roasted & Creamy Salsas

Roasted Salsas are an excellent choice for steak tacos and pork tacos; we sometimes prepare them on the grill while the meat for the tacos is cooking. Here are more salsas commonly used in Mexico.

Roasted Red Jalapeño Salsa The roasted ingredients gives this salsa a smokiness and unique flavor. Ready in minutes and with a few ingredients.

Creamy Avocado Salsa. This one is easy and quick to prepare, plus it keeps good in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For spicy and creamy salsas, try the Creamy Jalapeno Salsa, and the even hotter Creamy Habanero salsa.

Extra Taco Toppings

In addition to meats, potatoes, beans, mushrooms, and salsas, we also enjoy a variety of ingredients. For example, some popular garnishes for fried tacos are shredded lettuce or cabbage with a hint of lime and salt, tomatoes, and onions. Don't forget the crema (Mexican sour cream), lime wedges, queso fresco, and spicy toppings.

Queso Fresco. Did you know you can make your queso fresco at home? Yes, it takes a bit of time and effort, but the result is worth it.

Chunky Guacamole. This quick guacamole is ready in minutes. I promise you will love this easy, messy way of making guacamole.

Habanero Guacamole. With a spicy twist, the habaneros give the avocado the perfect spiciness for your tacos with this creamy guacamole.

We also love Pickled Carrots, Pickled Jalapeños, Pickled Red Onions, and even spicy Habaneros to top corn and fried tacos.

Taco Toppings at a Taqueria.

Other things that you might sometimes find served alongside tacos are slices of cucumbers and radishes. We like to serve them more as a side dish than as a topping for the tacos. Additionally, we like these “Chiles Toreados”, peppers roasted and lightly seasoned with soy sauce. We enjoy chiles toreados with tacos and grilled steaks.

I hope you enjoy this article about the Best Taco Toppings. And, if you know of any extra toppings, please share them with us in the comment section.

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