recipes

37 Taco Recipes for Any Night of the Week

Easy fish tacos, carne asada tacos, adobo mushroom tacos, the list goes on (and on).
Plate with three carne asada tacos and a bowl of salsa verde over a pink background
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Judy Kim.

If you have a package of corn tortillas or flour tortillas, your dinner options are endless. Our favorite taco recipes prove just that. Choose lager-marinated carne asada or juicy grilled chicken, snappy kielbasa or duck carnitas—really, whatever taco meat is calling to you. There are also plenty of fish in the sea: gingery salmon, masa-battered swordfish, pineapple shrimp (yes, yes, technically a crustacean). And if vegetarian is your vibe, look no further than our chipotle cauliflower, Cotija-speckled rutabaga, or adobo mushrooms.

To go above and beyond, make a batch of jalapeño-studded pico de gallo or pepita-topped guacamole to accompany the rest of your taco toppings. Or try these from-scratch refried beans or this avocado-massaged kale salad for a spectacular side. Either way, a great dinner is in store. Here are our 37 best taco recipes for taco Tuesday—and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday…

  • Vegan Tacos on a red plate with ingredients to side
    Photograph by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy
    1/37

    Very Good Vegan Tacos

    All thanks to a cult-favorite plant-based protein our editors buy in bulk.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Gerri K Williams
    2/37

    Chipotle-Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

    This vegetarian cauliflower taco recipe uses the smoky adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chiles to bring big flavor to the titular roasted veggies.

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  • Photograph by Miachel Pruett
    3/37

    Masa-Battered Swordfish Tacos

    It’s hard to beat crispy fish in a warm tortilla. Chef Fermín Nuñez uses both beer and vodka in his fry batter to achieve a delicate, crackly texture.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni
    4/37

    Papas con Rajas

    Bookmark this recipe for a vegetarian taco night. Mexican crema adds a beautifully rich tang, but if you can’t find it, we offer a backup plan: a mix of cream and sour cream.

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  • Photograph by Alex Huang, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
    5/37

    Vegan Street Tacos

    This easy vegan taco recipe comes together quickly on a weeknight with crispy soy chorizo and a can of vegetarian refried beans.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua
    6/37

    Roasted Squash Vampiro Tacos With Cucumber Salsa

    This squash gets its big flavor from a DIY taco seasoning: smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. You might want to make extra; it would be wonderful on any roasted vegetable.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson
    7/37

    Easy Fish Tacos With Spicy Sauce

    Sometimes you need an easy recipe. And for those times, we give you Easy Fish Tacos. Pan-searing cod or halibut is quick as can be, then a three-ingredient sauce takes care of the rest.

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  • Photograph by Peden + Munk, food styling by Diana Yen, Prop Styling by Hannah Ferrara
    8/37

    Sizzling Turmeric-Dill Fish Tacos

    Inspired by Vietnamese chả cá lã vọng, these sizzling tacos go hard on the herbs. You’ll need fresh dill and some chopped cilantro to sprinkle on top.

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  • Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Judy Kim.
    9/37

    Carne Asada Tacos

    This beef taco recipe from test kitchen coordinator Inés Anguiano is a reader favorite: “So delicious. Finally found a keeper carne asada recipe,” writes one fan. “These were fantastic! Restaurant quality and can serve a crowd,” says another.

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  • Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    10/37

    Salmon Tacos With Pineapple-Chile Salsa

    The salmon in these tacos gets perfectly caramelized thanks to a versatile ginger-garlic paste.

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  • Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks
    11/37

    Adobo Mushroom Tacos

    Meaty mushrooms get spiced to perfection and roasted until crisp before they're tucked into warm corn tortillas.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    12/37

    Lamb Keema Tacos

    To turn these tacos into a weeknight affair, make the lamb keema on the weekend, then reheat it on the stovetop when you’re ready to eat. In a pinch, you can use ground beef instead of lamb.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Olivia Mack McCool
    15/37

    Family-Style Fish Tacos

    No grill, no deep-fryer, no problemo. Our summery tacos rely on our go-to fish-cooking method—slow-roast, baby—for all the flavor without the fuss.

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  • Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness
    16/37

    Puffy Tacos With Picadillo

    A puffy taco is not a crispy-shelled taco, nor is it a soft-shelled one. It sits in the middle ground, the best of both worlds, somehow better than any other.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    17/37

    Tacos al Pastor

    You don't need a spit to make this authentic-tasting tacos al pastor recipe. Grilling the pork over low heat gives the marinade time to caramelize and mingle with the rendering fat. It’s the stuff crispy bits are made of.

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  • Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    18/37

    Duck Carnitas Tacos With Radish Escabèche

    Luscious slow-roasted duck confit with crispy duck skin chicharrones are the star of Rick Martinez’s extremely extra carnitas. 

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio
    19/37

    Cauliflower Tacos With Cashew Crema

    Even when roasted at a high temperature, cauliflower takes time to get properly charred and crispy around the edges. Don’t worry if it shrinks a lot—the flavor will be that much more concentrated.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen
    20/37

    Rutabaga Tacos with Greens and Queso Fresco

    Filled with greens, roasted vegetables, and a little queso fresco, these veggie tacos are easy to make for a fun weeknight meal. 

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen
    21/37

    Grilled Fish Tacos

    The preparation may look complicated, but it's actually pretty easy—because your guests assemble the tacos themselves.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    22/37

    Pork Volcánes al Pastor

    Juicy pork al pastor and oozy quesillo are a brilliant combo in these crunchy fried tacos.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    25/37

    Brussels Sprout Tacos With Spicy Peanut Butter

    Cooked and raw brussels sprouts are matched with a rich umami dressing and a spicy nutty sauce in this surprising but winning taco.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, styling by Judy Mancini
    26/37

    Fish Tacos al Pastor

    Senior editor Rick Martinez looooves tacos al pastor, but on his last trip to Mexico City, he opted for fish tacos al pastor at Contramar. He did not think he could possibly like a fish taco more than a pork one until that moment, hence the origin story of this recipe.

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  • Alex Lau
    27/37

    Fried Egg Tacos With Chile Jam

    Sambal oelek and chili-garlic sauce are similar except the latter has garlic in it. Glad we could help clear that up.

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  • Christopher Testani
    28/37

    Perfect Fish Tacos

    A fish taco dream come true: crispy, light-as-air fried fish, balanced by a creamy slaw and fiery, cooling, and crunchy fixings.

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  • Photo by Heidi's Bridge
    29/37

    Honey-Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

    These easier-than-easy shrimp tacos are packed with flavor, and ideal for busy weeknights.

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  • Peden + Munk
    30/37

    Grilled Chicken Tacos

    These chicken tacos are made with thighs, which are more flavorful than chicken breasts; plus, they’re less expensive. Put them to work in any fast weeknight preparation, starting with these spiced tacos.

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Emma is the senior cooking editor at Bon Appétit, leading the brand's digital cooking coverage. Before this, she was the food editor at Food52, where she oversaw the site's recipe program and created an award-winning column called Big Little Recipes. In 2021, Emma turned Big Little Recipes into her [debut... Read more
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