Make it a taco night to remember with these recipes for fillings, toppings and drinks (2024)

Becky Krystal wrote in 2020 about the many ways to improve your taco night, and you should read her advice here. When you’re ready to plan out your taco spread, we’ve got all the recipes you need down below, from fillings and toppings to start-to-finish taco recipes and some drinks for a refreshing touch.

Jackfruit or Chicken Tinga, pictured above. In a word, this filling is SAUCY! Tinga is incredibly versatile — this delicious spiced red sauce is also used for pork, beef, lamb, fish and shellfish, and you could also use it with turkey or pulled mushrooms. In this recipe, turn to weeknight-friendly precooked chicken or canned jackfruit, if you’d like to keep it vegetarian.

Picadillo. Hearty picadillo, a dish of ground meat simmered in a red, tomato-based, seasoned sauce with briny olives and raisins for sweetness (before you say anything, yes, the raisins are good in here) will be excellent for your tacos. Want this vibe, but meatless? Make Vegan Picadillo, which uses lentils instead of beef.

Pulled King Trumpet Mushrooms. Shred king trumpet mushrooms, then get them real crispy and chewy in this barbecue-y sauce. Just imagine this with an ultra-fresh, maybe fruit-forward salsa — yum.

Warm Chipotle Black Bean Dip. Don’t actually make the dip all the way through: Make the beans, put them in your tortilla, then you can add a cheese of your choice on top. You could even use the beans and cheese to make a quesadilla. These beans are not only easy, but also smoky-spicy. If you want even easier black beans, make the “chili” from this recipe that uses a jar of salsa as a flavor hack. You could, of course, opt for pinto beans and make Refried Beans.

Chicken Tender Fajitas. Turn things in a Tex-Mex direction with a premade taco seasoning of your choice (or make and use your own Sazón). This quick recipe will get the tacos to your mouth that much faster.

DIY Mexican Chorizo. Grab some chorizo, or make your own! With all the spices you love, this homemade version will hit the spot. And if you like the chorizo flavor but need to keep it meatless, Tofu Chorizo is the way to go.

Tofu Scramble. Here’s the lowdown: Breakfast tacos are delicious, for the morning or the evening. And if you’re vegan or allergic to eggs, you can still join in on the joy of a breakfast taco! That’s where this tofu scramble comes in, so you can have breakfast tacos even if eggs aren’t an option for you.

Birria de Res. Now let’s introduce a few fillings that involve long marination or cook times with an incredible flavor payoff. Birria is a rich braise, usually with goat (in this recipe, we’ll be using easier-to-find beef) and chiles, that you can eat as is, or make quesabirria tacos! To make them: Shred the meat, add to your tortilla with a melty cheese (something like Oaxaca, mozzarella or even Monterey Jack), fry them shut, then dip your tacos in the braise for a messy, tasty dinner.

Pork Braised With Chiles. This red, saucy shredded pork is incredibly versatile, but we’ll use it for tacos. The recipe, from Samin Nosrat’s “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” also can be used with short ribs, brisket, chicken thighs, lamb shanks, or “any cut of dark, sinewy meat.” The cooking times will vary according to the type of meat you use, so you’ll need to adjust accordingly. Once you’ve shredded this, add to your tortillas, choose a salsa to fit (scroll on below for those) and enjoy.

Pernil Asado. A garlicky citrus marinade turns a pork shoulder into a masterpiece. This one needs at least 12 hours to marinate, so this recipe is for when you want a real showstopper. Want to cut down the cook time? This recipe has an Instant Pot adaptation.

What do you like to top your taco with? Some like salsa or a quick chop of onion and cilantro; others prefer crema or sour cream, or they just want to douse everything and anything in hot sauce. Below, you’ll find several delicious toppings, including salsa recipes, that work for more than just tacos. Homemade salsas can be harder to make when the weather is cold and fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes aren’t at their prime, so we’ve listed at the top items that are easier to make in the winter.

Cabbage Escabeche (Nacho Slaw). This slaw has a lot of winter-friendly ingredients, such as cabbage and carrot, and will bring a crisp, bright touch. This recipe yields a lot of slaw, so feel free to scale down as needed.

Quick-Pickled Onions. Bright pink, quick-pickled onion can add a briny zip of texture and flavor atop your tacos.

Herb-Marinated Tofu Feta. Sometimes you want a little cheese on your taco. For those of us who love cheese but need to avoid it, this herb-marinated tofu feta is what you want. It crumbles like cojita and has all the salty richness we love in cheese.

Quick-Pickled Jalapeños. Maybe all you want is a quick hit of briny heat. These pickled jalapeños give you a refreshing snap of spice in a bite.

Poblano Cream. A drizzle of crema or little dollop of sour cream often can be a great touch for a taco, but what if you upped the ante? What if you roasted poblano peppers and blended them into sour cream or crema or even Greek yogurt? Think about it. You could even choose another pepper to blend in, such as roasted red bell pepper, or make a cream with fresh herbs.

Pumpkin Seed Salsa. This salsa is warm and rich, thanks to pumpkin seeds. Pair with a simple chicken filling, or even a bean filling.

Pico de Gallo. This fresh tomato salsa is a classic for a reason: It’s good! It goes with so many different things! Maybe you won’t have a super-fresh tomato right now, but you’ll have them soon enough, and this salsa will be waiting for you.

Cooked Green Salsa (Salsa Verde Cocida). Salsa verde is my personal favorite thanks to tart tomatillos, and this is one of my favorite recipes that we’ve ever published. I’m eagerly awaiting tomatillo season to make it again. Want something more on the cooling side? Make Raw Salsa Verde With Cucumber and Mint.

Salsa Roja (Red Sauce). Classic red salsa. Useful not just for tacos, this can unlock enchiladas, chilaquiles and more.

Blackened Salsa. Add a little heat — from fire, that is. Getting some char adds smoky flavor to this salsa.

Mango Tomatillo Salsa. Think bright! Think refreshing! Think about pairing this with a pork or seafood-based taco.

Now it’s time to talk through a few of our favorite taco recipes in our archives. From 100 percent pantry-friendly to celebrations of produce to cheesy and delightful, these tacos represent just how much variability a taco can have. You also can consider choosing elements of one taco and adding it to another, or adding an element from above into one of these.

Chipotle Jackfruit and Black Bean Tacos. Whether it’s cold and not much fresh produce is available or you’re trying to get a better handle on cooking from your pantry, these tacos will do the trick. Using canned chipotle in adobo, canned jackfruit and canned black beans make a delicious filling for these quick, weeknight-friendly tacos.

Double-Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos (Tacos Bravos). “These Double-Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos, a.k.a. tacos bravos, are very much in the Sonoran tradition of super-dressed, super-sauced and super-cheesy shellfish dishes,” writes Pati Jinich. How could one resist?

Citrus-Marinated Fish Tacos. A bright marinade makes these tacos shine. The fish itself cooks quickly. You may like to pair this with crunchy, dressed cabbage like the Cabbage Escabeche in the previous category.

Crunchy Peanut Tacos. If you’re leaning toward meatless cooking, this mix of nuts and mushrooms gets you everything tasty of ground meat, sans actual meat. You might even enjoy these Tacos with Spicy, Smoky Lentils.

Avocado Tacos With Black Bean Pico de Gallo. You’ve had avocado as a garnish, but have you had it as the star of your taco? Mix chunks of avocado with black beans and pico de gallo for a wonderfully fresh meal.

Okay, the meal’s on the table. How do you knock it out of the park? With a gorgeous drink alongside your meal, a refreshing one paired alongside your flavorful tacos. Below you’ll find options for co*cktails and nonalcoholic drinks.

Ranch Water. This cooling Texas drink of Topo-Chico, tequila, lime and Cointreau is a favorite for a reason! Make it and find out why.

Mojito. A little rum, sweet syrup, fresh lime and mint makes a great refresher for tacos.

Margarita. A classic margarita needs a spot at the party!

Watermelon-Basil Agua Fresca. There are so many types of agua fresca, and this one is an herby delight. Keep this recipe in mind when watermelon season rolls around.