Tacos Dorados

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Enjoy a plateful of tacos dorados, featuring garlicky mashed potatoes and vegan cheese stuffed inside crispy corn tortillas. Top them off with spicy salsa, shredded lettuce, radishes, onions, and queso for a delicious meal the whole family will love!

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

• Crispy perfection: Every bite offers a crunchy exterior with a contrasting soft and creamy potato filling on the inside.
• Customizable: The beauty of tacos dorados lies in the toppings. Whether you’re a salsa enthusiast or a cheese lover, it’s your call.
• Allergy-friendly: These tacos are completely vegan and gluten-free, meaning everyone can join in on the fun.
• Perfect for gatherings: Trust us, these tacos will be the talk of the party!

If you love crispy tacos dorados, you should really check out our vegan birria tacos, vegan tacos al pastor, and jackfruit carnitas tacos.

🌮 What are tacos dorados?

Tacos dorados (golden tacos) are exactly what they sound like — crispy, golden-brown tacos. You may know tacos dorados by other names like taquitos, rolled tacos, or flautas.

There is a lot of variation in preparation, toppings, and overall presentation, but the crunch factor is very similar. Like most recipes, the differences depend on which state, city, or restaurant you’re in.

Tacos dorados can be stuffed with all sorts of fillings like tinga, beef, or vegetables. One of the more common vegan-friendly fillings in tacos dorados are potatoes (papas).

Once the tacos are filled, they’re folded over to make half-moons and fried until crispy. Serve them with garnishes like onions, lettuce, radishes, queso fresco, crema, and lots of salsa for an extra delicious meal.

📜 History

Mexican cuisine has been influenced in many ways by different cultures, time periods, and food availability. It’s seemingly in a constant state of evolution.

Take the taco for instance. There are many stories as to where the term “taco” came from, but one you might find interesting is the silver miners’ theory.

In the 1800s, silver miners in Mexico knew “tacos” as pieces of paper wrapped around gunpowder. They would use them for excavating the ore.

Long before Taco Bell’s hard-shell taco, there is evidence of people in Mexico beginning to make crispy taco recipes. Eventually, this tasty tradition was brought north of the border and is now a food (not an explosive) enjoyed by people all over the world.

🌱 Are tacos dorados vegan?

Most traditional tacos dorados recipes can be made vegan, especially tacos dorados de papa. Just skip the cheese, butter, or chicken stock powder that can sometimes be found in the mashed potato filling.

Instead, add in dairy-free queso, vegan butter or oil, and vegetable stock powder if you’d like to make a vegan (and gluten-free) version. With a few adjustments, you can easily create a plant-based version without compromising on taste.

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Potatoes: We typically use white or Yukon Gold potatoes for tacos dorados, but feel free to experiment with sweet potatoes for a unique flavor profile.
• Garlic powder: Adds a mild roasted garlic kick. Fresh minced garlic can also be used, but the taste will be much more zesty and intense.
• Vegan queso fresco: Known for its mild, creamy flavor and texture, vegan queso fresco pairs perfectly with the mashed potato filling. If you don’t want to make your own, you can use store-bought vegan feta for a similar result.
• Tomatillos: Form the foundation of the salsa, adding a bright, tangy note. Green tomatoes and lime juice can serve as a backup if you don’t have tomatillos.
• Fresh onions & garlic: Give the salsa a robust, well-rounded flavor. White or yellow onion both work equally well here.
• Serrano peppers: Add a kick of spice to the salsa. If you’re sensitive to spice, swap serranos for jalapeños. If you’d like to take things up a notch, use habaneros.
• Cilantro: Provides a fresh, lemony element that balances the salsa. Not a cilantro fan? Simply omit it.
• Corn tortillas: No tacos dorados de papa are complete without a batch of tender corn tortillas. Don’t skip out on trying to make them from scratch! It makes such a difference in both the taste and texture.
• Vegetable oil: To fry the tacos dorados. Use a neutral vegetable oil with a high smoke point like canola, sunflower, safflower, peanut, or soybean.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make tacos dorados

Step 1: Prepare the potatoes

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the potatoes until they’re soft. Remember, the softer they are, the creamier the filling. When they are cool enough to handle, drain and peel the potatoes.

Add them back to the pot or a bowl, then mix in the garlic powder and salt. Mash everything until it’s well combined. You can add in other seasonings here if you’d like.

Step 2: Make the salsa

Add the tomatillos, serranos, and onions to a large pot with enough water to cover them. Bring it to a low boil, then reduce the heat to simmer until the tomatillos turn darker.

Stem the chiles and add all the drained veggies along with garlic, cilantro, and salt to a food processor or blender. Mix the salsa to your preferred texture.

Step 3: Simmer the salsa

Heat a bit of olive oil in the same pot used to boil the veggies over medium-low and slowly pour the salsa back in. Simmer it for another 10 minutes to deepen the flavor.

Step 4: Prepare the tacos

If your corn tortillas are cold, quickly heat them in a skillet and keep them warm in a tea towel. Add a scoop of potatoes to the center and spread it out, leaving a bit of room at the edges, then add some queso fresco on top.

Step 5: Fry the tacos

Fold the tortilla in half and squeeze around the edges gently to enclose the fillings. Heat about 1-2 inches of neutral vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium, then fry the tacos on each side until golden brown. Transfer the cooked tacos dorados to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil before serving. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this tacos dorados recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🌶️ Garnishes for tacos dorados

Serve tacos dorados right after frying them for an extra hot and crispy meal. Pair them with toppings like these:

• Pickled onions or pickled jalapeños
• Salsa taquera or guacamole
• Fresh lime wedges
• Vegan queso fresco or vegan cotija cheese
• Cashew crema
• Sliced avocado, radishes, or cilantro

🌡️ Storage & reheating

While tacos dorados are best eaten fresh, here’s what to do if you end up with extras: 

• Fridge: You can get around 4-5 days out of your tacos dorados in the fridge. For optimal flavor preservation, use airtight glass containers.
• Freezer: Once the tacos dorados have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag where they’ll last up to 3 months.
• Reheat: The best way to reheat your potato tacos is by re-frying them over medium for about 1-2 minutes until crispy (a bit longer if they are frozen). Alternatively, you can bake them at 350F until warm. They won’t crisp up as nicely, but less oil is needed.

♻️ Variations

• Beans: Substitute potatoes with refried beans.
• Spicy: Add chipotle peppers to the filling for a smoky, spicy flavor.
• Veggies: Add Chipotle fajita veggies to your tortillas for a veggie-forward taco.
• Breakfast version: Add a tofu scramble inside for crispy breakfast tacos.
• Switch up the salsa: You can also find tacos dorados made with salsa roja or served with a side of consomé. Try different options out to see what you prefer.
• Meaty: Try filling these crispy tacos with vegan chorizo, jackfruit carnitas, or vegan tinga!

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Make fresh tortillas: Always opt for fresh tortillas to achieve the best flavor.
• Don’t overfill: You don’t want your fillings falling out while the tacos are frying. Make sure the potato mixture doesn’t go right to the edges.
• Use an oil thermometer: To reduce the chances of burning your tacos dorados, use an oil thermometer. You want to keep the oil between 350-375F.
• Frying time: Monitor the tacos closely as they cook to avoid over-browning. You only need a couple of minutes per side.
• Be generous with toppings: Use a mix of creamy, crunchy, and tangy toppings for the best combination of tastes and textures.

💬 FAQ

🍴 More Mexican recipes

If you enjoyed these tacos dorados, take a look at some more taco recipes like these: 

• Vegan Fish Tacos: A plant-based take on Ensenada-style fish tacos.
• Tacos de Canasta: Flavorful basket tacos steamed in hot chile oil.
• Black Bean Tacos: Warm on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside.
• Cauliflower Tacos: Packed with wholesome, colorful, and nutritious ingredients.

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.