Fried Tacos are a classic Mexican dish served in many restaurants and homes across America.
These tacos are typically made with corn tortillas, but they can also be made with flour or potato tortillas.
They’re usually filled with meat (beef, chicken, pork, etc.), cheese, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and other ingredients.
The difference from regular tacos is that once the tortilla has been filled they are then crisp fried or deep fried.
Traditional Mexican variations of the fried taco include taquitos and tacos dorados.
The best part about fried tacos is that you don’t have to go especially out of your way to make them; they’re easy to make at home.
If you want to learn how to make a delicious fried taco meal at home, keep reading! We’ve compiled a list of our favorite recipes from around the web.
Whether you’re looking for an appetizer recipe, a main course, or just something quick and easy to eat while watching TV, we hope you find the fried taco recipe you’re looking for here!
1. Fried Taco Triangles
This recipe might be a little more complicated than traditional tacos, but it’s worth it.
Perfect for a snack or as a family meal, these delicious, crispy triangles offer a fun twist on the traditional fried taco. Pair with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
2. Authentic Mexican Fried Tacos
With savory ground beef and a spicy tomato filling, this traditional Mexican recipe is perfect for anybody who enjoys authentic Mexican cuisine.
Cooked seasoned ground beef is placed in tortillas, which are then pan-fried and shaped.
3. The Best Fried Tacos
We don’t know if this fried taco recipe is really the best around, but it’s certainly up there.
Well, there’s only one way to find out, isn’t there? With a homemade taco seasoning, these classic fried tacos are extra crispy and a real family favorite.
4. Tacos Dorados (Chaquitas)
A corn tortilla filled with shredded chicken, rolled tightly and fried in oil until crispy.
The key to this recipe is to keep the filling tasty but limited, making for a clean eating experience and a beautiful crunch.
Delicious and versatile, you can eat these as a snack, appetizer, or a main. Heck, they even eat them for breakfast in Texas!
5. Tacos Dorados (Fried Tacos)
This recipe comes straight from Mexico City, so you just know they’ll be good.
The filling of tender chicken and pepperjack cheese works perfectly when the taco is rolled up and fried.
Topped with beans, sour cream, salsa, and avocado, you can’t go wrong with this recipe!
6. Hilah’s Fried Tacos
Inspired by the Jack in the Box tacos of yester-year, the result of this recipe is a perfectly crisp taco shell and a filling that is almost roasted around the edges.
Whether filled with beef or turkey, these tacos are almost magic… they seem to vanish almost instantly!
7. Tacos Dorados de Papa
Crispy fried mashed potato tacos. Yeah, sounds AMAZING, doesn’t it? These tacos have a creamy mash potato filling to die for, especially when paired with sour cream queso fresco dip. Oh, and this recipe is meat free too, so suitable for vegetarians!
8. Chicken Tinga Tacos Dorados
These tacos feature a filling of tender shredded chicken in a homemade adobo sauce- ‘Chicken Tinga’, which is a traditional dish from Puebla.
The adobo sauce is almost like a spicy barbecue sauce, so think of these as spicy BBQ pulled chicken fried tacos. Sounds delicious? Yeah, they are.
9. Air Fried Rolled Potato Tacos
Fried rolled tacos with a potato filling, but without the oil, the smell, or the mess.
That’s right, this recipe calls for an air fryer. Simply fill your tacos and leave them to crisp up, without needing to watch them fry. Awesome!
10. Crispy Fried Mexican Tacos
Sticking with the potato theme, this recipe calls for potato with raja filling for the vegetarians amongst us and chicken and onion for the carnivores.
This recipe is a little more complicated than some, with multi-step cooking of poblano peppers, but it is definitely worth it. They add a lot to the dish!
11. Tacos Dorados de Barbacoa
A complex recipe using lamb, this recipe isn’t for the faint hearted.
But boy, is it worth it! These lamb tacos are bursting with flavor, and best served with avocado salsa, sour cream, and queso fresco.
Topped with shredded lettuce this is an authentic Mexican dish you can make at home.
12. Mexican Tuna Tacos Dorados
Known as tacos dorados de atun in Spanish, these tacos are quick and easy to make but also make for an inexpensive but nutritious meal.
You don’t need fresh tuna- canned tuna works just fine. The rest of the filling is just coriander, onion and mustard. Simple but extremely tasty!
13. Sinaloa Style Tacos Dorados
This is a vegan taco recipe in the style of Sinaloa. Filled with potatoes, they are served with lettuce, cucumber, radish and onions.
Uniquely, they are bathed in a caldillo (broth) of tomato, cilantro and oregano.
Fried tacos, but balanced with a salad and a broth- this is the fried taco recipe for the more health conscious out there.
14. Fried Shrimp Tacos
Fed up with the same old beef tacos? If you’re a fan of seafood, you’ll love these fried shrimp tacos.
What’s more, you have them on your plate within an hour. Served with its own unique salsa, we can’t get enough of this shrimp fried taco recipe.
15. Taquitos Dorados Ahogados
In English this dish is known as ‘drowned crispy taquitos’. It is similar to the Sinaloa style vegan tacos, being served with a broth to ‘drown’ the tacos.
However, this is a meat recipe, with a complex and delicate filling of beef and potato. This recipe makes up to 40 taquitos, so it’s perfect for cooking for guests!
16. Black Bean Tacos Dorados
This dish is the simplest of the simple. Fill the tortilla with refried beans and cilantro, close, fry, and enjoy.
Ready in minutes and a delicious snack that can be enjoyed with all your favorite taco toppings.
17. Pan Fried Beef Tacos
A classic pan fried beef taco. No need to worry about setting out all your topping options with this recipe, as all the flavor is on the inside! Of course, you can still serve this recipe with guacamole, salsa and sour cream for dipping.
18. Honduran-Style Crispy Fried Tacos
An amazing recipe for some delicious deep-fried appetizers, these superbly crispy little tacos are served in the classic Honduran style.
A chicken filling and served topped with onions, shredded cabbage, and white cheese. And tomato sauce for dipping, of course!
19. Fried Fish Tacos with Chipotle-Lime Salsa
Ok, so these might not technically be fried tacos… the tortillas are fried separately before the filling is added.
But this is such a simple, tasty summer recipe we just had to include it. Perfect in the sun with a cold beer.
20. Fry Bread Tacos
Another recipe that stretches the definition of fried tacos a little, but a great recipe all the same.
You can make up everything but the fry bread in advance, and simply heat before serving.
Oh, and you have an added bonus with this recipe- any leftover fry bread can make a delicious treat when coated in a little sugar, cinnamon and honey!
21. Birria Tacos
Gaining popularity fast around the world, authentic Mexican birria tacos might take a little longer to prepare, but the end result is more than worth it.
The beef is slow cooked in a rich marinade before being placed in tortillas which are then pan fried. An absolute must-try!
22. Vegan Cauliflower Birria Tacos
For a vegan twist on the popular birria tacos trend, try this irresistible recipe. Rich and smoky classic Mexican flavors, but without the meat. Enjoy!
23. Air Fryer Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells
Fancy tacos with a twist? This recipe for pasta shells stuffed with taco filling is fast but flavorsome, and perfect as an appetizer or a main dish. Mix up the filling ahead of time to make it even quicker.
24. Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
A mouth-watering vegetarian spin on the traditional tinga taco. Served with honey lime avocado crema, these tacos are a meat-free meal everyone will enjoy!
25. Chicken Taquitos
And finally, the perfect recipe for parties. These bite size taquitos are made for dipping into all of your favorite taco toppings.
The creaminess of the guacamole and the crunch of the shell is a flavor combo sure to have you coming back for more.
Conclusion
So, there you go! 25 AMAZING fried taco recipes that you’ll just have to try the next time you fancy some tacos. With this list of fried taco recipes you can guarantee your taco Tuesday will never be the same again.