16 Street Taco Recipes You've Got To Try

You don’t have to be wandering down a colorful side street of Oaxaca to enjoy a tasty street taco. These recipes can help guide you to making authentic street tacos at home, even if you end up taking a few of your own creative steps. Street tacos are a type of taco that are smaller and able to be eaten in a few bites. Most often, this type of taco is served on corn tortillas and topped with pico de gallo or simple chopped cilantro and onion. The filling is typically the star of the show, ranging from juicy birria de res to tender, flaky fish to crispy shredded carnitas. Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner or a standout centerpiece dish for Cinco de Mayo, a killer street taco is one of the many Mexican recipes that never fails to impress.

Classic pork carnitas are the perfect one-pot taco filling to serve as the filling. Braised in garlic, lime juice and orange peel, the juicy pork crisps cup beautifully in the rendered fat. This version delivers all that juicy goodness with just a few pantry staples and a whole lotta love.

Crispy battered fish, creamy slaw, a hint of freshly squeezed lime…Baja-style fish tacos never fail to hit the spot. Fresh sliced halibut is battered in a tasty but simple batter made with dark Mexican beer before frying to a golden brown finish. Top the fried fish with tomatillo salsa, shredded cabbage and a tangy citrus crema.

Juicy, beefy birria cooks in a peppery broth that becomes a dipping sauce after the tacos are assembled. It’s made with a blend of papilla, ancho and California chili peppers to build layers of smoky, spicy, slightly sweet flavor. The only addition these tender tacos need is a few tangy pickled red onions.

Flank steak is a quick cooking and tender cut of beef that’s ideal for carne asada, especially once it’s marinated with pickled jalapeños. After cooking on the grill, chop into cubes and roll up in a warm corn tortilla. Chopped onion and cilantro are the only toppings you need for this tasty filling, plus maybe a drizzle of spicy salsa de arbol if you like it fiery.

Spicy, smoky shrimp meet a creamy-cool avocado salsa. This taco brings the heat and cools it right back down to create an irresistible balance. If the weather’s not right for outdoor grilling, a stovetop grill pan will serve just fine for this easy weeknight recipe.

Soft potato cooked with spicy chorizo is a classic street taco filling. Once the potatoes are simmered until tender, toss them in cooked chorizo to soak up all that spicy flavor. A creamy avocado salsa helps even out the chili spice to create a perfectly balanced bite.

Rick Martinez’s tasty carnitas are braised with cinnamon, fresh naval orange, and a hint of brown sugar to play on pork’s natural sweetness. After braising to tender perfection, the shredded meat is crisped in fat until browned. This flavorful filling hardly needs any toppings— just a simple fresh salsa does the trick.

Fish street tacos are commonly spotted in coastal Baja California. For these, marinate mahi-mahi in a lime-garlic mixture, then briefly sear until just browned. Top with a squeeze of lime and add to a soft corn tortilla to enjoy.

You never knew rotisserie chicken could taste so good. This genius recipe from Bobby Flay combines simple shredded chicken with a spicy charred serrano and tomatillo salsa to create an easy taco filling that’s ready fast. Top the chicken with crumbled queso fresco and roll up in a fresh blue corn tortilla.

Egg in a street taco isn’t necessarily traditional, but that doesn’t keep it from being delicious. Geoffrey Zakarian starts with scrambled eggs mixed with spicy chorizo and tops it with crumbled cotija cheese, cilantro, and fresh pico de gallo. Add a few slices of lime-spritzed avocado to temper the spice and round out the zesty flavors.

Traditional barbacoa takes hours to roast in a pit but you don’t have to bust out the shovel to make these tasty tacos. Cook the salsa-coated cubes of beef chuck roast on your grill over low heat until tender and shreddable. When ready to serve, just warm up some tortillas and set out a variety of toppings for guests to build as they please.

One of the best taco fillings is carne asada grilled to smoky, juicy perfection. The meat is marinated in a spicy garlic mojo sauce before hitting the grill. Finish the taco with shredded lettuce, onion, cheese and pico de gallo… or whatever toppings you love most!

The best carnitas are fork-tender with crispy edges — like this simple recipe. Cutting the pork butt into 2-inch chunks helps reduce the braise time to just under 3 hours. Give the tacos an extra hit of tang with a batch of homemade pickled red onions.

Taco night has never been easier. The shredded beef in these tacos cooks low and slow in a slow cooker until perfectly fork tender. When you’re ready to dig in, warm some corn tortillas and stuff them with the meat and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Instead of quick cooking on the grill, the carne asada in these tacos braises slow in the oven until soft and ultra-tender. While the meat cooks, whip up a spicy green salsa made with charred poblano peppers, avocado and plenty of fresh lime juice. Wrap it all up in a double-decker crispy corn tortilla and soft flour tortilla combo to get the best of both tortilla worlds.