These potato tacos are so good and super easy to make as a simple weeknight dinner that sure impress everyone.
You get deliciously Mexican seasoned mashed potatoes layered over corn tortillas and lightly pan-fried to make crunchy, crispy tacos. It is topped with pico de gallo and its fresh, bright flavors go well with creamy potato stuffing.
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❤️Why I love This Recipe
- This Mexican potato tacos filling is simple and short - just 6 ingredients plus salt and oil.
- To make mashed potato filling, I boil the potatoes in instant pot. It takes about 15 minutes and that too passive time. Once ready, peel, mash, and mix spices, the filling is ready.
- So the filling is ready in about 20 minutes. + Frying tacos takes 4 minutes per batch. That is totally doable for weeknight easy, quick dinner.
- And pico de gallo topping needs just chopping and mixing. That needs max 10 minutes and can be done while potatoes are cooking.
- Perfect make-ahead meal prep: The filling and topping can be made ahead of time. Keep in airtight container in the refrigerator. At dinner time, just spread the filling and fry the potato tacos.
- This makes the great vegetarian/ Vegan taco dinner that is light yet filling.
- Traditionally it is deep-fried in the oil. But here I have pan-fried in very little oil yet they are so good and perfectly crispy and crunchy.
🧾The Ingredients For Tacos:
You’ll need only 6 ingredients (potatoes, corn tortilla, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin powder) plus salt and oil. Super simple yet flavorful.
- Potatoes: You can use any verity. But personally I prefer red skin potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. I do not prefer starchy potatoes like russets.
- Corn tortilla: Use small 6-inch corn tortillas. Whether it’s white corn or yellow corn tortillas. It’s your preference.
- Chili powder: This is not the Indian red chili powder. This is Americal chili powder which is the mixture for few chilies with the addition of salt and other seasoning.
🧾The Quick Pico De Gallo Topping:
This crispy potato tacos is topped with refreshing pico de gallo. It goes perfect with mild, creamy potato filling. The slight tang from lime juice is perfect pairing with mashed potatoes.
I have removed the seeds from jalapeno to control the heat level.
Here is what you need for topping. Just chop them and mix, that’s it! Simple!
👩🍳 Step By Step Photo Instructions
1) Boil the potatoes in instant pot. See the detailed instructions in the recipe card below. Once cool to touch, peel the skin and take it into a bowl.
2) Mash using potato masher.
3) Now add salt and spices (onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin powder).
4) Mix everything well and taste test for the salt. The filling is ready.
5) Now take corn tortillas. Spread around 2 tablespoons of filling on one side of tortilla. DO NOT fold yet otherwise corn tortilla will break.
6) Heat about 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot place the prepared tortilla and let it warm up for a few seconds.
7) Once they warm up then fold it into half. Now corn tortilla won’t break.
8) Similarly place another tortilla. Once it warms up fold and fry.
9) Fry till the bottom side is crispy and golden brown.
10) Then flip tacos using spatula and fry another side. It takes about 1 ½ -2 minutes per side. Then remove it to a plate. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of oil for the second batch and repeat the frying process.
Stuff the fried potato tacos with prepared pico de gallo topping. Garnish with some cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Just for the photo purpose I have added the topping on top (in the main photo above). But in real life I would open up the fried potato taco slightly and stuff the topping like it is shown in the below pic.
Some extra Toppings: You can drizzle some chipotle sauce or salsa for some extra heat. You can sprinkle the cojita cheese (cojita is not vegetarian, so I would substitute with parmesan or dried feta).
💭Expert Tips:
- Fried potato tacos should be served immediately. If stored for later then it starts to become soft and soggy, sometimes it gets chewy.
- Do not reduce the amount of oil. Less oil makes the tortilla dry and chewy instead of crunchy and crispy.
- Do not fold the corn tortilla ahead of time. Otherwise it will break while frying, Fold them once it gets warm in the pan.
FAQs:
To avoid breaking corn tortilla, you need to warm up first then fold. So here we are warming up in the pan for a few seconds and then fold. Never fold them while tortillas are cold or at room temperature even though they are soft and pliable, otherwise they will break while frying.
You can use any verity. But I recommend using red skin potato or Yukon gold potatoes. I recommend avoiding starchy potatoes like russets.
It depends. If your leftover mashed potato is runny in consistency then no I would avoid using. But if it is still firm and spreadable consistency then yes you can use. Add the spice powder and adjust the seasoning, you are good to go.
Check out more Mexican recipes
PS Tried this potato tacos recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback!
📋 Recipe Card
Crispy Potato Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb or 3 medium Potatoes
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Chili powder See notes
- ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- 6 tablespoons Oil for shallow pan frying the tacos
- 12 Corn tortilla Small (6-inch size)
For pico de gallo topping:
- 1 cup Tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup White onion chopped
- 1 Jalapeno deseeded and finely chopped
- ½ cup Cilantro finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Lime juice
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in instant pot. Add around 1-inch of water in the instant pot liner, place the rack inside. Place potatoes on the rack. Cook on manual for 8 minutes (for medium-sized potatoes) with the valve on sealing. As pin drops open the lid. If in rush, QPR after 10 minutes.
- Once potatoes are cool to touch, peel the skin and take it into a bowl.
- Mash using potato masher.
- Now add salt and spices (onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin powder).
- Mix everything well and taste test for the salt. The filling is ready.
- Now take corn tortillas. Spread around 2 tablespoons of filling on one side of tortilla. DO NOT fold yet otherwise corn tortilla will break.
- Heat about 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot place the prepared tortilla and let it warm up for a few seconds.
- Once they warm up then fold it into half. Now corn tortilla won’t break.
- Similarly place another tortilla. Once it warms up fold and fry.
- Fry till the bottom side is crispy and golden brown.
- Then flip tacos using spatula and fry another side. It takes about 1 ½ -2 minutes per side. Then remove it to a plate. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of oil for the second batch and repeat the frying process.
- Mix the topping ingredients in a bowl and pico de gallo is ready.
- Stuffed the fried potato tacos with prepared topping. Garnish with some cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- Potatoes: You can use any verity. But personally I prefer red skin potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. I do not prefer starchy potatoes like russets.
- Chili powder: This is not the Indian red chili powder. This is Americal chili powder which is the mixture for few chilies with the addition of salt and other seasoning.
- How do you keep corn tortilla from beaking? Never fold them while corn tortillas are cold or at room temperature even though they are soft and pliable, otherwise they will break while frying. So to avoid breaking corn tortilla, you need to warm up first then fold. So here we are warming up in the pan for a few seconds and then fold. Some extra
- Extra Toppings: You can drizzle some hot sauce or salsa or spicy queso for some extra heat & flavor. You can sprinkle the cojita cheese (Mexican cojita cheese is not vegetarian, so I would substitute with parmesan or dried feta).
- Tacos should be served immediately. If stored for later then it starts to become soft and soggy, sometimes it gets chewy.
- Do not reduce the amount of oil. Less oil makes the tortilla dry and chewy instead of crunchy and crispy.
Aanya
Have always been a fan of tacos and the recipe has nailed that Mexican taste.
Kanan Patel
Thank you. Glad that you liked