These tasty taco toppings will take any taco bar to the next level! They include salsas, guac, beans, veggies, taco meat, and more. Perfect for a party great tacos near me an easy weeknight dinner!
I warm a stack of tortillas and set out a taco bar for dinner. It’s a long way from traditional Mexican food, of course, but Jack and I still have fun piling our tacos with whatever toppings sound best. I love this kind of DIY dinner on weeknights. For one, it’s way easier to drum up taco toppings than it is to make one composed main dish, especially if you start with fixings that you already have on hand. Second, it allows everyone to get involved in the cooking.
You’ll find 25 of my go-to taco toppings below. They’re all simple and flavorful, and many will keep well if you make them ahead of time. Choose two, three, four, or more, and assemble a fun, fresh taco bar any night of the week! A side of beans and rice never hurts either.
Whether store bought or homemade, tortillas are a must at any taco bar. I suggest choosing small corn tortillas, or soft tortillas made with a mix of corn and wheat flour. That way, you can enjoy the rich flavor of corn tortillas and the pliability of flour tortillas all in one! Seasoned with cumin, oregano, and lime, they make a great taco filling or side. Cooked pinto beans or refried beans would be an excellent taco bar choice too. No taco night is complete without some kind of side dish, and cilantro lime rice is one of my favorites. Lime, green onion, and cilantro pack it with fresh, zesty flavor.
Shiitake mushrooms add rich umami flavor to this savory, smoky vegan taco meat. This jerk-spiced jackfruit recipe comes from The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook by Nisha Vora. Cook it up to two days before your taco bar party, and warm it on the stove or in a slow cooker right before you eat. These plant-based taco toppings are all hearty and flavorful. Better yet, they’re super simple to make! A 5-ingredient marinade infuses grilled portobellos and bell peppers with tangy, smoky flavor.
Stuff them into tortillas with pickled jalapeños, cilantro, and a scoop of avocado sauce to make tasty veggie tacos in minutes. Tossed with chili powder or a little taco seasoning, roasted sweet potatoes are an irresistible sweet and spicy taco filling. I’ve been eating this crispy cauliflower as a snack for months, but only recently did I think to try it in tacos. Crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and spiced with cayenne and smoked paprika, it’s a must-try taco filling. If making homemade salsa sounds intimidating, salsa fresca is a great place to start.
Dice up tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and chiles, mix them together, and add a big squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt. Now that I think about it, making this salsa recipe might even be simpler than making pico de gallo. You’ll never get the store bought kind again! If you love bright and tangy taco toppings, this salsa verde recipe is for you. For a fun creamy variation, toss an avocado into the food processor before you blend the salsa together. If you’re adding rich, spicy taco toppings like this creamy chipotle sauce or this jerk-spiced taco meat to your taco bar, consider making this mango salsa too.
It’ll offer a sweet, refreshing contrast to the bold flavors. Tip: use pre-cut pineapple to make this recipe quick and easy to prep. I like this salsa best in summer, when sweet corn is at its peak. Lightly grill the corn before mixing up the salsa, or toss the kernels in raw for easy prep and plenty of crunch.
This zesty dip is so darn versatile! Serve it as part of a taco bar for dinner, and toss the leftovers with mixed greens for a flavorful lunch salad the next day. It could be as simple as sliced avocado, or it could be one of the punchy sauces below. No matter what you pick, it’ll make your tacos better. They’ll be richer, more satisfying, and more complex.
Top it onto your taco or scoop it up with chips. When it comes to guac, you really can’t go wrong. This bright and creamy sauce comes from Julia Turshen’s cookbook Simply Julia. It’s fantastic on her roasted cauliflower tacos, or any tacos, for that matter.
This creamy, tangy taco topping is a perfect replacement for sour cream. You can drizzle them over a grain bowl, slather them on a veggie burger, or devour them with sweet potato fries the next day. I love how its rich, garlicky, tangy flavor plays off fresh fillings like grilled veggies and roasted sweet potatoes. Make it a refreshing, zesty vinaigrette, or blend in avocado or Greek yogurt for creamy richness. If you’ve never made pickled onions, you won’t believe how simple they are to make.