Easy Tacos Dorados Recipe: Topping Ideas for Tacos Dorados

Tacos dorados (Spanish for “golden tacos”) consist of a cheesy ground beef mixture tucked inside warm corn tortillas, which get pan-fried until crispy. Like carnitas and barbacoa tacos, tacos dorados are a popular street food across Mexico. Some diners prefer to enjoy these fried tacos rolled up like taquitos, while others cover or dip them in sauce or consommé (a well-seasoned clarified broth). Garnish tacos dorados with a sprinkle of cilantro, finely chopped white or red onion, and a lime wedge.

Popular tacos dorados toppings include:

1. 1. Cheese: Top your tacos with various cheeses—from crumbled queso fresco to a shredded Mexican blend—to double down on the cheesy flavor.
2. 2. Crema: Add a drizzle of Mexican crema or dollop of sour cream to your tacos for a creamy finish.
3. 3. Guacamole: This popular avocado-based dip pairs well with just about any type of taco, including tacos dorados. Learn how to make guacamole.
4. 4. Hot sauce: Add extra heat to your tacos dorados with your favorite fiery hot sauce.
5. 5. Raw and cooked vegetables: Top your tacos with raw or cooked vegetables, like thinly sliced radishes, shredded lettuce, chopped cilantro, diced onions, and roasted red peppers.
6. 6. Salsa: Cover the tacos with your favorite store-bought or homemade salsa, like zesty salsa verde, fresh pico de gallo, or rich salsa roja.

Follow these tips to craft delicious variations of tacos dorados:

1. 1. Switch up the filling. Fill your tacos dorados with your favorite meats and vegetables if the basic recipe isn’t suitable. Swap the ground beef for various ground or chopped meats or a vegetable-based filling like mashed potatoes. Add black beans or pinto beans for extra protein.
2. 2. Experiment with seasonings. Incorporate spicier additions like cayenne pepper, adobo-seasoned chipotle peppers, and hot sauce into your taco fillings for extra heat. Sprinkle in additional spices and herbs like coriander, cloves, and thyme for herbaceous notes.
3. 3. Load up on toppings. Customize your tacos dorados with traditional taco toppings. Include roasted and raw vegetables like peppers, onions, shredded lettuce, thinly sliced radishes, and pico de gallo. Pile on traditional taco additions like pickled jalapeño peppers, sour cream, cotija cheese, salsa roja, and salsa verde.
4. 4. Assemble ahead of time. For easy party prep, make the meat filling or assemble the tacos in advance. The ground beef mixture will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pre-assembled tacos will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to serve them, simply fry up the pre-assembled tacos and add the toppings of your choice.