Crispy Potato Tacos
These crispy Potato Tacos are filled with seasoned potatoes, melted cheese, and green onion. Folded into corn tortillas and lightly fried until golden and crunchy, the traditional name is Tacos de Papa Dorados. Served with a simple avocado crema.
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Crispy Potato Tacos are a budget-friendly way to make any night taco night. Popularly known in Mexican cuisine as Tacos de Papa or Tacos de Papa Dorados when referring to the fried version, corn tortillas are stuffed with a potato filling and pan-fried to crispy perfection.
These are my favorite vegetarian tacos, and I order them every time I see them on a menu. That’s what led me to developing my own recipe, adding simple spices and green onion to the filling for freshness. If you love Mexican-inspired meals with a potato base, my Bean & Potato Burritos are also worth checking out.
What makes this potato taco recipe even better is the easy avocado crema for dipping. It’s a plant-based dinner that’s humble, yet packed with craveable flavor in every bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
At their core, these Tacos de Papa are beautifully simple. They only require a handful of ingredients:
- Russet potatoes
- Corn tortillas
- Olive oil, for pan-frying
- Green onions
- Monterey Jack cheese, or the cheese of your choice
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder
For the Avocado Crema, you need:
- Avocado
- Greek yogurt
- Lime
- Fresh cilantro
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder
How to Make Potato Tacos
Make the Potato Filling. Start by adding peeled, cubed potatoes to a salted pot of water. Boil potatoes for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well and add to a large skillet heated with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Edges will start to get crispy bits.
Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese and chopped green onions.
Warm the Tortillas. The key to these not falling apart is warming the tortillas in a damp towel in the microwave or a dry skillet. The tortillas need to be extra pliable to avoid cracking. I recommend doing this in batches, working as you go.
Fill, Fold and Fry. Spoon a few tablespoons of the mashed potato mixture onto one side of each warmed tortilla. Fold to form a half-moon shape. Press gently to seal.
Pan-fry tacos in a skillet heated with oil. Place the tacos, 3 at a time, into the skillet and fry for about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and fry for an additional 2 minutes. It may take an additional minute on each side for optimal crispness.
Drain on paper towels and keep warm.
Serve with Avocado Crema. Blend together ingredients for avocado crema and serve alongside crispy potato tacos. Add lime wedges, salsa and other toppings to your liking.
Frequently asked Questions
Potato Tacos are a traditional Mexican dish made by filling corn tortillas with seasoned mashed potatoes and cheese. Called Tacos de Papa, they’re also known as Tacos de Papa Dorados when fried until golden like this version.
White or yellow corn tortillas work best for this recipe. I find that flour tortillas soak up more oil during frying and get greasy.
Tortillas crack when they are too cold or dried out. To prevent this, use the freshest tortillas and warm them in the microwave or a dry skillet. This will make them flexible and easier to fold without breaking.
Yes. For a lighter option, brush the filled tacos lightly with oil and bake at 425 degrees F for about 16 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. They won’t be quite as crispy, but they will be just as delicious.
Traditional toppings include shredded lettuce or cabbage, salsa, crema or avocado crema, crumbled cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. You can also add diced onion, pico de gallo, or a squeeze of lime for extra brightness.
The potato filling can be made up to 3 days in advance and used to assemble for frying just before serving. You will want to gently reheat the filling, otherwise the cold potatoes will cause the tortillas to crack when folding.
This recipe is vegetarian, as it uses cheese in the potato filling. You can swap in plant-based cheese or omit it to make the tacos vegan.
A Simple REcipe with Big Flavor
This recipe starts with humble ingredients and delivers in a big way. That makes Potato Tacos the ultimate choice for anyone wanting a plant-based dinner that puts spuds at the center of it all.
Golden, creamy, crunchy and endlessly customizable, this is the kind of meal that proves simple food is often the best food.
Crispy Potato Tacos
Ingredients
For the potato filling
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, about 2 to 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or sharp cheddar
- 3 green onions, green and light green parts, sliced
For the tacos
- 12 corn tortillas, standard 5.5-inch size
- ¼ cup olive oil, or other light oil, for frying
For the avocado crema
- 1 medium ripe avocado
- ⅔ cup Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- ½ lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
For the potato filling
- Add the potatoes to a pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Drain and let sit for a few minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes get a few golden crispy edges.
- Remove from heat, and stir in salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder. Fold in the shredded cheese and chopped green onions, gently smashing some of the potatoes and leaving a few larger pieces.
For the tacos
- Warm tortillas in a damp towel in the microwave or in a dry skillet so they’re pliable. I like to do this in batches, so they stay warm.
- Spoon about 3 tablespoons of potato and cheese filling into one half of each tortilla. Fold over, and gently press close. Hold on a baking sheet.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the folded tacos, 3 at a time, into the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes per side, until golden and crispy.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and heat after you’ve fried half of the tacos. Be sure to let the oil get hot, then continue.
For the avocado crema
- Add avocado, sour cream, lime juice, water, and salt to a blender or small food processor.
- Blend until smooth. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired texture is reached. You want this to be a dippable sauce, but not too runny.
Notes
- Serving size is 3 tacos. You can easily batch these up for a larger group.
- I recommend working in batches, heating and filling tortillas as you’re frying. If the tortilla isn’t warm when you fill it, they can crack open at the fold.
- Leftovers can be brought to room temperature, then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a dry skillet or on a baking sheet in the oven.
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