Crispy Potato Tacos involve delicious mashed potatoes swaddled in cheese and corn tortillas and crisped up in a frying pan for the gooiest, crispiest adventure! Trust me, these tacos are going to blow your mind.
While I’m normally not in the business of telling people how to live their lives, I am here to enthusiastically recommend you eat potato tacos as soon as humanly possible.
Backstory time.
My best friend spent literal years of her life telling me about the deliciousness that is potato tacos, and you know what I did?
I ignored it for literal years.
That is, until I said to myself one day, “This is the 15th time she’s told me about potato tacos…I should probably lend a listening ear at this point.”
So I pressed her for more details on these whimsical potato tacos, and this is what I learned.
Potato tacos are simply mashed potatoes stuffed inside of a corn tortilla with cheese and fried up in a skillet to crispy perfection.
Her serving suggestion? Homemade pico de gallo. You can add any of your favorite toppings.
As a diehard meat lover and self-proclaimed aficionado of Birria Tacos, the thought of eating a taco stuffed with potatoes rather than meat just sounded like a big… “Why would I do that?”
But you guys, I did it, and I’m telling you these crispy potato tacos are a life-changing event.
The way you perceive potatoes will never be the same again.
In addition to their utter deliciousness, there are some major selling points.
Number one: potato tacos are very inexpensive and incredibly easy to make.
Secondly, these potato tacos are vegetarian which means if you have some non-meat eaters in the midst, you’ll have something to feed them that will rock their actual world.
And finally, there is plenty of versatility here so you can mix up the type of tortillas, cheese, and add-ins.
Let’s chat about the ingredients for potato tacos in detail because they each serve an important role.
Ingredients for Potato Tacos:
Potatoes: Use your favorite kind of white potatoes (meaning non-sweet potatoes or yams) for this potato tacos recipe.
I like using Yukon gold potatoes, but russet potatoes or red potatoes work too. I find russet potatoes to be slightly drier than Yukon, so you may need to add more yogurt or butter.
Greek Yogurt (or Sour Cream): Used to create a tangy loaded potato flavor, we need some Greek yogurt or sour cream. I stick with yogurt for a little less fat and some health benefits.
Butter: Bringing creaminess to the potatoes for silky texture, we need some unsalted butter.
Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: The combination of garlic powder and onion powder adds to that loaded potato flair. I don’t recommend skipping them unless absolutely necessary!
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to your personal taste.
Corn Tortillas (or tortillas of choice): Used as the crunchy caravan to embrace the potatoes and cheese, we need tortillas. Yellow corn tortillas and white corn tortillas are my favorite here but flour tortillas and grain-free tortillas work too.
Cheese: Grate up your favorite kind of melting cheese. I use Colby jack cheese, but cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, pepper jack cheese, and mozzarella cheese are all great options.
I don’t recommend buying pre-shredded cheese because it doesn’t melt as deliciously as freshly grated cheese.
Avocado Oil For Frying: In order to fry the tacos, we need a high-quality high temperature cooking oil. I prefer using avocado oil over seed oils or vegetable oil, because it contains omega 3 fatty acids.
I don’t recommend using olive oil to fry the tacos because it will burn and smoke at a lower temperature than the tacos need for optimal crisp.
If you want to make sweet potato tacos, make my Sweet Potato and Black Bean Vegetarian Tacos recipe.
Homemade Pico de Gallo Ingredients:
Fresh tomatoes, white onion (or yellow onion), jalapeno, fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro are the classic ingredients for pico de gallo.
The pico is entirely optional but I love that it adds a fresh burst of flavor to the otherwise rich tacos.
This recipe makes enough for 6 to 10 tacos, depending on the weight of potatoes you use and the amount of mashed potatoes you add to each tortilla.
That said, I would estimate every person you feed will want 2 to 3 tacos (maybe 4-5), so plan the amount you make accordingly.
The beauty of this easy recipe is you can double or triple it just as easily as making a single batch.
Recipe Customizations:
- If you’re a big fan of ground beef, consider making ground beef taco meat to add into the tacos too.
- Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of chili powder or taco seasoning to the potato filling to bring some classic taco flavor if you’d like.
- Mix hot sauce or salsa into the potato mixture to make spicy potato tacos.
- To avoid using excess oil, bake the tacos on a baking sheet. The tacos won’t get as crispy but they will still be gooey deliciousness.
- Whip up a dipping sauce like chipotle sauce for an added layer of deliciousness.
- Use dairy-free sour cream, dairy-free butter, and vegan cheese to make vegan potato tacos.
Now that we’re familiar with the basics of these amazing mashed potato tacos, let’s make them!
How to Make Potato Tacos:
If you’re making pico de gallo, do so ahead of time so that it has time to sit and become more flavorful. Add all of the ingredients for the pico de gallo to a small bowl and stir well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Mashed Potatoes:
Peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks and place them in a large pot. Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are completely submerged.
Cover the pot with a lid and heat over high heat on the stove top. Bring the pot to a full boil and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Drain the potatoes into a colander, then transfer them back to the same pot you used to boil them.
Add the remaining ingredients for the mashed potatoes to the pot (Greek yogurt or sour cream, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper) and use a potato masher to mash everything together.
Taste the potatoes for flavor and add more butter, garlic powder, onion powder, and/or salt to your personal taste.
Prepare the Tacos:
Grate the cheese on a plate using a box grater.
Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and place them on a plate. Microwave the tortillas just until warm, about 20 to 30 seconds.
The purpose of this is to ensure the tortillas don’t tear and fall apart while the tacos are frying in the skillet. You can use any method you like to warm tortillas.
Place a large skillet (either a large nonstick skillet or a well seasoned cast iron skillet will work) on the stove top over medium-high heat and add enough avocado oil to generously coat the surface, about 3 to 5 tablespoons.
Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes, until it is sizzling hot.
Measure out ⅓ to ½ cup of the mashed potato mixture (depending on how much potato you want in each taco) and spread it over one side of the tortilla.
I find it’s easiest to use your hands to squish the potatoes into an even layer. Sprinkle cheese on the other side of the tortilla.
Fold the potato side of the tortilla over the cheese side, creating a taco. Repeat for the remaining tortillas, cheese, and mashed potatoes.
Carefully place two to three potato tacos on the surface of the hot skillet cheese-side down in a single layer.
Fry tacos for 2-3 minutes per side, until each side is golden brown and cheese is oozing out.
Transfer the tacos to a plate and continue frying the remaining tacos. If at any point there isn’t enough oil for frying, add more oil to the skillet. If the tacos get too dark too quickly, reduce the heat to medium high heat.
Serve potato tacos with your favorite taco toppings, such as homemade pico de gallo or your favorite salsa, avocado slices (or guacamole), sour cream (or Greek yogurt), queso fresco, cotija cheese, hot sauce, black beans, etc.
Crispy tacos are best when served fresh for optimal crisp! For this reason, I recommend making the recipe with the intention of having no leftovers.
If there happens to be leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat tacos in an air fryer, skillet or in the oven to try to get the crisp back.
What to Serve with Potato Tacos:
If you’re looking for side dishes to serve with potato tacos, I recommend my Cilantro Lime Rice, Corn Salsa, and The Easy Guacamole Recipe That Wins Every Time!
And that’s it!
The most amazing crispy, gooey tacos you’ll ever lay mouth on! Make them for your next taco night.
Trust me, even though I love a meaty taco, this crunchy potato taco recipe is stiff competition for even the best Carne Asada Tacos.
If you’re looking for more amazing taco recipes to celebrate your love for tacos, try out these reader favorites.
More Taco Recipes:
- Crock Pot Al Pastor Tacos
- Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
- Flank Steak Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos
Potato tacos 4 Ever!
Crispy Potato Tacos
Equipment
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 lbs white potatoes peeled and chopped*
- 5 ounces plain Greek yogurt
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¾ tsp sea salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
- 6 to 10 corn tortillas
- 8 to 10 ounces colby jack cheese grated
- Avocado oil for frying
Pico de Gallo:
- 1 large ripe tomato seeded and finely chopped
- ½ cup white onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped, optional
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- If you’re making pico de gallo, do so ahead of time so that it has time to sit and become more flavorful. Add all of the ingredients for the pico de gallo to a small bowl and stir well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Mashed Potatoes:
- Peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks and place them in a large pot. Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are completely submerged. Cover the pot with a lid and heat over high heat on the stove top. Bring the pot to a full boil and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes into a colander, then transfer them back to the same pot you used to boil them. Add the remaining ingredients for the mashed potatoes to the pot (Greek yogurt or sour cream, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper) and use a potato masher to mash everything together. Taste the potatoes for flavor and add more butter, garlic powder, onion powder, and/or salt to your personal taste.
Prepare the Tacos:
- Grate the cheese on a plate using a box grater.
- Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and place them on a plate. Microwave the tortillas just until warm, about 20 to 30 seconds. The purpose of this is to ensure the tortillas don’t tear and fall apart while the tacos are frying in the skillet. You can use any method you like to warm tortillas.
- Place a large skillet (either a large nonstick skillet or a well seasoned cast iron skillet will work) on the stove top over medium-high heat and add enough avocado oil to generously coat the surface, about 3 to 5 tablespoons. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes, until it is sizzling hot.
- Measure out ⅓ to ½ cup of the mashed potato mixture (depending on how much potato you want in each taco) and spread it over one side of the tortilla. I find it’s easiest to use your hands to squish the potatoes into an even layer. Sprinkle cheese on the other side of the tortilla. Fold the potato side of the tortilla over the cheese side, creating a taco. Repeat for the remaining tortillas, cheese, and mashed potatoes.
- Carefully place two to three potato tacos on the surface of the hot skillet cheese-side down in a single layer. Fry tacos for 2-3 minutes per side, until each side is golden brown and cheese is oozing out. Transfer the tacos to a plate and continue frying the remaining tacos. If at any point there isn’t enough oil for frying, add more oil to the skillet. If the tacos get too dark too quickly, reduce the heat to medium high heat.
- Serve potato tacos with your favorite taco toppings, such as homemade pico de gallo or your favorite salsa, avocado slices (or guacamole), sour cream (or Greek yogurt), queso fresco, cotija cheese, hot sauce, black beans, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
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