Do you find your lunch incomplete without moreish Mexican tacos? Are tacos nights a mandatory thing on your weekends? If yes, then why not say yes to some new types of Mexican tacos?
You might be confused between the authentic tacos types and the variations of these types. To help you escape this confusion, we’re here to provide you with a complete listing of the 13 delectable and most authentic tacos found in Mexican cuisine.
We’re sure about the authenticity of the listing because we’ve done deep research about tacos types and their origination in Mexico’s famous regions.
Once you go through these types, you won’t ever need to look for the types anywhere else.
So let’s get ready, you all, tacos lovers!
13 Authentic Mexican Tacos You Must Try
- Tacos De Barbacoa
- Tacos De Carne Asada
- Al Pastor Tacos
- Tinga Tacos
- Tacos De Pescado
- Birria Taco
- Tacos De Cochinita Pibil
- Tacos De Canasta
- Lengua Tacos
- Tacos De Cabeza
- Carnitas Tacos
- Tacos De Chorizo
- Tacos De Chapulin
1. Tacos De Barbacoa
Barbacoa tacos are one of the most famous yet traditional Mexican meals worth trying. Barbacoa means barbecue. So the goat, beef, or lamb meat is cooked in an underground oven lined with coals to give the perfect BBQ flavor to the flesh.
Before putting the meat in the oven, it’s marinated with chilies and other secret spices. It’s wrapped in maguey leaves to keep the meat soft and tender. This wrapping keeps on providing the steam that results in soft and juicy meat.
How to Make Tacos De Barbacoa
- Blend orange juice, lime juice, chopped onion, garlic paste, black pepper powder, oregano, cumin, and white vinegar, and set aside.
- Sear the beef in a large pot with oil in it.
- Pour the chile puree into the same pot, and add chicken stock and bay leaves.
- Place that pot in the preheated oven and let it braise for 3 to 4 hours.
- Shred the beef and put it on corn tortillas with diced onion and cilantro.
Your super delicious dinner is ready. Enjoy!
2. Tacos De Carne Asada
Tacos de carne asada are a popular Mexican tacos in Mexico and the U.S. But it has its deep roots in North Mexico. Out of all three beef tacos, Carne Asada has a matchless taste.
These tacos contain roasted cow meat grilled over charcoal, thus containing the infused smoky flavor. The blend of citrus juices, spices, and seasonings like cumin makes the meat juicy and fully flavored.
Then it’s further cooked and chopped to make small chunks for the tacos filling.
Complete Method of Recipe
- Take a skirt steak and add some salt on both sides.
- Cut the steak into small-sized cubes.
- Mix olive oil, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and achiote powder in a bowl.
- Mix the steak chunks in a bowl with the paste and place them aside for marination.
- Cook the marinated beef in oil.
- Drop some cooked meat on the tortillas and garnish with onions and cilantro.
Your delectable tacos de carne asada are done and ready to be included in your lunch or dinner.
3. Al Pastor Tacos
An inhabitant of Mexico but haven’t tried Al Pastor tacos? What a pity! The prime importance of these tacos is because it’s the king of all types of Mexican tacos and, indeed, the ultimate fusion food.
The pork in these tacos is marinated with guajillo chiles and the orange-red paste of the achiote. Sliced pork is shaved off the trompo spit and assembled on the tortillas, garnished with diced onions and cilantro. Found it mouth-watering? Indeed it is!
Steps to Make AL Pastor Tacos
- Cut down pork into slices and simmer some guajillo chilies.
- Pour some sour orange juice, pineapple juice, vinegar, simmered chilies, onions, garlic, cinnamon powder, white pepper, black pepper, oregano, cumin, and achiote powder, and blend these ingredients to make a smooth paste.
- Marinate the beef slices with this paste.
- Set these slices on a trompo and cook them.
- Shave off some pork and assemble the tortillas.
- Add avocado sauce on the top and wrap the tortilla.
Tie your apron, sit at the dining table, and enjoy your delicious al pastor tacos at your dinner.
4. Tinga Tacos
Not a beef, pork, or fish lover but want to try tacos? Yes, you can go with tinga tacos with spicy shredded chicken drenched in sauce. These tacos are famous all over Mexico, but they mainly have their origins in Puebla, Mexico.
What makes these tacos more flavorful than the other types? The smoked chipotle chiles in the tomato sauce are the secret of this recipe. Garlic and a bit of piloncillo are some extra seasonings that balance the taste. Let us inform you that chipotle chiles are smoked and dried jalapenos.
Method to Make Tinga Tacos
- Take a large skillet, add some oil and drop some sliced onions.
- Add some garlic, chipotle, cumin, and oregano, and cook.
- In the next step, add tomatoes, salt, and stock. Let it simmer.
- Cool the mixture and blend it in a blender to make a smooth paste.
- Pour the paste or sauce into the pan and add the shredded chicken.
- Top the tortillas with this chicken that is soaked in sauce.
- Garnish it with onion, cotija, and cilantro.
5. Tacos De Pescado
Tacos de Pescado first originated in Baja, California, Mexico. Folks who prefer fish to beef or pork will surely fall in love with these tacos. Pescado tacos contain super crispy fried fish wrapped in corn tortillas.
These are garnished with creamy white sauce, fresh pico de gallo, and crunchy cabbage to enhance the taste and appearance. A tangy lime at the end can leave fish tacos scrumptious.
These Mexican Tacos de Pescado are incredible, whether used as an appetizer or the main course.
Want to try it at home? Why not?
Steps to Make Tacos de Pescado
Tie the apron knot and start the recipe by following the below-discussed steps.
- First, make the batter by mixing flour, panko breadcrumbs, baking powder, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, egg, and Ritz crackers in a bowl.
- Add the fish slices to the batter.
- Put oil in a pan and fry these fish slices.
- Place the fried fish on a tortilla, and add some shredded cabbage, lime juice, white sauce, and pico de gallo.
We bet you won’t find any other taco recipe easy and more straightforward than this one.
6. Birria Taco
Birria tacos have been a Central Mexican favorite for ages and are mostly made for special occasions, events, or weekend parties. It’s one of the yummiest types of tacos prepared in the streets during weekends.
What makes Birria tacos that delicious? The cooking process and the guajillo peppers used in its making, for sure. The meat used in these tacos is first simmered in a guajillo-chili broth. It’s left in the broth until it becomes super tender.
These tacos are also called red tacos because tortillas are first dipped in a red stew liquid.
How To Make Birria Tacos?
To make the Birria tacos, you must first complete the Birria stew.
- For the stew, soak the peppers in water and let them boil.
- Season the beef with salt and black pepper.
- Make a smooth paste by blending tomato, oregano, black pepper, cumin seeds, salt, and the simmered guajillo chilies.
- Add a little vinegar to the paste and drop it in a pan with oil.
- Add the beef to the paste, simmer the meat and then shred it.
- Dip the tortillas in the stew and assemble the shredded meat on it.
- Add the sliced onion and some cilantro, and your Birria tacos are all set to serve.
7. Tacos De Cochinita Pibil
Tacos de Cochinita Pibil is famous and familiar in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The pork is marinated in garlic paste, citrus juice, and secret achiote paste. After marination, the meat is slowly cooked or roasted in an underground pit or an underground oven.
After cooking, this tender meat is shredded and assembled in tortillas with toppings of pickled red onions.
How to Make Tacos De Cochinita Pibil?
- Blend orange juice, lime juice, achiote paste, and cumin to make the marinade.
- Add the sliced pork to a slow cooker and pour the marinade over the pork.
- Cook slowly on a low flame for about 7 to 8 hours until it’s fully cooked.
- Shred the pork, and season it with salt and black pepper.
- Place the shredded pork on a tortilla with pickled red onions and cilantro.
Isn’t it a worth-trying recipe?
8. Tacos De Canasta
Tacos De Canasta is basket tacos common in the Mexican food streets. Mainly, these Mexican tacos don’t have any specific filling. You can add anything from potatoes to beans or anything you like.
Once filled, these tacos are fried and set in a basket where they become super soft.
How to Make Tacos De Canasta
- First of all, preheat the oven and place foil-wrapped tortillas in it.
- Take a skillet, add sliced onion, garlic, and chiles, and cook them.
- Add a cup of oil to it and fry the onion and garlic.
- Add another cup of oil and salt to the mixture and blend it well.
- Line a clean piece of cloth with a plastic bag and sheets of butcher paper. Remove the tortillas from the oven, fill them and place them in the lined basket.
- Add sliced onion and hot chili oil on top and make the second layer of the tacos.
- Fold the butcher paper and twist it.
- Now twist the cloth over the tacos to make a basket and set the tacos aside for some time.
Your beautiful and yummy tacos basket is ready to serve at your party.
9. Lengua Tacos
The list of Mexican tacos types is never complete without adding tacos de Lengua.
Are you an adventurous food lover always ready to try new tastes? Lengua tacos are considerably different in both taste and meat type.
Lengua tacos’ filling is made with beef tongue, as lengua means tongue. It keeps a very smooth texture and is soft and easy to chew. The cooked beef tongue feels so delicious when wrapped in tortillas with some onions and cilantro as the toppings.
Steps to Make Lengua Tacos
There isn’t anything troublesome in making this recipe.
- Add water, salt, garlic cloves, onion, and beef tongue to a cooker and let the tongue cook for 5 to 6 hours.
- Separate the tongue and stock and let it cool.
- Take a skillet and add oil to it.
- Drop some chopped onions, flour, and pureed tomatoes in it.
- Add the small pieces of tongue, stock, garlic powder, and black pepper to the same skillet.
- Let it simmer for some time.
- Place the lengua on warm tortillas, add cilantro and add toppings of your choice.
10. Tacos De Cabeza
Tacos de Cabeza is considered the front-runner among other Mexican-style tacos.
Let us tell you that “Cabeza meat” is from the head part made tender by steaming on a slow flame. The soft and tender meat makes the tacos super juicy and finger-licking.
The yummy tacos de Cabeza contain pork cheek meat and veggies like diced onions, salsa, and cilantro in a tortilla wrapping.
Not particularly pig meat, but sheep, cow, and goat are the other three best options in this recipe.
Want to give it a try? Here you go!
Complete Method to Make this Recipe
All you need to do is,
- Take the cow’s head, particularly the cow’s cheek.
- Season it with pepper and salt, place it aside, and let it marinate.
- Boil some blistered chilies in water.
- Cook a blend of garlic and chilies in vegetable oil and other spices.
- Add some water to make a paste.
- Take the salt and pepper marinated cow’s head and place it in boiling water.
- Let the head cook for 3 hours until it’s appropriately soft and juicy.
- Remove the unwanted parts and chop the remaining meat when cooked.
- Assemble it on tortillas, chopped opinions, salsa, and a sprinkle of cilantro.
It’s the most flavorsome recipe for Mexican tacos you can try on the dinner tonight.
11. Carnitas Tacos
Carnitas keeps the meaning of “little meat” in it, and this recipe originated from Michoacan. Shredded pork shoulder is cooked for hours in its own fat. Once it’s tender, the pork meat comes apart and is shredded.
The secret spices that enhance the pork taste are strips of orange zest, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, kosher salt, cinnamon sticks, and garlic cloves.
Complete Recipe for Carnitas Tacos
- Cut pork shoulder into small cubes and add to a bowl with water in it.
- Drop some strips of orange zest, chopped onion, cinnamon, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and bay leaves.
- Give the pork a boil, then leave it on the stove to simmer.
- Add a little salt and let all the water evaporate.
- Once the water has evaporated, fry the meat and let it get a little crisp.
- Put some fried meat pieces on a tortilla.
- Add the carnitas, cilantro, salsa, and onion at the end.
12. Tacos De Chorizo
If you haven’t tried tacos de chorizo, you aren’t a confirmed tacos lover.
The Spaniards brought these tacos to Mexico. The blend of minced pork seasoned with spicy chili peppers makes it a famous recipe in Mexican cuisine.
In these tacos, the taste of the Mexican sausage is to die for. Once you try this type of taco, you’ll find it beyond comparison.
Not anything tricky, but you’ve to fry the raw sausage or the chorizo, cut it, assemble the trim pieces on the tortilla and garnish it with diced onions and cilantro. It’s that simple.
You don’t need to add additional seasonings to spice up the taste. The taste is kept so balanced in the sausages.
Recipe for Tacos De Chorizo
- Start your recipe by placing the sausages in the pan with vegetable oil.
- Break them with a spatula so that they look like minced meat.
- Let it cook, and add some chopped green onions and garlic paste.
- Place the cooked minced meat on a tortilla, and sprinkle some sliced cilantro.
- Add some complimentary sauce to the top, but it’s optional.
Ta-dah! Incredibly moreish chorizo tacos are ready to serve and enjoy.
13. Tacos De Chapulin
The chapulin taco is one of Mexico’s most common yet authentic tacos, mainly in Oaxaca.
These tacos contain crunchy and crispy grasshoppers as a filling. Firstly these grasshoppers are dried and toasted. After this, a mixture of garlic, chiles, or some lemon juice is used to season them.
Process of Making Tacos De Chapulín
- Take a skillet and add some oil to it.
- Throw in some chopped onions, jalapeno peppers, and tomatoes.
- Saute until they are cooked.
- Drop some chapulines and some chicharron and cook the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Place some mixture on a tortilla, and garnish it with your favorite things.
You’re done with making tasty tacos de chapulin.
Wrapping it all up
So after going through various delicious types of Mexican tacos, what’s your plan for lunch today? Which flavor would you like to have while dining out? Would you like to go with tacos de chorizo, or are Al Pastor tacos your pick?
How about selecting lengua tacos and tacos de carne asada for your weekend parties as to the main course?
Whether it’s Tacos de Cabeza, Tacos de Cochinita Pibil, Tinga tacos, or any other of the above-discussed types, they keep a matchless taste that you like to have one more every time.
Tell us about your experience tasting these new flavors in Mexican tacos. We will be glad to listen to you in this regard.
Happy eating tacos!
