Move aside black bean tacos, Crispy Potato Tacos are the modern classic we’re now craving! Flavorful baby potatoes are panfried with serrano chilies and plenty of garlic, then stuffed into corn tortillas with lime coleslaw for the perfect balance of spicy and acidic. This quick and easy vegetarian taco recipe is kid friendly and frugal!
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The magic of these incredibly simple potato tacos is indescribable – so I’m going to season the moment and try to taco ’bout it.
Too punny? I guess this humor’s nacho type.
Okay, okay, I’ll stop now. Except to say that these tacos are ridiculous. Partly because, as my husband will gladly tell you, the notion that the humble potato could rival the likes of steak, ground beef, chicken or even fish is absurd. And partly because the established canon for vegetarian tacos rests firmly in the hands of beans.
But I’m happy to be called ridiculous as long as I’m stuffing crispy, spicy potato tacos into my face on the regular from now until as least forever.
Potato Tacos > Black Bean Tacos
For a few years in my twenties, I dabbled with a vegetarian lifestyle. One the one hand, I developed a love and appreciation for vegetables of every color, size, and flavor that has only deepened with time. But on the other hand, the moment I ate a “real” burger again, I vowed to never again substitute black beans for red meat.
I still love veggies and eventually black beans found a very comfortable home in my kitchen. But I’m still not a fan of black bean tacos as the vegetarian gold standard. They’re fine, they’ll “get the job done”. But they’re not great.
Potato tacos are GREAT. Here’s why:
- They’re super flavorful: potatoes can, and do, absorb the flavors you season or cook them with. But they’re also extremely delicious in their own right. Yukon gold potatoes, in particular, are buttery and little bit nutty, especially once they’re well browned.
- The texture is perfect: there isn’t a mushy mouthful to be found! Parboil the potatoes then pan-fry in hot oil for crave-worthy texture – crispy and cracklin’ on the outside, tender and pillowy on the inside.
- They’re kid friendly. Convincing my children to try a black bean taco was an impossible task. But potatoes? Potatoes are familiar, and an established family favorite. If you’ve got picky eaters, potato tacos are the way!
How to Make Potato Tacos
Crispy potato tacos are where mouth-watering meets frugal. Parboil then pan fry Yukon gold potatoes for efficient cooking and incredible texture. Use serrano chilies for both flavor and heat, and don’t skip the coleslaw – the acidity perfectly balances the heat.
- Make the lime coleslaw. Combine shredded green cabbage, sliced green onions, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Toss until well-combined, then set aside to marinate for an hour at room temperature, or several hours in the fridge.
- Prep the chilies. Halve, seed, and mince the serranos for milder spice, or thinly slice (with seeds in tact) for more kick.
- Parboil the potatoes. Combine the diced tomatoes with water and kosher salt in a bowl and microwave for 5 minutes.
- Crisp the potatoes. Saute the potatoes in olive oil oven medium high heat until crispy and golden brown on the outside.
- Spice it up! Add the chilies and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Season the potatoes with cumin, then give potatoes, chilies, and garlic a good toss.
- Build your tacos. Layer warm corn tortillas with coleslaw and a dollop of sour cream, then top with crispy potatoes. Garnish with sliced serranos for even more kick. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Make the coleslaw first. Cabbage takes a bit of time to soften up, plus you’ll want marinating time for the flavors to meld. At hour at room temperature is sufficient, but if time permits, make the coleslaw first thing in the morning and tuck into the fridge until dinner.
- Adjust the spice. Seed and mince the serrano chilies for milder tacos; thinly sliced whole serrano chilies for spicier tacos. If you’re very spice adverse, use jalapeno peppers.
- Baby Yukon gold potatoes are the ideal choice for this recipe for – they’re small and easy to cut, don’t need to be peeled, are packed with flavor, and pan fry to the perfect texture. If you can’t find gold potatoes, use any small, thin skinned new potato (like red or fingerling).
- Don’t skip the parboil! Straight-up skillet fried potatoes often finish cooking on the outside before they’re done on the inside. Parboiling will ensure that the potatoes cook evenly with the perfect texture – creamy and tender on the inside with crispy, golden brown exteriors.
- Safety first! Throughly drain and dry the potatoes after microwaving. Wet potatoes hitting hot oil is a (literal) recipe for splatter, plus dry potatoes = crispy potatoes.
- Warm tortillas the right way. A little bit of char goes a long way in the flavor department. Warm tortillas over an open burner for 10 seconds per side, flipping with tongs. Tuck the tortillas into a kitchen towel to keep warm.
Did you make these vegetarian Potato Tacos? I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Crispy Spicy Potato Tacos
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin RecipeRecommended Equipment
- Microwave safe bowl
Ingredients
Potato Tacos
- 24 ounces baby yukon gold potatoes, quartered or diced to 1" chunks
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-4 serrano chili peppers, minced or thinly sliced; see Notes 1 and 2
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 8 corn tortillas
- ½ cup sour cream
Lime Coleslaw
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage
- 4 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the coleslaw. Combine the cabbage, green onions, lime juice, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Toss until well combined, then marinate at room temperature for 1 hour; see Note 3.
- Parboil the potatoes. Place the potatoes into a microwave safe bowl. Sprinkle with kosher salt and add 1 cup of water. Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes; you should be able to pierce a potato with the tip of a paring knife but still meet some resistance. If the potatoes are still too firm, microwave 1-2 minutes longer. Drain the potatoes, then return them to the hot bowl and gently toss to help any residual water evaporate; see Note 4.
- Pan sear the potatoes. Heat the oil in a 10" skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add potatoes and toss to coat in the fat. Pan fry the potatoes, stirring every few minutes, until golden brown and crispy on the outside, and creamy and soft on the inside, 18-20 minutes. Gently smash a potato with the tines of a fork to test for doneness.
- Season. Push the potatoes to the side of the pan and add the chilies and garlic to the other. Sautee, stirring continuously, until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season the potatoes with cumin, then toss to combine the skillet contents – potatoes, garlic, and chilies. Sautee 1 minute more then remove from heat.
- Build the tacos. Layer a corn tortilla (see Note 5) with coleslaw then drizzle with sour cream. Top with potatoes and sprinkle with sliced green onions and chilies, if desired. Serve right away, and enjoy!
Notes
- Note 1. Prep the serrano chilies to suit your preference for heat. Seed and mince the serrano chilies for milder tacos; thinly sliced whole serrano chilies for spicier tacos. We like to mince the chilies to keep the filling kid friendly, then top our tacos with thinly sliced peppers for a kick.
- Note 2. If you’re very spice adverse, substitute jalapeno peppers.
- Note 3. Cabbage needs time to soften, and the coleslaw needs time for the flavors to develop. If time permits, make the coleslaw in the morning, then place into the fridge until ready to serve.
- Note 4. Thoroughly dry the potatoes before pan searing; wet potatoes may cause the oil to splatter; plus, drier potatoes are crispier potatoes.
- Note 5. Warm tortillas over an open burner set to a high flame for 10 seconds per side, flipping with tongs. Tuck the tortillas into a kitchen towel to keep warm.
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