These taco toppings are quick, easy, delicious, and perfect for adding some variety and customization to an amazing taco bar! There are over 15 recipes that are sure to make your menu truly unique. In fact, these dishes are exactly what you need for an authentic and extremely flavorful taco bar lineup!
Best Taco Toppings
This roundup of tasty taco toppings is more than just your average lettuce and tomatoes. It is a list of 15+ delicious condiments and toppings that will take your tacos to the next level!
First things first, you have to start your taco bar out with a fantastic base of some homemade flour tortillas for everyone to add their favorite toppings! Trust me, using homemade tortillas instead of store-bought ones will make a huge difference!
Jump to:
- Best Taco Toppings
- 1. Ground Beef Taco Meat
- 2. Carne Asada
- 3. Pico de Gallo
- 4. Salsa Verde
- 5. Refried Black Beans
- 6. Roasted Peppers And Onions
- 7. Roasted Salsa Roja
- 8. Instant Pot Chipotle Barbacoa Beef
- 9. Taco Bell Creamy Baja Sauce
- 10. Sauteed Onions
- 11. Hatch Chili Guacamole
- 12. Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
- 13. Taco Bell Creamy Avocado Ranch Sauce
- 14. Grilled Corn
- 15. Turkey Carnitas
- 🥬 Additional Taco Toppings
- 🌮 Best Taco Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
- Taco Toppings: Carne Asada (+Other Taco Bar Ideas)
- 💬 Reviews
If you love tacos as much as I do, make sure to check out my collection of taco recipes! Plus, if you need some side dish items for your taco bar, take a look at my post about what to serve with tacos for ideas!
1. Ground Beef Taco Meat
Taco meat is probably the most important topping there is! This simple recipe uses some ground beef for a classic Tex-Mex dish.
Any other toppings will taste fantastic pile high on top of this perfectly seasoned beef! It is an ideal way to start out any taco!
2. Carne Asada
If you're wanting something authentic and flavorful, this carne asada is perfect! It uses an amazing marinade to really bring out the flavor and make the meat astonishingly tender.
I recommend making this meat in advance so that it has plenty of time to really be able to soak up all the flavor from the marinade!
3. Pico de Gallo
This classic topping consists of onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, lime, and cilantro! Make this pico de Gallo the night before for convenience (and maximum flavor)!
It is super easy to make as it doesn't even require cooking!
4. Salsa Verde
This vibrantly green salsa is made using tomatillos instead of standard tomatoes (which is why it is green). You can easily adjust the heat level of this salsa by adding more (or less) jalapenos!
Plus, you can choose to use roasted or raw veggies and it is delicious either way!
5. Refried Black Beans
Of course, refried beans are commonly served alongside tacos (and other Mexican entrees) as a tasty side dish. However, they are also extremely satisfying on top of your tacos!
Add on a little (or a lot) of these refried beans for a burrito-taco hybrid that you won't forget!
6. Roasted Peppers And Onions
Roasted peppers and onions are commonly seen served alongside fajitas! However, they taste just as great on tacos!
I love how roasting them brings out their natural sweetness, making them truly addicting.
7. Roasted Salsa Roja
Salsa is a classic accompaniment to any Mexican or Tex-Mex dish! You simply could not have a taco bar without it!
You can customize the consistency to suit your preferred taste. This salsa is better than anything from a jar!
8. Instant Pot Chipotle Barbacoa Beef
If you are wanting to mix up your beef topping options, this chipotle barbacoa beef is the answer! It is made in the Instant Pot for an extra easy dish, plus it tastes amazing!
Adjust the heat by adding or reducing the amount of chipotle peppers you include.
9. Taco Bell Creamy Baja Sauce
Baja sauce and tacos are a match made in heaven! This slightly spicy sauce features jalapenos, bell pepper, onion, mayo, and some spices and herbs!
It is incredibly addicting! Not only will you be using it on your tacos, but you'll want to dip everything in it as well!
10. Sauteed Onions
I love adding sauteed onions to pretty much everything! They only use 3 ingredients and are naturally sweet and delicious!
Make sure to include them in your taco bar for an extra special treat!
11. Hatch Chili Guacamole
This extra flavorful guacamole features roasted hatch chili peppers! If you don't have any hatch chili peppers on hand, you can also try out some classic homemade guacamole or an extra creamy guacamole!
Either way, guacamole is a must-have topping for your taco bar!
12. Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro lime rice is a perfect pairing for any Mexican or Tex-Mex dish! I love this recipe because I prepare it in my Instant Pot!
It is practically effortless and is ready to enjoy in less than 20 minutes!
13. Taco Bell Creamy Avocado Ranch Sauce
My copycat recipe for some Taco Bell creamy avocado ranch sauce is a great addition to any taco! It is creamy, rich, and tastes better than the fast-food version!
Simply put a scoop on top of your taco and watch all of the flavors come alive!
14. Grilled Corn
This grilled corn is super simple to make and extra delicious! Once you have it cooked, you can use a long knife to cut the kernels off of the cob for a delicious taco topping!
15. Turkey Carnitas
These turkey carnitas are a fantastic protein option if you don't enjoy beef. You can use up some leftover turkey or start completely from scratch with a raw bird. Plus, you can even make it in your slow cooker!
🥬 Additional Taco Toppings
These classic taco toppings are traditional items that you can grab from the grocery store and have minimal prep work. Add them to your taco bar alongside our awesome homemade options!
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Tomato
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese
- Cilantro
- Jalapenos
- Sliced Black Olives
- Diced Red Onion
- Lime Wedges
- Avocado Chunks
- Green Onions
These taco toppings are going to create an unforgettable taco bar that everyone will keep talking about! Leave a comment down below and let me know what your favorite taco topping is!
🌮 Best Taco Recipes
- Shredded Chicken Tacos - This recipe is my absolute favorite for any time I'm wanting to use chicken in my tacos!
- Ground Venison Tacos - If you have some venison from a hunting trip, make sure you try out these wonderful tacos!
- Birria Tacos - These tacos are a traditional dish that features a wonderfully seasoned Mexican goat stew!
- Tacos Dorados - These tacos have an irresistible, extra-crispy shell!
- Leftover Prime Rib Tacos - If you happen to have some leftover prime rib, these tacos are the best way to use it!
- Walking Taco Casserole - This taco bowl is super customizable to fit all of your needs!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
Taco Toppings: Carne Asada (+Other Taco Bar Ideas)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup olive oil (extra virgin)
- ¼ cup lime juice (juice from 2 fresh limes)
- 3 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (juice from 1 fresh lemon)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 large jalapeno (minced, seeds removed for milder flavor if desired)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced or crushed)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
- 2 lbs flank steak (or skirt steak, flap, hanger steak, or London broil)
Instructions
- Hold open a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and pour in the lime juice, lemon juice, minced or crushed garlic, orange juice, fresh chopped cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin, extra virgin olive oil, diced jalapeno, and vinegar. Seal the bag and gently squish it around to combine everything.
- Put the steak in the bag with the marinade ingredients and seal it securely. You want the marinade touching all parts of the steak, so squeeze the bag to spread it as needed. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours up to overnight. *See notes on marinade times.
- When ready to cook, heat your grill to high heat. Meanwhile, remove your flank steak from the bag and discard any remaining marinade.
- Place your carne asada on the grill and cook for 7-10 minutes per side depending on your desired doneness. *I typically cook for 8 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 7 minutes.
- When the steak is ready, remove it from heat and set it aside on a tray, plate, or cutting board. Tent a piece of foil loosely over the top and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain when serving.
Notes
- Brining containers, storage containers, and bowls also work for marinating the skirt steak. Just be sure to cover with the marinade, and turn to ensure even saturation.
- A minimum of 30 minutes is desired for any marinated meat recipe, although the marinade flavor will not have enough of a chance to permeate your skirt steak in this amount of time. It will still add flavor.
- 24 hours is the maximum amount of time that you want to marinate meat in a citrus or vinegar-based marinade. The marinade will break down the meat fibers over time and you may get an undesirable texture.
- Both skirt and flank steaks are relatively thin. The key to getting a robust char on the outside while keeping a juicy pink center is to cook the steak quickly over a very HOT grill.
- With thinner steaks like these, when both sides have a satisfactory char, the center is usually done as well. Don't play the guessing game, use a meat thermometer to check the center. You are aiming for 130°-140°F for medium-rare.
- Never reuse marinade that has come in contact with raw meat. It can be full of harmful bacteria and should be thrown away after the meat is removed.Â
- To store: Place leftover carne asada in a shallow, airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Wrap the steak tightly in foil or plastic wrap and place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.Â
- To reheat: Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and allow your leftover carne asada to come to room temperature. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Put the carne asada on top and bake on the middle of the center rack until the internal temperature reaches 110°F (43°C) (about 30 minutes depending on your steak thickness). For best results, give the leftovers a quick sear in a super hot pan to finish.
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