Have you ever heard of tacos dorados? If not, we’re doing you a favor by telling you about them now!

The words “tacos dorados” literally translate from Spanish to “golden tacos” and it’s a typical Mexican dish. Tacos are stuffed with a mashed potato filling and fried, giving them a beautiful golden color—hence the name. Fried tortillas and creamy potato? We’re in! They’re traditionally served with cream, lettuce, and cheese on top but today we’re giving you the delicious vegan version, of course!

We wanted to make something super delicious and super simple to make. It’s an indulgent meal as it is fried, but some things need to be fried for flavor! And if you’re going to make tacos dorados, the whole is that they’re fried—that’s what gives them their delicious distinct taste. So they’re not for every day, but definitely a treat you can indulge in every once in a while. The best part is that anyone can make them, the steps are simple (scroll down for step-by-step photos!), and they’re delicious and filling.

Scroll down for the recipe ↓

 

Mexican Tacos Dorados

Tacos dorados are common Mexican food, eaten a lot at festivals and other festivities, as well as at home. You’ll also find a lot of street vendors selling tacos dorados. They’re always made with a potato filling, so not to be confused with flautas which are also fried rolled up tortillas, but filled with pulled meat or cheese instead.

You can have fun with these tacos by making them with different types of potatoes (sweet potatoes would be delicious!), as well as adding any spices herbs you want. We’re providing you with the base recipe here so that you can modify it as much as you’d like.

I remember when my grandma made these for me back in Mexico. She cooked the potatoes with the skin on and sat down in front of the TV to peel them. Here, we’re making it easier by boiling the potatoes already peeled.

Just mash, add to taco, and roll.

TIP: Make sure to roll your tacos tight and lay them in the frying oil seam-side down to prevent them from un-rolling when they fry.

 

 

Salsa Verde

The salsa we’re serving our tacos dorados with is very similar to a traditional raw salsa verde made with cilantro, garlic, tomatillo, lime, and salt, except we’re adding in pumpkin seeds for an extra buttery texture. We’re also using jalapeño instead of serrano chili and adding in kale for a dark green pop of color.

You won’t need any water or liquid to blend the salsa, as the tomatillo provides enough water to get everything moving. You can choose to make the salsa smooth or chunky, both are delicious. We chose to leave our chunky so that it would sit on top of the tacos better.

If you prefer to omit the salsa, you could serve them with a nice fresh salad on top, which is also a great way to add more veggies to the dish. Fresh kale, spinach, or other leafy green with cherry tomatoes, onion, and cilantro would work great. Also, feel free to make cashew cream to serve with these tacos, which would make them even more delicious!

 

And that’s it! Look at these little beauties. Let’s get into the recipe:

   

Tacos “Dorados”

Makes 10 tacos

 

Potato Filling

5 medium Yukon potatoes, peeled

Water, enough to cover potatoes

sea salt, to taste

freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

1 tsp dijon mustard

1. Put potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover them. Cook on low flame for 45 minutes, or until soft (test with a toothpick or cake tester). Remove from heat.

2. Discard water and place potatoes in a bowl. With a potato masher or a fork, smash potatoes until evenly mashed. Make sure there are no big potato lumps. Set aside.

   

Salsa Verde

1/2 cup | 24g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

3 tbsp | 30g chopped jalapeño

2 cloves | 4g garlic, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups | 245g tomatillo, quartered

1 lightly packed cup | 35g kale, chopped

1/4 cup | 30g toasted pumpkin seeds

Juice of 1 lime

1. Place all ingredients in a blander and blend on high for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides. For a chunky salsa, pulse for 30 more seconds. For a smooth salsa, blend until completely smooth. Set aside.

   

Pickled Onion

2/3 | 91g of a medium red onion, diced small

1 tsp | 5g sea salt

1/3 cup | 65ml white wine vinegar

freshly-found black pepper, to taste

1. Place chopped onion in a small bowl and add salt. Use your hands to massage the salt into the onion. The onion should start releasing water.

2. Add vinegar and pepper. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning. Set aside.

   

Tacos

10 corn tortillas

Potato filling

1/4 cup avocado oil

Salsa Verde

Pickled Onion

1. One by one, warm tortillas in a dry pan on medium-low flame. Lay on a flat surface and spoon 2 tbsp of potato mix on one side of the tortilla. Start rolling the tortilla with your hands, tucking it underneath the filling in a tight roll until completely rolled up. Set aside while you repeat for each tortilla, making sure to keep rolled tortillas with their open seams facing down to stop them from falling apart.

2. Add avocado oil to a medium pan and bring to 300ªF. Using tongs or a spoon, carefully place tacos seam-side down into the pan. Only put as many tacos as can fit into the pan with enough room to turn them.

3. Cook tacos until slightly golden on the bottom, then flip using tongs or spoon again. Once golden on the other side, carefully remove from pan and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Repeat for all tacos.

4. Serve tacos on a plate topped with salsa verde and pickled onions. Eat warm. To keep their crispiness, don’t reheat in the microwave!

  

Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @eatogether.co and show us your delicious recreations!

 

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