Mexican Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papas)
You won’t even miss the meat in these Mexican potato tacos! Made with delicious, perfectly spicy Mexican mashed potatoes, these crispy tacos are sure to be a hit at your next fiesta or Taco Tuesday dinner at home!
Servings: 16 tacos
Ingredients
For the Mashed Potato Filling:
- 3 large russet potatoes
- ¾ stick butter
- ¼ cup half and half *Or substitute milk or cream.
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon black pepper
- 3 dried guajillo peppers stems and seeds removed
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo (1 individual pepper from the can, NOT the whole can)
- 8 ounces Mexican melting cheese, freshly grated *We used a block of queso - or substitute pepper jack or sharp cheddar.
For the Tacos:
- 16 corn tortillas
- high-heat cooking oil for frying *Enough to shallow fry the tacos.
- shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa, crumbled Mexican cheese, chopped cilantro, or your favorite taco toppings for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Rinse the whole potatoes to remove any dirt. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water, about 1" above the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer the potatoes until fork-tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. (The potatoes should be done when the internal temperature is about 196-200℉.) Remove potatoes from the water and allow to cool slightly.
- Prepare the pepper mixture. While the potatoes are boiling, add 3 dried guajillo peppers to a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of boiling water. Let the peppers sit in the boiling water for about 15 minutes until tender. Transfer the rehydrated peppers, about half of the liquid from the saucepan, and 1 chipotle pepper in adobo to a small blender cup. Blend until smooth.
- Make the mashed potato filling. Remove the skins from the potatoes. Add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl with butter, half and half, salt, and pepper. Use a hand mixer to mix until smooth. Fold in the shredded cheese and the pepper mixture until well combined.
- Assemble the potato tacos. Heat corn tortillas just until pliable, about 15-20 seconds. Place a spoonful of the mashed potato mixture on one half of a corn tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half to form a taco. Repeat until all tacos have been assembled.
- Heat a skillet or griddle. Preheat large skillet or griddle to about 400-425℉. Add 3-4 tablespoons of high-heat cooking oil, enough to shallow fry the tacos.
- Fry the potato tacos. Carefully place the folded tacos in the hot oil, a few at a time, and shallow fry until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain off excess oil.
- Serve and garnish. Garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, salsa, crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, or your favorite toppings. Serve hot.
Notes
- Russet potatoes work best for this recipe because of their higher starch content, which results in fluffier mashed potatoes.
- You may make the mashed potato mixture ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To prevent the tortillas from cracking when filling, keep them warm and covered with a damp cloth. You can also steam them briefly before filling.
- Store any leftover tacos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes to regain their crispiness. Or you can also reheat in a toaster oven on a medium to high toast setting.