12 Best Taco Recipes [Homemade Carnitas, Barbacoa & Baja-Style Ideas]

Taco recipe ideas for all occasions. Delicious tortilla filling ideas, from meaty barbacoa to vegan-friendly carnitas. Find your new favorite homemade street taco today.

Make your own Mexican street tacos with our guide on the best homemade taco recipes. From ground beef and pulled chicken meat fillings to seafood shrimp and meat-free ideas, these recipes will complete your taco nights no matter your dietary preferences! Find your new favorite homemade street taco recipe here.

Flank Steak Vampire Tacos

Vampire tacos are filled with grilled flank steak and are served with a garlic marinade and chipotle-mayo sauce on top. This recipe is perfect for summer backyard parties and is best enjoyed messy!

Mulitas de Asada

Mulitas is a type of taco de asador filled with carne asada, and sits somewhere between a taco and quesadilla. It is a grilled taco that’s sandwiched between two tortillas and filled with beef and Oaxaca-style cheese.

Try this mulitas recipe for an easy homemade version. Filled with Monterey Jack cheese and grilled flank steak, it will let you know why it’s a North Mexican favorite.

Barbacoa Shredded Beef

Barbacoa tacos call for slow-cooked shredded beef in a savory tomato sauce served with fresh cilantro and lime juice. Like so many tacos, these are best served with fresh guacamole for extra flavorful topping.

Shrimp Tacos

A quick and easy option, shrimp tacos offer a fresh and refreshing alternative to red meat.

You will only need to sauté the shrimp in hot oil until they turn pink and add in the spices. Assemble the tacos and top them with sweetcorn, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, and avocado slices to add a punchy filling.

Tandoori Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos

These tandoori cauliflower chickpea tacosare a vegan take on the classic dish but pack just as much flavor. The meat filling is ditched in favor of a cauliflower-chickpea mix coated in tandoori masala. The crunch of the cauliflower, the spice of the masala, and the creamy guacamole give a beautiful and flavorful texture to the dish.

Baja-Style Fish

With crispy beer-battered cod and pico de gallo topping, these tacos bring a burst of fresh flavors.

Prepare a grilled white fish, mango, and red cabbage slaw to go on the side. Topped with pico de gallo and salsa verde, the tacos will have the perfect balance of sweet and acidic flavors. Try grilled white fish, mango, and red cabbage slaw. Topped with pico de gallo and salsa verde, these have the perfect balance of sweet and acidic flavors.

Slow-Roasted Pork Carnitas

Here’s one for the purists! The pork for these carnita tacos is cooked for hours on low flame. Drizzle some fresh lime juice to bring out the acidity before topping with avocado slices, cilantro, and sliced onion to get to taco heaven.

Crispy Potato and Chorizo

The recipe calls for pan-fried potato cubes and sliced chorizo pieces. These tacos are best served with lime wedges for an added blast of flavor.

Grilled Chicken Shawarma

Shawarma meat is usually served with warm flatbread. Why not bring the best of both worlds together by filling shawarma meat in a taco? The grilled shawarma filling works perfectly in warm tortillas too. Top it with cilantro leaves, lime wedges, and hummus.

Tacos al Pastor

Tacos al pastor, meaning ‘shepherd’s taco’ in Spanish, is best described as small corn tortillas filled with a variety of fresh, available ingredients. The main filling is that of pineapple, chopped onions, and cilantro. They are best served alongside salsa picante and lime wedges for extra zing.

Chipotle Chicken

Made in a style similar to shredded pork carnitas, the chipotle chicken tacos are filled with shredded chicken breast and topped with fresh tomato, red onion, and cilantro.

Ground Turkey with Pineapple Salsa

Ground turkey is great at soaking up flavors of different spices and herbs. Meanwhile, pineapple salsa brings sweetness and acidity and elevates the flavor profile. You can also replace ground turkey with chicken mince.