Potato Tacos ~
Mexican-spiced mashed potatoes wrapped in tortillas and lightly fried to golden perfection. These tacos are easy, delicious, and budget-friendly.
Serve with Mexican Slaw and dinner is done!
Mexican Potato Tacos
Tacos de Papa translates in Spanish as ‘potato tacos.’
Tacos de Papa is Mexican street fare that is traditionally made with corn tortillas. I generally have a hard time working with corn tortillas (those things crack so quickly!) so I like to use flour. Obviously, you won’t get as much crunch with flour, but they’re so much more forgiving. However, if you prefer to use corn tortillas, by all means, go for it.
Mashed Potato Tacos
I’ve seen potato tacos served two ways: one with mashed potatoes and the other with cubed potatoes. For this recipe, were using mashed potatoes.
I like these tacos because they’re easy, delicious, and surprisingly filling. They’re also a great way to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes into a whole new meal. Just add seasonings to give your leftovers a Mexican flair and you’re good to go.
Ingredients for Potato Tacos
You will need:
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup scallions, chopped
- 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Potatoes: The texture and creaminess of Yukon Gold potatoes make them ideal for mashed potatoes. For convenience, I leave the skins on. Whether the potatoes are peeled or not has no real effect on the outcome of the recipe. Russett potatoes are also a good choice.
- Seasonings: The amounts given as suggestions. Season to taste.
- Cheese: Cheddar, Monterrey Jack, and Pepper Jack all complement the Mexican flavor of these tacos.
- Scallions: Cilantro also works well for this recipe.
- Tortillas: I like flour tortillas for their ease of use. Corn tortillas are more traditional; use what you like.
- Vegetable Oil: This is a good all-purpose oil for frying.
How to Make Potato Tacos
STEP ONE: Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with 1-inch of water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.
STEP TWO: Sprinkle the hot potatoes with salt, cumin, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes leaving some chunkiness for texture, or to your desired consistency.
STEP THREE: Stir in the cheddar cheese and scallions. Adjust seasoning to taste.
STEP FOUR: Arrange tortillas onto a flat work surface. Spoon 1/4 cup of potato mixture to cover one half of each tortilla. Fold over each tortilla to form a taco.
STEP FIVE: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add 4-6 of the prepared tacos. Cook for 1 minute on each side, or until lightly golden brown. Work in 2-3 batches, depending on skillet size, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, as needed. Serve warm.
More Mexican Recipes You’ll Love!
- Rice and Bean Tostadas
- Mexican Rice and Black Beans
- Mexican Chocolate Pudding
- Ranchero Rice and Beans
- Potato and Black Bean Green Chile Enchiladas
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Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup scallions chopped
- 12 6-inch flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with 1-inch of water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the hot potatoes with salt, cumin, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes leaving some chunkiness for texture, or to your desired consistency.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese and scallions. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Arrange tortillas onto a flat work surface. Spoon 1/4 cup of potato mixture to cover one half of each tortilla. Fold over each tortilla to form a taco.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add 4-6 of the prepared tacos. Cook for 1 minute on each side, or until lightly golden brown. Work in 2-3 batches, depending on skillet size, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, as needed. Serve warm.
Jacqui
These are perfect for all the potato lovers out there! I am so obsess with these and can only recommend trying this recipe for yourself! Thank you Holly!
Elisa G
Do you think you could airfry instead of pan frying?
thiswifecooks
Hi Elisa ~ Yes, you can definitely air fry these tacos instead of pan-frying them. To do this, preheat your air fryer to 375°F. Lightly brush or spray the outside of the filled tortillas with oil to help them crisp up. Place the tacos in the air fryer basket in a single layer (you may need to work in batches). Air fry for about 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are golden brown and crispy. This method should give you a similar crispy texture with less oil. 🙂