Side dishes as our signature lemon rice goes wonderfully with any taco!
It’s clear that tacos are the ultimate party food no matter what the occasion. Spice up your next big bash with these tasty side dishes for tacos.
The beauty of the taco is that it contains multitudes. You can fit almost anything you want into it.
But what about when you want something on the side?
It may sound like sacrilege, but there are so many great side dishes for tacos that we had trouble narrowing this list to just a dozen. But that’s exactly what we’ve done.
What follows are our suggestions for 12 fantastic sides you can add to your spread to take your taco party to the next level. Read on, and steal as many as you’d like.
Side Dishes for Tacos: From the Classics to the Creative
Some of these dishes won’t surprise you, and others will make you rethink your approach to Mexican food entirely. All of them will make you lick your lips in anticipation.
So let’s get on with it.
Guacamole is a great place to start off any taco related list.
1. Guacamole
Don’t worry, we’ll get more creative as we go. But it’s hard to ignore the dominance of guacamole when it comes to Mexican side dishes. It has stood the test of time for a reason.
There are as many recipes for guacamole as there are Mexican grandmothers, so we’ll spare you a link to any specific one. Instead, we’ll leave you with a list of our favorite guacamole ingredients. It’s up to you which to include.
Red onion
Limes, limes, limes
Salsa verde (a sneaky one)
Lots and lots of garlic
2. Seven-Layer Dip
This is another classic with an infinite number of variations. Your avocado layer, your layer of refried beans, some sort of sour cream, and cheese on top are all staples of this side dish. That said, you can go crazy choosing your own variation of each of those layers and improvising what comes in between.
Creamy and satisfying refried beans are a wonderful side dish accompaniment.
3. Avocado Rice
You can’t have tacos without some form of rice on the side. Why not put a twist on this expected sidekick of a dish that turns it from a supporting player to a breakout star?
4. Jalapeno Popper Street Corn
We’ll refrain from calling these elotes because we don’t want to offend that beautiful original dish. But this twist on the traditional elote is a thing of beauty all its own.
These crunchy, creamy, and sweet ears of corn will please a wide variety of palates. Who doesn’t love a side dish that deconstructs one of our most beloved snacks (call it an appetizer if you’re fancy).
This recipe calls for cream cheese, lime juice, crema, ground chipotle pepper or chili powder, panko breadcrumbs, and so much more deliciousness.
5. Salsa Corn Cakes
“But these just look like tortillas!” you say. Not so fast.
Each of these fluffy, starchy sides is a perfect hybrid of pancake, omelet, and a can of salsa. And they have just enough protein to justify their presence on the table next to your already-carb-filled tortillas.
6. Tri-Color Slaw With Lime Dressing
Slaw makes an excellent taco topping, but you can eat this slaw by itself and enjoy it just as much. Two colors of cabbage and carrots make for a feast for the eyes as much as for the mouth.
Don’t forget the chips! These classic crispy treats go well with any hand-held treat…. or by itself!
7. Tomato Salsa Salad
This funky salad is a juicy companion to any Mexican meal. Tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions swirl together in a combination with freshness and verve.
8. Pineapple Cucumber Salad
Our tour of unique salad combos continues.
This recipe gives you crunch from the cucumber. It gives you sweetness from the pineapple. It even gives you a little kick from a spicy chili-lime dressing.
In fact, there’s so much lime on this list, we should probably create an entry for the fruit that says, “Eat plain.” But we’ll nestle that suggestion under number 7 here so we can cram in as many sides as possible on the rest of the list.
9. 15-Minute Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a polarizing dish, so save this for your more adventurous parties. But when you do whip it out, the gastronomic adventurers who try it will squeal with delight.
Cucumber, basil, and red pepper are flavors that complement each other perfectly. And they pair well with any kind of tacos you can dream up.
10. Enchilada Meatballs
Speaking of adventure, this is where we really go out on a limb. We doubt that when you started reading this list that meatballs crossed your mind, yet here we are.
These little meatballs pack a surprising punch. Of course, there’s the requisite ground beef, but what really makes the recipe is the cornbread.
11. Chili-Stuffed Poblano Peppers
That’s right, we said, “chili,” not “chile.” Instead of making a Russian nesting doll of a pepper, you’ll be cooking up a hearty stew to pour right inside your poblanos. And your party guests will love you for it.
The recipe we’ve found calls for beanless chili side by side with ground turkey for a lean, almost healthy filling. We say “almost” because we can’t quite bring ourselves to go full Lean Cuisine on this dish.
Poblanos are the unsung heroes of the pepper world. We suggest you put some in your tacos to make this side dish pair even better than it would otherwise.
On the lighter side of the spectrum, few accompaniments beat out a good Cesar Salad.
12. Cilantro-Lime Rice
We have to return to the classics to close out our list.
Cilantro-lime rice is a titan among rice dishes. It’s light. It’s tangy. It tastes great without stealing the show.
Tacos: Not Just for Tuesdays Anymore
As far as we’re considered, eating tacos could be an everyday affair. These side dishes for tacos prove that a taco meal has infinite possibilities.
If these side dishes have you hankering for tacos ASAP, you can book catering with us anytime.
