Taco Tuesday is a favorite day around here but I used to struggle with what to serve with tacos that is easy to make and delicious.
There’s always refried beans and Mexican rice, but we can get that anywhere with tacos.
It’s much more fun to add some variety to regular Taco Tuesday and make it something special.
So, for your dining pleasure, here are 10 tasty treats to have with your nest taco dinner.
The Taco Tuesday Controversy
Did you know there was a Taco Tuesday controversy?
Well, there is, and it’s worldwide.
According to Thrillist, although Mexican restaurants have been using the term Taco Tuesday for some time, it’s actually are registered trademark of Taco John’s, a Mexican restaurant chain in the upper Midwest of the US.
There’s also a company in Canada and one in Australia that have done the same.
They send letters and threaten legal action against other restaurants that use the term on a regular basis.
So what do Mexicans think of that?
They think it’s ridiculous to only have tacos on Tuesday.
Hah!
10 Tasty Taco side dishes that aren’t re fried beans or Mexican rice
Let me say that there is nothing wrong with re fried beans and Mexican rice.
They’re amazing and delicious, but if you’re looking for something a little different, here are few easy and quick to make dishes to serve with your favorite tacos.
1. Souped up Salsa
Simple, easy and better than I expected it to be.
I love a recipe like that.
To two cups of salsa I added 1 cup of diced fresh tomatoes, 1 medium shallot and the juice of one half of a lime.
It brightened up the salsa and made it taste fresh and delicious.
My family said this is a definite keeper and to make it again soon.
2. Easy, delicious queso
This recipe has four ingredients and takes minutes to make.
1 cup of shredded cheese of your choice
10 ounces of Oaxaca cheese
2-3 tablespoons green chilies
1 cup Souped up salsa
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/2 cup of milk
Cut the cheese into 1 inch cubes.
Add the chilies, salsa and taco seasoning to an iron skillet and turn on medium heat.
Stir in a few pieces of cheese at a time and stir until melted, adding milk as needed to thin out the mixture.
When everything is melted, mixed and at a texture you like, serve with tortilla chips.
3. Guacamole
Here’s a fun fact.
Did you know that avocado is a berry?
I know because I’m allergic to berries and found out about avocados after I had a reaction to guacamole.
Yikes!
Most people add tomatoes and live juice to guacamole, so I guess it’s technically a fruit salad.
Whatever it is, this is my son’s recipe and one he and his girlfriend eat often.
3 avocados, cut open with seed and flesh removed
1 ripe Roma tomato diced.
Reserve a tablespoon of tomatoes for garnish.
The juice of one lime.
1 clove of garlic minced.
1/4 cup cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips.
Also goes great on tacos, or so they tell me.
4. Chicken black bean soup
If you like soup, this is a good one.
It’s very similar to tortilla soup except that it’s made with black beans.
You can spice it up to suit your taste, and it makes a great starter alternative to the usual salsas, dips and chips.
And since you make it in the Instant Pot, it’s easy and quick too.
5. Spanish bean soup
Feeling a bit adventurous?
Then this soup is for you.
It’s a delicious soup make with chick peas/garbanzo beans.
It’s smoky and yummy and great to make in your Instant Pot for a different type of starter.
6. Black beans and rice
I love black beans, and I love rice.
This Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice recipe is an amazing side dish.
It’s flavorful and just enough different from regular beans and rice to be interesting.
It’s so good, I ate it for breakfast the next day with eggs, and my son used it to make a burrito.
7. Enchilada Casserole
Enchilada casserole is one of my older recipes, and it’s so good.
We’ve made this so many ways, and all of them taste good.
It’s quick and easy and a great way to use up leftovers.
Try it and see for yourself.
8. Midwest Mexican corn
If you’re looking for authentic Mexican elote, this isn’t it.
If you’re looking for easy and delicious, you found it.
Look, Mexican elote is amazing, but most of us don’t have the time on Taco Tuesday to make it, so this can step in as a substitute.
The ingredients are
- Frozen White and Yellow Corn
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Crema
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder, Ancho is great for this
- 1/4 cup Queso fresco
- 1/4 cup Feta cheese
- or
- 1/2 cup of Cotija cheese if your grocery store has it
Add your corn to a cast iron skillet and let it heat up while you get out your ingredients.
Mix together all of your ingredients except the cheese and stir into the corn.
When he mixture is heated through, sprinkle with cheese and garnish with cilantro or chives if desired.
9. Air fryer Grilled Pineapple
Pineapple is a great sweet treat to serve with tacos.
It’s light and refreshing and goes really well with the Cinnamon Crisps below.
You can make both in an air fryer and have a delicious dessert.
Sprinkle a pinch of cayenne or crushed pink peppercorns over the pineapple for an extra kick.
Add some ice cream and you’ve got a perfect after dinner treat of sweet and tangy, crunchy and soft.
I know that dessert isn’t the first thing you think of when you look for what to serve with tacos, but these desserts are easy and so delicious.
Yum!
10. Cinnamon crisps
When I was little, my favorite Mexican restaurant served deep fried tortilla chips with either cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar on them.
I always had a hard time choosing because I liked them both, but I always chose the powdered sugar because I could eat cinnamon toast at home and get that same cinnamon flavor.
Now, I can have both…on the same chip…and it’s air fried so there’s less fat.
That’s what I call a win win.
I simply use the marinade from my Air Fryer Grilled Pineapple recipe with some corn tortillas.
I cut the tortillas into triangles or rectangles after I brush them with the sugar marinade.
Arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, cook for 4 minutes in the air fryer at 400 and enjoy.
If you want to add powdered sugar, wait until the chips cool enough not to absorb the sugar, but I’m betting they’ll never get that cool.
Enjoy!
So there you have it, a list of easy and quick to make dishes so you never have to wonder what to serve with tacos again.
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