Papas Tacos
Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these papas tacos are stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes, sautéed onions, garlic, and melty Oaxaca cheese. Each golden taco shell is topped with fresh lettuce, jalapeño, radish, cotija, and a drizzle of Mexican crema for the ultimate crunchy-creamy bite. These bites are perfect for weeknight dinners, parties, or meatless taco nights.
Tasty Team
Total Time
1 hr
1 hr
Prep Time
30 minutes
30 min
Cook Time
30 minutes
30 min
Total Time
1 hr
1 hr
Prep Time
30 minutes
30 min
Cook Time
30 minutes
30 min
Ingredients
for 12 servings
Tacos:
- 1 ½ lb yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup canola oil, divided
- ½ large white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 12 corn tortillas
- cooking spray
- 2 cups shredded oaxaca cheese
For Serving:
- 1 ½ cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- ½ large white onion, thinly sliced
- 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
- 3 Radishes, thinly sliced
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup mexican crema
Nutrition Info
- Calories 239
- Fat 13g
- Carbs 20g
- Fiber 2g
- Sugar 1g
- Protein 10g
Estimated values based on one serving size.
Preparation
- Make the tacos: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, and add cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the potatoes for 10–15 minutes, until they are very tender when pierced with a fork. Pour the potatoes into a fine-mesh strainer or colander. Let stand for 1–2 minutes to steam dry (this removes excess moisture and keeps the texture fluffy). While still warm but cool enough to handle, transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, for 2–3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic, and cook, stirring often, for about 30 seconds, or just until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Add the cooked onions and garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin, and chipotle powder to the potatoes in the bowl. Using a fork, mash the mixture until evenly combined and the potatoes are slightly chunky yet spreadable. Set aside.
- Arrange the tortillas evenly on the 2 prepared baking sheets, and lightly coat them with cooking spray. Bake for about 3 minutes, or until soft and flexible. Remove from the oven.
- Gently spread about ¼ cup potato filling on 1 half of each tortilla. Sprinkle evenly with the Oaxaca cheese. Fold the empty side of each tortilla over the filling to form a half moon. Press down so the tortilla sticks together and stays closed.
- Heat the remaining canola oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F (190°C), 5–10 minutes. Fry the tacos in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and crispy. Carefully transfer the fried tacos to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
- While still warm, transfer the crispy potato tacos to a platter. Top with the lettuce, onion, chiles, radishes, cotija cheese, and cilantro. Serve warm alongside the Mexican crema.
- Enjoy!
