26 Taco Toppings For Your Next Taco Night

Tacos, the versatile and beloved gems of Mexican cuisine, have stolen the hearts and taste buds of food enthusiasts around the world. From traditional classics to inventive fusion twists, tacos offer an irresistible canvas for culinary exploration. But let’s be honest, what truly sets a taco apart and elevates it to a flavor-packed masterpiece? The answer lies in the art of topping! Whether it’s Taco Tuesday or just any other night where you have a craving for a taco bar, take some time to spruce it up. Skip the boring shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream​​, and salsa, and make dinner a little more interesting with these 26 Taco Toppings. You can choose one to try or several taco toppings- it’s up to you and your taste buds! 

1. Taco Toppings: Cilantro Lime Slaw

We’re starting off with a delicious cilantro lime slaw.  If you’re making tilapia tacos or mahi mahi tacos, this slaw will be the perfect taco topping. The tangy lime pairs so well with the crunchy slaw. It’s a vinegar-based slaw, so no heavy mayo dressing is needed. You can spice it up or down with the jalapeno pepper. 

2. Pico de Gallo

Yes, you could use store-bought pico de gallo for your taco night, but freshly made pico de gallo is out of this world. It’s simple, but a staple for tacos. Fresh chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeno come together in this chunky taco topping. You could even dress it up by adding in some avocado or black beans. Make it your own! 

3. Black Bean Pineapple Salsa

There is no cooking required for this delicious topping (as with most taco toppings). Black bean salsa is hearty, and filling, and goes with chicken, pork, beef, or fish. The addition of tiny chunks of pineapple adds a burst of sweetness that balances out the spicy jalapeno peppers. It all works together! 

4. Homemade Guacamole

Guacamole absolutely has to be on the taco toppings list. No need to be charged extra when you can make a recipe this delicious right at home. This recipe is easy and so simple but tastes as good as expensive table-side restaurant guac. It’s creamy and full of healthy fats. 

5. Taco Toppings: Avocado Salsa

Mix the two (guacamole and salsa) together and you get the best of both worlds! This chunky salsa dip is beautifully vibrant and very ​​refreshing. Chopped avocado is mixed with bright tomatoes, spicy jalapenos, diced cilantro, and fresh lime juice. Avocado Salsa as a taco topping would go amazing with ground beef or ground chicken tacos. 

6. Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)

This recipe shows corn salad on avocado toast, but Esquites is a wonderful taco topper as well. It’s similar to Mexican street corn (Elotes), but it’s all off the cobb, which makes it perfect for sprinkling the cheesy corn over a grilled chicken taco. Charring the corn with butter gives it an amazing flavor. 

7. Roasted Chile de Arbol Salsa

For the people that like spicy, spicy food, this roasted chile de arbol salsa is for their tacos! The tomatillos mixed with chile de arbol peppers pack a lot of Mexican flavor as well as heat. Even with the depth of flavor, this salsa is still very simple. Just five ingredients, a blender, and about 20 minutes and you’ve got a very authentic taco topping. 

8. Taco Toppings: Queso Blanco

You’ve got to have queso blanco (cheese dip) for your taco night. It’s loved by all, even those that are lactose intolerant. They’ll sacrifice for a good cheese dip. Elevate your taco bar by using queso blanco as a taco topping. It’ll turn a dry chicken taco into a deliciously cheesy one. 

9. Chipotle Aioli 

This aioli is a super simple, no-cook recipe that gives you a delicious sauce for your fish or ground beef tacos. By using mayo, you’re skipping the hard step aioli requires (blending eggs and oil). It’s a secret substitute that will still give you amazing flavor. All you do is dress up the mayo with some cilantro, lime juice, and chiles in adobo sauce. 

10. Vegan Chipotle Aioli

Chipotle aioli is so good, we can’t leave the vegans out! This sauce doesn’t have any dairy or eggs, so whether you’re vegan or have an egg allergy, you can have this on your tacos! Drizzle this over some tofu or black bean tacos and you won’t feel like you’re missing out. 

11. Chipotle Copycat Fajita Veggies

Even though it’s fajita veggies, it works for tacos too. Use these Chipotle copycat veggies to top grilled chicken or grilled steak tacos for an authentic street taco vibe. The key ingredient in these veggies is oregano. Unexpected, right?! Dried oregano, oil, and salt are the only things added to bell peppers and onions to create the delicious fajita veggies for your taco toppings. 

12. Taco Toppings: Mexican Black Beans

I love street tacos, and these Mexican black beans would be the perfect taco topping for them. Or, if you’re vegan, you can use this recipe to create a vegan taco filling, no meat required! Black beans are healthy, full of fiber and protein, and give tacos additional texture. The added Mexican spices take regular black beans to a taco-worthy level. 

12. Vegan Sour Cream

Sour cream is a fantastic taco topping, but if you’re vegan, you’re missing out! With this vegan sour cream recipe, you don’t have to. A blend of cashews, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice create an amazingly creamy, thick vegan sour cream for your black bean tacos. Even if you’re not vegan, you can still enjoy a healthier version of sour cream by using this recipe. 

14. Vegan Taco Sauce

Again, if you’re vegan, you no longer have to skip out on Taco Tuesday. This vegan taco sauce is a blend of spices and cashews. Cashews are bland nuts, so you can flavor them however you need to. They make a great base for taco sauce because when blended, they create a thick, creamy sauce that holds flavor well. 

15. Quick Pickled Red Onions

If you’ve never had pickled red onions on a carnitas taco, you are seriously missing out. Pickled onions bring fresh, bright flavor to spicy tacos. Top it with a bit of cheese like feta, goat, or cojita and you’ve got a simple taco that packs a lot of flavor. 

16. Taco Toppings: Pickled Jalapenos 

I like to pickle my onions and jalapenos at the same time, with the same recipe for carnitas tacos, but if you prefer one or the other, these recipes work great. Pickled jalapenos will give you all the flavor of jalapenos without the heat. They can still be spicy, but not as hot as fresh jalapenos. 

17. No Mayo Taco Topping Slaw

We love a creamy slaw on fish tacos, but if you don’t like mayo, that can be hard to find. This recipe is the answer! This creamy slaw is made with avocado instead of mayo. We already know that avocado goes well with tacos, so it’s a two-in-one taco topping. Win-win! 

18. Vegan Taco Tofu Crumbles

If you don’t like black bean tacos, give these tofu tacos a try. By crumbling tofu and giving it the taco seasoning of your choice, you can create your own vegan taco topping for corn or flour tortillas. These tofu taco crumbles also keep well, so you can make them ahead of time, and have them stocked in the fridge in case one of your dinner guests is vegan. 

19. Taco Toppings: Instant Pot Refried Beans

Refried beans on toastadas or in tacos just give you the comforting Mexican flavor you’re after when you’re craving Mexican. With an instant pot, you can go from dry beans to creamy, flavorful refried beans in under an hour – without sacrificing traditional Mexican flavor. Serve it with chips for dipping or as a topping for your taco night. 

20. Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Sauce

I know, I know Taco Bell isn’t “real” tacos. But the nacho cheese sauce is still a good taco topping, so it goes on the list. You can make it right at home with some cheese wiz, milk, jalapenos, and cayenne pepper. It’s melted together in a microwave, so no real “cooking” is required. It’s simple, but works! 

21. Creamy Jalapeno Sauce

For a super spicy, but creamy taco sauce, give this creamy jalapeno sauce a try. The entire jalapeno pepper is used – including the seeds – so this is a spicy, spicy sauce. It would pair well with carnitas and avocado tacos, or mahi mahi and coleslaw tacos. Even grilled chicken and black bean tacos. It’s versatile! 

22. Taco Toppings: Simple Homemade Taco Sauce

You more than likely already have all these ingredients in your spice cabinet and pantry. Whip up this taco sauce for your next taco night to get out of the rut of making the same tacos over and over. You could even drizzle this over a taco salad for a low-calorie dressing. 

23. Taqueria-Style Salsa Serrano

If you love spicy and you love cilantro, you need to make this salsa serrano for your tacos. It’s made with spicy serrano peppers and a load of cilantro. Blended with garlic, onion, oil, and limes, it comes out as a creamy, spicy sauce to drizzle on any kind of taco. 

24. Cilantro Mayo

Instead of spicy mayo or herbed butter, try herbed mayo! This mayo is also heavy on the lime and garlic, which makes it a great aioli-type sauce for tacos. If you wanted, you could spice it up with some jalapenos or other hot peppers. But it’s delicious as is. 

25. Taco Toppings: Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables are a delicious taco topping, especially if you’re looking for a hearty, filling taco. Combine these roasted veggies with the cilantro mayo or salsa serrano and some taco ground beef and you’ve got a fully balanced meal. You could even keep it vegan by using the tofu taco crumbles as a filling along with these roasted vegetables. 

26. Blue Cheese Coleslaw

This delicious bleu cheese coleslaw goes with your buffalo chicken tacos. You could even put it on a tilapia taco too if fish is more your preference. It’s creamy, cheesy, but with a bite from the blue cheese. It contrasts with any spicy sauce, like buffalo sauce, so make sure to pair it with a spicy taco. 

Get your tortillas warmed, and your taco meat cooked, because these taco toppings are going to elevate your next taco night into a delicious Mexican taco bar. Your guests will be wowed and you will be praised as the best taco host or hostess. Get ready to host all the Taco Tuesdays from now on!