Vivi’s Carne Asada Tacos

Marinated in Mexican beer, lime juice, and lots of spices, this carne asada is charred to medium or medium-rare and topped with minced onion, cilantro, and a squirt of lime. Serve it with charred Mexican spring onions and hot tortillas, and you’re in for a unforgettable, soul-satisfying meal, says Vivi Abeja, one of our favorite Mexican food cooks. She lives in Chicago’s traditionally Mexican neighborhood of Little Village, near her large, close family, and this is her family-famous recipe.

Anjie’s Carne Asada Tacos

These authentic carne asada tacos are a go-to in the Southern California home of one of our favorite Mexican-food cocineras Anjie Villalobos. “This recipe is traditional in that there is lots of lime, onion, garlic and spices that are very traditional to Mexican cooking. The beer, of course, helps tenderize the meat and helps impart some really nice flavor.”

Quesabirria Cheesy Beef Tacos

Quesabirria tacos are a modern wonder of the taco world. An updating of Jaliso’s traditional birria stew, they’re a newcomer to the Taco Tuesday scene, and an instant classic — for all the cheesy-delicioso right reasons.

Deservedly so, says Vivi Abeja, one of our favorite Mexican cooks who sent us this recipe. “Wow! Quesabirria tacos have officially become my party go-to. It is such a crowd favorite and the time that goes into making it deserves for it to be shared with your loved ones.”

Beef Barbacoa Street Tacos

These barbacoa tacos were sent to Familia Kitchen by Arizona homecook Michelle Ezratty Murphy. “I’ve been hankering for a street taco lately, so I started playing around in my kitchen with the next best thing: Barbacoa beef taco recipes at home. The best barbacoa, imho, has the distinct flavor of cumin. And because it has been slow-cooked for hours, the beef takes on this unbelievably rich, deep, smoky, almost coffee-like flavor. That’s what I was going for: real-deal. street taco sabor,” she says. Misión cumplida. Try them for yourself!

Ground Beef Tacos with Adobo

These ground beef tacos represent both sides of Maria de Lourdes Torres Chaparro’s family food tree. The co-owner of La Criolla spices grew up in a Chicago household that was Mexican and Puerto Rican. These tacos, using Boricua-style adobo to spice the beef, reflect the richness of her heritage. Plus, they’re easy, making these a Taco Tuesday fave.

Easy Weeknight Chicken Tacos

Chicken tacos may not be the most traditional or famous dish in Tacolandia, but they probably are the easiest. To eat and clean up. In a super-hot pan on the stove, they come together fast, in about 15 minutes — start to finish. They are memorably flavorful. Healthy and protein-rich. Kids and grownups love them. They pair beautifully with any kind of salsa. That’s why they’re the busy cook’s Taco Tuesday MVP.

Pablo’s Chicken Tacos Dorados

These chicken tacos dorados remind Illinois caterer Pablo Lorenzo of his childhood in Acapulco, Mexico. His mom would make this recipe on the regular. They are crunchy-delicioso and his entire family loved them. As a bonus, this dish is super-fácil to make, and the ingredients are affordable and readily available. The ingredients are cooked in the broth, which explains why the chicken and vegetables are so flavorful. Serve these tacos with your favorite salsa, says Pablo. Whichever you like best: smoky red or spicy green.

Chicken Tinga Tostadas with Roasted Poblanos

This chicken tinga tostada with roasted poblano chiles, diced tomatoes and a touch of Mexican crema emerged as the clear winner at Arianna Hermosillo’s family tostada cook-off in Chicago one year. Her brother in law Jorge made his mother’s recipe from Jalisco and swept the contest. Make it for yourself to taste why! Bonus: It’s easy enough to whip up these tinga tostadas for a quick delicio-solo dinner for yourself or a meal the whole family. Perfect for Tuesdays on busy school nights.

Al Pastor Tacos at Home: DIY Genius

Al pastor tacos are the ONE type of taco we thought we’d never be able to make at home. Fans of these slow-charred pork and pineapple treats know you can typically only buy them at street stands and restaurants that have a trompo. So, we asked one of our favorite Mexican cooks, Vivi Abeja, to find a way to make this traditional taco in our home kitchens. Check out her genius DIY recipe hack!

Pork Tenderloin & Cabbage Tacos

These healthy pork tacos check all the boxes. Delicioso. Filling. Low fat. Low cal. They’re also savory and spicy, which is what we crave on a hot summer day, chilly winter afternoon, during the game, on Taco Tuesday, or late night out. In other words, all the time. This recipe is from Naihomy Jerez, a food and wellness coach, who flipped this recipe to make it good-for-us. She used pork tenderloin instead of beef and changed out the rich toppings, like the extra cheese and sour cream, for superfoods like thinly sliced cabbage and avocado. Que bueno.

Tilapia Fish Tacos With Pineapple & Chipotle Salsa

These Baja-style sauce-drizzled tilapia fish tacos are a hit in the home of MariCarmen Ortiz Conway. ”I hope yours loves them too. There are many ways to prepare Baja sauce. This is my way: I use Mexican mayo and add tomato puree for a great touch to the combination of flavors also including: Pineapple, chipotle chile, and, por supuesto: the breaded pescado. I use tilapia, which is sweet, light and fresh-tasting and takes on the flavors of the chile and cilantro beautifully.” See how to make this recipe!

Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Slaw & Pickled Red Onions

These spicy fish tacos with jalapeño-flavored cabbage slaw and pickled red onions are Chicago cook Vivi Abeja’s No. 1 pick when we asked her for a recipe that is waist-friendly and super delicioso. The best thing of all is that you don’t sacrifice an ounce of sabor, she promises. It’s something of a taco miracle. Turns out it’s all about using the air fryer and how she garnishes. “I’ve seen a lot of fish recipes that either have slaw or pickled onions, but I love them both, so they both go on my tacos. Plus, the cilantro, lime and avocado salsa. I love recipes that require layers of flavor,” says Vivi. ”These tacos are show-stoppers.”

Easy, Awesome Shrimp Tacos

These easy-to-make shrimp tacos are your guaranteed-to-please comida solution when you want to serve a hungry crowd fast. That’s why they’re a go-to weeknight dinner at the home of one of our favorite Mexican-food cocinera abuelas Anjie Villalobos of California. Plus, shrimp tacos are one of those meals that make people happy (unless someone has a seafood allergy, like one of her daughters,” says Anjie, joking, “It’s a travesty.”). Otherwise, you’re good to go, she promises: “Everybody loves shrimp tacos.”

Frida Kahlo’s Shrimp Tacos

These simple shrimp tacos were a favorite of the legendary Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. As captured by Guadalupe Rivera, the daughter of Frida’s husband, the Mexican painter and muralist Diego Rivera, in her cookbook Frida’s Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo, this traditional taco recipe is quick to make and promises to heat up your taste buds, thanks to its use of serrano chiles.

Tacos Verdes: Egg & Jalapeño

These tacos verdes with egg, jalapeño and just a hint of garlic are the star side at every single Gonzalez family cookout. Of course, there’s also the must-have carne asada, Mexican rice, and pickled nopalitos and jalapeños salad.

But it’s her mom Gollita’s Oz-green egg tacos that makes their Mexican food feasts so distinctive and extra delicioso, says Ana Gonzalez Quaid of Chicago. They’re also easy to make — and loved by vegetarians and meat lovers alike.

Tacos de Papa & Rajas

Potato tacos or tacos de papa with rajas are a traditional go-to in Mexico when you want to make home-cooked, hearty, vegetarian tacos for a large family or group of friends. Creamy-spicy-melty delicioso, these tacos are “basically mashed potatoes with poblano green chile rajas cut in strips,” says Anjie. “Roll them up and fry them and cover them with thinly sliced cabbage and slices of avocado, salsa, crema, whatever you like to top your tacos. When ready to serve, Anjie recommends accompanying these tacos with medium-heat avocado salsa or her family-famous guacamole.

(Almost) Vegan Taco Bowl

For those seeking a vegetarian take on Taco Tuesday, this is a tasty, soul-satisfying favorite sent in by holistic coach Veronica Giolli. Her taco bowl uses jackfruit (or yaca) and mushrooms instead of carne. ”It also means my family and I are still able to stay connected to our truth, our Mexican roots, and live a vital, healthy long life together,” says Veronica. If you want to go full vegan with this delicioso recipe, use olive oil instead of ghee and ditch the optional cheese garnish, she says.