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Taco Basics and Beyond
No matter who I talk to about their food cravings and traditions, tacos are often their favorite meal. For restaurants, Taco Tuesday has long been "a thing" throughout the U.S., but tacos have been adopted as a welcome treat internationally. Even Norway has a taco night, but they are celebrated on Friday.
Indian taco filling ideas show off the happy marriage of Mexican and Indian flavors. This is the perfect place to start when you at a loss to know what to make for dinner. You can go simple: roast chicken bathed in Indian chutney, or Mexican red or green salsa, topped with whatever cheese you have in the fridge. Or use your favorite Indian leftovers.
Beyond the basics, there are four elements of a good taco. A good taco has an intensely flavored star ingredient, veggie freshness, some welcome crunch, and a bright and tangy sauce. Like my cozy Indian chili, the toppings bring a lot of magic to the party. Use your creativity and have fun making tacos.
Here is what to love:
- Two taco recipes for ground beef and paneer fillings to get you started
- Flexible, quick, and easy
- Oh, so delicious
- Bonus: a quick red onion pickle recipe
- Healthy, vibrant colors and textures
- Go meat, poultry, or vegan
- Perfect leftover vehicle topped with salsa OR chutney
- Uses pantry and freezer ingredients
- A family favorite—everyone gets to make their own
Taco Filling Ideas
Besides a quick roast chicken fix, you can use your favorite curries for a flavorful filling. Leftovers work beautifully or make your favorite Indian dish just for tacos. Make sure any curry you use doesn't have too much sauce. I often feel there is so much flavor going on I usually skip the cheese.
- Use your favorite Indian dish, but here are some of my favorites:
- Kerala fried chicken
- Tandoori roast chicken
- Chicken tikka masala (no sauce)
- Keema (ground meat curry)
- Vindaloo
- Shrimp (prawn curry)
- Aloo gobi (potato & cauliflower curry
- Shawarma
- Goan homemade chorizo:
- Ground meat of your choice flavored with Indian or Mexican spices
- Leftover proteins of all sorts: roast chicken, etc.
- Kidney, black, chickpeas, or cannellini beans
- Paneer lightly browned or not ~ Recipe below for a paneer filling
- Tofu, firm
- Cheese, shredded (see Q&A for recommendations)
Wrappers
As wrappers go, what works is only limited by your imagination. The obvious choice is corn tortillas, but flour tortillas work just as well. Experiment with any flatbread because they all will bring a unique flavor and texture to this Indianish tacos party.
- Corn or corn tortillas
- Dosas
- Gluten-free wraps (cassava, coconut, or almond flour, etc.)
- Roti/chapati or parathas
- Chickpea flour pancake (besan chilla/cheela) see the recipe from Vegan Richa
Fillings for freshness:
Here are some filling ideas to add freshness and crunch:
- Cabbage
- Salad greens: spinach, lettuce
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber slices
- Onion: raw, grilled, crispy, or pickled (recipe below)
- Scallions
- Corn
- Beans, regular or refried
- Green chilies, minced
- Lemon or lime, sliced
- Mint, cilantro, or parsley
The Crunch:
One of my favorite toppings is an Indian potato snack called aloo bhujia, which adds a kick and some crunch, or sev, chickpea flour (besan) dried noodles.
- Indian snacks: Aloo bhujia (potato), Bombay spice mix, or sev (chickpea flour)
- Onions (birista), browned and crispy
- Peanuts or cashews, chopped
- Pomegranate seeds
- Radishes, chopped
- Sesame seeds
Sauces, Chutneys, and Pickle:
Flavorings can go Mexican or Indian, depending on your mood. On the Mexican front, think taco seasoning, pico de gallo, red salsa, or green salsa (salsa verde).
Depending on your star ingredient, any number of Indian chutneys or chopped pickles would add great flavor and character to a taco. Take a chutney, salsa, or pickle and blend with some yogurt or sour cream for the perfect drizzle. You will need to play around with amounts so as not to take over the whole taco.
- Maggi’s Hot & Spicy Sauce
- Taco seasoning, my favorite is Penzeys Spices
- Quick red pickled onions (recipe below)
- Mexican salsa verde (green salsa)
- Mexican pico de gallo (tomato and onion salsa)
- Mexican salsa rioja (red salsa
- Indian coconut chutney
- Indian coriander chutney
- Indian lemon pickle, minced
- Indian mint chutney
- Indian raita
- Chinese Sichuan chili oil
- Chinese chili sauce, sweet or not
- Jalapeños, diced pickled
- Sour cream, yogurt, or Mexican crema
Make tacos!
All you need is a template for making tacos. In the recipe card below, I show two examples, a ground meat taci, and a paneer taco.
Gather your ingredients. If you are using the main ingredient that is not already highly seasoned, start there by mixing it with a Mexican taco seasoning, chutney, or pickles. Consider puréeing your favorite Indian pickle and mix it with yogurt for an incredible sauce.
Heat your wrappers. If you are using corn tortillas, wrap six at a time in damp paper towels and microwave for a minute; continue in 30-second increments if needed. Or you can heat them one at a time in the skillet over medium-high heat for just a minute or two on each side.
Either assemble the tacos in the kitchen or have an impromptu taco party and let everyone make their own.
When you’ve settled on a favorite filling, make a double batch and freeze half for that busy day. Or make a double recipe of your favorite Indian curry and make tacos or taco salad the next day.
FAQ: Mexican Indian Taco Questions
Skip the protein you don’t eat and make sure to add satisfying ingredients. Beans, tofu, roasted carrots, and avocados are some ideas, then pick from the many fresh ingredients I’ve listed.
Tacos don’t hold that much filling, so it is essential to use an intensely flavorful main event filling. Adding a good salsa or chutney will also add a good punch.
Traditional choices are Monterey Jack, cotija, or queso blanco. However, cheddar, feta, or paneer also all work well. Bottom line: use the cheese you like (or have).
~ Slice or chop your onion and either soak it in vinegar (white or cider) for 15 minutes.
~ Blanch the onion in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes
~ If you are in a big hurry, cover the onions with water or vinegar and microwave them for 10 seconds. Longer if you feel they need it.
Let Me Know!
Tacos are a perfect family meal. Gather dishes your fillings, flavorings, and your toppings, and let everyone make their own special tacos or taco salad.
When you find your favorite combination, don't forget to write it down for a future repeat! I'd love to hear about your favorite wraps and fillings. Here are two loosely presented recipes to get you started.
Happy cooking!
~ Alonna
See the Notes below before you cook.
If you like this, here are others to try
Recipe Card 📖
Taco Filling Ideas - Indianish
Ingrediants
Ground Meat Tacos (Keema)
- 1/2 pound ground meat ~ See Notes below
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning ~ See Notes below
- 1 1/2 cups cabbage ~ Thinly sliced, or iceberg lettuce
Optional Toppings
- 1/4 cup pickle ~ Diced; red onions (recipe below). See Notes below
- 2 radishes ~ Sliced
- 1/4 cup sev ~ Sev (chickpea flour noodles)
- 2 tablespoons mint or cilantro chutney ~ Or Mexican salsa mixed with yogurt
- 2 to 4 tablespoons plain Greek-style yogurt ~ More or less to taste; begin with 2 teaspoons
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese ~ See Notes below for ideas
- slice of lemon or lime
Paneer Tacos
- 7.5 ounces paneer ~ Cut into 1-inch cubes. Buy or make.
- 1 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons chutney ~ Your favorite go mix with the yogurt
- 2 to 4 tablespoons plain Greek-style yogurt ~ Starting with 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup cucumber ~ Or radishes or a mix of the 2; thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup scallions ~ Chopped; or red onion, or pickled onions (see below)
- 1/4 cup fried onions ~ Make or buy; Or chopped nuts of your choice
- 2 tablespoons cilantro ~ Or mint, chopped
- 1 slice lemon or lime
Quick Onion Pickle
- 1/2 cup white vinegar ~ Or cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 teaspoons sea or table salt ~ Substitutions
- 2 cups red onion ~ Sliced very thinly; about 2 onions
Instructions
Ground Meat Tacos (Keema)
- Gather all your ingredients.
- If you have leftover ground meat or firm tofu that is already flavored, move to the next step. Otherwise, cook the raw meat, or firm crumbled tofu, with taco seasoning following the package instructions. Or make 1/2 a recipe of my beef keema curry using the ground meat of your choice.
- Chop the pickle if using, and slice the cabbage, and radishes. Use any Mexican salsa or blend yogurt and green chutney together. Balance the two to your taste.
- Warm the wrap you are using. For corn tortillas, taking no more than 6 tortillas at a time, dampen enough paper towels to wrap the tortillas completely. Place them on a plate and place in the microwave and heat on high for one minute. Check to make sure the tortillas in the middle are hot enough. If not, heat for another 30 seconds or so. Alternatively, heat one at a time in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook them for a minute on each side. Place in a towel to keep them warm until you are ready for them. Other flatbreads should be warmed up as well, using the best method, depending on what you are using.
- Assemble: Take a warm flatbread and spoon 3 or 4 tablespoons of meat or tofu down the middle. Continue with cabbage, pickle, sev, cheese, a drizzle of salsa or the chutney and yogurt mixture, and serve with a slice of lemon or lime. For other topping ideas, see the Notes below.
Paneer Tacos
- Gather all your ingredients.
- In a medium skillet (ideally nonstick) over medium heat, add the oil and sauté the paneer cubes until light golden brown. It is not necessary to brown them on all sides. Remove the paneer to a medium-sized bowl and bring 2 cups of water to boiling. Pour the water over the paneer and allow it to soften for 5 to 10 minutes. Skip the soaking step if you've made your own paneer.
- Fry the onions until crispy if you are making your own birista, or chop nuts. Make the chutney and yogurt mixture, balancing the yogurt and chutney to your taste, starting with 2 teaspoons of yogurt. Salt to taste.
- Thinly slice cucumber or radishes, chop the scallions, onions, or pickled onions. Coarsely chop mint or cilantro to sprinkle on top.
- Warm the corn tortillas using the instructions for the ground meat tacos above. If using other types of flatbread, warm up as appropriate for the bread you are using.
- Build the tacos in the order the ingredients are listed and serve with a slice of lemon or lime.
Quick Pickled Onions
- Microwave all the ingredients except for the onions, allowing the sugar and salt to dissolve. Alternatively, place mixture in a small pan over medium heat for about 1 minute. Let cool and then pour over the onions. Thinly sliced onions will be ready in an hour. A thicker cut onion will be best with an overnight soak.
Notes
- Ground meat: Use the ground meat of your choice. If you want a vegan option, use firm tofu crumbles.
- For Indian tacos, use either Mexican or Indian flavorings:
- My favorite Mexican taco seasoning is from Penzeys Spices. Certainly use the spice blend you prefer, or if you don't want to buy it, you can make your own taco seasoning with a recipe from the great blog Rachel Cooks.
- For an Indian-spiced filling. Make 1/2 a recipe of my beef keema curry using ground meat of your choice. You will probably have leftover meat, but you can either freeze it or make a taco salad with it the next day.
- Cheese ideas: Crumbles of cotija or queso blanco, cheddar, Monterey Jack, feta, or paneer.
- If you don’t want to spend the time making a quick onion pickle, but you want to take the bite out of raw onions:
- Slice or chop your onion and either soak it in vinegar (white or cider) for 15 minutes.
- Blanch the onion in boiling water for 1 minute or 2
- If you are in a big hurry, cover the onions with water or vinegar and microwave them for 10 seconds. Longer if you feel they need it.
- Curry without too much sauce--here are some of my favorites:
- Kerala fried chicken
- Chicken tikka masala (no sauce)
- Keema (ground meat curry)
- Vindaloo
- Shrimp (prawn curry)
- Aloo gobi (potato & cauliflower curry
- Shawarma
- Ground meat of your choice flavored with Indian or Mexican spices
- Leftover proteins of all sorts: roast chicken, etc.
- Kidney, black, chickpeas, or cannellini beans
- Paneer lightly browned or not ~ Recipe below for a paneer filling
- Tofu, firm
- Cheese, shredded (see Q&A for recommendations)
- Chickpea flour pancake
- Corn or corn tortillas
- Dosas
- Gluten-free wraps (cassava, coconut, or almond flour, etc.)
- Roti/chapati or parathas
- Chickpea flour pancake (besan chilla/cheela) see the recipe from Vegan Richa
- Cabbage
- Salad greens: spinach, lettuce
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber slices
- Radishes
- Onion: raw, grilled, crispy, or pickled (recipe below)
- Scallions
- Corn
- Beans, regular or refried
- Green chilies, minced
- Lemon or lime, sliced
- Mint, cilantro, or parsley
- Indian snacks: Aloo bhujia (potato), Bombay spice mix, or sev (chickpea flour)
- Onions (birista), browned and crispy
- Peanuts or cashews, chopped
- Pomegranate seeds
- Radishes, chopped
- Sesame seeds
- Maggi’s Hot & Spicy Sauce
- Taco seasoning, my favorite is from Penzeys Spices
- Quick red pickled onions (recipe below)
- Mexican salsa verde (green salsa)
- Mexican pico de gallo (tomato and onion salsa)
- Mexican salsa rioja (red salsa
- Indian coconut chutney. Homemade or buy. Homemade or buy.
- Indian coriander chutney. Homemade or buy.
- Indian lemon pickle, minced. Homemade or buy.
- Indian mint chutney. Homemade or buy.
- Indian raita
- Chinese Sichuan chili oil. Homemade or buy.
- Chinese chili sauce, sweet or not
- Jalapeños, diced pickled
- Sour cream, yogurt, or Mexican crema
JLF says
I love the flexibility and range of options in this recipe. Great ideas!
Alonna Smith says
Hey Lamar,
Thanks for the feedback! I'd love to hear your additions. I am sure you have some.
Warmly,
Alonna