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On taco nights, I like to make a super easy bean chili as a sidedish. Just pour canned black beans, tomatoes and corn in a pot, and season with spices and jalapenos to your taste. It takes all of two minutes to put together, and it's really tasty. Plus black beans are really good for you, so it's a healthy choice.

I agree, a light bean chili-like dish.

And chips and salsa! Lots of salsa!

I make a Mexican coleslaw -- mix mayo with lime juice and cumin, toss with shredded cabbage. It's a nice accompaniment to tacos. Rice and beans are also traditional. For dessert, Mexican chocolate cookies are a great choice.

Yellow rice using turmeric or saffron (preferred).

I usually do a fruit salad with tacos. Go tropical - mango, banana, pineapple, with a simple dressing or orange juice and mint.

If you really want a savory dish alongside, try something with plantains, maybe?

I agree with ceatkins -- go for a black bean dish, either hot like the recipe above or if it's hot weather where you are you can make them cold in a cowboy caviar like this

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=29527

You could also do some spanish rice too -- always good with any type of mexican dish, and great as leftovers.

i'm with ceatkins - beans, beans, beans. i do mine a little different by sauteing onions, garlic and jalapenos first then adding rinsed and drained beans, a can of diced tomatoes with juice, a palmfull of cumin, a bunch of cilantro, salt and pepper. bring to a boil, reduce to a quick simmer and cook for 20 minutes smashing some of the beans on the side of the pot along the way. delish!

If you are feeling adventerous, try ensalada de nopales....cactus salad...
here is a good, but fairly labor intensive version.....
http://tazadechocolate.blogspot.com/2009/05/never-judge-nopal-by-its-stingers.html

My version of bean salad is to use small white and small red kidney beans and black beans, frozen corn (fresh is better).

I dice a small red onion, one or two jalepenos and whisk it into olive oil and lime juice...I finish it with lots of chopped cilantro. This is even better the second day.

Have fun with the taco party.

Might I suggest Rick Bayless' Green Poblano Rice?

It goes great with all the other cilantro/jalapeno/avocado flavors that tacos usually have. This is good stuff.

My mother always served applesauce with tacos when we were little.

A nice chunky guacamole salad would go well.

This is a copycat recipe of Don Pablo's corncake that I like - it's a little sweet, but a great side dish for tacos or chili.

Don Pablo's Corn Cake Recipe

1/2 cup softened butter (do not substitute)
1/3 cup corn flour
1/4 cup water
1 10oz can creamed corn
1/8 cup corn meal
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (I use regular milk)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

In a medium bowl beat butter until creamy. Add corn flour and water and beat until well mixed. Stir in corn.

In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, sugar cream, salt and baking powder. Add to corn mixture and stir to combine. Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8 pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place pan into a 9 x 13 baking pan that is filled 1/3 with hot water.

Bake at 350 (175C) for 50 - 60 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes. Use an ice cream scoop to remove. Server warm.

NOTE: The secret to getting it creamy like Don Pablo's is the steaming so it is important to bake it covered and inside a pan of water.

I feel like Queso, guacamole, or salsa with chips is the perfect appetizer. Dirty rice, or bean salad make great sides for Mexican dishes. Could you make some Flan or fried plantains for desert?

Honestly just think of your favorite Mexican or Spanish restaurant, what else do they have on their menus? Those things will complement Tacos perfectly.
LOVE the Taco bar idea, good luck.

I second Peggasus' suggestion of Bayless' Green Poblano Rice. If you're doing apps, how about simple pickled veggies with jalapeno.

Or I like Orange, Red Onion, Avacado, and Radish salad with simple lime vinaigrette.

Flan or segmented oranges chilled and sprinkled with cinnamon for dessert!

Peggasus -- you can always suggest Rick Bayless when it comes to Mexican!

most Mexican restaurants I've ever been to serve taco platters with beans and rice, but I like the slaw idea, too (could also be used as a taco topping).

gallo pinto
mango salsa (go fruit and veggie crazy)
flan
guacamole

I am making tacos this weekend and serving them with my friend Adelaide's (http://www.adelaidemueller.com/) mango-bean salad, which is fantastic! I think it will be the perfect summer accompaniment - although I am going to triple the recipe below.

Take 2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained; 1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed/discarded and chopped;
1/2 red onion, chopped; 1 avocado, cubed
1 container fresh mango, chopped; Fresh parsley (about 2 tablespoons), chopped.

The dressing: Juice of 1-2 limes; Salt/pepper to taste; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 garlic clove, minced.

beans are good, but we also like to do crisp little side salads with mixed greens, lots of cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados (whatever you have around) and a nice lemon vinagrette or lime/cumin vinagrette topped off with some crispy tortilla chips.

I always do tacos with rice. Cooked 1 cup raw white rice in 2 tbsp butter until golden, add 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken stock, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1/2 tbsp garlic, 1 pinch cumin, 1 pinch Mexican oregano, 1 bay leaf. Bring stock to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes. Let rice sit an additional 10-15 minutes covered and off heat for best results and remove bay leaf before serving.

Juaritos! Or other fun fruit flavored pops or juices. Not really a side dish, but fun and authentic.

I also really like radishes as a side.

Maybe a tres leches cake? For dessert obviously :)

rice and beans!

Here's an amaaaazing mango, jicama, and orange fruit salad with mint and cilantro and lime. It's so so good and refreshing with Mexican food:

http://maiapapaya.wordpress.com/2007/02/20/believe-the-hype/

A nice fresh raw salad of corn and red/yellow/orange peppers, with scallions and jalapeno, dressed in lime juice and olive oil. Easy to do ahead of time.

I did this for a Mexican meal a few days ago. Big hit.

(even with frozen corn from Trader Joe's... shhhh)

I'd try a black bean, tomato, (red) onion, mango, and lime juice salad. It's perfect next to spicy tacos, and so easy to make.

I've always paired tacos with a spanish rice dish.

i usually make mexican rice. its easy and everyone loves it... also fruit is always nice. sometimes all that mex food can be very heavy. something light and cold would be a nice contrast, i think.

Taco parties are always such fun. First things first you need a fun cocktail, sangria, margaritas, Dos Equis or Coronas. Then serve some homemade guac with fresh lime juice, cilantro, garlic, jalepenos and finely minced red onion.

I agree with the others that spicy spanish style rice is the perfect complement to any taco dish and can be made a day in advance and reheated the next day. Just mix some of Goya's sazon flavor packets with white rice, add a small can of crushed tomatoes, capers and some chopped green olives. You can add peppers too if you like spice.

Have a great party!

I second the corn cake dish or the fruit salad. I would not care for a bean side dish that mimics the flavors of the tacos. Contrasting flavors is the way to go.

I am obsessed with this Mexican green bean, cilantro and fresh cheese salad, and made it a TON last summer. Perfect for tacos:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mexican_green_bean_salad/

Beans and rice!

I'm a mexican.. and we usually have beans ("refritos" or fried) as a side dish to tacos. We rarely mix jalapeños or any other chili with the beans. We rather have a nice sauce separately.
Nopales (cactus) with tomato, onion, "cilantro" (coriander), and olive oil is also a common side dish to tacos.
Guacamole (if you are able to find good avocados) is a must.
Rice (usually red--with tomato) is also common.

Beans and rice are expected, plaintains are more exciting, tropical fruit salad, and a crispy salad with some jicama.

Monicam, tell us about the cactus. I see it at the store but haven't tried it.

A watermelon with fruit kabobs sticking out of it

Mexican slaw -- cabbage (green & purple) carrots, maybe a little purple onion, lime, some rice vinegar to brighten it up plus S&P. Super easy, quick, cheap, colorful and most of all GOOD! Some nights I like it even better than the tacos -- I put my meat with my slaw, toss on some cilantro and avocado and make a big salad like mess.
Thank goodness we are having Mexican tonight or else I would be hungry...

The rice looks delicious, what did you use to season it?

I'd go rice and bean and chips/salsa/guac
and loads of lettuce in case some people would rather have a taco salad

Roasted corn salad

What sort of tacos are you serving?

I'm Mexican too and yeah, rice and beans are classic (tons of recipe out there for red rice, but I like the white rice pilaf cooked with garlic and onion and maybe some green peas and carrots in the end), but if you're looking for something a little different, try this salad (adapted from Rick Bayless). Served it at my wedding, it's very refreshing and tasty.

Jicama salad with cantaloupe, oranges, tomato and avocado

1 medium jicama, peeled, halved, sliced 1/4 in thick, and halved again (for triangles, roughly)
1/2 cantaloupe, in large dice
2 oranges, peeled and segmented (or, if you're in a hurry, peeled and sliced horizontally)
1 large avocado, diced
6 radishes, sliced thinly (optional)
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced thinly (optional)
8 or so cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
pinch of ancho chili powder, to taste (optional, but recommended)
3 tbs, or so lime juice
2 tbs, chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. or so salt

Toss everything in a big bowl. Check the salt.

Yields: A big bowlful

We either do a bean side dish: refried, pinto or black beans or a rice dish of some sort: spanish or yellow. I've also been known to make a radish salad or a simple slaw lightly dressed with a vinaigrette as it cuts through the richness and myriad flavors of the tacos nicely.

the mind of Sue- thank you for sharing the corn cake recipe! I worked at Don Pablos through college and took a few recipes with me when I left but the corn cake came pre-made so I never knew what was in it. I literally gasped out loud when I saw this- haha. Can't wait to share it with a friend who loves this stuff.

i like this.

I love to make a hearty black bean salsa. Can of black beans, red/yellow/green peppers chopped, can of corn (or cut fresh off the cob), diced, jalepeno, squeeze of lime juice, cilantro, shredded cheese. Easy, fresh, and tasty. The next morning, the salsa can be scrambled into some eggs and wrapped with a tortilla for a breakfast wrap. Or for lunch wrapped and heated in the microwave for 30 seconds for a warm, filling lunch.

Cantaloupe and watermelon when in season. It's a nice contrast of flavors.