13 Easy Side Dishes for Your Next Taco Night

Meghan Splawn
Meghan Splawn
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Tacos are almost always part of our weekly meal plan. Filling them is no problem — roasted vegetables, carnitas, fish — almost anything goes inside a tortilla! But then I feel stumped about what to serve alongside our tacos. These easy side dishes are perfect for taco night or to serve alongside any other Mexican fare on your table.

Mexican Vegetable Side Dishes

1 / 13
Easy Taco Slaw
A simple recipe for red cabbage and carrot coleslaw that's tossed in a spicy and creamy dressing — perfect for serving alongside tacos.
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2 / 13
Frijoles de la Olla
Slow cooker pinto beans that can be used in a variety of ways.
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3 / 13
Charred Corn Salsa

Yes, salsa totally qualifies as a side dish! You can serve it up as a standalone salad or toss it with crunchy greens for serving alongside rice and beans or quesadillas.

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4 / 13
Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad
Mixed with quinoa, beans, and vibrant fresh veggies, and topped with a zippy chili-lime vinaigrette, this is a potluck salad that everyone can eat.
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5 / 13
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Don't let the season pass without making elote (a.k.a. Mexican street corn), a glorious mess of crema, mayonnaise, and cotija cheese.
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6 / 13
Mexican Restaurant-Style Cauliflower Rice
Just like the savory rice from your favorite Mexican restaurant, this version is made with cauliflower rice and comes together in minutes.
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7 / 13
Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice
If you love a rich and flavorful rice side dish to round out Taco Tuesday this tomatoey Mexican rice is it!
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8 / 13
Slow Cooker Charro Beans
Pinto beans, bacon, and sausage combine to make Charro beans (also known as "cowboy beans), a popular dish in Texas.
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9 / 13
Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)
Sweet, charred corn is partnered with a slew of ingredients for a salad that's just the right balance of smoky, spicy, tangy.
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10 / 13
Mexican-Style Meatless Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers use lots of shortcuts, making them a great choice for nights when you need a Mexican side dish with minimal effort.

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11 / 13
Black Bean & Corn Salsa
This bold-flavored black bean corn salsa is made with freshly squeezed lime juice, smoky chipotles, and fresh cilantro.
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12 / 13
Chipotle Copycat Rice

Chipotle’s signature rice is full of lime and cilantro, and cooked with bay leaf for lots of flavor from a simple pot of white rice.

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13 / 13
The Ultimate Grilled Zucchini Salad
Zucchini is grilled until smoky, then tossed with a lemon vinaigrette, feta, and mint.
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Side Dish