33 Easy Side Dishes for Your Next Taco Tuesday

updated Apr 22, 2024
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Tacos are a delicious addition to any weekly meal plan. The varieties of tacos are endless — from chicken tacos, steak tacos, shrimp tacos, and fish tacos — almost anything goes as fillings for tortillas (no matter if they’re corn tortillas or flour tortillas).

But do you ever feel stumped on what to serve with tacos? We’ve got you covered with these easy side dishes that are perfect for taco night or to serve alongside a delicious Mexican dinner.

We have fresh corn side dishes like elote (Mexican street corn), charred corn salsa, and esquites (Mexican corn salad). Avocado lovers unite with recipes for avocado salad with tomatoes and herbs, avocado-corn salad, and black bean salad with corn & avocado. We also have classic bean sides, like refried beans and charro beans.

Here are 33 easy side dishes for your next taco night (and beyond!)

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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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Arroz Rojo (Mexican Rice)

If you’re going to cook a homestyle Mexican meal, Mexican red rice (also known as arroz rojo) is a staple to master.

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Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Don't let the season pass without making elote (Mexican street corn), a glorious mess of crema, mayonnaise, and cotija cheese.

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Refried Beans

Serve these delicious refried beans with arroz rojo for your next taco dinner.

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Avocado-Corn Salad

Fresh sweet corn, creamy avocado, and juicy tomatoes shine in this flavorful taco side dish.

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Creamy 3-Ingredient Cilantro-Lime Slaw

This creamy, taco-ready cilantro slaw can be made at a moment's notice, and does not skimp on flavor.

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Frijoles de la Olla

Slow cooker pinto beans that can be used in a variety of ways. These frijoles are the perfect base for charro beans, or they can be used to make refried beans.

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Fresh Corn Salsa with Lime and Cilantro

Corn salsa is a celebration of summer’s bounty, highlighting the natural sweetness of fresh corn in its purest form.

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Tangy Cabbage and Jalapeño Slaw

Thanks to the crunchy textures and bold tangy and spicy flavors, no one will ever be the wiser that you pulled this together in just 5 minutes. Serve with fish tacos or shrimp tacos.

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Arroz Verde (Mexican Green Rice)

Fresh cilantro and poblano peppers give this rice dish a vibrant green hue and an incredible herby flavor.

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Slow Cooker Charro Beans

Pinto beans, bacon, and sausage combine to make Charro beans (also known as "cowboy beans), a popular dish in Texas. The base of this dish is frijoles de la olla, a five-ingredient recipe for saucy, creamy pinto beans.

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Avocado Salad

This simple summery avocado salad takes avocado from supporting ingredient to the main attraction.

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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. Esquites takes all the elements of elote and combines them into a warm, easy-to-eat salad or side for a crowd.

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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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Slow Cooker Hominy Squash Casserole

Plump, juicy hominy, Mexican squash, and crema are the stars in this cozy slow-cooked casserole.

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Avocado Salsa

A chunky salsa full of avocado and tomatoes that's as at home on a tortilla chip as it is in a taco.

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Elote Fritters

If you can't get enough of Mexican street corn, we combined all the flavors in one sweet, salty, and crispy fritter.

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Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

Classic tricolor slaw updated with fresh cilantro and a punchy lime-mayonnaise dressing. It's delicious on crispy fish tacos.

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Avocado Tomato Salad

This avocado tomato salad is the perfect 10-minute dish to round out any taco dinner.

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Slow Cooker Elote Rice

A warm bowl of rice is one of the easiest, heartiest, most family-friendly sides. Adding all the elements of elote — corn, Mexican crema, lime juice, queso fresco, and ancho chile — makes it a flavor-packed winner.

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Avocado and Cucumber Arugula Salad

Feel free to turn this vibrant salad into a meal by topping it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon.

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Popped Hominy Salad with Fresh Corn and Basil

Similar to canned beans, hominy is an inexpensive way to make dishes from soup to sides more substantial and satisfying.

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Black Bean Salad with Corn and Avocado

This classic black bean salad is packed with bright, refreshing flavors like corn, tomatoes, and cilantro, and has a kick from fresh garlic, jalapeño, and red onion.

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Cilantro-Jalapeño Jicama Slaw

Refreshing jicama and beautiful red cabbage get tossed together with tangy lime juice, spicy jalapeños, and cilantro for a great slaw to serve with tacos or tamales.

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Elote-Inspired Butter Bath Corn

It’s no secret that cooking corn in a butter bath is our favorite way to enjoy the sweet summer veggie. Here we’re inspired by and adding all the elements of elote. Seasoned with lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and mayonnaise, this butter bath corn variation packs sweet, spicy flavor in every bite.

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Make-Ahead Loaded Veggie Taco Salad

This vegetarian taco salad with a creamy cilantro dressing is loaded with protein and can be eaten all week.

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Jicama Fries

This crisp-but-tender snack is a satisfying alternative to potato french fries.

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Tangy Cucumber Avocado Salad

Crisp, refreshing cucumbers and creamy, buttery avocado are tossed with cilantro vinaigrette and quick-pickled red onion in this vibrant salad.

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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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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 steak quesadillas.

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Vegetarian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Weeknight-friendly sweet potatoes stuffed with chipotle black beans, avocado, cilantro, and chipotle yogurt.

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Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad

Mixed with quinoa, black 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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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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