Tacos de papa or “potato tacos” are another favorite meal I love making for my family. And the guajillo salsa I like to make with it is absolutely incredible! Whenever I have leftover mashed potatoes I like to make this dish so they don’t go to waste.
Why You’ll Love Tacos de papa
- Budget friendly
- Picky kid approved
- Made with simple ingredients
- Good for a meatless Monday
Ingredients Overview
This is a simple Mexican dish made from basic ingredients. If you cook Mexican food often you may already have most of these ingredients on hand.
- Guajillo chilies – These form the base of the sauce.
- Morita chilies – Add heat and smokiness to the sauce.
- Garlic – To add flavor to the sauce.
- White onion – Adds freshness and texture to the sauce.
- Chicken bouillon – Add salt and more flavor to the sauce.
- Corn tortillas – Turns out nice and crispy when fried.
- Mashed potatoes – The filling for the tacos.
- Oil – For frying the tacos
How to Make Guajillo Salsa
This simple guajillo salsa is one of my family’s favorites. It’s very flavorful without being too spicy. Even my kids enjoy it. And honestly I feel like I could eat it all with just a spoon. I like to make a big batch of it so it will last a few days.
It’s very easy to make just heat up a little oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot you’re going to add the garlic and you’re going to lightly toast it for a few minutes until golden and fragrant. Then set it aside.
Next you’re going to quickly toast the chilies until fragrant as well. Then cover them with water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and cover. Let the chilies soak for 20 minutes until softened.
Once the chilies have softened you’re going to transfer them to a blender along with garlic, chicken bouillon and most of the soaking water. Blend until you have a smooth sauce. Then strain the sauce into a container and stir in the diced onion. Now that the sauce is ready, let’s start on the potato tacos!
How to Make Tacos de Papa
First warm up the tortillas on both sides in a hot skillet until soft and pliable. Then spread an even amount of mashed potatoes onto each tortilla and close. Next, fry them in a skillet in batches for about 1 minute per side until golden and crispy. Transfer them to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Serve the tacos with the guajillo salsa and enjoy!
Tips for the Crispy Potato Tacos
- For best results warm the tortillas in a hot skillet. The microwave is quicker however the tortillas often tear and stick together when done this way.
- Make sure the mashed potatoes are sufficiently seasoned with salt and black pepper or whatever seasoning you prefer. You don’t want a bland filling.
- Fry the tacos in batches so you don’t crowd the skillet. I’m able to do about four at a time in my large skillet.
You May Also Enjoy
- Bean gorditas
- Stuffed chilaquiles
- Chicharrones en salsa de frijol
- Mexican fideo soup with ground beef and potatoes
Crispy Potato Tacos with Guajillo Salsa
A simple Mexican recipe consisting of potato tacos served with a flavorful salsa made from chile guajillo.
Ingredients
For the Guajillo Salsa
- 12 guajillo chilies seeds removed
- 2 morita chilies seeds removed
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1/4 onion diced
- 3 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tbs oil
- 1 1/2 cup water
For the Tacos
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups mashed potatoes leftover
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
For the Guajillo Salsa
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Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
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Once hot, add the garlic and cook for a few minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove the garlic and set aside.
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Add the chilies to the skillet and cook for about 15 seconds until fragrant.
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Cover the chilies with the water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let soak for 20 minutes.
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Add the garlic to the blender. Then add the chilies, most of the soaking water, and the chicken bouillon to the blender. Blend until smooth.
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Strain the sauce into a bowl using a fine mesh strainer.
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Stir in the diced onion. Taste and add salt if needed.
For the Potato Tacos
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Heat up the corn tortillas on both sides in a skillet over medium-high heat until warm and pliable.
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Spread an even layer of mashed potatoes onto each tortilla and close.
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Heat up a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil for shallow frying.
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Once hot, fry about 4 tacos at a time, cooking for about 1 minute per side until golden and crispy.
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Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining tacos.
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Serve with the guajillo salsa and enjoy.