18 Taco Recipes Your Family Will Love Any Night of the Week

Soft or crispy, casseroles or bowls: which will you make first?

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published August 12, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Baked tacos on a platte surrounded by bowls of toppings (bowl of shredded iceberg lettuce, bowl of diced onions, bowl of tomatoes, bowl of salsa, and a bowl of sour cream)

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas, RD

Taco Tuesday as we now know it wasn't something I grew up with, but that doesn't mean tacos weren't regularly on the menu. At least once a month my family ate simple, what I'll call "Midwest tacos" with flour tortillas, seasoned ground beef, and the topping trifecta of tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, and sour cream. As I grew up and my tastes broadened, we moved on to occasionally grill up some marinated shrimp or steak and to eat that on charred corn tortillas with cilantro and onion—the type of tacos I now tend to prefer.

No matter what kind of tacos you grew up eating, two of the best things about tacos are that they're really family friendly (everyone can top them up how they please) and they don't take ages to make. Below are some of my favorite taco recipes and taco-inspired recipes to please a crowd, including kids.

Most take less than an hour to prepare from start to finish, and many are great for preparing ahead or meal prepping for a busy week. However your taco Tuesday (or Wednesday or Thursday) looks, I promise there's at least one recipe here that your family will be begging for more often.

  • Burnt Cheese Tacos

    Burnt Cheese Tacos on a Plate with Chipotle Sauce and Lime Wedges

    Simply Recipes / Sara Tane

    "You can use any shredded, melty cheese, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, or mozzarella. I like using a Mexican blend because you get a mix of everything. I opt for pre-shredded cheese because it’s one less step, but if you prefer to grate the cheese yourself, that works."—Sara Tane, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Weeknight Sausage Tacos

    Three ground meat tacos on tortillas with lettuce and lime wedges, served on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "If you can’t find Mexican chorizo, regular pork sausage is a fine substitute. For a pound of pork sausage, season it with about two teaspoons of your favorite chili powder. I’ve also recently spotted sausage and bratwurst links pre-seasoned with chili powder (one of them was a winner in this year’s Grocery Awards!), and these are another great option."—Emma Christensen, Former General Manager

  • Easy Taco Casserole

    easy taco casserol in a pot at a table setting with bowls of toppings, chips on a platter, and a bottle of beer

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "For this recipe, it's important to use sturdy, thick-style tortilla chips and not restaurant-style chips. I like the GreenWise brand."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Pressure Cooker Shredded Chicken Taco Meat

    Pressure Cooker Shredded Chicken shred the chicken with forks

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "Whether you're making weeknight tacos for your family or hosting a potluck party for a crowd, making shredded chicken in the pressure cooker is such time saver."—Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 18 below

  • 5-Ingredient Turkey Taco Bowls

    Plate of 5-ingredient turkey taco bowl at a table setting with a glass of water, bowl of lime wedges, and a fork on a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    "For this recipe, the key is using a taco seasoning you truly love because it’s the most dominant flavor."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Walking Taco Casserole

    Walking taco casserole in a casserole dish with a spoon (casserole dish missing some casserole / some of the casserole was already served)

    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    "Walking taco casserole has all the components of a walking taco from the bag served in a casserole dish for convenience. It's easily adaptable so you can enjoy it with your favorite toppings."—Karishma Pradhan, Recipe Developer

  • Ground Chicken and Black Bean Tacos

    5-ingredient taco dinner

    Simply Recipes / Kris Osborne

    "While the taco filling is the star of the show, the real fun lies in the toppings. I like to have a spread of shredded cheese, lettuce or cabbage, pico de gallo or store-bought salsa, guacamole (often store-bought if it's during the week) or sliced avocado, and sour cream."—Kris Osborne, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Fish Tacos

    A top shot of easy fish tacos ready to eat on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "I've had fish tacos with all manner of tortillas, even cauliflower! This is to say, your choice of tortilla is your own. Personally, I prefer the flavor of corn tortillas the best, especially if you take the time to lightly char them in a dry skillet or over the flames of a gas stove."—Emma Christensen, Former General Manager

    Continue to 9 of 18 below

  • Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

    Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos

    Simply Recipes / Elizabeth Stark

    "Be sure to let the sweet potatoes roast for the full 30 minutes: as they cook, they will first get quite soft, then they will slowly crisp as their sides puff up and the edges brown."—Elizabeth Stark, Recipe Developer

  • Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme

    Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme Wrap on Parchment Paper Over a Wooden Board

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "I would not recommend assembling the Crunchwrap Supremes ahead of time because the tostadas will get soggy. Store all the ingredients separately in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, assemble and griddle them fresh to order."—Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken Taco Casserole

    Chicken taco casserole (with a serving cut out) at a table setting with a serving on a plate, glasses, and a side salad

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "You could use a pound of ground beef or even crumbled tofu for the filling. You could also double the vegetable filling and do two layers of that for a vegetarian version."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Cheesy Baked Tacos

    Bowl of cheesy baked tacos on a plate topped with sour cream and cilantro at a table setting with a bowl of lime wedges and shredded lettuce, bowl of sour cream, bowl of salsa, bowl of salsa, and a bunch of cilantro

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "This recipe makes six small tacos, perfect for a meal for two or three with sides. If you need more, it’s easy to make two pans at once so you have 12 tacos, feeding four to six people. Just swap the pans on the oven racks once or twice so they all brown evenly."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

    Continue to 13 of 18 below

  • Quick and Easy Buffalo Chicken Tacos

    Buffalo Chicken Tacos Topped With Blue Cheese Crumbles and Sliced Green Onion Next to More Buffalo Chicken Tacos, a Small Bowl Witch Chicken and a Small Bowl With More Buffalo Sauce

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "A rotisserie chicken and a bag of coleslaw mix are at the center of this shortcut-driven dinner."—Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

  • Arrachera (Mexican Skirt Steak)

    Platter of Arrachera (Mexican Skirt Steak) Tacos With Lime Wedges, and in the Surroundings, a Platter of Arrachera (Mexican Skirt Steak), a Bowl of Cilantro Rice, a Bowl of Salsa, a Bowl of Guacamole, and a Tray of Tortillas, All on a Light Teal Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "There are many ways to serve arrachera. Aside from using it for tacos, you can also use it as a filling for tortas (sandwiches) or fajitas, but my personal favorite is using arrachera for vampiros."—Esteban Castillo, Recipe Developer

  • Crispy Ground Beef Tacos

    Crispy ground beef tacos on a plate at a table setting with glasses of beer, bowl of diced tomatoes, and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "You can use store-bought crispy tortilla shells instead of making them from scratch. If you choose to do so, skip the first two steps and heat the shells according to the package directions."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Copycat Chipotle Chicken

    Bowl of copycat Chipotle chicken with a spoon, and in the surroundings, a bowl of lime quarters, glasses of water, and a scarlet table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

    "This recipe makes enough for about four burrito bowls. You could easily cut the recipe in half, but why not have leftovers? I use them to top tacos, quesadillas, nachos, and my kids' favorite: eat them as is."—Myo Quinn, Former Associate Editorial Director

    Continue to 17 of 18 below

  • Skillet Shrimp Fajitas

    Shrimp Fajitas Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "If you want to downgrade the heat a bit, leave out the red pepper flakes, and make sure to use a mild chili powder."—Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Baked Ground Beef Tacos

    Baked tacos on a platte surrounded by bowls of toppings (bowl of shredded iceberg lettuce, bowl of diced onions, bowl of tomatoes, bowl of salsa, and a bowl of sour cream)

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas, RD

    "This meal works for fussy eaters because you’re in control of every step. You know your family best and you choose how to cook the meat and season it. You choose the cheese (or skip it), then let the oven put the finishing touches on everything and leave the garnishing to your lucky diners."—Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

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