What To Serve With Tacos (20 Best Side Dishes)

Take your taco night to the next level with the perfect side dish. Taco nights are all the rage so today we are sharing some ideas for what to serve with tacos to make a complete meal. 

The truth is, there are a variety of options that pair well with tacos. New ideas can be hard to come up with, so we’ve compiled an impressive list of options. 

Whether it’s traditional rice and beans, sweet corn salad, potatoes, or roasted vegetables, we’ve got something for everyone.

This list of easy recipes is sure to please your palate and spice up your next taco night. Read below and let us know which one is your favorite new side dish. 

1. Sweet Corn Cake

Chi-Chi’s Mexican restaurant was known for its signature sweet corn cake. It’s just what you need to add to your next taco night. This beloved dish was served to excited customers ready to devour its scrumptious sweetness. Now you can enjoy it at home with this copycat recipe. You may want to make a double batch because it will be gone before you can say sweet corn cake!

2. Mexican Black Beans

I’m not sure any taco night is complete without Mexican beans. The great thing about this easy recipe is that it goes with many other dishes, not just tacos. It is a perfect side dish with enticing flavors. Onion, garlic, green chilis, and seasonings all mix with black beans for a flavorful, tasty dish. 

3. Refried Beans

No taco night would be complete without the beans. This staple side dish is an easy recipe to make at home. It takes a boring can of refried beans and turns it into a restaurant-quality dish that is bursting with delicious flavor.  Side note; they’re also great to dip your chips into.

4. Pico De Gallo

Fresh, easy recipes are the name of the game. Pico de Gallo is one of those perfect side dishes that go with various dishes. Great to top your tacos, chicken, add to eggs, or dip your chips into, pico is always a good choice. With a handful of fresh ingredients and 10 minutes, you’ve got a tasty dish for taco night. 

5. Cilantro Rice

A wonderful accompaniment to tacos is rice. There are a variety of rice dishes to enjoy, and this cilantro lime rice is an impressive, upscale option. Full of pizzazz and flavor, nothing is boring about this easy recipe. It’s fresh, light, and the perfect side dish.

6. Mexican Rice

Traditional Mexican rice is such a treat. It is a simple dish that has big flavors. The great news is authentic Mexican rice is an easy recipe that any novice cook can make. It takes a handful of ingredients and under 30 minutes for this perfect side dish. Fluffy, tender, and rich in flavor, this must-have dish is always ready for a fiesta.

7. Mexican Street Corn Salad

You will never want to eat plain ol’ corn again after having this incredible dish. Have you ever had Mexican street corn, also known as elote? This is similar to that but in a salad version. Sweet corn, red onion, jalapenos, garlic, and cotija cheese are combined with a seasoned, creamy dressing. It’s an out-of-this-world delicious salad. The perfect side dish for taco night.

8. Guacamole

Homemade guacamole is quick, easy, and healthy to make. Some may say it’s even better than restaurants. It only takes a handful of ingredients, seasonings, and 5 minutes to whip up a batch of creamy, appetizing guacamole. This fiesta favorite is ideal for taco nights as you can eat it as a dip, top your taco with it, or even grab a spoon and enjoy! 

9. Mexican Coleslaw

This Mexican coleslaw is a mouthwatering, delightful dish. A spicy twist on traditional coleslaw recipes, this one is full of tasty zing. This easy recipe whips up in a flash and is the perfect side dish for your tacos. 

10. Mexican Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are known for their healthy vitamins and always make a lovely side dish. They are given added flavor with seasonings of cumin, chili powder, onion, and garlic powders. Topped with a drizzle of honey, these potatoes are a mouthwatering bite of sweet and spicy. This is an easy recipe to make and is the perfect side dish to enjoy alongside your tacos.

11. Black Bean Salsa

Simple ingredients create big flavors in this fresh, easy recipe. Black bean salsa is a great way to add variety to your taco night. With black beans, corn, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and seasoning, it hits all the right notes. It makes a wonderful taco topper, dip, or addition to your taco salad. Its versatility makes it the perfect side dish. 

12. Tortilla Chips And Salsa

There isn’t a Mexican meal that is complete without chips and homemade salsa. It’s the quintessential chips and dip that prepares your palate for an incredibly pleasing meal. This easy recipe is a sublime fusion of fire-roasted tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, garlic, spicy seasonings, lime, and fresh cilantro. It’s a salsa so good you’ll want to put that stuff on everything! 

13. Pepper Salad

When you want to add variety to taco night, this is the recipe for you. Fresh, delightful, and delicious, this is an easy recipe that packs bold flavors. Similar to a slaw, it has a lemon and honey dressing that complements the fresh bell peppers and herbs. This is the perfect side dish, especially when you want to keep taco night light. 

14. Mexican Cauliflower Rice

This dish is the perfect side dish when you want to cut carbs or include more veggies in your diet. Cauliflower rice is a lovely alternative to grain rice. The amazing thing is it still tastes like the Mexican rice you know and love. There’s no skimping on flavor here, only carbs. Even better, it’s an easy recipe that whips up in less than 15 minutes. 

15. Charro Beans

Charros beans are a traditional Mexican dish named after the traditional Mexican cowboy, also known as charros. These frijoles are pinto beans stewed with onions, garlic, bacon, and spicy tomatoes. This easy recipe adds a touch of spice and delicious flavor to any meal. It’s the perfect side dish to go with your tacos as it adds a depth of flavor and freshness.

16. Mango Salsa

If you haven’t tried mango salsa yet, you’re missing out. This is a must-have recipe as it is fresh, light, and oh-so-good. The flavors are a culinary mash-up of fresh mangos and traditional salsa. Instead of tomatoes, mangos are used and combined with onion, bell pepper, garlic, fresh cilantro, jalapeno, lime, and seasoning. This divine salsa is an easy recipe and wonderful addition to any taco night. 

17. Tomato Avocado Salad

This salad is fresh, light, and packs a flavor punch. The best part is that you can make this easy recipe in 10 minutes. Avocado, tomato, corn, onion, lime, fresh cilantro, and seasonings are all it takes to create this mouthwatering salad. It’s the perfect side dish for tacos. 

18. Mexican Potatoes

This one is for potato lovers. This copycat recipe is for fiesta potatoes from Taco Bell. It’s an easy recipe to make and turns simple russet potatoes into irresistible bite-sized goodies. Whether you’ve indulged in these glorious potatoes or not, this at-home version is healthier than the fast-food version. They are so good, they give you the can’t stop, won’t stop vibes and are the perfect side dish to any meal, especially taco nights. 

19. Roasted Vegetables

Veggie lovers will fall in love with this easy recipe. Fresh vegetables are tossed with flavorful taco seasoning, olive oil, and lime juice. A perfect side dish to any Mexican meal, it really hits the spot on taco night. The fresh, delicious veggie mix can be the filling for a vegetarian taco, a taco topping, or enjoyed on the side. 

20. Drinks

Taco night isn’t complete without inviting beverages. Whether you’re enjoying a margarita, aqua Fresca, mezcal, a cold beer, or a glass of wine, don’t forget to wet your palate with a fresh drink.

More ideas for taco night

• Slow cooker taco ground beef
• Quesadilla sauce
• Taco sauce
• Can you freeze tortillas?