If you’re wondering what to serve with your taco salad, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for taco salad.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best side dishes to serve with taco salad are elotes, spicy guacamole, jalapeno bread, Mexican rice, or corn pudding. Chips and salsa are a popular side, with options like blueberry, corn, and pineapple salsas. For something unique and tasty, try avocado fries. And churros is the best dessert!
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Appetizers/snacks
Taco salad can be a meal on its own but you can easily beef it up with snacks like avocado fries or corn ribs to make it more satisfying.
I personally like to cut fresh corn tortillas into strips and fry them to add a crunchy element.
Avocado fries
I thought I’d tried it all when I had some avocado ice-cream.
Then I came across these avocado fries.
They’re the perfect option if you have some leftover avocado from making your salad.
The fries have a crispy texture and creamy, nutty interior that’s surprisingly moreish.
The recipe will soon become a family favorite. It is in my household. And i’m not mad about it because the fries are super healthy!
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Avocado fries
Make it fun
Air fryer avocado egg rolls
Fire up the grill
Grilled avocado
Mexican corn pudding
Do you enjoy corn but hate getting all the skin stuck in your teeth?
One way to enjoy its buttery sweetness without that issue is to make corn pudding.
The creamy and cheesy corn bake will complement your lighter taco salad. And the added jalapeños give it a kick.
This Mexican street corn pudding is served in fancy little individual ramekins (but you can use a normal casserole dish too).
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Mexican corn pudding
Make it fun
Jalapeno cheddar corn fritters
Make a soup
Mexican corn chowder
Jalapeno bread
Want your taco salad to be the star of the show but think it needs something more?
Well what it needs is some bread to mop up all the leftover sauce!
And this cheesy jalapeno bread is flavorful enough that you only need a small slice, so you don’t have to feel too guilty.
Sallysbakingaddiction has a no-knead recipe that even first-time bakers can follow along with.
Psst… cornbread would work too.
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No-knead jalapeno cheddar bread
Make it different
Black pepper cheddar bacon biscuits
Make it Tex-Mex
Mexican cornbread
Elotes
Can’t think of what to serve alongside your taco salad at a backyard bbq?
This juicy, charred Mexican street corn (elotes) is a summer party must-have.
After grilling, smother the corn in a creamy, cheesy, tangy sauce and garnish with cilantro.
It’s a bit messy to eat – but worth every bite.
This flavor-packed elote recipe will look great next to your taco salad.
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Mexican street corn
Make it trendy
Corn ribs
Make it easy
Boiled corn on the cob
Main dishes
Serving your taco salad as a starter or side dish? A simple but delicious cheesy beef quesadillas works great as a delicious main dish.
You can also whip up some burritos for a heartier meal or some pasta for an Italian twist.
Cheesy beef quesadillas
Most Mexican food is fun, but I think quesadillas are the most fun.
They’re ideal for a party because people can grab however many slices they want.
And they’re not too heavy, so won’t overshadow the taco salad.
Top the quesadilla with some guacamole or the salsa I mention below for an even tastier treat.
Don’t want to use beef?
You can also use chicken or veggies for your quesadillas.
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Cheesy beef quesadillas
Make it meat-free
Spinach and mushroom quesadillas
Make it fusion
Mediterranean quesadillas
Mexican rice
What else could be better to accompany your Mexican meal than Mexican rice?
It’s a welcome and comforting addition to any Taco Tuesday menu.
The best part?
It is such a breeze to make.
This Mexican rice is heavily seasoned but the taco salad’s fresh vegetables and tangy dressing will balance it out.
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Restaurant-style Mexican rice
Make it refreshing
Avocado cilantro lime rice
Make it low-carb
Spanish cauliflower rice
Chicken enchiladas
If you want to be a bit extra for your summer taco buffet get-together, serve enchiladas.
Your guests will be swooning over these cheesy, juicy, and flavor-packed chicken enchiladas (they’re easy to make veggie too).
A total crowd-pleaser!
Psst… save any extra sauce and drizzle it over your taco salad.
The dish may sound daunting, but it is simple to prepare. Check out this easy-peasy recipe from Isabel Eats.
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Chicken enchiladas
Make it all-veg
Black bean enchiladas
Make it crispy
Baked chicken taquitos
Chiles relleno
Chiles relleno is one of my favorite classic Mexican dishes to make.
The smokiness and mild heat from the poblano pepper, combined with the oaxaca’s earthy, gooey goodness is simply irresistible.
And you also get a light, crunchy bite from the golden fried crust.
Psst… can’t find the poblano and oaxaca cheese? You can also use anaheim peppers and mozzarella.
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Chiles relleno
Preheat the oven
Cheesy chile relleno casserole
Make it different
Stuffed poblano peppers with lime crema
Blackened cod
Skip the beef and bulk up your taco salad with shredded blackened cod instead.
The blackened seasoning gives the usually mild-flavored cod a fiery, zesty kick that’s guaranteed to perk up your taste buds.
You can easily buy this spice blend anywhere, but I prefer making a big batch because you get so much use out of it!
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Blackened cod
Make it crispy
Tempura fish nuggets
Another seafood option
Fried calamari
Sauces and condiments
Sauces and condiments are an easy way to jazz up your taco salad.
Nothing beats classic guacamole, but you can also go with a creamy, refreshing crema to shake things up.
Or try something spicy if you’re feeling adventurous.
Spicy guacamole
Guacamole is a staple of Mexican cuisine, so this list wouldn’t be complete without it.
But if it is too plain, it gets boring.
An easy way to jazz up your guacamole is to add a cheeky dollop of Sriracha.
It will add a pop of fieriness to the normally fresh flavor of avocado.
Spoon a glob of spicy guacamole over your taco salad and serve – YUM.
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Spicy guacamole
Back to basics
Classic guacamole
Add a savory twist
Bacon guacamole
Chips and salsa
When it comes to “what goes with taco salad”, there is nothing more traditional than chips and salsa.
But salsa isn’t just about tomatoes. There’s a lot to try.
Sweetcorn, mango, or pineapple salsa would all add a wonderfully fruity sweetness to your salad.
But if you want something truly unique, go for this refreshing blueberry salsa. It tastes like summer.
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Blueberry salsa
Skip the blueberries
Jalapeno pineapple salsa
Make a copycat
Chipotle corn salsa
Spicy refried beans
You could cheat and use refried beans from a can, but that would be doing a disservice to your taco salad.
Homemade is always best, and your taco salad deserves the best.
These refried beans will be warm, filling, and a little bit spicy – don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Follow this recipe for the BEST refried beans you’ve ever tasted (I can assure you won’t be disappointed).
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Refried beans
Make a favorite
Charro beans
Keep it simple
Mexican black beans
Desserts
End your taco salad meal on a sweet note with these desserts! Churros are always a guaranteed hit, but my favorite has to be a decadent, creamy flan.
You can also go with ice pops for a light and refreshing treat.
Churros
Churros have this irresistibly addictive flavor that’s perfect when you want to indulge into something sweet after your taco salad.
I like a caramel dipping sauce, but to keep everyone happy you’ll need a chocolate option as well.
Churros are easy to make when you know now, and I can guarantee everyone will love them.
So make a double batch of these delectable churros to make sure there’s enough for seconds!
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Churros
Make it unique
Oreo churros
Make it decadent
Caramel drizzle churro cake
Sopaipilla
Think churros are too predictable? Whip up these traditional sopaipillas instead.
They’re so light and pillowy that you might be surprised you only need six pantry staples to make them, including water!
You can serve them with savory dishes, but they’re always an after-meal treat in our household.
I usually finish them off with a drizzle of dulce de leche – yum!
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Sopaipillas
Another classic
Buñuelos
Make it inspired
Sopapilla cheesecake bars
Frozen margarita pops
These frozen margarita pops are the way to go if you’re craving a light dessert after your taco salad.
You’ll need your favorite margarita mix and an ice pop mold to make these.
Gimme Some Oven uses a basic recipe but just a heads up – if you use a high percentage of alcohol, the pops won’t completely harden and will be more like a slushie.
Psst… they’re still oh-so-refreshing despite being softer than the usual pops.
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Frozen margarita pops
Skip the alcohol
Strawberry mango paletas
Make it tropical
Coconut lime popsicles
The Best Side Dishes To Serve With Taco Salad
- Avocado fries
- Mexican corn pudding
- Jalapeno bread
- Elotes
- Cheesy beef quesadillas
- Mexican rice
- Chicken enchiladas
- Chiles relleno
- Blackened cod
- Spicy guacamole
- Chips and salsa
- Spicy refried beans
- Churros
- Sopaipillas
- Frozen margarita pops
What To Serve With Taco Salad (45 Ideas)
Ingredients
- 1 portion avocado fries
- 1 portion elotes
- 1 portion cheesy beef quesadillas
- 1 portion Mexican rice
- 1 portion spicy guacamole
- 1 portion churros … and more
Instructions
- Prepare your taco salad according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: Mexican rice, spicy guacamole, chicken enchiladas, avocado fries, mexican corn pudding, chips and salsa, jalapeno bread, spicy refried beans, cheesy beef quesadillas, elotes, and churros.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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