Ultimate Guide to Texas Taco Types
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Welcome to Texas….the “Taco Republic”.
In this article, join me as we explore the diverse array of tacos available in the Lone Star State. Texas loves its tacos, which means there are countless variations on this popular dish within the State.
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According to Texas Monthly’s Tacopedia, the most popular kinds of taco in Texas include the following:
Al Vapor
Asian-Mex
Barbacoa
Breakfast
Cajun-Mex
Carnitas
Chef-driven
Costra
Dessert
Guisados
Mini
Modernist Mexican
PBC (pork-beef( how long does beef last?)-chicken)
Puffy
Seafood
Tacos dorados
Tacos Estilo Matamoros
Trompo
Vegetarian/Vegan
West Indian
Let’s learn a little more about each of these delicious taco types.
Al Vapor
Translating to “steamed” in Spanish, tacos al vapor are a popular street dish in Central Mexico. These tacos are cooked in a steamer pot or tray, which makes them super tender and flavorful. They are commonly found in many taquerias across Texas.
Tacos Al Vapor Monterrey in Brownsville is said to serve up some of the best tacos al vapor in the state.
Asian-Mex
This kind of taco represents a culinary fusion where East meets West. Asian-Mex tacos feature ingredients used in Korean, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, and Filipino dishes. Korean tacos have recently become all the rage, with beef bulgogi (What wine goes well with beef bulgogi?) used as a filling and kimchi (how long does kimchi last?) as a delicious topping. Japanese tacos often include a chicken teriyaki filling.
Texas is home to plenty of eateries offering Asian-Mex tacos. Carabao Express in Austin is a Filipino restaurant that offers birria sisig tacos. The meat filling consists of sisig, a popular Filipino dish made with minced pork, onions, and chicken liver. Located in Irving, Edoko Omakase serves up a wonderful fusion of sashimi and tacos. For Indian-Mex, you can head to Tikka Taco, also in Irving. This restaurant’s menu combines the spices and flavors of Indian and Mexican cuisine – think mango chutney (how long does mango chutney last?) in your taco! At Houston’s Twisted Turban, the tortilla is replaced with a paratha, an Indian flatbread, which is filled with halal beef.
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Barbacoa
Barbacoa is a type of slow-cooked meat. It’s traditionally made from steamed cabeza de la vaca (cow’s head) or beef cheeks. Authentic barbacoa is cooked in underground pits, but Texas Health regulations have pushed for the use of steamers or pressure cookers instead. In Brownsville, Vera’s Backyard Bar-B-Que still uses the old underground pit method of slow cooking barbacoa. My favorite barbacoa taco places in Texas include Southside Barbacoa in Corpus Christi, Martinez Bakery in Midland, Mary Tacos in Kerrville, and Sapor Tapatio in Austin.
Birria
Birria is basically stewed meat that is shredded and served with a tortilla and a broth for dipping. It originated in Jalisco, Mexico, with the modern red-colored version (birria de res) hailing from Tijuana. The US birria craze started in Los Angeles and quickly took over Texas with the help of social media. Many traditional taco joints in the Lone Star State now include birria tacos on their menu.
Breakfast Tacos
This taco variant uses breakfast fillings such as eggs, bacon and sausage, with everything wrapped up in a tortilla. Sylvia’s Restaurant in Brownsville provides its customers with some stellar breakfast tacos, and is known for their large flour tortillas (tortillas de harina). Other eateries offering delicious breakfast tacos include Jalisco’s Breakfast Tacos and Garcia’s Mexican Food (What wine goes well with Mexican food?) in San Antonio, the latter known for its pork chop filling. And in Houston, Chilosos Taco House and Laredo Taqueria are popular breakfast taco spots.
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Burritos
These have got to be my favorite kind of taco. Burritos are large flour (how long does flour last?) tortillas wrapped in a cylindrical shape and filled with various ingredients (beef, chicken, pork, rice, cooked beans (how long do cooked beans last?), etc.). Burritos are a staple food item in many parts of Texas, especially along the US-Mexico border. West Texas, particularly El Paso, is the burrito region of the State. Cazares Meat Market in El Paso serves burritos made with crunchy yet moist colitas de pavo (turkey tail). According to a Yelp article, the best burritos in Texas can be found in a resto by the name of La Victoria in Dallas.
A Yelp contributor recommends La Victoria’s Zach Attack, which is an all-in-one burrito featuring eggs, bacon, potato, jalapenos, and fried beans.
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Cajun-Mex
This type of taco is a fusion of Tex-Mex and Acadian Louisiana (Cajun) cuisine. The tortillas are often packed with gumbo, a stew native to Louisiana, or rice-speckled boudin – a beloved Cajun delicacy. EaDeaux’s Cajun Cocina in Houston serves up banging boudin tacos. These tacos are popular in Southeast Texas, which borders Louisiana.
Carnitas
Literally translating to “little meat”, carnitas are made of pork cuts which are braised in their own lard, making for juicy, tender meat. The pork is then shredded and (of course) wrapped in a tortilla. If you find yourself in Dallas-Fort Worth, then you have to try Carnitas y Barbacoa El Guero. Or if you’re in Houston, head along to Carnitas Mexican Grill for brilliant carnitas tacos.
Chef-driven
As the name suggests, the concept of these tacos originates from the creativity of chefs. These tacos proudly defy tradition and are characterized by their unique flavors and ingredient combinations.
Popular chef-driven tacos can be found in Dallas, where the wonderful Resident Taqueria offers caramelized cauliflower tacos. José in Dallas offers tacos de Tacha, which are the creation of Chef Anastacia Quinones – Tacha being her childhood nickname!
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Costra
This more modern taco variation consists of a tortilla made with griddled cheese, instead of the usual flour or corn tortilla. It originated in Mexico City and became in demand in the early 2000s. It became a popular after-clubbing snack for those enjoying the nightlife in the city. Chilangos Tacos in Dallas serves up griddled cheese tortillas upon request.
Dessert
A dessert taco is basically any kind of sweet treat wrapped in a tortilla. Common fillings include ice cream, mousse and fresh fruits, and sometimes the tortilla is dipped in chocolate.
Guisados
These tacos are filled with slow-cooked casserole meat that has been either stewed or braised. Expect to feel like you’re eating a home-cooked meal wrapped in a tortilla. For tacos de guisados, visit Mi Tradicion Bakery in Austin, Del Sur Taco in Dallas, and Flores Meat Market and Restaurant in El Paso.
Mini Tacos
Imagine tacos, but mini! Wrapped in small tortillas (normally between three and five inches), mini tacos come with a single meat filling and a simple garnish such as onions and cilantro. Also popularly known as street tacos, minis are an inexpensive Mexican street snack.
Modernist Mexican
Similar to chef-driven tacos, modernist Mexican tacos prioritize creativity. At the Revolver Taco Lounge in Dallas, you can find the “Caro Quintero” taco – a prime example of a Modernist Mexican taco. Here, top-class ingredients are used to form a delicious taco meal. For instance, ground Wagyu carne asada is mixed with homemade green chorizo to make a gourmet taco filling.
PBC (pork-beef-chicken)
As the name goes, these tacos are made with pork, beef and/or chicken. PBC tacos can be ordered at pretty much all taco trucks. The pork is usually prepared al pastor (spit-grilled pork); the beef is most commonly carne asada; and the chicken is normally grilled.
Puffy taco
These tacos were developed in San Antonio in the 1950s and were originally created by brothers Ray and Henry Lopez. Puffy tacos are corn tortillas (how long do corn tortillas last?) that have been deep-fried for a few seconds until they inflate and puff up – hence the name! The exterior of the tortilla is crunchy and flaky while the interior is soft and chewy. Ray’s Drive Inn, which was established by Ray Lopez, and Henry’s Puffy Tacos Express, founded by Henry, are considered to serve up true authentic puffy tacos.
Seafood
Seafood tacos consist of fish, shrimp (What wine goes well with shrimp?) or other kinds of seafood wrapped in a tortilla. Of course, with Texas being the top shrimp producer, tacos de Camaron (shrimp tacos) are offered throughout the state – check out Maskara Mexican Grill in Dallas for sensational shrimp tacos. Another popular kind of seafood taco are Baja tacos, made with grilled, battered or fried fish topped with generous amounts of cabbages and a portion of chipotle mayo – yum! These tacos can be found at Mariscos del Puerto in San Antonio.
Tacos dorados
The origins of these perfectly crisp tacos can be traced back to the earliest taco recipes in the United States, when tortillas were fried to crunchy golden perfection. Tacos dorados also include taquitos (rolled tacos) and flautas (large burrito-sized rolled flour tortillas).
Tacos Estilo Matamoros
These are made up of small corn tortillas filled with beef, such as steak or beef sweetbreads, and shredded white cheese (queso fresco). One order usually consists of around three to five tacos. These tacos are especially popular in Brownsville, with these beefy tacos paying homage to Rio Grande Valley’s cattle industry.
Trompo
These tacos are filled with meat – usually pork prepared on a vertical rotisserie, or “trompo”. It’s thought that trompo tacos are influenced by the Middle Eastern shawarma (beef or lamb cooked on a similar rotisserie), which was brought to Puebla, Mexico by Lebanese and Iraqi immigrants and became known as taco arabes (Arab tacos). Taco trompos that are made with pork seasoned with paprika and finished off on a griddle are common in Houston and Dallas.
Vegetarian/Vegan
Tacos prepared without any meat (vegetarian) or animal by-products (vegan) are loved throughout Texas. Nopales tacos are filled with sauteed nopalitos (cactus pads) and are a popular veggie taco variant.
West Indian
These are tacos that have West Indian or Caribbean influences. The fillings usually consist of chicken and pork cooked in a jerk seasoning (how long does jerk seasoning last?), which is a classic Caribbean spice blend comprising onion, garlic, spices such as allspice, cumin and chiles. This taco style is a rising food trend in the State.
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Are you overwhelmed by the huge number of taco types available in the Lone Star State?
The huge variety of tacos you can find in Texas just goes to show the wealth of culture and creativity there is in the State. Here, the taco is more than just a food item – it’s a culinary canvas that can be adapted to all kinds of flavors, traditions and cuisines.
Searching for Mexican in DFW check out La Salsa Verde Taqueria. Good reviews main menu. Trying to find barbacoa near me? Try these 15 spots in Houston. 15 Best Street Tacos Near Me in Dallas. Taco Cabana outlets throughout Texas for fast tacos. Looking for the best farm-to-table restaurants around Dallas?
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