Taco Toppings

Set up a taco bar for a fun and festive dinner, brunch fiesta or Cinco de Mayo celebration. It’s so easy to provide a variety of tortillas, taco shells and tortillas with your favorite fillings and the best taco toppings!

When it comes to game day entertaining, what could be better than a taco bar? Every guest can create the tacos of their dreams with these incredible options for dips, salsas and toppings.

Get all our favorite recipes for tasty taco toppings right here in one place! We’re having a fiesta and you’re invited!

What’s better than a classic taco dinner? Honestly, not much – at least not for our crew! I love creating a taco bar for friends and family, because everyone can choose their favorite taco toppings and create their own perfect meal.

We talk about Tex-Mex favorites a lot around here, and that’s because these flavors are simply the best! Not much can beat delicious tacos when they’re served with a classic margarita, any night of the week.

Today, I’m walking you through all the best taco toppings to set up a taco bar! This is a great way to host a large crowd for game day, a Cinco de Mayo fiesta, or any kind of celebration you’re dreaming up.

Truthfully, you don’t even need a reason to party! A taco bar works for any night of the week, and it’s always a big hit with our kiddos. Grab your favorite tortillas, fillings and toppings, and dinner is served.

Use the drop down Table of Contents menu to navigate this post with ease. Click through to each individual recipe for a printable recipe card, too!

Setting up a Taco Bar

From homemade dips, dressings and salsa options, to classic veggies, cheeses and more, there’s a wide variety of options here to please every palate.

We love to use our gold bar cart for serving, but you can set up anywhere you’d like! Just make sure to have all these fabulous essentials so you’re ready to go.

Here are the essential taco bar elements you’ll need to get you started. Choose a couple items from each category for the ultimate fiesta spread!

Tortillas and Shells

Start with your favorite tortillas and shells – a variety is great! Think corn tortillas, flour, homemade tortillas, soft, crunchy, store-bought and the refrigerated section.

Quick Tip: If they are available in your area, our favorite tortillas are the raw flour refrigerated option from our local grocery store – so easy to cook and serve and SO worth the extra step. We also love the La Tiara brand shells for the perfect crunch in every taco bite!

You can also make your own taco bowl with tortillas – it’s so easy in case anyone wants a taco salad. Or, use bags of chips as the base to create the ultimate walking tacos.

Proteins and Fillings

Before you get to the taco toppings, you need to consider your proteins for taco fillings! Of course, this homemade taco seasoning blend is perfect for a variety of fillings.

• Ground Beef
• Steak
• Chicken
• Chorizo
• Veggie Tacos
• Shrimp
• Carnitas
• Carne Asada Street Tacos
• Fiesta Ranch Baked Cauliflower
• Portobello Mushroom Tacos
• Breakfast Tacos
• Black Beans
• Refried Beans
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Rice

Taco Toppings

From veggies to salsas and creamy sauces, you’ll find an array of delicious ideas to take your taco bar to the next level!

Veggie Taco Toppings

Sautéed Bell Peppers

Sautéed peppers are a quick and easy way to add veggies with color, flavor and texture to an array of dishes. So simple to make, sautéed bell peppers are perfect for fajitas and topping everything from tacos to pizzas to cheesesteaks. 

Caramelized Onions

Learn how to caramelize onions in just a few minutes, with very little effort! They are the perfect addition to dips, burgers, tacos and more!

Caramelized onions are easy to make with just two ingredients, and these onions are a great addition to so many recipes!

• Red onion, white onion, or pickled onions
• Shredded Lettuce
• Shredded Cabbage
• Grilled Veggies
• Avocado – Learn How to Cut an Avocado here.
• Tomatoes
• Sliced Radish
• Jalapeños
• Lime Juice
• Cilantro
• Green Onions

Traditional Salsas

Pico de Gallo

Pico de gallo is a classic, traditional Mexican dip (or topping, or sauce, or slather-it-everywhere zesty and fresh flavor explosion). Basically, it’s an incredibly simple chunky, vibrant chopped salsa, and it’s ready in just minutes.

Corn Salsa

This Chipotle Corn Salsa Recipe is delightfully sweet with a little heat! This easy dip or topping for tacos, quesadillas, burritos and more is full of fresh flavor! Add Chipotle Corn Salsa to your burrito bowls, nachos and salads for the ultimate Chipotle copycat.

Pico de Gallo with Avocado

This is a delicious, incredibly simple Pico de Gallo with Avocado recipe to spice up your salad, tacos, chicken or toast! With just four ingredients and a few tips and tricks on avocados, this pico de gallo recipe with avocado can pair with just about anything.

Guacamole

Fresh and flavorful Guacamole made with just a few classic ingredients in minutes. Get all the tips, tricks and variations to make the BEST guac!

Creamy Salsa Guacamole

Salsa guacamole is a fresh, vibrant mix of salsa verde and traditional guacamole. It’s a zesty avocado salsa recipe that you’ve got to taste to believe… if you love salsa, and you love guac, you’ve got to try this incredible avocado sauce! 

Salsa and Guacamole with Fruit

These salsa recipes are excellent additions to your tacos, too.

Mango Guacamole

This easy mango guacamole is an incredible appetizer and a delicious topping for tacos, salads and more! It’s fresh, vibrant, sweet and spicy and ready to serve in just 10 minutes.

Pineapple Salsa

This easy pineapple salsa recipe is vibrant, festive and oh-so-delicious. The citrus flavor and juicy sweet pineapple plays perfectly against the spicy addition of jalapeño for a flavor explosion you won’t be able to resist!

Watermelon Salsa

Mix it up with Watermelon Salsa! This fruit salsa recipe is bright and colorful. It embraces the fresh flavors of summer blending watermelon with bell peppers, jalapeño, cilantro and lime. It’s perfect for dipping or for topping tacos, salads and more!

Cranberry Salsa

This sweet and spicy cranberry salsa is an incredible way to spice up your tacos for the holidays and beyond! When you blend the tart juicy bite of fresh cranberries with fiery jalapeños, magic happens.

Sauces and Creamy Taco Toppings

Dip, slather, drizzle and dunk – however you want to top your tacos, I will never judge!

Cilantro Lime Crema

Crema de cilantro is an easy-to-make topping for all of your favorite Mexican dishes. Made with just three ingredients, this cilantro and lime crema comes together quickly and easily and is a great way to add a fresh flavor to any fiesta-inspired foods.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

This Cilantro Lime Dressing is the perfect Southwest Taco Salad Dressing. It is made with fresh cilantro, olive oil, and jalapeno and easily blended in the food processor.

Add it to simple mixed greens, wraps, burrito bowls, as a marinade for chicken, and more!

Cream Cheese Bean Dip

Easy 5 minute Cream Cheese Bean Dip recipe made with just 4 ingredients! Mexican bean dip is a perfect appetizer for game day and beyond. 

Chipotle Aioli

This chipotle aioli recipe kicks your creamy, craveable aioli up a few notches with the spicy zest of chipotle peppers. You’ll want to slather this chipotle mayo on everything!

Chipotle aioli is the ultimate savory, spicy way to top pretty much anything you can imagine. It’s perfect for dipping, too! Customize the heat level and enjoy it on all your favorite foods.

Ranch or Fiesta Ranch

If you love a classic ranch seasoning, ranch dip and ranch dressing, you’re going to be overjoyed about this Fiesta Ranch version! It’s a kicked-up zesty take on that classic ranch flavor that the whole family is going to love. Or, try this ranch dip!

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a mix of chopped parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar, and oil that is as vibrantly flavored as it looks. It is a fresh addition to so many meals, tacos included, and should make regular appearances on your menu.

• Hot Sauce
• Sour Cream

Best Cheeses for Tacos

Is it even a taco if it doesn’t have cheese? Click the link above for a comprehensive guide to the best Mexican cheese options!

• Velveeta Cheese Dip
• White Queso
• Chilled Queso
• Monterey Jack
• Cheddar
• Colby Jack
• Cotija
• Asadero

Frequently Asked Questions