These Tacos Dorados are made with soft sweet potato filling flavored with garlic, cumin, and lime then stuffed into earthy corn tortillas and lightly fried until crisp. Drizzle with a fiery charred jalapeño yogurt sauce for a tasty dinner everyone will adore.
If you’ve been looking for the perfect family-friendly recipe, stop the scroll because everyone loves tacos dorados. I mean, what’s not to love, fluffy potato filling on the inside, crispy taco shell on the outside, loaded up with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, your favorite salsas, sounds pretty dreamy right?
They’re vegan and gluten-free, but still so satisfying that even the most devout meat-lovers will gobble them up with zero complaints. I suggest making a double batch, because these will disappear quickly.
What Are Tacos Dorados?
Tacos Dorados (crispy tacos) aka Tacos Dorados de Papa (crispy potato tacos) are traditionally made with Russet potato that is boiled and mashed then stuffed inside a corn tortilla and fried. If you want to make the white potato version check out my crispy potato tacos recipe.
These sweet potato tacos dorados take that concept and swap the mashed potato for nutritious sweet potato instead! Hunks of sweet potato are boiled with fresh garlic cloves then flavored with ground cumin, lime juice, paprika, and chili powder. The sweet, tangy filling is the perfect compliment to a creamy, spicy jalapeño yogurt sauce that first appeared in my cookbook, Plant Powered Mexican.
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes. Use the orange sweet potatoes for most nutritional bang or the white or purple varieties for sweeter flavor.
- Garlic. I add the whole, peeled cloves to the sweet potatoes while boiling. You can give them a quick chop to distribute more evenly.
- Kosher salt. I always use Morton kosher salt unless otherwise specified.
- Ground cumin. For that gentle earthy flavor.
- Paprika. To add richness to the filling.
- Arbol chili powder. Or your favorite chili powder. Arbol chili powder is pretty spicy so use a mild chili powder if you are sensitive to spice.
- Limes. We will be using the zest and juice from 1 lime.
- Grapeseed oil. For frying. Vegetable, canola, or avocado oil also work.
- Corn tortillas. These offer sturdiness and crunch, flour tortillas will work but are more delicate and can turn soggy.
For Serving
Pick and choose as many of these options as you’d like.
- Charred Jalapeño Yogurt Sauce. See recipe below.
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Shredded lettuce
- Hot sauce
- Thinly sliced spring onions
- Limes
*TIP: ADD GREENS! For an extra boost of vitamins and minerals add 2 cups of raw, chopped greens to the sweet potatoes about 3-4 minutes before they are done boiling. I like to use kale, collard greens, mustard greens, or spinach.
How To Make This Recipe
step one
Cook sweet potatoes. Combine sweet potatoes, garlic, and the 1 tablespoon of salt in a large saucepan and fill with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and return the vegetables to the saucepan.
step two
Mash sweet potatoes. Add the 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, paprika, chili powder, lime zest and lime juice to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth. It’s okay if a few small pieces remain. Stir the mixture to make sure everything is combined evenly.
step three
Warm tortillas. Warm the corn tortillas in a comal or dry frying pan until soft and flexible, but not crisp. This will help keep them from breaking or cracking. Keep them warm in a clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer.
step four
Fill the tacos. Add a scant 1/4 cup of the sweet potato filling to one half of each tortilla.
step five
Seal shut. Fold the tortillas in half to cover the filling then pinch the edges closed. They won’t completely seal but don’t worry, the filling won’t come out when you fry them.
step six
Heat oil. Pour oil into a large skillet with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat until a wood chopstick inserted in the oil is immediately covered with bubbles. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with paper towels and keep close by.
step seven
Fry the tacos. Carefully add 2-3 tacos at a time to the hot oil. Cook on one side until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes then flip and repeat on the other side. If the tacos are cooking too quickly lower the heat to medium heat. Transfer to the baking sheet to drain and repeat with the remaining tacos.
step eight
Serve. Serve immediately with the yogurt sauce and all your favorite toppings like shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, or even sour cream or Mexican crema.
*TIP: FRYING SAFTEY! Always keep a box of baking soda near the stove when you are working with hot oil. If a fire erupts, immediately turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or baking sheet. If that doesn’t work douse the fire with baking soda to put out the flames. Never use water on a grease fire, it will only make it worse.
Tacos Dorados FAQ’s
Can you make these ahead? Tacos dorados are best eaten right away but you can either keep them warm in a 250°F oven for up to an hour or rewarm them on a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until crisp.
If You Love This Recipe, Try:
- Roasted Mushroom and Goat Cheese Gorditas
- Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas with Coconut and Lime
- Best Ever Canned Black Beans
- Slow Cooker Borracho Beans
- Grilled Fish Tacos with Sweet Corn Salsa
- Instant Pot Carnitas Tacos
- Carne Picada
Found: Your New Favorite Family Dinner
Isn’t it wonderful when you can make something everyone can agree on? Let me know when you make them by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating)! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Tacos Dorados
These Tacos Dorados are made with soft sweet potato filling flavored with garlic, cumin, and lime then stuffed into earthy corn tortillas and lightly fried until crisp. Drizzle with a fiery charred jalapeño yogurt sauce for a tasty dinner everyone will adore.
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest (about 1 lime)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon arbol chili powder
- 10 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 2 cups grapeseed oil
Charred Jalapeño Yogurt Sauce
- 2 jalapeños
- 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or plain vegan yogurt
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving
- Charred Jalapeño Yogurt Sauce
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Shredded lettuce
- Thinly sliced spring onions
- Lime wedges
Instructions
For the Tacos Dorados
- Cook sweet potatoes. Combine sweet potatoes, garlic and the 1 tablespoon of salt in a large saucepan. Fill with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until you can stick a fork in a sweet potato and it slides right through, about 15 minutes.
- Mash sweet potatoes. Drain, then return sweet potatoes and garlic to the pot. Add cumin, paprika, chili powder, the 1 teaspoon salt, lime zest and lime juice and mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Its okay if there are a few chunks left.
- Warm tortillas. Warm tortillas in a comal or dry frying pan over high heat until soft and flexible but not crispy, about 1 minute per side. Keep warm in a tortilla warmer or clean kitchen towel. This will keep the tortillas from cracking.
- Fill. Add 1/4 cup of sweet potato filling to one side of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla over to close then pinch the edges closed. They won't completely seal but the filling will help them stay closed as they are cooking. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- Heat oil. Heat oil in a large frying pan with high sides over high heat. You will know the oil is ready when a wood chopstick inserted in the oil is immediatley covered with bubbles.
- Fry. Carefully add the tacos, two or three at a time, don't crowd the pan. Let cook on one side until crispy and golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and repeat with the other side.
- Drain. Remove to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining tacos.
- Enjoy! Serve with the yogurt sauce, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, pico de gallo, guacamole, or your favorite salsa.
For the Charred Jalapeño Yogurt Sauce
- Char vegetables. Place the jalapeñoñs and garlic in a dry comal or dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook until cahrred on all sides; the garlic will take less time so remove that first.
- Prep vegetables. Remove the garlic peel and stems form the jalapeños. Cut the jalapeños in half and remove the seeds if you'd like it less spicy.
- Blend. Add the charred vegetables to a blender with the yogurt, cilantro, oil, vinegar, and salt. Blend on high until smooth. Taste and add more salt or vinegar as needed.
- Enjoy! Sauce can be made up to 5 days in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes: Use orange sweet potatoes for the most nutritional value. White or purple sweet potatoes are a bit sweeter but also work.
- Warm the tortillas. It may seem like an unecessary step to warm the tortillas before filling them but this will help prevent them from cracking.
- Frying. Test the oil to make sure it is hot enough before frying by sticking a wood chopstick or the edge of a tortilla in the oil. It should be immediatley covered with bubbles. If not, give it another minute or two before frying.
- Make ahead. Sauce can be make up to 5 days in advance. Tacos are best the minute they are made but can be kept warm in a 250°F oven for up to an hour before serving. Reheat tacos in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until crisp. Don't microwave.
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