Tacos Zacatecas

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Tacos Zacatecas are traditional Mexican street tacos from Zacatecas made with large corn tortillas filled with refried beans, chorizo, potatoes, and sometimes cheese or steak, then fried until crispy.

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Ingredients You'll Need
How to Make Tacos Zacatecas
Storage, Make Ahead, & Freezing
Camila's Tips & Variations
Frequently Asked Questions
Pair with
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Recipe

This Tacos Zacatecas recipe is a variation of our tacos envenenados recipe.

It is made with blended beans, Mexican chorizo, charred chiles, and melty cheese inside a crispy corn tortilla for a rich, compact filling. Pair with chiles toreados and homemade salsa roja.

Ingredients You'll Need

Note: Full ingredients and amounts are listed in the recipe card below.

Cooked Pinto beans: You can use homemade or canned; if using canned, add ¼ cup water.
Mexican Chorizo: Adds fat to keep the filling rich and flavorful. It can be substituted with or longaniza.
Boiling Potatoes: Add starch to help the mixture bind and to ensure a clean fry.
Guajillo chiles: Add depth to the filling, providing mild heat and color.
Serrano chiles: Add sharp heat to keep the flavor balanced.
Corn tortillas: Provide structure to keep the tacos from falling apart when fried.
Cheese: Adds melt so the tacos seal and stay moist, such as Chihuahua, asadero, or mozzarella.

How to Make Tacos Zacatecas

Note: Full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.

Set a large (10-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and line it with a piece of foil. Place the tomatoes and serrano chile on the foil.
When the tomatoes and serrano chile are well charred, about 3 to 4 minutes, turn everything over and char the other side. Remove and set aside.
Remove the foil and heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet. Add the onion and 1 garlic clove and stir-fry until the onion is translucent and the garlic has softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Lower the heat and fry the chiles de árbol for about 1 minute, being careful not to burn them.
Place the tomatoes, serrano chile, chiles de árbol, onion, and garlic in a blender.
Add ⅓ cup of water, lemon juice (if using), and a generous ½ teaspoon of salt. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust salt if needed, then transfer to a small bowl.
Place the prepared guajillo chiles in a medium saucepan and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the chiles are soft and tender. Remove from the heat and let soak while preparing the other ingredients.
Place the potatoes and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, transfer to a medium bowl, and set aside.
In a blender, add the beans with some broth and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry until lightly golden, about 3 minutes.
Add the halved and whole serrano chiles and stir-fry, turning them so they blister and char slightly on all sides.
When the onion and garlic are lightly browned, and the chiles are well charred, remove everything and place it in the blender with the hydrated guajillo chiles and ¼ cup of their soaking water. Blend until smooth, strain, and set aside.
In the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Lower to medium heat.
Add the cooked potatoes and mash lightly. Add the blended beans and the strained sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until thick, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Clean the skillet and wipe dry with paper towels.
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
To assemble, warm the tortillas. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and set aside. Place the filling in the center, add a piece of cheese, and fold.
Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in the clean skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange 2 tacos in the skillet with the open sides facing away from you.
Cook, adjusting the heat so the oil actively sizzles and bubbles appear around the edges of the tacos, until crispy and deeply browned on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Using tongs and a thin spatula, carefully flip the tacos and cook until deeply browned on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary.
Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the tacos to the prepared wire rack. Blot the tops of the tacos with a double layer of paper towels.
Place the sheet with the fried tacos in the oven to keep warm. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook the remaining tacos.
Serve immediately with the chiles toreados and salsa roja on the side.

Hint: Cook the filling until it thickens so it doesn't leak out of the tacos when frying.

Storage, Make Ahead, & Freezing

Storage: Keep cooked filling refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead: Prepare the filling up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate.
Freezing: Not recommended.

Camila's Tips & Variations

Tacos Envenenados Zacatecas can be made three ways: Filling only, filling with cheese, or filling with cheese and steak. Check out our Traditional Tacos Envenenados recipe here.
Use warm tortillas: Heat them first so they are flexible and do not break when folding.
Do not overfill : Use a thick filling so it does not come out when frying.
Serve with: Chiles toreados, lime, and the homemade Salsa taquera.
Let the filling cool: it thickens more as it cools and seals better when frying.