San Diego Taco Recipe | Natasha's Food Adventures (2024)

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San Diego Taco Recipe | Natasha's Food Adventures (1)

Since moving to San Diego over 5 years ago I have fallen in love with many things like the beach, my boyfriend Jarod, and of course amazing Mexican food. In honor of #NationalTacoDay I thought it was only fitting that I share this recipe for San Diego Tacos.

San Diego Taco Recipe | Natasha's Food Adventures (2)

What are San Diego Tacos you ask? Well, if you’ve ever visited or live in sunny Southern California you may have tried our famous California Burritos. Which Jarod discovered on a trip to Las Vegas was a weird thing to request when not in California. Interestingly enough, California Burritos originated in San Diego. Which doesn’t surprise me since San Diego is well known for several things like our world famous Zoo, perfect weather and of course Mexican Food.

San Diego Taco Recipe | Natasha's Food Adventures (3)

California burritos are a delicious combination of carne asada, fries, guacamole, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. So I decided to take inspiration from most of those ingredients to craft my own recipe for some delicious San Diego Tacos.

San Diego Taco Recipe | Natasha's Food Adventures (4)

I made the guacamole, pico de gallo and fries from scratch because I wanted to go all out for this one. However I’ll be adding the recipes for those at a later time so be sure to sign up for my mailing list so you can check back for when those are added.

San Diego Taco Recipe | Natasha's Food Adventures (5)

San Diego Taco Recipe

*Serves 3-4*

Ingredients:

French Fries (Fresh Or Frozen Baked According To Packaging)

1 ½ lbs. Carne Asada Meat

1 10 oz. Can Red Chile Sauce

1 Tsp. Cumin

1 Tsp. Chili Powder

1 Tsp. Garlic Salt

Fresh Guacamole

Fresh Pico De Gallo

Flour Tortillas

Cotija Cheese

2 Limes

Directions:

  1. Make your fries first according to the package directions. I made mine from scratch so they took about 35 minutes in the oven. This is plenty of time to make your pico de gallo and guacamole from scratch if you want.
  2. When the fries are almost ready start cooking your carne asada meat. Since I don’t own an outdoor grill I use my skillet grill pan. Preheat your pan to medium heat. Place the carne asada in the pan and pour the can of red chile sauce on top along with the extra seasoning. If it’s thinly sliced like mine was it won’t take more than 8-10 minutes to cook. Be sure to flip the meat after 4 minutes to make sure it cooks evenly. Don’t over cook the meat! Carne asada becomes really dry if overcooked so cut a slice to see how it looks if you’re not sure. If there is a little pink that’s ok.
  3. Once the meat is done set it aside on a cutting board and let it rest while you cook up your tortillas. It’s up to you how you would like to heat them up but personally I set them on top of one of my gas stove burners letting it toast up for about 10-15 seconds on each side. Use tongs to flip. I do not recommend this if you are using an electric stove top. If you do have an electric stove you can try this same method but using an un-greased skillet. Please keep an eye on them! You don’t want to burn your house down!
  4. When your tortillas are ready set them aside while you slice up your carne asada into thin strips.
  5. Scoop the meat, fries, and other toppings onto your warm tortillas. Top with fresh squeezed lime juice and crumbled cotija cheese.

I’m really happy that you are trying out my San Diego TacoRecipe. Would love to see how they turn out for you! Be sure to tag me on Instagram @natashasfoodadventures or use my hashtag #natashasfoodadventures.

More Main Course Recipes

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  • Fresh Rosemary Pork Chops With Garlic
  • Creamy Instant Pot Tortellini Soup With Chicken
  • Easy Taco Pasta Salad Recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Tay

    A. I'm jealous that you live in San Diego B. These look so good!! Tacos all day every day!Looking forward to following your food adventures:)

    Reply

    • Natasha

      Thanks Tay! Haha! I didn't grow up here and it was always a dream of mine to move here. It was the best decision I ever made! Living in San Diego has only helped my love of tacos grow!

      Reply

San Diego Taco Recipe | Natasha's Food Adventures (2024)

FAQs

What is the white sauce on fish tacos made of? ›

For the fish taco sauce, all you need is sour cream, mayo, lime juice, garlic powder and sriracha. The sriracha gives it a little kick of spice so you can add more or less based on your preference. This taco sauce is essentially a lime crema – the perfect blend of tanginess and heat (print the recipe below).

What kind of fish for fish tacos? ›

Whether snapper, mahi-mahi, grouper, flounder, halibut, or cod, wild, local fish are the tastiest choice for Baja-style tacos. Since these fillets tend to be expensive, keep the toppings simple (think raw shredded cabbage and guacamole) so the mild flavor of these fish can really shine through.

What are 15 toppings for tacos? ›

Toppings
  • Shredded cheese.
  • Shredded lettuce.
  • Pickled red onion.
  • Jalapeño slices.
  • Chopped tomatoes.
  • Sliced black olives.
  • Shredded Mexican cheese.
  • Diced white onion.

What is the white sauce at Mexican restaurants made of? ›

Sour cream– Use full fat for the best flavor. Milk– The amount you will need will vary based on the consistency you want. Lime juice– Fresh is best! Seasonings– Crushed red pepper, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt.

Do Mexicans put fish on tacos? ›

The prototypical fish taco originated in Baja California, Mexico, and the preparation referred to in this country as “Baja-style” is similar to what you might find on the Mexican peninsula. It usually involves deep-fried white-fleshed fish, shredded cabbage, and a creamy white sauce.

What is the least fishy fish for fish tacos? ›

Tilapia – tilapia is arguably the mildest tasting fish there is. It's not fishy at all and has a mild sweetness. Tilapia is easy to prepare and goes well with a variety of different flavor profiles. Cod – cod has a mild flavor that's slightly sweet like tilapia.

Is cod or tilapia better for fish tacos? ›

The best fish for fish tacos:

We use cod in this recipe, but any flaky variety (like tilapia) will work just fine. Whatever fish you choose, we highly recommend marinating it in our simple mixture of lime juice, chili powder, and cumin.

What is the best cheap fish for tacos? ›

For fish tacos, you want a white fish that is firm and mild in flavor. For this recipe, we are using cod, but other good options would be tilapia, halibut, or mahi mahi. If you're not in the mood for fish, shrimp would work great for this recipe too!

How many tacos will 1lb of meat make? ›

How much ground beef per taco? Each taco shell or small soft taco-size tortilla fits about 2 ounces or 1/4 cup of meat. If you add diced onions, you could stretch a pound of ground beef to make about a dozen tacos. With just the meat and spices, you can make about 8 tacos from a pound of meat.

What to add to tacos to make them better? ›

  1. Coriander is a Mexican staple. Coarsely chop the leaves to add freshness to your tacos.
  2. Green onion, finely slice and sprinkle away.
  3. Finely sliced red onion adds colour and flavour. Soak in water to take away some of the bite.
  4. Lime wedges add another dimension of tanginess.

Do you put sour cream on tacos? ›

In addition, although it is more of a component of Tex-Mex cuisine than authentic Mexican cooking, a nice dollop of sour cream can add a delightful, rich tangy-ess to any taco or burrito.

What goes well with tacos besides rice and beans? ›

10 Flavorful Sides to Go with a Taco Bar
  • Refried Beans. Refried beans, or "frijoles refritos," have been a staple in Mexican cuisine for centuries. ...
  • Traditional Mexican Rice. ...
  • Taco Slaw. ...
  • Seven-Layer Dip. ...
  • Mexican Street Corn Salad. ...
  • Zesty Black Bean Salad. ...
  • Grilled Corn on the Cob. ...
  • Jalapeño Poppers.
Jul 11, 2023

What is white sauce made of? ›

What Is In White Sauce? This traditional white sauce starts with a roux of equal parts all-purpose flour and butter, which gives the sauce a rich and creamy base. Whole milk thins the butter-flour mixture, turning the roux into a sauce.

What is the sauce on Taco John's fish tacos? ›

Taco John's uses the Alaska Seafood: Wild, Natural and Sustainable brand for its two for $7 Alaska Flounder Fish Tacos. The new Fiesta Sauce is a seasoned sour cream dip with jalapeños, onion, garlic, tomato and cilantro.

What is fish sauce usually made of? ›

Most modern fish sauces contain only fish and salt, usually made from anchovy, shrimp, mackerel, or other strong-flavored, high oil fish. Some variants add herbs and spices. For modern fish sauces, fish or shellfish are mixed with salt at a concentration of 10% to 30%.

What is white fish paste made of? ›

Surimi is a white fish paste that is typically made from demersal fish (fish that live near the seafloor) like wild Alaska pollock, Atlantic cod, haddock, hake, and others. The fish is first deboned and washed, then minced into a paste.

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