Tacos are all about the shell. You can create the most decadent fillings, but the meal won’t have that “je ne sais quoi” if you don’t get your tortillas right
Here’s everything you need to know about making the best taco shells for street tacos.
You Need the Right Kind of Taco Shell
You can find all sorts of taco shells at the grocery store: flour, corn, hard, soft, and various sizes.
Since we’re focusing on street tacos here, you need a specific type of taco shell: soft-shell corn tortillas.
You may prefer flour tortillas for your standard taco Tuesday fare, but traditional street tacos are all about the corn tortilla.
However, I’m not an elitist. If you hate corn shells, go ahead and use flour. It’s not authentic, but do what works for you.
Similar cooking tips apply, but since flour shells are usually thicker, you’ll probably have to cook the shells for a few more seconds.
Best Taco Shells to Buy
Obviously, the best taco shells are the ones made from scratch, but who has time for that?
Definitely not me.
Go with store-bought – but trust me, the brand matters!
The most common and cheapest taco shells contain vast swaths of preservatives. On the plus side, they are inexpensive and long-lasting, so they work well for folks on a budget. Any of these shells will do if you cannot find or afford the preservative-free brands, but they won’t be as good.
If you want the most delicious taco shells money can buy, opt for La Banderita La Casera. These soft-shell corn tortillas come wrapped in waxy white paper and don’t contain any preservatives. They’re the best taco shells money can buy, but the downside is that they go bad quickly if you don’t use them, and they can be challenging to find in certain regions.
Grocery stores in Los Angeles and Savannah lacked this particular brand, though they’re available in cities like Chicago and Austin. If you can’t find them, look online or for a different preservative-free brand.
How To Make the Best Taco Shells for Street Tacos
Now that you’ve got your taco shells, it’s time to prep them for street tacos.
Making these taco shells is far easier than you’ve ever imagined. All you need is a little vegetable oil and a frying pan. Use a cast-iron or non-stick skillet for best results, but any frying pan will do.
Heat the frying pan over medium heat and pour some oil into a mixing bowl. Pour about a half cup, but don’t worry about the actual amount because it’s not really important. You can always add more as you go and dispose of any leftovers.
Oiling the Tortillas
Once the pan is heated and ready, grab your first tortilla and dip it into the oil. Don’t cover the whole thing – you only need about ⅓ of the surface to get covered in a small layer of oil.
Shake off the excess, letting it drip back into the bowl.
Cooking the Taco Shells
The biggest secret is in the cooking.
After dipping the shell in oil, transfer it to your heated frying pan. However, you can’t just set it and forget it.
To achieve full oil coverage, gently rotate the tortilla around the frying pan until the entire surface is lightly coated with oil. Flip it and do the same on the other side.
Moving the tortilla around the pan as soon as it hits the surface is crucial to a perfectly cooked taco shell. It ensures the entire thing gets coated with that light layer of oil.
After the initial circling and flipping, allow the shell to cook for 10-20 seconds on each side. For best results, store in a tortilla warmer with a layer of paper towels on the bottom to catch the excess grease.
If you don’t have a tortilla warmer, line a plate with paper towels and stack the cooked tortillas on the plate, covering with another paper towel as you go.
Why These Shells Are So Good
The small layer of oil allows the shells to cook and retain a little moisture, giving them that authentic street taco feel.
If you use too much oil, you’ll fry the shells, resulting in crunchy taco shells. If you don’t use enough oil, your shells will be too dry.
Of course, personal preference comes into play. Some prefer a crunchier shell, while others would rather cook the healthier, oil-free option.
A bonus of cooking taco shells this way is that they’re still good if you use too much oil or opt against it altogether. In my opinion, the ⅓ dip creates the best results for street taco tortillas, but there’s no wrong way to do it.
Taco Shells When You’re in a Hurry
Sometimes you don’t have time to hand-cook taco shells in the frying pan one by one. In these instances, a microwave is your best friend.
Microwaving taco shells provides an almost street-taco-like texture. They aren’t exactly the same, but it works in a pinch.
The secret? Paper towels.
Line your microwavable plate with a small layer of paper towels, then arrange three shells on the plate (don’t stack!). Microwave for ten seconds, flip them, and microwave for another ten seconds.
Viola!
You have warm tortilla shells perfect for your taco night.
Paper towels are essential because moisture accumulates when you microwave taco shells. If you don’t use paper towels, water will line the bottom of the plate, making your tortillas mushy and causing them to tear.
The paper towels absorb this moisture, preventing this horrible waste of a shell.
Making Hard Shell Tacos
Some folks want a satisfying crunch with their tacos. Although traditional street tacos are soft-shelled, we can’t blame folks for enjoying crunchy tacos.
The best way to make crunchy tacos is via a deep fryer. Heat the oil to 350 degrees and deep-fry the corn tortilla for about 10 seconds. Fold the shell immediately while it’s still hot, as it will be impossible to manipulate once it’s hardened and cooled.
You could also keep the shell flat and serve your tacos as tostadas if you don’t want to deal with the folding.
If you don’t have a fryer, you can also make crispy taco shells in the frying pan. Simply use more oil. If you dip the entire surface in oil before frying and cook it a little longer on each side, your shell will harden, and you’ll have perfectly crunchy tacos.
Filling Your Tacos
Now that you’ve made the most delicious taco shells available, it’s time for the fixings!
Authentic Mexican street tacos typically come with carne asada (steak), chopped onion, and cilantro. Many also include cojita, the crumbly Mexican cheese.
However, you don’t have to stick with tradition. You can fill your tasty taco shells with whatever your heart desires.
Add sour cream, guacamole, and hot sauce for flavor and texture profiles. Include shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes to get more vegetables in your diet. Switch it up by using ground beef, ground turkey, shredded chicken, or even potatoes.
Enjoy your tacos your way, but remember, the best tacos always start with the best taco shells.