Curtido For Tacos

ByAna Frias Updated:
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5 from 1 vote
- TOTAL TIME 1 hour 15 minutes

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This Curtido For Tacos is a tangy cabbage and carrot slaw with lime-pickled onions and oregano. Ready in minutes and great piled on crispy tacos.

A bowl of Curtido made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and red onion.

Curtido Recipe

This curtido for tacos is my tangy cabbage and carrot slaw, and it’s the secret reason my tacos always taste better than everybody else’s. I make a big bowl, tuck it in the fridge, and then pile it on everything for the rest of the week. Tacos dorados, tostadas, eat as a salad. I love it on everything!

It’s crunchy, a little sour, and so fresh. Thin cabbage is tossed with grated carrot and onions that have been soaking in lime juice and vinegar. A pinch of oregano, salt, and pepper, and you’re done. Cheap, simple, and so good on anything you want to add crispy & tangy texture.

Portrait of Ana Frias

♥️ xo, Ana

How To Make Curtido For Tacos

A small bowl of pickled red onions next to a metal citrus press and halved limes on a marble board.
  1. Quick-pickle the onions. Let the sliced onions hang out in the lime juice, vinegar, and hot water. The hot water softens their bite, so they turn mellow instead of sharp.
Thinly shredded cabbage in a metal colander.
  1. Rinse the shredded cabbage and drain well using a colander.
Bowls of shredded carrots, pickled red onions, and seasonings, surrounded by halved and whole limes.
  1. Shred the carrots
A bowl of shredded cabbage and carrots topped with thinly sliced red onions and black pepper.
  1. Toss. Mix everything together, pickling liquid and all.
Hands using metal tongs to toss a bowl of coleslaw made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and red onion.
  1. Then let it chill for at least an hour. It gets even better the next day!
A bowl of curtido featuring shredded cabbage, julienned carrots, and sliced red onions.

Ana’s Recipe Tips

  • Rinse & Drain well. Give the cabbage a good rinse and shake excess water in a colander, or press it with a clean towel. Extra water dilutes all that tangy flavor.
  • Use fresh limes. Bottled juice tastes flat here. Roll the limes on the counter before cutting to get more juice out.
  • Add some heat. Toss in a thinly sliced jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.
  • Swap the onion. Red onion turns the whole slaw a pretty pink color and tastes a little sweeter.
  • Make it ahead. The longer it sits, the tangier it gets. I like making it the night before taco night.
  • How To Store Curtido: Keep it in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Give it a stir before serving so the liquid gets redistributed. I don’t recommend freezing it. The cabbage turns soft and watery once it thaws.
A bowl of curtido made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and red onion.

What else can I serve it with?

Pretty much anything! It’s amazing on my Tacos de Papa, tostadas, Chicken Tinga, grilled meats, and even as a side dish for Enchiladas or Shrimp Tacos Gobernador.

A bowl of coleslaw made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and red onion.

Print Recipe:

A bowl of curtido featuring shredded cabbage, julienned carrots, and sliced red onions.

Curtido For Tacos

This Curtido For Tacos is a tangy cabbage and carrot slaw with lime-pickled onions and oregano. Ready in minutes and great piled on crispy tacos.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 9kcal
Author: Ana Frias

Equipment

  • Colander
  • Box grater
  • Mandoline (optional)

Ingredients 

  • ½ red onion - thinly sliced
  • 2 limes - juiced
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • ½ head green cabbage - finely shredded (about 4 cups)
  • 1 medium carrot - peeled and grated
  • ¼ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt - or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper - or more to taste

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the sliced onion with the lime juice, vinegar, and water. Let it sit while you prep the cabbage and carrot.
    ½ red onion, 2 limes, 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 tablespoons hot water
  • Rinse the shredded cabbage and drain well using a colander.
    ½ head green cabbage
  • In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, grated carrot, and onion along with all of its pickling liquid. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
    1 medium carrot, ¼ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt , ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes

Add heat: Toss in a thinly sliced jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Not freezer-friendly.
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands and ingredients used.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 9kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.04g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg

FAQs

Is this the same as Salvadoran curtido?

They’re cousins! Salvadoran curtido is served with pupusas and uses a lot of the same ingredients: cabbage, carrot, onion, vinegar, and oregano. It’s often left to sit for a day or more so it gets extra sour. This is my mom’s quick version with fresh lime juice, made for piling on tacos.

Tacos To Pile It On

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5 from 1 vote

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One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Do you have any questions I can help you with? Or if you made it, I would love it if you leave a comment or rating right here. ⭐️ 
    Gracias!!!! xx, Ana

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