Crispy Potato Tacos (Tacos De Papa) filled with creamy mashed potato and melty cheese. They’re made in the air fryer to keep the use of oil at minimum. Top with my curtido and salsa for the perfect easy weeknight dinner.
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Tacos de Papa Recipe
Tender boiled potatoes get mashed with butter, a spoonful of cornstarch, salt, and pepper, then folded with shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella for a creamy, melty filling that stays put as the tacos crisp.
I try to avoid frying the tacos in a big skillet full of oil if I can help it. The smell hangs around for days, and then there’s all that leftover oil. So I make them in the air fryer instead and you will not miss that oil soaking the tortilla! A quick brush of oil on the tortillas, a few minutes at high heat, and you get golden, crunchy shells with a creamy, cheesy potato filling inside.
Each crispy taco gets a pile of cool, lime-spiked cabbage and carrot curtido and a spoonful of warm, brothy tomato and chile de árbol salsa poured right over the top, then finished with crumbled queso fresco, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Crunchy, creamy, tangy, spicy!
♥️ xo, Ana
Recipe Notes
| Prep ⏰ | Cook ⏲️ | Rest ⏱️ | Total Time |
| 20 mins | 40 mins | 0 mins | 1 hour |
🍽️ Servings: 20 Tacos
⭐️ Difficulty: Easy
♥️ What’s to love: My mom’s recipe, all the crunch of fried tacos with just a brush of oil, and budget-friendly ingredients.
🛒 Featured Ingredients: Potatoes, butter, Monterey Jack or mozzarella, cornstarch, corn tortillas, tomatoes and chiles de árbol.
**You’ll find the complete recipe and ingredient list in the card at the end.**
How To Make Potato Tacos In Air Fryer
Get the curtido chilling. My Curtido For Tacos needs at least an hour in the fridge, so make it first and let it do its thing while you work on the tacos.
- Boil the potatoes until they’re tender. A knife or fork should slide right through with no resistance.
- Make the salsa while the potatoes cook. The tomatoes, onion, and chiles de árbol simmer together until the tomato skins look soft and wrinkly.
- Blend everything smooth with the garlic and seasonings. You want it pourable, almost like a thin sauce, so splash in a little of the cooking water if it’s too thick.
- Mash the hot potatoes with the butter and cornstarch. The cornstarch is what keeps the filling from oozing out in the air fryer, so don’t skip it!
- Add the shredded cheese, salt, and pepper right on top.
- Stir until the cheese melts into the warm potatoes and the filling is smooth and creamy. Give it a taste and add more salt if it needs it. (Try not to eat it all with the spoon.)
- Warm the tortillas in a lightly oiled skillet. You want them a little crisp on the outside but still bendy, so they fold without cracking.
- Spread a scoop of filling on one half of each tortilla and fold it over. Keep them on the flatter side so they crisp up evenly.
- Line the tacos up in a single layer in the air fryer, brush them with oil, and air fry until golden and crunchy. Flip them halfway through so both sides get that crackly shell!
Ana’s Recipe Tips
- Pick starchy potatoes. Russets or Yukon Golds mash up fluffy and hold their shape inside the taco. Waxy red potatoes get gummy.
- Keep the filling dry. Let the drained potatoes steam off for a few minutes. A wet filling means soggy tortillas and steam instead of crunch.
- Oil both sides. The oil is what turns the tortilla golden. Dry spots stay pale and chewy.
- Single layer only. Crowding the basket traps steam. Cook in batches and keep finished tacos warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a rack.
- Air fryers run differently. Start checking at 7 minutes. Smaller basket models can run hot.
- Control the heat. Three to four chiles de árbol give the salsa a solid kick. Use 1 or 2 for a milder salsa, or more if you like it fiery.
How To Store Tacos de Papa
- Filling: Airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Cooked tacos: Fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 3 to 4 minutes. Skip the microwave unless you like them floppy.
- Freezing: Freeze assembled, uncooked tacos in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Brush with oil and air fry from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 14 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Salsa: Fridge for up to 5 days. Warm it on the stove before serving.
Print Recipe:
Crispy Potato Tacos Recipe
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Large pot
- Potato masher
- Blender
Ingredients
Potato filling
- 6 to 7 small to medium potatoes (850g) - washed or peeled
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt - or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper - or more to taste
- 1 cup shredded melting cheese like Monterey Jack or mozzarella
Salsa
- 3 large tomatoes
- ¼ white onion
- 3 to 4 dried chiles de árbol - stems and seeds removed
- 1 garlic clove - peeled
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon salt - or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
Tacos
- 20 corn tortillas
- 4 tablespoons vegetable or avocado oil - for brushing tortillas
Garnish
- Curtido For Tacos - for serving (see notes)
- chopped cilantro, sliced radish, crumbled queso fresco, avocado, lime wedges
Instructions
Potato filling
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by about 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook uncovered 20 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain well.6 to 7 small to medium potatoes (850g)
- Place the potatoes in a large bowl, add the butter and cornstarch. Mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then fold in the shredded cheese until evenly mixed.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1 cup shredded melting cheese like Monterey Jack or mozzarella, 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Salsa
- While the potatoes cook make the salsa. Place the tomatoes, onion, and chiles de árbol in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer until the tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.3 large tomatoes, ¼ white onion, 3 to 4 dried chiles de árbol
- Transfer the tomatoes, onion, and chiles to a blender with the garlic, pepper, oregano, and chicken bouillon. Blend until smooth, adding up to ½ cup of the cooking water for a pourable salsa. Season with salt. Keep warm.1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
Tacos
- In a hot skillet, add a little bit of oil and warm the tortilla on both sides until a little crispy but pliable. Repeat this process for all tortillas.20 corn tortillas, 4 tablespoons vegetable or avocado oil
- Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling over one half of each tortilla and fold in half.
- Brush both sides of each taco with oil.
- Arrange the tacos in a single layer in the air fryer basket or tray, working in batches. Air fry at 365°F (185°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.
- Top the tacos with curtido, spoon the warm salsa over the top, and add any other garnish of your choice. Serve hot.Curtido For Tacos
Notes
Your Private Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Yes! That’s how my mom makes them. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet to 350°F (175°C) and fry the tacos in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden. Drain them on a wire rack so they stay crispy.
Tacos dorados are folded in half like a regular taco, then crisped. Taquitos (or flautas) are rolled tight into a tube. Same crispy idea, different shape. If you like these, try my Chicken Taquitos next.
Yes. Make the filling and salsa up to 2 days ahead. The curtido keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge. Assemble and air fry the tacos right before serving so they’re at their crispiest.
