What to Serve with Tacos: 20 Terrific Side Dishes

Wondering what to serve with tacos tonight? Then you have come to the right place! We have 25 incredible sides that go perfectly with your taco dinner.

Tacos are stuffed with a lot of different fillings. Most tacos already have meat, veggies, and cheese inside the taco shell. It may leave you wondering what to serve with tacos. They are already so filling!

Creating a balanced, flavorful taco meal dinner is not hard. Pick any side dish on our list, and everyone in your family will be very excited for taco night!

Easy Sides for Tacos

Tacos are great with flavorful, bright side dishes. Mexican-inspired sides are always a good idea.

Sides like refried beans are hearty and filling, while zesty cilantro-lime rice will lighten your meal. Take a look at all our incredible side dish recipes and try them all!

1. Cilantro Lime Rice

Our delicious cilantro-lime rice recipe is the perfect side for tacos. The bright lime flavor compliments any kind of taco. The fresh taste of cilantro is a Mexican signature.

Cilantro lime rice is very easy to make. We use jasmine rice, but any long-grain, white rice will work. Use brown rice for a healthier side dish.

Fresh cilantro and fresh lime juice are both important to the flavor of this recipe. Fresh ingredients really make a big difference!

2. Refried Beans

Refried beans are a classic side dish for tacos. The creamy, dense beans are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Make your own incredible refried beans using this recipe from Cookie and Kate.

Pinto beans are the main ingredient in this redried beans recipe. Add fresh onions and garlic to make the beans taste homemade. Chili powder and ground cumin flavor the beans perfectly.

This is one recipe you will need to make every taco night! It pairs well with almost any Mexican food.

3. Mexican Street Corn

Mexican street corn is also known as elote. It is an incredible Mexican food that goes perfectly with tacos. Use Simply Recipes elote to make your taco Tuesday complete.

Corn on the cob is charred on the grill and then topped with a creamy sour cream and cilantro sauce. Fresh lime juice and crumbled cojita cheese top the corn. The queso fresco cheese really adds a lot of flavors.

Enjoy the Mexican street corn while it is hot and juicy. Slice the charred corn off the cob and mix the ingredients for a new twist on this classic side dish. Mexican street corn salad sounds pretty great!

4. Black Beans

Black beans often go on top of tacos. They also make a fantastic side! Serve these Cuban-style black beans from Skinnytaste on your next taco bar.

Garlic, red onion, shallots, and bell pepper are sauteed in olive oil. Canned black beans are added to the pan. Add the juice from the can to make the beans nice and thick.

5. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

You can stuff roasted sweet potatoes with the same fillings you use for your tacos. This recipe from A Couple Cooks will show you exactly how to do it!

Sweet potatoes are sliced in half and roasted in the oven. Fresh, black bean salsa is added on top of the potatoes. Cilantro cream sauce is the perfect topping. Add some of the sauce to your tacos to make your meal cohesive.

One stuffed sweet potato and one big taco are sure to fill you up! This side is especially great in the winter when you may want a nice hot meal.

6. Pineapple Salsa

Fresh pineapple salsa is an answer to the question of what to serve with tacos. This incredible recipe from Love and Lemons is especially delicious when paired with fish tacos.

Fresh cut pineapple is mixed with red onion, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic. The salsa is wonderful on top of tacos or inside a burrito as well.

Add just a handful of feta cheese to make the sweet pineapple salsa even more incredible. Use drained canned pineapple in a pinch.

7. Mexican Coleslaw

Mexican coleslaw is the perfect side to serve with tacos. It is light and refreshing. This coleslaw recipe from Foodie Crush goes perfectly with pork tacos, beef tacos, and fish tacos. It is quite versatile!

Shredded coleslaw mix is tossed with fresh chopped cilantro and sliced onions. A little honey sweetens the dish. Lime juice and hot sauce add lots of intense Mexican flavors.

Try this Mexican coleslaw in the summer when a cold side dish is best. Skip the hot sauce if you want a coleslaw without a spicy kick. Everyone at your taco party will love it!

8. Corn Salad

Sweet corn salad is amazing next to tacos. Make this recipe from Cooking Classy and serve it next to tacos, inside burrito bowls, or enjoy it alone. It is delicious no matter what!

Fresh corn kernels, crunchy cucumbers, and a vibrant dressing are all tossed together. The small, bite-sized pieces of the salad are perfect for even the littlest taco lovers.

Feta blends into the corn salad, making it creamy and thick. Try using Mexican cojita cheese for a fun twist.

9. White Queso Dip

Have you ever dipped a taco into a warm bowl of queso dip? It is something you definitely need to try! Use this recipe from The Cookie Rookie to make the perfect white queso. It will completely change your taco Tuesday!

Even the pickiest eaters will love this side dish. Warm, melted American cheese and Mozzarella cheese are blended with lots of spices. Canned jalapenos or chopped green chilies can be added to give the dip some spice.

Make this recipe once, and you may never serve tacos without a side of queso ever again. Tacos dipped in queso will just make you love tacos even more.

10. Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower rice is a great side for tacos, especially for those who cannot have regular rice. Cauliflower has fewer carbs than regular rice and is perfect for a keto diet. Try finding keto taco shells to make your entire taco time low in carbs!

We like this rice from the Minimalist Baker. You can add your own seasonings to the rice to give it your own personal flair. Try mixing in some lime zest, ground cumin, or chili powder. Any Mexican seasoning will help liven up the rice side!

11. Taco Salad

Make a big taco salad bowl to keep the taco theme of your meal! You can never have too many kinds of tacos on your plate! This Wholesome Yum taco salad is incredible.

Shredded romaine lettuce, tomatoes, ground beef, and cheese are blended together in a big salad bowl. We like to add a little sour cream to the taco salad to make it nice and creamy.

Cook the ground beef with your favorite fajita seasoning. It will add a lot of flavor to the salad.

12. Salsa Verde

Salsa verde is one of the classic Mexican side dishes that pair perfectly with tacos. We adore this recipe from Gimme Some Oven, which is a little spicy.

Green tomatillos are roasted in the oven to give them a nice caramel flavor. The tomatillos are blended with serrano chilies, garlic, lime juice, onions, and spices. Skip the chili if you would like a more mild salsa.

This dish is perfect for meal planning. Make it in advance and serve with your tacos when taco night comes along.

13. Homemade Tortilla Chips

Crispy tortilla chips are a fantastic side to serve with your tacos. Follow these steps from The Kitchn to make incredible, fresh tortilla chips.

We love that these chips are baked rather than fried. They are healthier than the deep-fried chips you may find in the grocery store.

Warm, salty tortilla chips make a great lunch, dinner, or snack to-go!

14. Bean Dip

Bean dip is a delicious and very flavorful side to serve with tacos. Serve bean dip along with some tortilla chips, or dip your taco right in! This bean dip from Spend with Pennies is good enough to just eat with a spoon!

Bean dip is great because it serves a lot of people. It is the perfect side to make for a party. Cream cheese makes it thick and creamy. Jalapenos make the dip nice and spicy.

15. Instant Pot Refried Beans

Refried have never been easier to make! Well Plated by Erin will show you how to make perfect refried beans using a pressure cooker. Your bean side dish will be ready in a matter of minutes!

Most refried bean recipes take hours to cook. Sometimes, they can take days to make! Using a pressure cooker enables you to make perfect refried beans in just 45 minutes. Taco side dishes have never been any easier to make!

16. Guacamole

Guacamole may be the most iconic side to serve with tacos. Taco night isn’t complete without some guacamole! Downshiftology makes the perfect guacamole that you will adore.

Ripe avocados are key to great guacamole. Choose an avocado with dark skin that gives slightly when you squeeze it.

Peel and pit the avocado and scoop it into a big bowl. Stir the guacamole a lot for a smoother mix or leave some chunks. We like it both ways!

17. Mexican Rice

Homemade Mexican rice can’t be beaten. It is incredible! Lil Luna will show you the perfect blend of seasonings to make a tasty rice side dish that goes well with your favorite taco.

Tomato sauce gives the rice a beautiful red color. The dash of cumin also adds to the beautiful hue.

Chicken broth makes the rice especially creamy. You can use water or vegetable broth in place of chicken broth for a vegetarian version.

18. Pico De Gallo

Authentic pico de gallo is a great side to serve with tacos. The fresh veggies are fantastic alongside a warm, cooked taco. Chopped veggies also add tons of powerful tastes and textures to your taco dinner.

Serve this pico de gallo from Natasha’s Kitchen with tortilla chips as a taco topping, or eat it with a spoon!

19. Fresh Salsa

Fresh salsa is so much better than storebought salsa. One bit of this salsa from A Spicy Perspective, and you will never go back to store-bought again!

Fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeno peppers are finely chopped and mixed together. The flavor of the salsa only grows stronger as it sits. Make this salsa in advance as part of your meal prep to have a powerful side dish.

20. Calabacitas

If you are looking for veggie sides to serve with tacos, this is the recipe you need to make. Calabacitas from Muy Delish are irresistables.

Light green squash is mixed with corn, tomato, and onion. The fresh veggies are sauteed in a medium saucepan and tossed with a few spices. The warm veggies are one of the most delicious sides and are also a healthy contract to hearty tacos. A perfect complete meal!

Make Taco Tuesday Perfect With Incredible Sides- Refried Beans to Lime Juice Rice; We have it All!

With this list of delicious side dishes on hand, you never have to wonder what to serve with tacos again. Many of these sides are incredibly versatile and can be used as taco topping and side dishes. We love a multi-purpose recipe! Enjoy them all, and then let us know which you like best!