PIN THIS RECIPE TO SAVE FOR LATER
What makes this the Best Breakfast Taco Recipe
Let’s hear it for my taco lovers out there! You know there aren’t many culinary concoctions that give me greater pleasure than tacos. The hypnotic dance of the soft tortillas cocooning juicy meat piled with a myriad of toppings that range from crunchy, crispy, fresh, savory, sweet, spicy and comforting – in one bite- is a texture lover/flavor lovers paradise. I’ve shared every type of taco imaginable from traditional Chicken Tacos, Carne Asada Street Tacos, Ground Beef Tacos Baja Fish Tacos, Shrimp Tacos and Tacos Al Pastor to more imaginative Teriyaki Chicken Tacos, Thai Peanut Chicken Tacos, Asian Pulled Pork Tacos and Korean Steak Tacos. But you know what’s been missing?! Breakfast Tacos! Breakfast Tacos are a staple here in San Diego but super easy to make at home so now you can enjoy them in your slippers and they mean you get to devour tacos for breakfast! And speaking from someone who is not a sweet breakfast person, I can say these Breakfast Tacos hit the spot – whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
REASONS TO LOVE BREAKFAST TACO RECIPE:
DELICIOUS. The intoxicating symphony of flavors and textures can’t be beat. The turkey chorizo comes packed with flavor (literally) and is further complimented by cooking with the potatoes, bell peppers and onions. The eggs are whisked with green chilies, chili pepper, cumin, hot sauce, etc. and cooked until almost set before sharp cheddar is folded in. We’re talking fluffy, cheesy, fiesta eggs worthy of their own post. Combine the eggs with the turkey chorizo hash and a mountain of fresh toppings and open wide for a hearty, savory, fresh and flavorful breakfast bomb. QUICK AND EASY. This Breakfast Taco recipe is delightfully simple to make in just ONE pan! The potatoes get a head start cooking in the skillet and then the chorizo is added. Once cooked, it’s transferred to a plate and the eggs are scrambled in the same skillet. Easy peasy! VERSATILE. Make these YOUR Breakfast Tacos! You can make them more or less spicy, with skillet potatoes or with tater tots, with or without bacon, etc. and course, pile them with YOUR favorite toppings. MAKE AHEAD. These Breakfast Tacos make for a relaxed breakfast or brunch because you can prep most of the ingredients ahead of time. The turkey chorizo hash can be made days ahead of time and then warmed when ready. You can whisk the egg ingredients together in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready. You can also prepare all of your toppings ahead of time. Now all you have left is minutes worth of cooking!
If you love tacos for breakfast, you’l also love chilaquiles, breakfast burritos and breakfast enchiladas!
Breakfast Taco Ingredients
There are no right or wrong ingredients for Breakfast Tacos but here are my favorites:
TORTILLAS
CHORIZO HASH
MEXICAN TURKEY chorizo. Chorizo is a spicy sausage popular in Mexican cooking traditionally made with pork. I have shied away from it in the past because it is unappetizingly greasy – but not turkey chorizo! You get all the flavor without all the grease! You will need one 16 oz. package MEXICAN TURKEY chorizo. Make sure you select Mexican chorizo and not Spanish chorizo. Spanish chorizo is dried, cured sausage and located with the other cured and smoked sausages like salami. Mexican chorizo, however, is spicy, bright or dark red ground meat (usually pork but can be beef or turkey) located with other raw meats or sausages. It is sold uncooked loose or in casing sometimes under the name “chorizo seasonings turkey sausage.” Potatoes. Choose your potatoes wisely! Russet potatoes are the best for any sort of skillet potatoes because they emerge soft on the inside and develop the crispiest crusts even when combined with other ingredients. Bell pepper. You can use any color you have on hand but I prefer green. Onion. One yellow onion will do the trick. Garlic. Three garlic cloves or ¾ teaspoon garlic powder.
Can I use pork chorizo?
I highly suggest TURKEY chorizo because pork/beef chorizo is ridiculously greasy. If you end up using pork chorizo, you’ll want to drain/pat off excess grease very well.
Can I use breakfast sausage or beef?
Chorizo comes pre-seasoned with Mexican seasonings so we don’t have to add anything to it. If you use breakfast sausage, lean ground beef or turkey, you will want to season with homemade or store-bought taco seasoning:
1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Additional salt and pepper to taste
CAN I USE OTHER PROTEIN?
Yes! You can make this Breakfast Tacos recipe with any of your favorite Mexican proteins but I find it feels more “breakfast-ish” with beef or pork as opposed to chicken. They would be delicious with:
Carne asada: juicy, marinated and spice rubbed steak Carnitas: slow cooker pulled pork with glorious caramelized crispy ends Chipotle Sweet Pulled Pork: juicy, saucy, sweet and spicy pulled pork Beef Barbacoa: slow cooker tangy, smoky, rich, spicy juicy beef Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken: is an all-time reader favorite for classic, flavorful Mexican Chicken
Can I use other potatoes?
Yukon gold potatoes will also get respectably crunchy but I would avoid waxy red or new potatoes with which are terrible at developing crisp crust.
CHEESY SCRAMBLED EGGS
Eggs: you will need 8 large eggs whisked with ¼ cup milk. The milk makes them extra fluffy. You can also substitute the milk with half heavy cream if you have it on hand for even fluffier eggs. Sharp cheddar: makes the eggs nice and cheesy. I prefer the stronger taste of cheddar to compliment the spicy chorizo but you may also use Monterrey. Use freshly shredded cheese for the best melting ability. Mild chopped green chiles: you will use half a can of mild chopped green chiles or you can use the whole can if you want tangier eggs. Make sure you purchase mild green chiles – I have accidentally used the hot chilies before and they are HOT! Mild green chiles, however are more tangy than hot so you don’t have to worry about them making your Breakfast Tacos spicy.
BREAKFAST TACO RECIPE VARIATIONS
While I favor this Breakfast Taco recipe, Breakfast Tacos come in all varieties. Almost all Breakfast Tacos contain scrambled eggs and then either meat (chorizo, bacon, sausage) and potatoes (roasted potatoes, hash browns, tater tots or French Fries). Here is how you can mix and match the different elements to create YOUR best Breakfast Tacos!
CHOOSE YOUR POTATOES
BREAKFAST TACOS WITH FRENCH FRIES
2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper
BREAKFAST TACOS WITH ROASTED POTATOES
Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spray with non-stick cooking spray. Cube 2 pounds red potatoes into bite size pieces. Add potatoes to baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil (instead of 1 T for Fries) and remaining French Fry seasonings (listed above). Spread potatoes in an even layer and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until fork tender and golden in some places, stirring half way through. (If you like your potatoes crispy, bake for longer).
BREAKFAST TACOS WITH HASH BROWNS
Cook 3 cups frozen hash browns according to package directions, sprinkling with cbefore cooking.
BREAKFAST TACOS WITH TATER TOTS
Toss a 20 oz. bag frozen tater tots with “French Fry seasonings” before cooking. Cook according to package directions. You can use less tater tots in the Breakfast Tacos if you wish.
CHOOSE YOUR PROTEIN
BREAKFAST TACOS WITH BACON
Make bacon in 2 batches. Lay bacon strips on a COLD cast iron skillet – it is okay if the bacon is touching – it will shrink as it cooks. Cook bacon low and slow. When the bacon starts to curl, loosen it with tongs and flip. Continue to flip periodically so it browns evenly. Cook bacon until crispy, keeping in mind it will cook a little off heat. Using tongs, transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with second batch of bacon.
BREAKFAST TACOS WITH SAUSAGE
BREAKFAST TACOS WITH LEFTOVERS
Reheat any of your favorite Mexican proteins such as carne asada, carnitas, chipotle pork, beef barbacoa, etc.
ADDITIONAL ADD-INS
Add veggies. You can add veggies such as bell peppers, sweet corn, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, spinach etc. the last few minutes of cooking the chorizo or to the scrambled egg. Add fajita peppers. Stir fried bell peppers are always tasty. You can follow the instructions for the peppers in my Pork Fajitas recipe. Add tomatoes. You can add fire roasted tomatoes or fresh tomatoes to the chorizo. Add cheese. After your chorizo is cooked, you can stir in cheese such as cheddar, Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack for extra cheesiness. Add beans. You can add a layer of refried beans, warmed and seasoned with taco seasoning to the bottom of each tortilla. You can also mix in black beans or pinto beans directly into the turkey chorizo, adding them with the chorizo so they have time to soften. Add rice or quinoa. Stir in cooked rice or cooked quinoa for added texture. If you do this, you may also want to add additional salt and salsa as well.
HOW TO MAKE BREAKFAST TACOS
HOW TO WARM OR CHAR TORTILLAS
Breakfast Tacos, or any tacos, are far superior cocooned in warmed tortillas. Not only are the tortillas – whether corn or flour – softer and the ideal non-jarring, melt-in-your mouth temperature, but the flavors are accentuated when warmed. Lower quality corn tortillas are also likely to break if not warmed. You can easily warm your tortillas for this Breakfast Taco recipe in seconds or minutes using any of my below methods: open flame, skillet, microwave or oven. I am partial to the open flame method and is how I achieve the satisfying char on my tortillas.
Open Flame (gas stove or grill): add the tortillas directly to the burner of your gas stove then flip with tongs once they are charred on one side. You can also accomplish this on the grill as well. If you are using lower quality tortillas, you will want to take special care not to over-char or they will become brittle and break. You still want the tortillas soft and pliable. Skillet: heat a skillet (or griddle if you have one) to medium high heat (do not grease). Working with one tortilla at a time (more for a griddle), heat each side of the tortilla for approximately 20-30 seconds until warm and soft. You are not looking for char marks with this method. Microwave: working with about 5 tortillas at a time, stack tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 20 seconds on high, then repeat at 10 second intervals if needed until warmed through. Oven: create separate stacks of about 5 tortillas each, then wrap each stack in foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through (you can bake all stacks at once).
HOW TO KEEP TORTILLAS WARM
Once your tortillas are warmed (with any method), keep them warm and pliable by stacking on a plate and covering with a slightly dampened, paper towel or kitchen towel.
Prep ahead Breakfast Tacos
You can prep the Breakfast Tacos ahead of time so they’re just an easy scramble away.
Best Breakfast Tacos toppings
These Breakfast Tacos are fabulous but what really elevates them are the TOPPINGS! You can load your tacos with as little or as many toppings as you like. I personally love fresh tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream (a must for me!), and hot sauce. The crowning flavors and textures are intoxicating!
TOPPING IDEAS:
Salsa: so many salsa recipes to choose from! Store bought salsa is always an easy topping (I love Mateo’s from Costco) or get fancy with my homemade restaurant salsa, salsa verde, black bean corn salsa, avocado salsa, or charred corn salsa. I’ve made these Breakfast Tacos with my corn salsa before (like in my Pork Tacos recipe) and it is an AMAZING addition! The sweet charred, smokey corn against the spicy, earthy robust chorizo – match made in heaven! Tomatoes: quartered cherry tomatoes or seeded, chopped Roma tomatoes or skip the plain tomatoes and use pico de gallo. Pico de gallo: is fresh tomato salsa that adds a vibrant, punchy freshness. You can use my homemade pico de gallo recipe or store bought. You can make the pico de gallo ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving. Cilantro: if you skip the pico de gallo, you can load on fresh cilantro and tomatoes instead for a fresh, zesty flair. Avocado Crema: if you’ve been following me for long, you know I top practically all of my tacos with avocado crema – AKA my addiction. Avocado crema is a marriage of avocados, sour cream and lime juice. It is wonderfully silky, tangy and just takes minutes to make in your blender. The luscious, refreshing tanginess cuts through and compliments the robust, chili flavors of the ground beef taco meat. Guacamole: use my homemade guacamole recipe (amazing!) I use in my Street Tacos, your favorite recipe or even use store bought. Avocados: chopped or sliced avocados are the easiest avocado option and add a wonderful creaminess. You might want to add a splash of lime juice if you use plain avocados. Sour cream: you can use easy sour cream or you can get creative and use the Crema I use in my Baja Fish Taco recipe here. Greek yogurt: is a great creamy alternative to sour cream if you are trying to save some calories. Hot Sauce: spice up your Breakfast tacos with your favorite hot sauce. You will be amazed at how much this amp sup the flavors! Jalapenos: you can also amp up the heat with chopped or sliced jalapenos or pickled jalapenos. Pickle onions: I can’t believe I haven’t shared a recipe for this yet, but I love pickled onions on tacos! Tangy, punchy fantastic.
TIPS FOR THE BEST BREAKFAST TACO
Use a nonstick skillet. If you would like to cook everything in one skillet, then use a large nonstick skillet so your eggs won’t get plastered to the pan. I have a high-quality skillet so my potatoes also got nice and crispy. You can also use a cast iron skillet for the chorizo/potatoes to ensure crispy potatoes and a separate nonstick skillet for the eggs. Chop potatoes small. Make sure to chop the potatoes about ¼-inch so they will be tender by the time the chorizo is cooked. If you cut them larger, that is okay, but you will want to give them a head start in the skillet before adding the onions or bell peppers. Don’t overcook eggs. The eggs should be fluff and moist (sorry, no other word here) which can only be achieved by not overcooking. Cook low and slow just until set. Add bacon. Bacon makes everything better! Although not pictured, I LOVE bacon with my Breakfast Tacos! Use thick cut bacon for best results. The secret to crispy bacon is to cook over medium -low heat so the fat has time to render and get crispy. Customize heat. The chorizo is spicy but not too spicy when combined with the rest of the ingredients. For those who like heat, you’ll want to add hot sauce to your additional tacos-it really makes the flavors come alive! Use up leftovers. These Breakfast Tacos are a great way to use up leftover Mexican proteins. Warm and keep separate or easily warm by adding directly to the potato skillet after 5 minutes and continue to cook until warmed through and potatoes are tender.
MAKE AHEAD BREAKFAST TACOS
If you want to make Breakfast Tacos ahead of time, it is best to turn them into burritos so the contents stay snugly together and don’t dry out. You will use the same ingredients as the Breakfast Tacos but, the assembly is slightly different. We’ll skip the sour cream which can make the tortillas soggy and instead add a protective layer of cheese. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for a grab and go breakfast!
Can I freeze BREAKFAST TACOS?
If you want to freeze Breakfast Tacos, then assemble them per taco “burrito” instructions above.
HOW TO FREEZE JUST THE FILLING
The taco filling freezes very well on its own if you don’t want to assemble the tacos. To freeze:
HOW TO REHEAT TACO MEAT
How to store Breakfast Tacos
What to Do with Leftover Breakfast Taco Filling?
Make more tacos! This is the obvious answer and SO easy! Simply warm the filling, warm the tortillas and assemble. Lettuce wraps. Go low carb and load bib lettuce leaves with breakfast taco filling. Top with sour cream or Greek yogurt. Eggs. Add the taco breakfast filling directly to scrambled eggs just when they’re almost set. Rice: Go simple and load the breakfast taco filling over Cilantro Lime Rice or mixed into Mexican rice; or serve it with quinoa, cauliflower rice or even spaghetti squash. Mix in cheese, tomatoes, sour cream or Greek yogurt. Burritos: Layer a burrito size tortilla with cilantro lime rice, black or pinto beans, cheese, breakfast taco filling, guacamole, sour cream and lettuce. Serve with additional sour cream and either pico de gallo or homemade salsa. Quesadillas: Layer a burrito size tortilla with Mexican cheese and breakfast taco filling and grill until golden, cheesy perfection. Serve with your favs of sour cream, salsa, chopped lettuce, guacamole, etc. You can also add other add-ins to make “breakfast” quesadillas such as beans, scrambled eggs, radishes, sour cream, etc. Tostadas. Layer a tostada with refried beans or avocado mash, top with filling, lettuce or slaw, cilantro, avocados, sour cream, cotija cheese or queso fresco etc. Tortas: Slice French-style bread in half horizontally, spread refried beans on each side, top with filling, cheese, avocado slices or guacamole, tomatoes slices, pickled red onions, pickled jalapenos, etc. Empanadas: Make your own empanada dough or follow my shortcut empanada recipe using puff pastry dough. Instead of the chicken filling, use the Breakfast Taco filling. Sopes: Layer sopes with refried beans or avocado mash, top with taco filling, lettuce, cotija cheese or queso fresco, Mexican crema and other desired toppings such as chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced radishes, sliced avocados, pickled jalapenos and/or carrots etc. You can make your own sopes or you can find them in some grocery stores and most Mexican markets. Burrito Bowls: Layer cilantro lime rice with cheese, black beans or pinto beans, taco filling, chopped lettuce, and your favorite toppings including crushed tortilla chips and either sour cream/Greek yogurt or I highly recommend either Tomatillo Avocado Ranch or Cilantro Lime Dressing.
Helpful Tools to make this recipe
Nonstick Skillet: This skillet is my favorite pan in the WORLD! I have both the 10 and 12-inh and use them for practically everything. I’ve had this pan for forever and they’re still as good as new. I love giving this nonstick skillet for wedding gifts because it sets you up for cooking success! It is on the pricier side but it’s practically the only pan you’ll ever need! If you’re looking for a more economical nonstick skillet, this one also has good reviews – but I can’t guarantee it will last as long! Cheese grater: I use this kitchen tool constantly because FRESHLY grated cheese as opposed to bagged shredded cheese is always the way to go! Using freshly grated cheese also saves money, tastes better, and MELTS better. Garlic press: I use this every single day! It is the ultimate garlic press- it is easy-to-use, easy-to-clean and minces garlic with one squeeze. Unlike other presses, this garlic press has beveled holes that finely cut the clove rather than bruising it, bringing out the best flavor. Quality Knives: a chef’s knife will be your most used kitchen tool by far! Quality knives make prep time much quicker and are important for safety as well. If you’re concerned about moola, please remember that your best chef knives, depending on how hard you use them and how well you take care of them, can easily last 25 years or more. I love my Wusthof but there are hundreds of less expensive knives with great reviews such as this one.
Want to try this Breakfast Tacos RECIPE?
Pin it to your Breakfast or Mexican Board to SAVE for later!
Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes! I am always pinning :)!
©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com Carlsbad Cravings© Original Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
