How to Set Up a Taco Bar (And Great Taco Bar Serving Dishes) posted by Taylor Munsell Pin Share Tweet Email SomethingSwanky is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. If you want to organize a fun, casual dinner party but also want to give it a strong sense of exotic international flair, a taco bar is the way to go. I’m yet to meet anybody who does not love tacos, especially since they’re easy to customize for any kind of diet or unique culinary taste. And allowing the guests to actually make their own adds a whole other level to how delicious the tacos are – I’ve always been a believer of the idea that food tastes better if you made it yourself. In this post, I’ll tell you how to put together a great taco bar, from tips about shopping for toppings to recommendations about taco dishes to buy that will give off that fun “fiesta” vibe. Taco Bar Ingredients First of all, let’s talk about what ingredients you need to buy to put together a great taco bar! Remember that a big part of what makes a taco bar so much fun for all of your guests is the freedom of choice on offer, which is why you should try to get ahold of as many of these ingredients as possible along with other foods you think would make for tasty taco ingredients! Tortillas Don’t just stick to one type of tortilla. There are multiple types you should include to offer different tastes and textures, including: Soft flour tortillas Crunchy corn tortillas – As far as most Americans are concerned, the classic taco shell. Soft corn tortillas – Be sure to serve them warm or the texture isn’t good. Soft spinach tortillas I’d recommend having a total of 3 tortillas per person for a taco bar (e.g. 30 tortillas, spread out across different types, for a 10 person taco bar). Meats As the defining ingredient of most tacos, it’s extremely important you offer diners a selection of meats to add. Try the following: Ground beef with taco seasoning – Usually, the seasoning is sold separately and you have to cook it into some hamburger meat. Cubed chicken breast Pastor – This thinly sliced rotisserie pork is probably the most common taco meat in Mexico and is available at many Latino supermarkets. Chopped fish – My favorite is grilled salmon. Grilled jackfruit – This isn’t technically meat, but it has a texture more accurate to meat than any other substitute I’ve ever tried, which is why it’s a good vegetarian taco filling. It also has an incredibly unique flavor. All in all, I’d recommend this non-traditional taco filling whether you’re vegetarian or not! Plan on having 0.35 pounds of meat per person for a taco bar (e.g. 3.5 pounds of meat, spread out across different types, for a 10 person taco bar). Beans Beans are super-easy to prepare, so there’s really no excuse for not preparing all three common types of taco beans: Black beans Refried beans Pinto beans Rice Rice adds a delightful texture to tacos and you can easily buy it pre-made at most supermarkets! It’s best to include: Steamed brown rice Traditional mexican rice (the kind with the orange color) Cilantro-lime rice or some rice with an acidic seasoning Vegetables The value of vegetables in tacos is three-fold. It adds a bit of nutritional value, it’s tasty, AND, in the case of most vegetables, it gives the taco a pleasant crunch. Try some: Diced tomato Diced white onion Shredded lettuce Thinly chopped radish Chopped jalapenos You might also want to add some pickled vegetables, like pickled carrots, pickled radishes, or pickled onions. Cheese For a nice creamy texture and an added kick of flavor, grate up some cheese! The best cheeses for a taco bar are: Sharp cheddar Monterrey jack Gouda Provolone – This is a fancy topping for tacos in Mexico. You’ll want an ounce of cheese per person (e.g. 10 ounces or 1.25 cups of cheese, spread out across different types, for a 10 person taco bar). Sauces Sauces are, in my opinion, the most important part of a great taco because they balance out the heat and diverse flavors with something cold and smooth. They also add a distinct flavor of the diner’s choosing. Some good sauces to consider include: Sour cream – This one is a must. A tex-mex taco staple. Salsas – There are hundreds of good salsas out there, both pre-made and in recipe form. Prepare at least two for a taco bar. Guacamole Taco sauce – There are spicy, salsa-like sauces actually marketed as “taco sauce.” Give them a try. Tzatziki – It’s by no means traditional, but one of my favorite taco bars in Mexico City gave me the idea and now it’s my favorite taco topping. Tabasco sauce Chipotle mayo Taco Bar Sides Serve some additional foods alongside your taco bar to kick up the fiesta atmosphere a notch. I’d recommend any or all of the following: Corn chips – The best part is, you don’t even have to prepare any dips or toppings for them since they’re already in the taco bar! Elote or esquites – Mexican style on or off the cob, respectively. They come topped with mayo, chili powder, lime, and cheese. Arroz con leche – Spanish for “rice with milk,” this sweet dessert is a perfect way to cleanse your palette and top of a hearty meal. Tres leches cake – This “three milks cake” is another creamy and perfectly sweet dessert that follows the Latino theme. Drinks to Go with Tacos Drinks are pretty much essential, both because tacos are usually pretty hot and because they’ll turn your taco bar’s fun level up to 11 after everyone’s downed a few of them. SSome of the best drinks to go with tacos include: Margaritas Daiquiris Micheladas – A beer cocktail with chili salt and lime to add some spice. They’re extremely popular throughout Mexico. Mojitos Tequila shots, if you like to live on the wild side Good ol’ fashioned Corona! Taco Bar Serving Dishes A large part of making a taco bar a success is getting ahold of the best taco bar dishware. Taco bar serving dishes that look good and not only important in fueling the authentic fiesta mood, but their increased functionality will help make the taco experience all the more delicious. In the table below, I’ve rounded up my seven favorite serving dishes for taco bars. They each serve different functions, so be sure to check out all of them if you want to make your taco party truly special. You can read a bit more about each product in the sections below the table. Product NamePrice Range ($-$$$$$)[amazon link=”B07G7HBD92″ link_icon=”none” title=”Taco Holder” /]$$[amazon link=”B085RKN796″ link_icon=”none” title=”Ten Taco Carousel” /]$$Azulete Tortilla Warmer$$$$$Rustic® Outdoor Melamine Chip and Dip Bowl$$The Taco Kit$$$$El Mar Outdoor Melamine Taco Bowl$Molcajete 8″$$$ 1. Taco Holder by [amazon link=”B07G7HBD92″ link_icon=”none” title=”Prepara” /] [amazon fields=”B07G7HBD92″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Prepara Multiple Taco Holder”] Taco holders like this one are both classy and convenient, because they make it easier to load up soft tacos with all the ingredients desired and they look a lot better than simply leaving the tortillas in a pile on the table. This model especially nails it in the looks department thanks to the vibrant and traditional Mexican designs that grace the glossy material. Note that the taco holder is available in three colors – red, yellow, and blue – and each one has different designs. The melamine build is lightweight, durable, and easy-to-clean. Plus, it looks just like real ceramic so it doesn’t feel cheap. 2. Ten Taco Carousel by [amazon link=”B085RKN796″ link_icon=”none” title=”Prepara” /] [amazon fields=”B085RKN796″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Dishwasher Safe Taco Holder Carousel Tra”] This carousel is like a taco holder on steroids. Not only does the 14” diameter round dish have ten holders lining the edges, but it also has a round well in the middle to hold salsa or anything else your taco bar guests might need to access easily. The design is colorful and looks nothing like a regular round dish, which is why it’s my favorite taco bar serving dish of all. 3. Azulete Tortilla Warmer by Williams Sonoma As I mentioned, tortillas taste a lot better warm. In fact, you can’t even use corn tortillas for tacos unless they are warm since cold corn tortillas get all dry and crumbly when they are bent. That’s why, if you are including soft tacos at your taco bar, a few tortilla warming plates like this one are essential. I’ve spent a lot of time in Mexico, and pretty much every taco restaurant that gives you your own tortillas gives you one of these at the table. This model is the best one I’ve used at keeping the tortillas warm for a long time because of its high-quality clay material. The clay has a glossy finish that’s hand-painted with a beautiful blue traditional Mexican design. It’s not the cheapest taco warmer option by a longshot, but it’s #1 if you’re looking at quality design. 4. Rustic® Outdoor Melamine Chip and Dip Bowl by Williams Sonoma This bowl has five sections and is a compact, effective way to present taco bar ingredients. Each of the four oblong wells around the outside of the round 15” diameter plate have a large capacity for a food, and the round well in the center is ideal for holding a salsa. The walls are also a good height to prevent the contents of the wells from running together, so you can keep a whole portion of the taco bar in here. Just one of these dishes can hold all of your taco bar’s beans options, for example. The melamine material is lightweight and durable, and the dusty sand-colored paint job is visually appealing. Especially considering the price, this is one of my favorites. 5. The Taco Kit by Uncommon Goods This kit comes with pretty much all the components you need for a taco bar – three 8 ounce small bowls for fillings, three larger 16 ounce bowls for proteins, and four wooden taco holders that hold two tortillas each. The bowls are made from real ceramic and are painted with attractive colors and designs, and the holders (as well as the box the whole set is stored in) are made from poplar wood. You may want to order a few of these sets to prepare for a large taco bar party, because it really does give you all the basics you could want. The sets are not super cheap, but, considering how much they come with, I’d say they’re a great deal. 6. El Mar Outdoor Melamine Taco Bowl by Sur La Table These individual bowls are larger than the ones included in the previously mentioned set, with a diameter of 6.38”. They’re great additions to a taco bar setup because they can hold a ton of rice, beans, salsa, or protein. The material is melamine, which is durable enough to withstand harsh weather or even being dropped on the ground, so they’re also better options for transporting around and catering to outdoor taco bars. Plus, the paint job is simple but elegant, with a traditional white design painted over a deep blue. These bowls are part of a set of taco bar items with a matching design scheme, including taco holders and condiment trays. 7. Molcajete 8″ by Crate & Barrel This mortar and pestle is actually made in Mexico, and it is made from black volcanic rock. The rough material helps release even more flavorful and healthy oils from the food being ground up. I don’t exactly understand why the traditional Mexican cooking technique works, but the difference in flavor it makes when you prepare guacamole or salsa in it is actually pretty astounding. Taco Bar FAQ How do you serve a taco bar? Once you have all your ingredients and serving dishes, transfer the ingredients to the dishes and lay them all out on a well-lit table. Try to put the different “categories” of ingredients together in “stations”. For example, have one station for different kinds of meats, one station for different beans, one station for different vegetables, one for cheeses, and so on.The different tortilla types should always be on one end of the station. When placing out the tortillas before the buffet, warm them in the oven and place them in a tortilla tray like the Azulete Tortilla Warmer mentioned above. If you have tortilla holders, place them beside the tortillas for use during the taco bar. How do you keep tacos warm for a party? To keep tortillas warm during a taco bar party, make sure you have some tortilla trays, which are short cylindrical containers with tops meant specifically for this purpose. If you warm the tortillas in the oven before the party, the tray will do a good job of keeping them warm and preventing them from drying out.To keep other ingredients warm, place them on an oven-safe tray and cover the tray with tin foil. The foil will insulate heat and you can stick the whole tray in the oven for a few minutes if it gets cold. What kind of cheese goes to a taco bar? Flavor-packed cheeses with a medium-firm texture like sharp cheddar, monterrey jack, and cojita are the best cheeses for tacos. Let’s Taco Bout It I’ve been holding taco parties more and more often since my first one a few years ago because they’re always big hits with my guests. I’ve literally never seen an unhappy face at one of the parties (at least, as far as I can remember) and I think it’s fair to say they’re my favorite types of large dinner parties to host now because they’re so easy, fun, and inexpensive. I hope this post has inspired you to organize some taco nights of your own and has given you some good ideas as to how you can organize them!
