Vegan Potato Tacos with Jalapeño Sauce

Vegan potato tacos are as simple and delicious as they sound. Mashed up potatoes wrapped in crispy tortillas and topped with shredded cabbage, creamy avocado, fresh pico de gallo and a dreamy cashew jalapeño sauce. They’re delicious enough to serve to friends, but easy enough to make for any ol’ Taco Tuesday.

Potato tacos are called tacos de papa in Spanish, as they originate from Mexico. And while I’ve kept things mostly traditional, I’ve ensured they are vegan by using vegan almond milk and vegan butter. Additionally, I’ve added a delicious, zippy jalapeño sauce that really works with these. It uses a whole jalapeño but isn’t super spicy, instead its extremely flavorful and works well with the mashed potato and crispy tortillas.

Recipe Variations

Tortillas- I like using corn for these, as they are more traditional, but flour or any grain-free tortilla will work just fine.

Switch up the toppings- I really like these with cabbage, avocado, pico de gallo, and the jalapeño sauce, but feel free to use any toppings you’d like. You could keep it simple with lettuce and tomato, or some vegan feta which is really similar to queso fresco.

Potatoes- I prefer using russet for these, but feel free to use any other kind of potato such as red, Yukon, or sweet. This can be especially flexible if you already have leftover mashed potatoes.

Ingredient Notes

Cabbage- I really like shredded green cabbage here, it’s fresh and crispy. But shredded lettuce would work as well, or you could omit completely.

Pico de Gallo- It adds a fresh element, especially the tang from the lime juice. This recipe is just perfect!

Jalapeño Sauce- 100% worth the hype, I promise you. It’s not spicy but its SUPER flavorful and only takes a few minutes to whip up.

Potato Taco FAQ

How long do the potato tacos last?

Since these are crispy, they will get soggy if saved. For leftovers, store the potatoes separately and fry up the tacos fresh before serving.

Can I use leftover mashed potatoes?

Yes! If you’re making these as a way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, these are going to be the simplest ever!

Recipe Notes

These are crispy tacos, and they are fried to achieve that texture. Deep frying is not required, just a simple pan fry. I haven’t given oil measurements as this will vary based on the size of pan as well as personal preference. In general, I will coat the bottom of the pan in a thin layer of oil and add more as needed.

To keep tacos intact during the cooking process, I close up the taco and secure with a toothpick at the top. This keeps the tortilla from flapping open while cooking and ensures the filling remains inside. Just make sure to remove before serving!

Recipe

Vegan Potato Tacos with Jalapeño Sauce

Vegan potato tacos are as simple as they are delicious. Mashed up potatoes wrapped up in crispy tortilla shells and topped with cabbage, creamy avocado, pico de gallo and a dreamy cashew jalapeño sauce. They’re delicious enough to serve to friends, but easy enough to make for any ol' Taco Tuesday.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword tacos

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings 12 tacos

Ingredients

12 corn tortillas
cooking oil for frying

Potato Filling

4-5 medium russet potatoes (about 2 lbs)
½ cup almond milk (or plant milk of choice), unsweetened
¼ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp salt
1 tbsp vegan butter (optional)

Jalepeño Sauce

½ cup raw cashews, soaked for 20 minutes
1 jalapeño
1 tsp salt
½ cup water
juice of 1 lime
1 cup cilantro leaves
½ tsp red wine vinegar

Additional Toppings

shaved cabbage, green or red
pico de gallo
sliced avocado

Instructions

Peel and chop potatoes. Add potatoes to a pot of cold water. Place pot on stove over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork tender.
While potatoes are boiling, prepare the jalapeño sauce. Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, and set aside.
Once potatoes are cooked, drain and return potatoes back to pot.
Mash potatoes in pot using a potato masher. Add in almond milk, garlic powder, salt, cumin, and butter, if using. Consistency should be like lumpy mashed potatoes. Set aside.
Prepare the tortillas by heating over a hot pan or microwaving tortillas. If microwaving, place tortillas in damp paper towels and heat for 30 seconds, flip and heat for another 30 seconds.
To prepare the tacos, place a small amount of potato mixture (~2 tbsp to ¼ cup) into each tortilla, on one half of the tortilla. Close the tortilla and lightly press to ensure the tacos don't have any large lumps and are somewhat flat. To keep tortillas closed during cooking, secure with a toothpick through the top. Prepare all tacos and set aside.
Once all tacos are prepared and ready to fry, heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. (See note)
Cook 3-4 tacos at a time, depending on size of pan. Cook for a few minutes until slightly golden, before flipping to cook the other side. Once both sides are golden, remove and place on paper towels. Repeat until all tacos are cooked.
To assemble tacos, be sure to first remove any toothpicks! To each taco, add sliced avocado, shaved cabbage, pico de gallo, and drizzle on jalepeño sauce. Serve with extra jalepeño sauce on the side.

Notes

Amount of oil depends on the size of the pan, but it doesn’t need to be high, this is a shallow pan fry, not a deep fry.

If you make these tacos, be sure to leave a rating and comment below, I’d love to know what you think! And don’t forget to share a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see!

Larissa Wilson

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