In many parts of Texas, breakfast tacos are a way of life. Endlessly customizable, they are often ordered from taco trucks, diners, and drive-thrus by calling out your preferred ingredients: bacon, egg, and cheese; egg, chorizo, and beans; sausage, potato, and cheese. You then declare a preference for flour or corn tortillas, and, in some cases, red or green salsa. And then they appear, either in a plastic basket lined with deli paper, or wrapped in foil in a paper bag to take with you. They’re simple, affordable, filling, and delicious—all components of a perfect breakfast.
There are also varieties of breakfast tacos out there beyond the standard three-ingredient numbers. Migas, a combination of crispy tortilla shards, pico de gallo, and scrambled eggs, are a popular breakfast taco filling. Many people enjoy carne guisada, a long-simmered beef stew, as a breakfast taco option. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll find some places with machacado on the menu—an air-dried beef that lends a savory funk to your scrambled egg taco.
This recipe is for a simple classic: potato, bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast tacos. Paired with an equally simple red salsa, these really hit the spot and are quick and easy to make. Depending how hungry you are, you might make 1 or 2 tacos per person. And if you’re feeling fancy, diced avocado or chopped cilantro are nice additions as well. Once you’ve got this version down, you’ll be well on your way to figuring out your own favorite breakfast taco combination.
- The colder your bacon is, the easier it will be to chop—pull it straight from the refrigerator when prepping your ingredients.
- While you can warm your tortillas in the microwave, heating them on the stove gives them a much better texture.
- If you have a gas stove, you can warm the tortillas directly over a low flame instead of a pan.
- To make your breakfast tacos truly special, serve them with diced avocado and roughly chopped cilantro.
“We ate these breakfast tacos for dinner. They were so delicious! You can make the salsa as chunky or smooth, or as mild or hot as you like. It was the perfect topping for the taco ingredients. I added scallions as a garnish.” —Diana Andrews
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, coarsely chopped, optional*
- 1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce)can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 small lime)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, coarsely chopped
- 2 small waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice, about 1 cup
- Fine salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 4 (7- to 9-inch) flour tortillas
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Gather the ingredients.
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Add the jalapeño, if using, onion, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, lime, and salt to a blender or food processor. Process until slightly chunky, or to your liking. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
*Note: if you are spice sensitive, remove the seeds and veins from the jalapeño before blending, or omit altogether.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
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Gather the ingredients.
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Line a plate with paper towels. In a large nonstick skillet with a lid, sauté the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and just beginning to crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to the prepared plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat and reserve.
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Add the potatoes to the skillet along with a large pinch each of salt and black pepper. Sauté until the potato is cooked through and browned nicely, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the potato to the plate with the bacon. There should be a little fat left in the pan for cooking the eggs. If the pan is dry, add a couple teaspoons of the reserved bacon fat.
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Pour the eggs into the pan along with a large pinch each of salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are set but still slightly wet-looking, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
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Use a spatula to form the eggs into 4 equal oblong shapes that will fit nicely in the tortillas. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese over the top of each portion of eggs and let sit, covered, while you warm the tortillas through. The heat from the eggs and the pan will melt the cheese.
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In another dry skillet, warm the tortillas over medium heat until slightly puffed, about 20 seconds on each side.
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Fill each tortilla with one egg and cheese portion, top with 1/4 of the bacon crumbles and 1/4 of the diced potatoes. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Serve hot with the salsa.
The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
These tacos should be eaten right after they’re made, but you can keep leftover salsa refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Instead of bacon, use cooked Mexican chorizo.
- Fill the tacos with migas instead of plain scrambled eggs.
- Substitute your preferred cheese, such as Monterey Jack or queso Oaxaca, for the cheddar.
- Use your favorite salsa, whether store-bought or homemade. Salsa verde is a great option.
Tacos de Canasta
