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Hosting a taco bar is a fun and delicious way to entertain guests. Learn how to set up the best taco bar with these easy and tasty recipes for every element, from the taco shells to all of the toppings.

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Image of a variety of toppings including shredded lettuce, lime wedges, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa verde, salsa, pickled jalapeno, and tortillas

table of contents

plan the easiest taco bar

When it comes to planning a party, we are all about making it easy on the host, without lacking an flavor or wow-factor. A taco bar is the go-to crowd-pleaser that we serve up whenever we have people coming over.

The golden rule is making sure you as the host don’t get stuck in the kitchen, missing out on all the fun while you have to cook. So, we opt for a hands-on experience for our guests whenever we can!

A taco bar is always a favorite. Who doesn’t love a taco, after all?

The best part of a taco bar party is that you can make everything ahead of time, leaving you free to enjoy your time with guests and enjoying the food yourself! It’s a fiesta that everyone will love and you’ll be ask to host again and again.

Let’s dive into the whole process, from start to finish.

bowl of slow cooked Mexican meat with toppings

the main event… the meat!

The meat is the main event! You can make whatever type of meat you like, from shredded chicken to pulled pork to ground beef. You can even opt to make a meatless option like tempeh, mushrooms, or lentils to be the hearty base of the taco.

We like to make way too much meat since you can freeze leftovers easily (more details on that in a minute). Usually that means a big package of chicken from Costco, but you could even make a couple types of meat ahead of time to provide variety.

Here’s some of our favorite taco meat recipes to make:

Shredded beef
Chipotle chicken
Chicken tinga
Tequila lime pulled pork
Al pastor pork
BBQ shredded short ribs (a fun departure from the classic taco meat recipes!)
Roasted squash and black beans (vegetarian)
Grilled steak, grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, or grilled fish
Jackfruit is another vegetarian option!

Want to keep it classic? Whip up some shredded chicken with our chicken taco seasoning.

how much taco meat should I make per person?

Plan on about 2 tacos per person. Since 1 pound of meat usually makes about 6 to 8 tacos, you’ll need 1 pound of meat for 4 people, 2 pounds of meat for 8 people, etc.

can you freeze cooked taco meat?

Yes, you can freeze any leftover cooked taco meat! If you are serving a smaller group, double the meat and reserve half of it to freeze for a later date. You can pull it out for another taco bar party, or meal prep for lunches for the week!

Be sure to cool the meat to room temperature prior to freeze. Freeze in an airtight bag for up to 2 months. We recommend using a vacuum sealer to tightly seal the meat and keep it fresher for longer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as desired before putting together your tacos.

shredded cheese in a bowl with lime wedges

taco bar toppings

There are lots of things you can have on your taco bar! Below is a list of everything we can think of including in your spread:

Shells and tortillas – Don’t stick to just one type of tortilla! There’s corn, soft, hard, tortilla, etc. Add a variety to choose from!
Cheeses – have a couple different types. We really like shredded Mexican cheese and crumbled cojita cheese.
Salsa – chunky salsa, salsa verde, grilled pineapple salsa, avocado salsa, mango salsa, whatever kind of salsa you like! Have a couple different kinds for variety.
Guacamole
Sour cream
Shredded lettuce
Diced onion – white onion, yellow onion, or red onion!
Chopped tomatoes
Queso
Sliced jalapeños
Pickled red onions
Pickled jalapeños
Sliced avocado
Sliced radishes
Diced mango
Diced pineapple
Fried onions
Tortilla strips
Lime wedges
Chopped cilantro
Variety of hot sauces

Bowls of chopped mango, pineapple, avocado, sour cream, salsa verde, and pickled jalapeno slices and corn tortillas

taco bar must-haves

When it comes to equipment for a taco bar party, there are a few things that will make your life a lot easier. The first is bowls and serving utensils. You’ll need this for all the various toppings so guests can easily top their tacos with their favorite ingredients.

To serve the meat, a slow cooker or Instant Pot set to the Warm setting will keep proteins warm throughout the party. You could also use a chaffing dish for the meat, as well as side dishes like rice and beans.

taco bar setup

When you are laying out all of the food for the taco bar party, think about the order that people will go in. Here’s our suggested order:

Plates, napkins, and utensils
Tortillas and hard taco shells
Meat
Beans and rice
Any additional sides you plan to serve
Taco toppings – group the together to make it easy for guests to choose! Have the cheeses grouped together, the vegetables, the fruit, the dips, and then the garnish.

Don’t forget to have a separate area for a drink station to provide non-alcoholic and alcoholic options for your guests.

fresh berry cocktail with tequila and lime in a glass

Orange slices garnishing tequila cocktails image

taco bar extras

Don’t forget the side dishes! You can serve up mexican rice, cilantro-lime rice, black beans, pinto beans, grilled corn salad, chips, dips, refried beans, fried Mexican potatoes, salads, charred corn, and even quesadillas on the side to make the meal more well rounded.

When it comes to cocktails, we are always a fan of a margarita when pairing them with tacos. Here are some of our favorite margarita recipes that are easy to make in a big batch for a party:

If you love a classic margarita, try the perfect margarita (with a surprise ingredient!), a Texas margarita, or a lemon agave margarita (for when you run out of limes).

For a unique twist, try an easy limeade margarita or a chili lime margarita!

If you like a fruity margarita, you can enjoy a blueberry margarita, passion fruit margarita, spicy mango margarita, raspberry margarita, cranberry margarita, or clementine mezcal margarita.

Bowls full of different salsas, vegetables, cheeses, dips, and tortillas

Finally, if you find this taco bar party planning guide helpful, please be sure to share this post or leave a comment! Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them. I do take the time to respond to every single comment!

Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make any of the recipes mentioned in this post! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!