Crispy smashed and lightly charred potatoes tucked into warm corn tortillas with a bright crunchy cabbage-carrot slaw, tangy lime crema, and crumbled cotija for salty finish.
Smash-and-Sear Potato Tacos with Bright Cabbage Slaw
Crispy, charred potato discs meet a crunchy lime-forward slaw and cool crema for a weeknight taco that’s all texture and tang.
These tacos are the answer when you want something hearty and unexpected but don’t want to deep-fry or fuss. Yukon Golds are the quiet hero here—their slightly waxy flesh holds together when parboiled and smashed, then rewards you with a tender center and lots of golden, crunchy edges when seared. Using corn tortillas with a quick warm-char keeps the build light and a little smoky, the perfect foil for the potatoes’ pillowy interior.
The technique is pleasingly simple: simmer the potato pieces until just tender, let them steam-dry, then flatten to about 1/3–1/2 inch so every bit gets maximum contact with the pan. Toss the smashed rounds with olive oil, smoked paprika and ground cumin for a warm, savory backbone, then cook in a hot cast iron or grill pan—4–5 minutes per side—to get those deep caramelized bits and a little char.
A crisp slaw of green cabbage, shredded carrot, thinly sliced red onion and chopped cilantro keeps things bright; a squeeze of lime lifts the whole mix. Dot the tacos with a lime crema made from sour cream and mayo for cooling acidity, then finish with crumbled cotija for salty, crumbly contrast. The interplay of crunchy, creamy and tangy is what makes each bite sing.
Practical notes: you can boil the potatoes and toss the slaw up to a day ahead to speed assembly, and work the potatoes in batches so they fry in a single layer. These are ideal for a casual weeknight or a crowd — set out tortillas, potatoes, slaw and toppings (pickled jalapeños, sliced avocado, hot sauce) and let everyone build their perfect taco.
Ingredients
How to Make Grilled Crispy Potato Tacos with Slaw
- Scrub the potatoes and cut any large ones so all pieces are roughly 1.5–2 inches; place in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer until just tender, 10–12 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and let steam-dry a minute, then transfer to a shallow bowl and gently smash each piece with the bottom of a glass or fork to flatten to about 1/3–1/2 inch thickness.
- Toss the smashed potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin so each piece is lightly coated.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; cook the potatoes in a single layer until deeply golden and crispy, 4–5 minutes per side (work in batches if needed).
- While potatoes crisp, make the slaw: finely shred the cabbage, grate the carrot, and combine them with the red onion and chopped cilantro in a bowl; squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the veg and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; toss and set aside.
- Stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, remaining 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, juice of the second lime, and a pinch of salt to make the crema; taste and adjust for brightness or salt.
- Warm the corn tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame until pliable and lightly charred, about 30–60 seconds per side, keeping them wrapped in a towel to stay soft.
- Assemble tacos by placing 2 crispy potato pieces per tortilla (2 tacos per person), topping with a generous handful of slaw, a drizzle of lime crema, and a sprinkle of crumbled cotija; serve immediately with lime wedges.
Recipe Card
Grilled Crispy Potato Tacos with Slaw
Crispy smashed and lightly charred potatoes tucked into warm corn tortillas with a bright crunchy cabbage-carrot slaw, tangy lime crema, and crumbled cotija for salty finish.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes and cut any large ones so all pieces are roughly 1.5–2 inches; place in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer until just tender, 10–12 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and let steam-dry a minute, then transfer to a shallow bowl and gently smash each piece with the bottom of a glass or fork to flatten to about 1/3–1/2 inch thickness.
- Toss the smashed potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin so each piece is lightly coated.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; cook the potatoes in a single layer until deeply golden and crispy, 4–5 minutes per side (work in batches if needed).
- While potatoes crisp, make the slaw: finely shred the cabbage, grate the carrot, and combine them with the red onion and chopped cilantro in a bowl; squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the veg and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; toss and set aside.
- Stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, remaining 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, juice of the second lime, and a pinch of salt to make the crema; taste and adjust for brightness or salt.
- Warm the corn tortillas on a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame until pliable and lightly charred, about 30–60 seconds per side, keeping them wrapped in a towel to stay soft.
- Assemble tacos by placing 2 crispy potato pieces per tortilla (2 tacos per person), topping with a generous handful of slaw, a drizzle of lime crema, and a sprinkle of crumbled cotija; serve immediately with lime wedges.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 58
- Saturated Fat
- 5.8
- Sodium
- 820
- Fiber
- 6
- Unsaturated Fat
- 18
- Protein
- 10
- Fat
- 24
- Cholesterol
- 30
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 466
- Sugar
- 4