12 Things You Should Be Putting On Your Taco, But Aren't

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Tacos are one of America's favorite foods, and that's not really surprising to most — even if their history is. While tacos originated in Mexico, every single state in the United States has great taco offerings. The format of the taco lends itself to endless innovation and creativity, depending on personal tastes and local availability. Even the great classic taco recipes can use a new ingredient or topping from time to time. Making tacos shouldn't be a stressful ordeal, even though there are a few key mistakes you should avoid. 

The next time you are thinking of making tacos, whether it's just for a simple weeknight meal or a gathering of friends, try thinking outside the box. We've rounded up a few surprising things you should put on your taco — toppings that you may not have thought of before. Get ready to take taco night from basic to bangin'!

In Mexico City, there's a legendary Michelin-starred restaurant called Pujol that offers a multi-course taco menu. Chef Enrique Olvera is known for his innovative takes using traditional Mexican ingredients. While we may associate sesame seeds and sesame oil with Asian cooking styles, sesame has been an important part of Mexican cuisine since the seeds were first brought over by the Spaniards, and remains a key ingredient in mole poblano. At Pujol, Chef Enrique dresses a scallop tostada with lemon and sesame oil. A quick drizzle of sesame oil on your next taco could bring a new and interesting flavor. 

Fish and citrus are natural friends of nutty flavors like sesame, so try sesame oil on a fish taco. Toasted sesame oil has a richer, deeper flavor than regular, so look for that if you can find it. Since you are only using a small drizzle, it pays off to spring for the good stuff!

Cocoa nibs (sometimes called cacao nibs) are the dry, crumbled bits of cacao beans. They have all the rich, nutty flavor of chocolate with no sweetness or sugar added. Because of the lack of sugar, they can be enjoyed in sweet and savory applications equally. At famed Southern California restaurant Taco Maria, a confit duck leg dish is served up with date mole, almonds and cocoa nibs. 

The nutty, rich flavor of mole is a natural bridge between fatty duck and the soft tortilla it all gets eaten with. For an easy way to try this at home, braised mole chicken legs are a simple substitution for the confit duck legs. If you can't locate cocoa nibs, some finely chopped unsweetened chocolate could work.

Even though Ruddell's Smokehouse in Cayucos, CA is now closed, locals and tourists alike can still remember their killer smoked salmon, ahi, and albacore tuna tacos. It's important to keep in mind that this isn't cured salmon or lox like you would have on a bagel — here's how to make smoked salmon. Think thick slabs of fresh fish dry rubbed with a mix of salt and brown sugar and lightly smoked. 

Chunks of the hot smoked fish are loaded onto tortillas then topped with tomatoes, lettuce, and an unusual mixture of apples and celery. The sweetness and crunch of the apples and celery go perfectly with the smoky, fatty fish. If you want to try this taco yourself, look for high quality smoked salmon — of course, the fresher the better. You could pair it with a shaved apple and celery slaw like Ruddell's, or experiment with your own toppings. 

A classic topping for sushi, specifically tuna sashimi, is a dollop of spicy mayo. The creamy, spicy texture works great with the salty, clean flavors of great fresh fish. At Takumi Taco in New York City, they take it one step further with a spicy tuna taco. Sashimi-grade big eye tuna is topped with crisp jicama, rich avocado, fresh cucumber and a swathe of spicy mayo. Diners all over the city flock to one of their three locations to try the unique blend of eastern and western flavors.

Want a taste without buying a plane ticket? The easiest way to make spicy mayo at home is to just mix a little bit of mayonnaise with a chili or hot sauce (like Sriracha). And it works really well on a crispy fish taco with a citrus-y cabbage slaw.

Fusion tacos have become a popular culinary adventure in recent times, and one of the newest pairings to hit the streets is the Thai taco. A classic Thai restaurant called Anajak Thai in the San Fernando Valley in Southern California sought to draw a crowd by starting a Thai Taco Tuesday. They drew on their existing expertise in Thai cookery and called on some of their Mexican-born chefs to invent tacos with toppings like fish sauce, marinated ikura, chili oil, and green papaya salad.

If you can't get your hands on crunchy green papaya, any papaya you can find will do. To recreate the same effect, look for firm, unripe papaya. Use a sharp knife to julienne the fruit as thin as possible, then mix it with chopped cilantro and lime juice. The sweet and tart slaw pairs perfectly with smoky, rich taco meats. At Anajak, the papaya salad gets paired with rich braised pork carnitas. At home, it works well with pork, grilled beef, or spicy chicken.

Tex-Mex is a term to describe the specific fusion of flavors that occurs along the Texas border with Mexico. With more than 1,200 miles of shared border, it's no wonder there's a blending of cuisines and cultures in the state. Texas is also known for a long history of ranching that gave way to a rich tradition of hill country barbecue. So, it's not too surprising that someone thought to blend barbecue with Mexican food. There's a lot of overlap in ingredients and techniques between barbecue and traditional Mexican cuisine. 

Braised and wood-fired meats get topped with smoky sweet sauce. Is barbecue sauce really so different from mole? Family recipes for either are preciously guarded and both feature a blend of regional ingredients cooked low and slow. For a fun alternative on taco night, try topping your grilled or slow-cooked meat with tangy barbecue sauce. A crunchy cabbage slaw and a nicely charred tortilla complete the whole dish.