18 Authentic Mexican Recipes with Potatoes
No more boring potato! You’re going to love these scrumptious and authentic Mexican recipes with potatoes. From simple side dishes to hearty meals, I’ve got Mexican potato dishes everyone will love.
Mexican Potato Recipes
Papas is the Mexican Spanish word for potatoes.
This starchy root vegetable is incredibly delicious but also super versatile. It’s quite the popular and common ingredient in traditional Mexican food.
We love papas in Mexican cuisine. And we combine them with herbs, spices, seasonings, chiles, other vegetables, with creamy sauces and salsas too. The possibilities are endless.
From potato tacos to papas a la Mexicana, and everything in between these delicious recipe roundup has something for everyone!
Check them out and don’t forget to leave me a comment or tag me on social media to let me know which one of my Mexican potatoes recipe you made.
1. Crispy Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa Dorados)
Tacos de papa are among the most popular Mexican potato recipes. These are flavorful crispy tacos stuffed with seasoned mashed potatoes then deep fried to crunchy perfection. Topped with shredded iceberg lettuce, crumbled cheese, smooth tomato salsa and creamy Mexican sour cream.
Traditionally a vegetarian dish that can easily be made vegan.
2. Potato and Chorizo Pambazos
Pambazos are a type of Mexican torta (sandwich) where the bread is dipped in a mild guajillo salsa then lightly fried. They are stuffed with chorizo and potatoes, lettuce, crema, and salsa verde.
Traditionally pork chorizo is used but you can use soy chorizo and make the pambazos either vegetarian or vegan.
3. Mexican Potatoes (Papas A La Mexicana)
Mexican potatoes or papas a la Mexicana is a very budget friendly and flavorful recipe. It can be served as a healthy side dish or used as a filling for tacos, breakfast burritos, burritos, gorditas and even quesadillas.
Traditionally a vegan recipe. If eating these at a restaurant double check the potatoes weren’t cooked in lard.
4. Enchiladas Michoacanas (Red Enchiladas)
Enchiladas Michoacanas (also called enchiladas mineras) are red salsa enchiladas filled with chopped onion and queso fresco, then topped with fried potato and carrots, lettuce and sour cream.
Traditionally a vegetarian dish because both dairy sour cream and cheese are used. But you can easily swap for dairy free to make it a plant-based enchiladas recipe.
5. Chorizo con Papas
Mexican chorizo is a crumbly, mild sausage made with herbs, spices and red chiles. It’s quite popular in Mexico and often paired with potatoes. Chorizo con papas can be a taco filling; used for stuffing burritos, quesadillas, gorditas or tortas.
Traditionally chorizo is made with pork but this recipe uses vegan chorizo.
6. Enfrijoladas with Potatoes
Enfrijoladas are like enchiladas except they have a creamy bean sauce instead of a chile salsa. This is an easy to make meal plus budget friendly too.
Traditionally enfrijoladas can be filled with shredded chicken. This recipe is vegan and made with potatoes and collard greens.
7. Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo and Potatoes
This is a popular breakfast and a great way to use up leftover chorizo con papas when you have any. This recipe would also make a great filling for breakfast burritos.
For a vegetarian version use soyrizo with eggs and for vegan use either tofu egg or Just Egg.
8. Albondigas Soup
Albondigas are Mexican meatballs and this hearty sopa de albondigas is a delicious way to try them. Loaded with veggies, one of them being potatoes, this soup is perfect to warm up on a cold day.
Mexican meatballs are normally made with ground beef, my recipe uses lentils. I used egg to bind the albondigas but you can omit or swap for a vegan option.
9. Potato and Spinach Tacos
These soft shell tacos are simple yet bursting with delicious flavors. Pair with your favorite homemade salsa for a quick and easy lunch.
This is a vegan recipe.
10. Verdolagas con Papas
Verdolagas is the Spanish word for purslane. In Mexico we cook them in either green or red salsa. Often times they are made with pork for a main dish.
This is a plant-based verdolagas recipe.
11. Mexican Roasted Potatoes
Perfectly roasted potatoes with Mexican spices make the best side dish to countless dishes. You can cook in the oven or air fryer.
This is a vegan recipe.
12. Chicharron en Salsa Verde
I love adding potatoes to my chicharron in salsa verde. Not everyone does this but I love the combination. Traditionally chicharron is pork crackling, but I use a soy-based chicharron.
This is a plant-based recipe.
13. Ensalada de Pollo
Creamy Mexican chicken salad is made with several different chopped vegetables – one of them being potatoes. It’s a super easy meal to make and incredibly easy to make fully plant based.
This is a plant-based recipe but can be made vegetarian using regular mayonnaise.
14. Huevo con Papas
Scrambled eggs with potatoes is one of the simplest yet most flavorful Mexican breakfasts. Serve with some refried beans, warm corn tortillas, and salsa for a scrumptious meal.
Use eggs for vegetarian version or tofu scramble for vegan version.
15. Braised Oyster Mushrooms and Potatoes in Red Salsa
This is a plant-based take on a Mexican stew traditionally made with beef strips. It’s a hearty meal that’s so full of flavor no one will miss the meat.
Vegan recipe.
16. Papas a la Diabla (Spicy Potatoes)
Fiery little baby potatoes cooked in a “deviled” salsa made with red chilies. This can be enjoyed as an appetizer or side dish.
17. Tortitas de Papa
Small crispy potato patties served in a mild tomato salsa is a very popular dish particularly during the Lenten season. The recipe link is to a vegan recipe by my friend Alex of Chocolate and Avocados.
18. Mexican Picadillo con Papas
Picadillo is minced meat cooked in a light tomato broth with potatoes, carrots and sometimes other vegetables. It’s a very easy meal to make and also budget friendly.
This recipe is vegan.
If you’re in the mood for something sweet do check out my Mexican Desserts Perfect for Valentine’s Day.
What Did I Forget?
Are there a Mexican potato dishes that you didn’t see on the list but would love a recipe for?
Leave me a comment letting me know what it is and I’ll get working on it as soon as I can.
Nancy Lopez is a food blogger and author of the cookbook Mexican Tamales Made Meatless. Born in Mexico, raised in the US, and currently living in Southern Mexico, she has followed a meatless diet for almost 10 years. It is her passion and mission to share all she has learned about vegan Mexican cooking and vegetarian Mexican recipes. Mexican Made Meatless is a blog dedicated to preserving the authentic flavors of Mexican cuisine just without the meat. It’s a place to celebrate Mexican culture and all it’s delightfully delicious traditional foods. Read more…
Mexican Dish of Potatoes and Spinach i think with a lite tomato sauce?
Oh that would be quite delicious! Thank you for the suggestion, Norma. 🙂