This recipe for tacos de canasta(tacos in a basket), is quick and easy version and adapted from a traditional recipe. As a kid, during the summer, I remember riding with my dad on day trips. Most of these trips were for hours at a time. I have the most vivid memory of us enjoying lunch out of his black Stanley lunch box. My Mom would pack homemade tacos, carefully stacked and wrapped in foil paper and a kitchen towel to keep them warm.
It really is the simple dishes that we will remember forever
Those simple tacos mom prepared remind me of tacos de canasta (tacos in a basket). Also known as tacos sudados, years back the women in Mexico, would prepare assorted tacos stacked in a basket that was lined with a plastic bag and paper, then covered to keep them warm. Many times, they would have to travel for a distance before selling these wonderful homemade tacos. The tacos were usually filled with potatoes or beans, foods that could hold up at room temperature for long periods of time. This is a lighter homecooked version of the popular tacos de canasta.
Are you up for a challenge?
If you can find a good quality corn tortilla for this recipe, that would shorten the time of the recipe. But there is nothing that can replace the delicious corn flavor from preparing your own fresh corn tortillas. Some of you may be lucky enough to go to the local Mexican market or tortilla factory for fresh masa, even better! On this day, I had just prepared some Cilantro Lime Corn Tortillas. They worked out great!
My salsa of choice for this version of tacos de canasta is Avocado Salsa with jalapeños instead of the habanero in the original recipe.
Any of the more mild dried pepper varieties can be used for this recipe.
Besides potato and cheese, some of the other popular fillings would be beans, potato, chicharron prensado and nopalitos.
The picture above is from the first time I prepared tacos de canasta. Since then, I have learned more about how they are prepared. You can see the difference in the picture below. I had some homemade cilantro infused corn tortillas, so I used those. The tacos below are filled with my recipe for Chile Con Carne y Papas. Garnished with Chiles en Vinagre.
Tacos de Canasta filled with Chile Potatoes & Cheese
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 large poblano pepper previously roasted
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing tortillas
- 2 large white potatoes peeled and sliced into 1/2 cubes (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 cup white onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 guajillo peppers
- 4 cups water
- 1 to 2 chipotlés in adobo depending on heat level
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups chihuahua or jack cheese shredded
For Tacos
- 10-12 corn tortillas
- avocado or canola oil
- 1 medium white onion sliced thin
- parchment paper
- large plastic bag
For Garnish
- 2 roma tomatoes sliced or diced
- 3 cups lettuce or cabbage shredded
- 1 cup salsa homemade or store bought
- jalapeños in escabeche
Instructions
Directions
- Preheat broiler to high for 5 minutes. Add poblano pepper to baking sheet and cook under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from broiler, cover with kitchen towel and let cool.
- In a large skillet, preheat the oil to medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook for a good 8 to 10 minutes, stirring as needed.
- While the potatoes cook, remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo peppers and tear them into smaller pieces. Transfer to a sauce pan of simmering water. Cook 8 minutes. Remove from and let the peppers steep and cool slightly.
- Add the onions and garlic to the potatoes and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Peel the blistered skin from poblano pepper, remove stem and seeds and dice. Add the poblano to potato mixture.
- Drain the guajillo peppers and transfer to the blender. Add chipotles, cumin, and chicken broth. Blend on high until smooth and pour into the potato mixture. Stir well to combine, taste for salt and continue cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes or until sauce reduces.
For Tacos
- Preheat a large comal or skillet to medium heat. Brush the corn tortillas on one side with oil. Lay them, oil side down onto hot comal. At the same time, add 1/2 cup of oil to a small sauce pan and heat to medium.
- Fill one half of tortillas with filling and some cheese. After 15 seconds, fold tortilla close to form a taco. Continue cooking until tortillas just soften on both sides. Add half of the onions to the bottom of pot lined with paper. Transfer the filled tacos to the pot on top of onions.
- After all your tacos are filled layer them in the pot lined with paper. Add remaining onions to the top of tacos. Carefully spoon on the hot oil over the top over onions and tacos. It should sizzle a littel bit. Fold in the sections of paper to cover tacos completely. Ad a few more folded sections of paper, then a kitchen towel. Cover pot with lid and place into a large plastic bag. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish tacos with softened onions and fresh garnishes.
Notes
Reader Interactions
Comments
Would Love to Hear From You
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
You have great recipes. Thank You
Thank you Trini!!
Why do you have to keep them in the pan and put in plastic bag and wait 30 min before serving
Ileana, it’s just one of those traditional Mexican dishes. I don’t know if I could explain clearly why they do this. I know that the oil poured in helps finish cooking the tortillas and gives them a better texture. And the 30 minutes steaming in the layers of paper and the plastic bag make them softer. The original tacos de canasta were sold by ladies carrying baskets on the streets in Mexico. One of the most original street foods.