Oven Fried Vegan Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa)

These Oven Fried Vegan Potato Tacos are corn tortillas stuffed with mashed potatoes and served with guacamole, cashew sour cream, green-chili salsa, shredded cabbage, and vegan cheese! They’re the perfect, healthier alternative to the traditional deep fried Mexican tacos de papa version! Ready in 30 minutes and only 3 ingredients required!

I love creating recipes that repurpose leftovers and these tacos certainly do not disappoint. Super creamy, cheesy, hearty and absolutely delicious loaded with all of the best toppings. Great for leftover Thanksgiving or holiday mashed potatoes!

They also require minimal dishes, ingredients and just minutes to pop them in the oven, making them the perfect weeknight 30 Minute Vegan Meal!

Why Try These Vegan Potato Tacos?

• Naturally vegan, gluten free, and nut free!
• Brushing the corn tortillas with oil and baking makes them extra crispy without the need to deep fry!
• These tacos are very customizable! Feel free to use flour tortillas or add in your favorite vegan meat substitute, like chorizo or sofritas.
• Quickly steaming the tortillas in the microwave prevents them from tearing when folding without adding more than a couple of minutes to prep time to the meal.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• mashed potatoes – I always use my Almond Milk Mashed Potatoes recipe, but any mashed potatoes recipe will do.
• corn tortillas – I like using these thicker corn tortillas, but any tortilla will work, including flour or even grain-free tortillas. Note, however, that the thinner the tortilla, the quicker they will get crispy.
• oil – Essential to getting these tacos extra crispy in the oven! I recommend avocado oil or a comparable neutral oil.
• chives (optional) – Addition to the mashed potatoes to give them a slight, garlicky-onion bite!
• vegan cheese shreds (optional) – Any vegan cheese will do, or my homemade vegan mozzarella from my Vegan Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats recipe would also work great here.

Step By Step Instructions

1. Make the mashed potatoes, if not using leftover mashed potatoes. Then, mix the chives and cheese into the mashed potatoes, if desired.

2. Steam the tortillas. This is essential to making the tortillas pliable to prevent the tortillas from ripping when folding. The quickest way to do this is to wrap the tortilla in a damp, clean tea towel and microwaving for 1 minute, or until very warm and flexible.
   
   If you don’t have a microwave, wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and bake them at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until warm and flexible.

3. Add about ⅓ cup of mashed potatoes to the warm tortilla and fold. The mashed potatoes should stick easily to the tortilla and be easy to lie flat on the baking sheet. Continue process until all mashed potatoes are used (about 8 tacos).
   
   TIP: I like to add the mashed potatoes with a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop. Makes it easy, uniform, and less messy!

4. Brush the tacos liberally with oil on both sides (or alternatively spray with cooking spray) then bake for 17-20 minutes, flipping half way through.

5. Serve immediately with any desired toppings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to warm up my leftover mashed potatoes before using? No! These tacos bake at a high enough temperature to warm the mashed potatoes through as well as crisp up the taco shells.

I don’t have an oven. Can I pan fry these potato tacos? Yes, these tacos can be pan fried. Instead of brushing the tacos with oil, heat the oil in the pan and fry the tacos in batches until golden and crispy. With this method, I would also heat the mashed potatoes ahead of time to ensure they are warmed through completely.

Can I make these tacos ahead of time? Unfortunately, no. These tacos are really best fresh and should be prepared right before enjoying.

Can I make these tacos oil free? Yes, you can make these tacos oil free by skipping the oil. Note that they will be significantly less crispy, but still delicious!

Tips for Success

• Don’t overstuff the tacos. If overstuffed, the mashed potatoes may not heat through and a lot of the filling will spill out when baking.
• Use my bake time as a rough estimate. If you’re using a thin tortilla, the bake time may be a lot shorter so keep an eye on your tacos and pull from the oven when golden and crispy to the touch.
• Allow the tacos to cool for 5 minutes before serving. The tortillas will continue to get crispy as they cool, ensuring the best crunch!

Serve with the Following Ideas

These tacos are fairly hearty on their own, but here are a few side ideas to serve alongside:

• Copycat Chipotle Black Beans
• Oil Free Refried Beans
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Fajita Veggies
• Silken Tofu Scrambled Eggs (for vegan breakfast tacos!)

More Mexican Inspired Vegan Dinners

• Vegetarian Green Chili Stew
• Beer Braised Jackfruit Enchiladas
• Slow Cooker Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos with Mango Salsa
• Savory Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins

This recipe was originally published June 2, 2020 and has been updated on August 3, 2021 with new photos, ingredient notes, step by step instructions with photos, FAQs, tips and more. The recipe remains the same.