Quick, Easy & Affordable Gourmet Taco Bar Ideas

Have you ever met anyone who doesn't love tacos? I certainly haven't, which is why a taco bar is ideal for summer gatherings and events! Not only will your guests adore you for it, but the fact that all of the toppings can be prepared well ahead of time makes for easy hosting. It's also a great way to take advantage of some of the beautiful seasonal fruits and veggies that are abundant this time of year, plus it's a super fun way to make sure everyone gets exactly what they want!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to a taco bar, yet most people can't think beyond the basics like tomatoes, salsa, cheese, and sour cream. While these are all delicious, and, in my humble opinion, necessary, I'm going to show you some alternative topping ideas to transform your taco bar into a gourmet dining experience!

But first, a word on meat/filling. While there's absolutely nothing wrong with a good old fashioned ground beef taco, I highly encourage you to try some of these alternatives to take your taco experience to the next level:

• Shredded/pulled pork

• Shredded/pulled chicken

• Fish (cod, salmon, halibut, tuna, or prawns all work great! Cook it how you normally would before incorporating into the tacos)

• Roast vegetable medley (sweet potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, and eggplant all work wonderfully!)

• Steak

I recommend adding a bit of chili powder, onion powder, lime juice, sea salt, and cilantro to any of these items during the cooking process to really enhance the flavour.

Now, onto the toppings!

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Some of my favourite taco bar toppings - pick and choose what works for you!

• Fresh Pico de Gallo - click the button below to see my recipe :)

Pico de Gallo

• Fresh fruit salsa - just swap out the tomatoes for the fruit of your choosing in my Pico de Gallo recipe above

• Fresh fruit (pineapple & mangoes work beautifully here!)

• Pickled red onions or shallots - these are so easy to make and only take about 5 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes to pickle! There are so many recipes out there, most involving heating up a combination of vinegar and sugar, and pouring the mixture over the sliced red onions. I highly encourage you to give it a try!

• Specialty sour creams/yogurt drizzles - try making different flavours of sour creams and yogurts by mixing in some lime juice & zest, some chipotle sauce, or chili powder

• Bean medley - get a can of mixed beans, drain & rise them, and then toss with a bit of lime juice, sea seat, and cilantro

• Fresh herbs - it doesn't all end with cilantro! Fresh mint, and other herbs (especially if they're home grown) are real crowd pleasers

• Sprouts and/or microgreens - extremely healthy and a great alternative to boring old lettuce

• Sliced radishes - fresh or pickled

• Sliced cucumbers

• Roasted jalapenos

• Fresh Limes/Lime Juice

• Avocado slices/fresh guacamole

• Mexican rice

• Coleslaw/broccoli slaw - yet another thing that is enhanced with a drizzle of fresh lime juice, pinch of sea salt, and dash of cilantro