# Recommend a side dish for taco night **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036 "2019-06-25T15:00:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/1 "2019-06-25T15:00:54Z")
What do you folks recommend as a side dish to serve with my tacos this evening. Tacos, in this case, will be ground beef and envelope-bound taco seasoning served with crunchy and soft shells, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, cheese, and the like. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/2 "2019-06-25T15:02:42Z")
Frijoles con queso. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/3 "2019-06-25T15:03:50Z")
We do a side of refried beans with chopped green onions. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/4 "2019-06-25T15:10:14Z")
Corn and black bean salad with chipotle mayonnaise dressing. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/5 "2019-06-25T15:13:30Z")
When we do taco night we have refried beans and Spanish rice\* as sides, and sometimes steam a bag of Mexican-style mixed vegetables. - I prefer the Mahatma brand Spanish rice, but my wife likes the Zatarain’s, so we usually alternate. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/6 "2019-06-25T15:17:16Z")
Rice and beans Tostones “Street corn” Though if it were me, that would probably all end up in the tacos. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/7 "2019-06-25T15:18:33Z")
[Brazilian Baked Black Beans](http://mantias.blogspot.com/2007/02/brazillian-baked-black-beans.html) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/8 "2019-06-25T15:25:34Z")
Pico de gallo ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/9 "2019-06-25T15:36:23Z")
[Cowboy Caviar](https://www.spendwithpennies.com/cowboy-caviar/) in any one of its many manifestations. ---
**Author:** ![BrianDime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@BrianDime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianDime)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/10 "2019-06-25T15:40:02Z")
Look up “elote salad” for a delicious option. Also, this sounds great: > **[Quick Curtido (Salvadoran Cabbage Slaw) Recipe](https://www.seriouseats.com/quick-curtido-mexican-cabbage-slaw-recipe)** > > What sauerkraut is to a dog and kimchi is to a Korean pancake, curtido is to a variety of Latin American dishes. Traditional curtido is prepared days in advance of when it'll be eaten, enabling it to develop a fermented tang. This shortcut version is... ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/11 "2019-06-25T15:43:39Z")
More tacos! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/12 "2019-06-25T16:10:26Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > [Cowboy Caviar](https://www.spendwithpennies.com/cowboy-caviar/) in any one of its many manifestations. Oh my gosh, that looks amazing! Definitely going to make that. On the other hand, I do think **silenus** is on to something… ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/13 "2019-06-25T17:21:02Z")
Sides? > [@silenus](#): > > More tacos! That’s more like it. Just have enough different toppings, so that everyone can make what they like. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/14 "2019-06-25T17:32:01Z")
Another vote for more tacos. But when eating out and another taco would just create killer gas, I go with rice and refries. I mix them up and … yum. (Of course I have to first peel off the glue on top of the beans. That’s not cheese!) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/15 "2019-06-25T17:48:48Z")
Chili rellenos. Guacamole is a must, also. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/16 "2019-06-25T18:07:26Z")
Nachos? Can you get good fresh Mexican chorizo? If it’s not being used for taco filling itself, I like to mix that into canned refried beans, then serve with lime and sour cream or cotija cheese. Seek beans made with lard. Don’t forget cilantro for my tacos! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/17 "2019-06-25T18:14:14Z")
Cilantro rice: Cook white or brown rice, as you would. Don’t forget the salt. Add finely chopped jalapeno and generous amount of finely chopped cilantro while rice still hot. Sometimes I add a bit of fresh chopped mint as well. If you hate cilantro, you can substitute parsley and/or some fresh dill. Just don’t be shy with the greens. It has to be herb forward. Serve with lime wedges. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/18 "2019-06-25T18:22:57Z")
Wow… some great ideas in here; thank you! There’s so much goodness in here that I’m not sure what to go with, but the elote salad is intriguing. I was planning to have lots of pico prepared (the family loves it), but I may try that Cowboy Caviar to change things up a bit. And certainly more tacos 😃 I usually have fresh, homemade creme fraiche to accompany our Mexican dishes, but we’ll just sour-cream it this evening. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/19 "2019-06-25T18:23:00Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > We do a side of refried beans with chopped green onions. Yup, with a bit of crumbled Oaxaca cheese. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036/20 "2019-06-25T19:40:41Z")
You can make the Cowboy Caviar with either bean. Personally I prefer one can of black beans, but the black-eyed peas are more traditional. Backing off on the beans by 50% lightens the dish considerably. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-side-dish-for-taco-night/836036.md?page=2)