TacosEasyFree

Crispy Tuna Tacos (Tacos Dorados de Atún)

Name: Crispy Tuna Tacos (Tacos Dorados de Atún)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 tins Canned tuna (in water, drained); 12 Corn tortillas (small); 0.5 White onion (finely chopped); 0.5 bunch Fresh cilantro; 300 ml Vegetable oil (for deep-frying); 1 Avocado (sliced, for serving)

30 min (15 prep + 15 cook) Easy 4 servings Centro

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 29, 2026 · Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Corn tortillas filled with seasoned canned tuna, fried until crispy, with lettuce, cream and salsa.

About this recipe

Crispy tuna tacos are one of the most popular and economical antojitos in central Mexico: corn tortillas filled with canned tuna mixed with serrano chile, onion and cilantro, folded and deep-fried until golden and crunchy like little taquitos. Served on a bed of shredded lettuce or cabbage, with sour cream, grated cheese, green or red salsa, and sliced avocado. These are everyday food in millions of Mexican households - quick, affordable and utterly delicious.

History & Origin

The fried taco - also called taquito in the north and in the Mexican-American community - has roots in pre-Hispanic central Mexican cooking, where folded and fried tortillas were a way to preserve and use up maize. The tuna filling is a 20th-century adaptation, when canned tuna arrived in Mexican markets in the 1940s and 1950s as affordable, protein-rich food. The combination of tuna, chile and cilantro in a fried tortilla became a classic of local diners and neighbourhood taquerías, particularly in Mexico City, Puebla and Veracruz.

Estimated cost

$6.50

Total cost

$1.60

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

360

Calories

20g

Protein

38g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

Fiber

520mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Drain the tuna and flake into a bowl. Mix with very finely chopped white onion, diced serrano chile (seeds removed for less heat), cilantro, salt and a few drops of lime juice.
💡 Taste the filling before stuffing the tortillas - it should have a bright lime flavour and mild heat.
2
Warm the tortillas on a damp griddle or in steam until pliable. Place a spoonful of tuna filling in the centre of each tortilla, fold and secure with a cocktail stick.
💡 The tortillas must be properly warm or they will crack when folded.
3
Heat oil in a skillet to 170°C. Fry the folded taquitos in batches, 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and remove the cocktail sticks.
💡 Keep the oil at a steady temperature - if it smokes, lower the heat.
4
Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce or cabbage. Top with sour cream, grated cheese, sliced avocado and green or red salsa to taste.
💡 Can be made in batches and kept warm in an oven at 100°C until ready to serve.