Long celebrated in many forms since its origins in 1862, Cinco De Mayo is a time for coming together with friends and family to enjoy each other's company—and delicious food. Literally translating to '5th of May', this celebration of Mexican heritage is right around the corner, and there's no better way to honour it than with some delicious Mexican fare.
We've partnered with Cholula Hot Sauce to bring you some fresh flavours grounded in traditional techniques, with three spicy taco recipes to enjoy with your nearest and dearest. Inspired by generations-old recipes and crafted with decades of authentic knowledge, Cholula is made with a blend of native árbol, piquín peppers and an array of regional spices—perfect for adding a kick to each of these easy-to-make tacos. We know 5 May lands on a Friday this year, but who said tacos can only be eaten on Tuesdays? Not us!
Spicy Prawn Tacos With Coriander Lime Slaw
Dial up taco night with these easy prawn tacos. Tossed in the smooth heat of Cholula Hot Sauce, spicy prawns are loaded into warm tortillas with a tangy coriander lime slaw and a drizzle of spicy cream for the ultimate combination of flavour, texture, and heat.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes 8
Ingredients
- ½ cup Cholula Original Hot Sauce
- 5 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, divided
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tsp agave nectar (or golden syrup)
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh coriander, divided
- 600g jumbo green prawns (16 to 20 count), peeled and deveined
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 8 regular size corn or flour tortillas
- ½ cup (125 g) queso fresco or feta cheese
Method
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Mix the Cholula Hot Sauce and 3 tablespoons of lime juice in a small bowl until well blended. Transfer half of the mixture to another small bowl; add sour cream, stirring to mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Reserve the remaining hot sauce mixture for prawns.
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Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the agave in a large bowl. Add cabbage, red onion and ¼ cup of coriander, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Season prawns evenly with salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the prawns, turning once, until pink. Remove the prawns from the heat and transfer them to a bowl. Add reserved hot sauce mixture, tossing to coat.
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Toast or grill tortillas for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until lightly charred. Build your tacos with a bed of slaw and top with the prawns. Drizzle with sour cream mixture and garnish with queso fresco and remaining chopped coriander. Serve with additional Cholula Hot Sauce, if desired.
Hot Tips
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BBQ your prawns for a delicious grilled flavour. Thread your prawns onto skewers and grill over medium to high heat until pink, turning once and brushing with the hot sauce mixture.
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When using corn tortillas, they’re easier to serve and a little sturdier when doubled up. Simply double the number of tortillas and layer 2 together for each taco.
Slow-Cooked Spicy Tacos
Made from scratch with Cholula Original Hot Sauce and spices, these tacos are an easy dish to make for parties or Taco Tuesday.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5-8 hours
Makes 12
Ingredients
Tacos
- 1.5kg boneless, beef chuck steak
- ⅓ cup Cholula Original Hot Sauce
- 2 tbsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp oregano leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- juice of 1 lime
- 24 corn tortillas, warmed
- crumbled feta cheese, to serve
- chopped avocado, to serve
Radish Salad
- 4 medium radishes, thinly sliced
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
Method
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Place beef in a slow cooker. Mix Cholula Original Hot Sauce, herbs, spices, seasonings, and lime juice in a small bowl. Pour over the beef in the slow cooker and cover with lid.
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Cook for 8 hours on low or 5 hours on high or until tender and easy to shred. Remove beef and shred using 2 forks. Skim fat from cooking liquid and discard. Return beef to slow cooker, stirring to coat with sauce. Keep warm.
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Mix all salad ingredients in a medium bowl.
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To serve, stack 2 corn tortillas on top of each other. Fill with shredded beef and top with radish salad. Sprinkle with feta and avocado, and drizzle with additional Hot Sauce, if desired.
Hot Tip
- To warm tortillas, toast or grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side until lightly charred.
Cholula Classic Tacos
These classic tacos are ideal for a quick and satisfying mid-week meal—when you're ready for a feast but short on time. Easy to whip up and full of flavour, they’re a definite crowd-pleaser.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes 12
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Mexican seasoning spice blend
- 500g beef mince
- 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 12 (regular size) flour or corn tortillas, warmed
Suggested Toppings
Onion, avocado, feta cheese, coriander
Cholula Original Hot Sauce
Method
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Brown meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess liquid.
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Stir in seasoning and crushed tomato. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.
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Spoon onto warm tortillas and serve with desired toppings, such as chopped onion, avocado, crumbled feta cheese and chopped coriander.
Hot Tips
- Use taco filling for quesadillas or enchiladas, in a burrito bowl or as a bold nacho topping.
- Switch up your proteins—try with sliced chicken, steak or your favourite veggie taco recipe.
- Feta cheese is the best substitute for Mexican queso fresco (cheese).
To learn more about where to buy Cholula Hot Sauce and for more recipe inspiration, head over here.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Cholula Hot Sauce and proudly endorsed by Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make Urban List possible. Click here for more information on our editorial policy.
Images: supplied.