Feed a Crowd With a Taco Bar Party Platter

If you love tacos as much as we do, then you know assembling them isn’t a perfunctory task — it’s an art form. The perfect way to share your enthusiasm for all things taco is with a fun, interactive and abundantly filled taco buffet board. This vibrant spread combines all the lively taco textures and flavors you know and love, and dinner guests will marvel at the variety. Most of the work for this board is in the kitchen prep, such as shredding lettuce, chopping tomatoes and filling bowls with cheeses and salsas. It takes a little time, but it’s worth every ounce of effort.

1. Find Your Biggest Tray

Select a spacious serving board or tray that accommodates a large variety of taco fixings. Begin by arranging larger items on the tray, such as big bowls that will hold taco meats and large crunchy taco shells. The taco shells can be stacked or nested inside each other to optimize space.

2. Offer a Variety of Cheeses

Use 8-ounce ramekins for holding shredded cheese. Choose a fine-shredded Mexican blend, which is easily found in the dairy aisle at the grocery store. Prepared nacho cheese sauce and traditional white queso are also wonderful cheesy dressings for tacos that can be drizzled on with a spoon.

3. Include Savory Salsas

No taco board is complete without a selection of salsas. Offer a variety of flavors and heat levels, from a mild tomatillo green salsa to a fiery classic tomato salsa. Include a side of sour cream to balance the spice and add a tangy note.

4. Don’t Forget the Chips

Pay homage to the complimentary basket of chips and salsa from your favorite Mexican restaurant by adding tortilla chips to the board. These pair with the salsas and queso cheeses for guests who prefer to make their plate a pile of nachos.

5. Heat the Flour Tortillas

For soft taco lovers, include pre-toasted flour tortillas on the board. Fry the tortillas in a nonstick pan with a spritz of oil, and cook until very lightly brown, about one minute on each side. Fold each tortilla in half and arrange them in a fan shape for a fun and space-saving presentation. Be careful to not overcook the tortillas or they will become too tough to fold.

6. Add Toppings + Sides

Prepackaged Mexican rice, refried beans and Mexican corn blends make excellent taco toppers or side dishes. Cater to vegetarian guests with a bowl of black beans. They can serve as the hearty meat replacement for tacos, or they can be eaten as a topping.

7. Include Fresh Veggies

Fresh fixings are must-haves — shredded lettuce, red cabbage, pico de gallo, ripe avocados and guacamole are all delicious as taco toppings. Include lime wedges for squeezing over tacos for a zesty finish. If you’re short on time, purchase ready-made guacamole and pico de gallo from your grocery store’s refrigerated deli section.

8. Offer Beef and/or Chicken

Whip up a batch of beefy taco meat using a packet of taco seasoning, following the directions on the back of the package. For even more variety, offer shredded Mexican chicken. To make this, add one pound of chicken breasts to a slow cooker and add one jar of salsa and one packet of taco seasoning. Cook on high for four hours, then shred the chicken with two forks. Keep taco meats warm on the stovetop or in the slow cooker until serving time. Just before assembly begins, fill the bowls with piping hot beef taco meat and shredded Mexican chicken.

9. Enjoy!

This all-inclusive taco board is sure to impress guests with its bountiful ingredients and fresh flavors. A well-curated taco board can turn any gathering into a memorable fiesta.