Tacos de canasta, or basket tacos, are a staple of the Mexico City street food scene. Also known as tacos sudados (“sweaty tacos”), they are assembled by the dozens with a wide variety of fillings, and kept warm and steamy in a towel-and-plastic-lined basket. This easily transportable vessel makes these tacos a great option for picnics and parties. This recipe opts for potato and chorizo fillings, but you can use any of your favorite taco fillings (though drier options tend to fare better, as they don’t saturate the tortillas). If you don’t have a basket, a pot or bamboo steamer will work well.
Make ahead: The chile oil, potato filling and chorizo filling can be prepared and refrigerated separately up to 2 days in advance.
Storage: The tacos are best when eaten immediately. Reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Where to buy: Guajillo chiles and fresh corn tortillas can be found at well-stocked supermarkets and Latin grocery stores.
Ingredients
Servings: 6–12 (makes 24 tacos)
For the guajillo chile oil
For the tacos and fillings
Directions
Active:
1 hour 15 mins|
Total: 1 hour 45 mins
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Step 1
Make the chile oil: Halve the onion through the root; peel and coarsely chop one of the halves and thinly slice the other half. Set aside the sliced onion; you will need it while making the tacos.
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Step 2
In a 10-inch skillet with tall sides over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, the chiles and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to turn golden brown and the chiles become a more vibrant red, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
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Step 3
Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the salt and blend on high until mostly smooth — some flecks of chiles are fine. Strain the oil into a bowl through a fine-mesh strainer. You can speed up the process by moving the solids around with a spatula or spoon in the strainer, but don’t push them through. The oil in the bowl should be clear and vibrant red-orange. You should have about 1 cup.
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Step 4
Make the tacos and fillings: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Wrap four stacks of 6 tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in the oven for 30 minutes, using a large sheet pan for ease, if desired. Remove the stacks from the oven and turn off the heat, but keep the tortillas in the foil.
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Step 5
Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine the potatoes, a generous amount of salt and enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, or lower as needed, until the water is simmering gently, and cook until the potatoes are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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Step 6
Return the pot to medium heat, add 1/4 cup of the guajillo chile oil and heat until shimmering. Return the potatoes to the pot, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, roughly mashing them with a spatula or spoon, until the potatoes are mostly smooth and the oil is fully incorporated. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm until ready to assemble.
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Step 7
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the canola or neutral oil until shimmering. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with a spoon until the meat is mostly crumbled, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
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Step 8
Line a large basket or pot with clean kitchen towels so there is a generous overhang all around. Then, line with a plastic bag — you can use a grocery bag, small unscented garbage bag or a heat-resistant cooking bag. Finally, line with a few sheets of parchment paper so the plastic is completely covered and there is generous overhang all around.
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Step 9
Create a taco-filling station with the tortillas, both fillings, and the lined basket or pot easily accessible. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the remaining 3/4 cup of chile oil until shimmering. Take a tortilla from one of the foil-wrapped stacks (keep the other tortillas in the stack covered), fill with 2 heaping tablespoons of potato filling, fold in half and place at the bottom of the basket. Repeat two more times with the potato filling on one side of the basket, and then three more times with the chorizo filling on the other side of the basket. (It is fine if the tacos overlap.) Once there are 6 tacos on the bottom, scatter one-quarter of the remaining sliced onion on top. Carefully drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chile oil over the top, and use a pastry brush or spoon to help evenly distribute.
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Step 10
Repeat the filling and stacking with the remaining 3 stacks of tortillas, ending with a layer of onions and chile oil. (You should end up with 12 potato and 12 chorizo tacos.) When finished, fold over the parchment paper overhang and close the plastic bag tightly by making a knot with the excess at the top or with a rubber band. Steam for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
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Step 11
Open the bag and serve right away, with your favorite toppings, such as salsa and pickled vegetables, if using.
Variations
To streamline the recipe, combine the potatoes and chorizo into one filling. When the potatoes are draining in the colander, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the chile oil. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with your spoon, until the meat is mostly crumbled, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the potatoes to the skillet, stirring and roughly mashing them with a spatula or spoon until mostly smooth and fully combined with the chorizo. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm until ready to assemble.
Notes
If making only potato filling, double the amount of potatoes; if making only chorizo filling, double the amount of canola oil and chorizo.
