6 BBQ Tacos for Taco Lovers Who Also Happen to Love the Grill

Tacos Were Made for the Grill

There's a reason the best tacos you've ever had came from a street cart with fire underneath it. Heat is everything in a taco. The char on the carne asada, the crispy edges on a fish fillet, the smokiness of shrimp straight off the grill — these are things you simply cannot replicate any other way.

If you love tacos and you love grilling, these 6 recipes exist at the intersection of both. They're bold, they're built for sharing, and every single one of them will make your next Taco Tuesday feel like a proper event.

6 BBQ Taco Recipes You Need This Summer

1. Carne Asada Tacos

The taco that started it all. Flank or skirt steak marinated in citrus, garlic, cumin, and chili, then charred hard over high heat and sliced thin against the grain. Serve on warm corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime. The char is non-negotiable — you need actual fire for real carne asada. This is the recipe that makes people stop talking mid-bite.

Get the Carne Asada Tacos recipe →

2. Grilled Fish Tacos with Zesty Slaw

Light, bright, and packed with texture. A firm white fish — mahi mahi, tilapia, or cod — seasoned with a lime-cumin rub and grilled on a hot, oiled grate for 3-4 minutes per side. Pile it into corn tortillas with a crunchy cabbage slaw tossed in lime crema and a hit of hot sauce. Fish tacos from the grill beat anything you'll get at a restaurant.

Get the Grilled Fish Tacos recipe →

3. Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos with Mango Salsa

Tropical vibes, serious flavor. Mahi mahi fillets grilled over medium-high heat develop a beautiful crust that holds up perfectly in a tortilla. The mango salsa — diced mango, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice — adds a sweet heat that complements the fish brilliantly. This is the taco you make when you want to impress someone.

Get the Mahi Mahi Mango Salsa Tacos recipe →

4. Baja Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema

Baja-style shrimp tacos are a coastal classic. Marinated shrimp go on the grill or into a hot cast-iron skillet for 2 minutes per side until they're just pink through and slightly charred at the edges. Load them into flour tortillas with shredded cabbage, pickled jalapeños, and a generous drizzle of lime crema. Fast, fresh, and absolutely addictive.

Get the Baja Shrimp Tacos recipe →

5. Charred Skirt Steak Fajitas

Technically a fajita is a taco by another name — and this one earns its place at the top of any BBQ taco list. Skirt steak marinated in Tex-Mex spices, charred over screaming-hot coals, then sliced and served with grilled peppers and onions, warm tortillas, and all the fixings. The sizzle, the smoke, the char — this is peak grill cooking.

Get the Charred Skirt Steak Fajitas recipe →

6. Green Chile Steak Enchiladas

A grilled-steak twist on a New Mexico classic. Thinly sliced grilled steak wrapped in corn tortillas with roasted green chile, smothered in a tomatillo-green chile sauce, and topped with melted cheese. Make the steak on the grill and finish the enchiladas in a cast-iron pan on the indirect side. Smoky, spicy, and deeply satisfying.

Get the Green Chile Steak Enchiladas recipe →

Build a Better BBQ Taco Bar

When you're serving tacos to a crowd, set up a build-your-own bar. Here's the setup that works every time:

• Proteins: Two options — one meat, one seafood or vegetarian — so there's something for everyone.
• Tortillas: Warm both corn and flour options. Char corn tortillas directly on the grate for 30 seconds per side.
• Salsas: One fresh pico de gallo, one tomatillo salsa verde, and a hot sauce for those who want heat.
• Toppings: Diced white onion, fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, lime wedges, shredded cabbage, and crumbled cotija cheese.
• Crema: A squeeze bottle of lime crema — sour cream thinned with lime juice — makes every taco better.

Browse the full taco and grilling recipe collection for more ways to fire up your tortillas.