When feeding a crowd, which I tend to do a lot more this time of year, I have found that the more hands-on your guests are, the easier it is for the cook. What I mean by that is that the less that you have to plate up and serve, the better. Which is where the beauty of a taco bar comes in.
I have done lots of different types of food “bars” in the past, including a potato bar, salad bar, hamburger bar, and a pizza bar (nightmare), but the taco bar is the crowd favorite. Not only does everyone love a taco, but you can make it all ahead of time and be able to sit down with your guests and eat instead of plating up food all night.
I was feeding a large crowd recently, and I cooked up 18 pounds of meat. You read that right. I bought three of the six-pounders of ground beef at Costco. I knew that would be a lot, but here’s why I didn’t worry: Taco meat freezes incredibly well. So, if I had lots left over, I would just freeze it.
I kept the taco bar simple here. You can use two or three types of meat, but I just served ground beef.
Alright, let’s get down to business…
A Taco Bar: The Easiest Way to Feed a Crowd
SB Note: Originally published in 2015, this article was updated on July 29, 2022, with new images from a recent taco bar gathering we hosted, along with updated captions and slight copy changes.
Taco Bar Essentials
- Taco meat
- Charro beans or black beans
- Mexican rice
- Hard and soft shell tortillas
Keeping your meat, rice, and beans warm is crucial to the success of your taco bar. I use a Crock-Pot for ground beef and a dual warming tray for the rice and beans.
Tortilla options are endless, but be sure to provide at least one soft tortilla option and one hard shell option. The soft tortillas are seen here in the Le Creuset pot.
Taco Toppings
- Thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
- Diced tomato (you could make pico and have the onions, tomatoes, and cilantro be one topping)
- Diced white onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Cheese, cheese, and more cheese
- Jalapeños (I used “tamed” pickled jalapenos for this crowd. For an adult crowd — or a crowd from Texas — slice up the fresh ones.)
- Others that you may like
Line up your taco toppings in the order you would put them on a taco. We used a set of matching ramekins here, but you could use any small bowls, divided serving dishes, or even shallow cups that you have on hand.
Save time by picking up pre-prepared toppings from the grocery store! When you’re in a hurry, pre-shredded lettuce and pre-diced onion and tomatoes are heaven-sent.
SB update: Herdez makes a variety of sauces that are ideal for serving with a taco bar. This is a new addition to the original lineup from 2015. We love the Guacamole Salsa, pictured here, the Salsa Verde, and the Chipotle Salsa Cremosa. You can typically find them all at your local Kroger!
Taco Bar Serving Pieces
- Crock-Pots
- Chaffing dish for rice and beans
- Divided dishes or individual bowls for toppings
- Tortilla warmer dish (any deep pot or dish with a lid) for soft tortillas
Invest in a dual chaffing dish like this one from Walmart from around $60. If you entertain often, this will get tons of use.
Tray-sized plates are perfect for buffet-style meals. You can invest in a pretty wooden set like these from Walmart (the ones pictured above are from a street festival in Waynesville, NC) or even use an eco-friendly and chic disposable option. Line up your plates along with your taco shells, so that folks know where to start.
Taco Bar Setup
Lay out all the food in order. Follow this list and set up around a kitchen island or dining table. As I’m setting up, I like to place pieces of paper in each ramekin (or bowl, or whatever you’re using) to indicate which topping should go where. This is the order I like to use:
- Flatware, napkins, and plates
- Tortillas and hard taco shells
- Meat
- Beans and rice
- Side of veggies
- Taco toppings — lay these out in the order that you would put them on a taco:
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- Cheese, cheese, and more cheese
- Shredded lettuce and diced tomato
- Onion, cilantro, and jalapeños (I call these “the optionals”)
- Salsa, sour cream, and guacamole (and any other sauces you like! I call these the “final condiments”)
I’m a planner; I’ll own it. And, if I could have used a label maker, I would have.
I like to place a slip of paper into each ramekin indicating which topping should go where. It makes setup a breeze.
Taco Bar Extras
It’s all about the details! Consider incorporating extra touches like flower arrangements, a variety of hot sauces to choose from, and a lineup of themed beverages — Topo Chico bottles with fresh lime wedges are always a crowd favorite!
Chilled bottles of Topo Chico are always a crowd-pleaser. Serve with a bowl of fresh lime wedges.
This is a great time to pull out all of those hot sauces you’ve been collecting!
No special occasion is complete without a few beautiful floral arrangements!
Here’s my recipe for taco meat and how I cooked all 18 pounds at once and kept it warm. This should be a talent competition in the Miss America Pageant.
Taco Meat for a Crowd
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 packet taco seasoning
Instructions
- In a saute pan, brown ground meat. After this is browned, add onion and cook until it is translucent. Add taco seasoning packet and follow directions. Let simmer or place into a Crock-Pot to keep warm until your dinner is served.
NOTE: This is for one pound. I created this recipe multiplied by 18! Adjust accordingly for whatever size crowd you're serving.
Nutrition
All photography by Grannis Photography.
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