These Cinco de Mayo recipes will have you prepared for a festive holiday! 35+ Mexican food recipes including appetizers, tacos and margaritas.
Cinco de Mayo, is a yearly holiday on May 5th, which celebrates the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over the Second French Empire in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. Today, people celebrate this special day with all kinds of delicious Mexican dishes.
Below are some of the best Mexican-inspired recipes that you may or may not have tried.
These recipes are all super delicious, easy to make, and perfect for Cinco de Mayo celebrations!
PS – Don’t forget about these 25+ Cinco de Mayo desserts too!
The BEST Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Chips, Dips & Appetizers
These 3-ingredient Air Fryer Tortilla Chips are quick and easy to make, super crunchy, and light. They’re perfect for dunking in salsa, guacamole, hummus, and more!
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Take your snacking to the next level with this Cheesy Enchilada Dip. Beans are layered with ground beef and enchilada sauce, and topped with lots of melty cheese, green onions and a dollop of sour cream.
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This fresh and vibrant Guacamole recipe is so easy! Mix it up in minutes for a creamy dip, a delicious topping for nachos, or to serve on Taco Tuesday.
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This fresh, easy Pico de Gallo recipe is a classic Mexican salsa made from tomatoes, onions, lime, chiles, and cilantro. It’s a delicious snack to enjoy with chips or as a topping on tacos, eggs, and burrito bowls!
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These Baked Tortilla Chips are made using store-bought corn tortillas. Just cut them into wedges, season them with Mexican spices, spray with oil and bake for a perfectly crispy, dippable chip!
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This sweet Mango Salsa has tons of flavor and flair! The bursts of acidity and brightness from the juicy fresh mangos, jalapeno, lime juice, and red onion are delicious with tortilla chips or on fish tacos.
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Octopus Ceviche (aka ceviche de pulpo) combines tender octopus with tangy lime juice, red onions, cilantro and chiles for a light and refreshing appetizer. Serve it with tortillas or chips and enjoy!
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These Blistered Shishito Peppers are the perfect finger food. They’re so easy to make too. Lightly seasoned and slightly smoky, you’ll find that most are mild… one out of every ten might surprise you.
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Mexican Meatballs – or Albondigas – simmer in enchilada sauce and are topped with sour cream, radishes & cilantro. Serve them taco-style in tortillas or as an appetizer with toothpicks.
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Corn Queso Dip is the perfect dip for your next Mexican fiesta or tailgating party. It’s deliciously rich & creamy with a hint of spice and delicious corn flavor.
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Soups
Start off your meal with one of these tasty Mexican soups!
This Mexican Corn Soup recipe has all the flavors of Mexican street corn in soup form. This creamy corn soup is flavored with chile powder, poblano peppers and cotija cheese.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup can be made easy with your crockpot. Just add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and go! Serve it up with crispy tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream & cheddar cheese.
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Side Dishes
These Mexican-inspired side dishes will help complete your meal!
Mexican Street Corn Salad with Couscous puts a fun twist on elotes. Smoky grilled corn, a creamy cumin-lime dressing, and pearl couscous combine to create this delicious salad.
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Inspired by the flavors of the classic Mexican restaurant side dish, this Instant Pot Mexican Rice is perfect with enchiladas, fajitas, tacos, and more. It’s a foolproof recipe made entirely in your pressure cooker!
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These Slow Cooker Black Beans are easy to make and taste so much better than the canned version! No soaking required. Perfect for meal prep or as a side dish to your favorite tacos, salads, or protein bowls.
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I’m serving up these Oven Roasted Carrots elote style. Similar to how you’d dress grilled street corn, these delicious tender carrots are topped with lime, crumbled cheese, jalapenos and cilantro. So crazy good!
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Instant Pot pinto beans are easy to make and taste so much better than the canned version! Perfect for meal prep or as a side dish to your favorite tacos, salads, or protein bowls, these beans can be ready in under an hour with no soaking required.
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Vinegar Slaw is a super simple side dish recipe made without mayonnaise. It’s tangy, delicious and crunchy.
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Instant Pot Refried Beans require no presoaking. Plus, they're virtually fat free and can be made vegetarian or vegan with some simple swaps.
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Quick Pickled Red Onions are so easy to make at home. With just 5-minutes you can have your red onions pickling. Let them cool to room temperature before using and then you can store them in the fridge for up to two weeks!
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Cocktails
Choose one of these amazing Mexican cocktail recipes to celebrate with.
This Hibiscus Margarita recipe is a fun twist on a traditional margarita. Made with an easy homemade hibiscus tea concentrate, grapefruit juice and tequila. The ingredients are simple, but the taste is amazing!
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This Grapefruit Habanero Margarita is the perfect spicy cocktail for sipping on summer days!
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St. Germain Margaritas can be made with just three ingredients – tequila, elderflower liqueur and lime juice. They're a delicious St. Germain cocktail that you'll love having in your arsenal.
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This Grilled Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita is the perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and smoky. Caramelized grilled pineapple & a splash of vanilla make it extra delicious.
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This Mango Michelada is a Mexican beer cocktail that’s sweet and spicy and perfect for summer sipping!
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Tacos
Choose one of the tasty taco recipes to enjoy. And don’t forget about these 9+ tasty taco sauces and the best taco side dishes!
These Mexican Street Corn Chicken Tacos put a fun twist on elotes or grilled Mexican corn on the cob that’s slathered in a tangy cream sauce and sprinkled with chili powder. Plus, they come together in just 20 minutes!
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Sweet Potato Tacos topped with a zesty chipotle crema, are the best plant based way to enjoy taco night!
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Cauliflower Tacos, made with tasty cilantro lime crema, are the perfect tasty healthy alternative.
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These Taco Quinoa & Turkey Lettuce Wraps make a hearty, healthy, protein packed meal that’s amazingly delicious and quick and easy to prepare. They’re perfect for meal prep too.
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Taco Zucchini Boats are filled with taco seasoned turkey and topped with melted cheese and your favorite toppings. A low-carb, keto friendly way to enjoy taco night. You won’t miss the tortilla!
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The BEST Instant Pot Pork Carnitas are easy to make at home with your electric pressure cooker. A quick pop under the broiler at the end ensures that the carnitas get nice and crispy!
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This Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken is an EASY recipe made with just 5-ingredients! Use it as a filling for Chicken Tacos or Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps.
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Main Dishes
Here are the best entrees to enjoy on Cinco de Mayo!
Stuffed Poblano Peppers loaded with a mixture of beef & rice and topped with a zesty lime-crema. This healthy recipe will be on your table in 30 minutes.
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Crispy Tortilla Chip Crusted Chicken with Queso Sauce is an easy delicious dinner that will be on your table in 30 minutes! It’s crispy, cheesy and so delicious!
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These Fish Taco Bowls with Mango Salsa & Avocado Cream Sauce make a quick and healthy weeknight dinner that’s ready in under 30-minutes!
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Desserts
Check out these 25+ Cinco de Mayo desserts too!
How to Make Ahead and Store
Many of these recipes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or even in the freezer. Simply check the individual recipes for full storing instructions and details on how to make ahead.
Did you Make Any of These Recipes?
Please leave a comment and rating below, if you loved this round up of recipes for Cinco de Mayo. Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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35+ Mexican Recipes for Cinco de Mayo
These Cinco de Mayo recipes will have you prepared for a festive holiday! 35+ Mexican food recipes including appetizers, tacos + margaritas. Try this Mexican Corn Soup. It has all the flavors of Mexican street corn in soup form.
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Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped (1½ cups))
- 1 rib celery (finely chopped (½ cup))
- 1 medium poblano pepper (seeded, stemmed, and finely chopped (½ cup))
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 Tablespoon chile powder (plus more for topping)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 medium yukon gold potatoes (about 1lb., peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces)
- 2 12-ounce bags frozen corn (or about 6 cups fresh shucked corn)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ cups crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cups cilantro (minced, plus more to garnish)
- ½ cups Mexican crema or sour cream
- Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, poblano, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chile powder, and oregano, and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the chicken stock, and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the corn, cream and sugar. Cook for five minutes, until warmed through.
- Transfer 1½ cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Stir the puréed soup back into the pot of remaining soup.
- Add cotija cheese, cilantro, and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve garnished with additional cilantro, cotija, chile powder and crema. Serve with lime wedges.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!
Equipment
Large Pot
Knife
Nutrition
Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 479mg | Potassium: 667mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1349IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1mg
These recipes all look wonderful and so delicious. Have a great Cinco de Mayo!