39 Cinco de Mayo Recipes

The fish—we use cod, but any flaky variety, like tilapia, works—marinates in a mixture of lime juice, chili powder, and cumin that will become your standard. But the real gem of this recipe is the cabbage slaw—don't skip it. It takes just a few minutes to toss together and its brightness is the perfect condiment to the spiced cod.

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In 1943, some wives of U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Duncan in Eagle Pass, Texas, were on a shopping trip in the bordering city of Piedras Negras, Mexico. They stopped at a just-closed restaurant. Not wanting to disappoint his customers, the maître d’, Ignacio "El Nacho" Anaya, was determined to whip something up for them. He made due with what was left in the kitchen—tortillas, cheese, and pickled jalapeños—and served what would go on to be called "Nacho's especiales".

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You can always add on additional toppings like corn salsa, avocado ranch, or endless crunchy veggies like radishes or pickled red onions, but here we keep things simple. With ingredients you're likely to have on hand, these tostadas make for a last minute, easy meal you'll have on repeat.

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Everyone loves a good queso dip. We love this Mexican street corn variety, it's got crunch, spice, and even MORE cheese as garnish.

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Tamales aren’t just fun to eat, they’re a great solo or group project for anyone who loves to cook. Make it a party by involving your friends, enlist your partner or spouse for a different kind of date night, or get the whole family involved. Tamale making is a joy, and tamales are a great canvas for different kinds of fillings.

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This filling is loosely based on a very traditional Mexican (top-secret!) recipe. It’s delicious as is, but if you want to give it even more pizzaz, we highly recommend adding a splash of red wine vinegar, finely chopped capers and green olives, and a good squeeze of yellow mustard. Once you've got the pastry down, you can pretty much stuff them with anything!

Get the Cheesy Beef Empanadas recipe.

This easy salad comes together quickly and works as a side dish, a great topping for tacos, or as an appetizer with tortilla chips. Think of this as a medley of the most exciting parts of a vegetarian burrito bowl, unadulterated by rice, and hyped up by a little honey-lime action.

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Mastering this classic Mexican staple takes a little bit of time, a lot of pork fat and our few helpful hints (you CAN use canned beans!).

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Tostada shells can be tricky to find, so we made our own! Hot and fresh, there's so much more flavor. All that said, these insanely creamy beans + quick pickled onions would taste amazing on anything, including a packaged tostada shell. 😉

Get the Best-Ever Mexican Tostadas recipe.

You don't really need a recipe to make this insanely popular Mexican dish. Top a tortilla with cheese (and whatever else you've got), then fold it in half and cook until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melty. But if you're looking for some guidance, especially in cooking up some quick and easy chicken to stuff inside, this recipe won't let you down.

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Traditional tacos al pastor are made on a vertical rotisserie just like chicken shawarma. The method was used by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico and the tacos adapted to fit the culinary scene of Mexico with their spices and quickly became a popular street food. Serve these up with some queso and call it a fiesta.

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This recipe has the perfect proportions of each layer, so you get the total combo in every scoop. Check out our guacamole and refried pinto beans recipes if you wanna make yours from scratch. We think it makes a good dip even better. 🙌

Get the 7-Layer Dip recipe.

Elote is an unbelievably popular antojito (little craving) that you can find sold on the street in Mexico. It's often served on a stick, though you could skip the skewer and make it right on the grill.

Get the Elote: Mexican Street Corn recipe.

This Taco Bell copycat isn't actually Mexican, nor is it a pizza. It's actually more of a Tex-Mex quesadilla, and we love it for a lightning fast dinner. The ease of flour tortillas straight from the bag can't be beat, but if you want to be true to the Taco Bell recipe, shallow fry them in vegetable oil!

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Everyone has opinions about Mexico's most famous avocado-based dip: guacamole. Some, like us, keep it simple. We prefer to let the flavor of our avos shine. Others like to go crazy on the mix-ins: spices, tomatoes, garlic, etc. If that's your thing, this guacamole is the perfect jumping off point. Add whatever you like!

Get the Best-Ever Guacamole recipe.

This dip has EVERYTHING, from 4 types of cheese (including our dip secret weapon, cream cheese), refried beans, and taco seasoning and a jalapeño for spice.

Get the Refried Bean Dip recipe.

Whether you makes these homemade churro chips in the oven or air fryer, they are beyond addicting. Coated in cinnamon and sugar they are perfect for dipping in some cheesecake dip or in a simple chocolate ganache. We love how simple these are to make, which makes them great for throwing together last minute.

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Salsa has been around for a very very long time. The origins date back to the Incas and Aztecs. To make ours the most flavorful salsa ever, we use both cherry tomatoes and fresh off-the-vine tomatoes. We also roast some of the ingredients to intensify their flavors and make this salsa POP!

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Queso fundido is a true party trick. It’s likely the lowest effort, highest reward party dip. Go for Mexican chorizo here instead of the Spanish, which is usually dried.

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Made with shredded chicken wrapped in flour tortillas and then pan-fried, flautas are like taquitos mixed with chimichangas. They come together quickly, making them perfect party appetizers or a great weeknight meal served with Mexican rice and beans.

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The exact origin story of the wonderful and beloved Mexican burrito is unknown, but it's believed to have first appeared on an American restaurant menu at El Cholo Spanish Cafe in L.A during the 1930s. Today, it takes many forms—from egg-filled breakfast burritos to deep-fried burritos (aka chimichangas) to smothered, "wet burritos." This is the latter.

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Cheesy, savory enchiladas that have a super green sauce sound like a project. But mixing store-bought ingredients with fresh stuff speeds everything up without sacrificing flavor. The major “hack” here is using jarred salsa verde but punching up the flavor (and nutrients!) by adding a whole bunch of cilantro, fresh garlic, and jalapeños. It gives it a made-from-scratch taste but in a fraction of the time.

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You'll get all of your favorite Tex-Mex flavors in every square inch of this skillet dish: spicy beef, savory black beans, fresh veggies and of course lots and lots and lots of cheese.

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Tequila-lime might sound like a margarita flavor profile, but we love using it in chicken marinades. While the chicken's marinating, prep the fixings: purple cabbage, Cotija, and avocado — or really anything you want.

Get the Tequila-Lime Chicken Tacos recipe.

These adorable poppable appetizer version of our tamale pie are SO easy to make, thanks to store-bought cornbread mix.

Get the Mini Tamale Pies recipe.

This vegan version is so good it's hard to decipher from regular queso dip. Made with cashews in place of cheese, it's awesome with far more than chips. Drizzle the “cheesy” sauce inside a burrito or over nachos or tacos.

Get the Chipotle Vegan Queso recipe.

This ain't your average quesadilla.

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These cheesy nachos, loaded with elote off the cob, will change the way you party forever. To give them more of a classic Mexican street corn vibe, add a dash of chili powder to the mayo mixture. Don't have sour cream? Just use a 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of mayo instead.

Get the Elote (Mexican Street Corn) Nachos recipe.

Use a spoon to easily spread all the layers on tortilla chips.

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It's an instant fiesta when this hits the table.

Get the recipe from Delish.