When we get to decide what's for dinner, Mexican food is always top of our list. It's one of the most popular cuisines in the world for a reason—the flavor combinations and textures, the comfort-food-meets-showstopper-vibes, and the simplicity and ease of many recipes make it one we return to again and again. Whether it's Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, or just another a weeknight, these recipes are fun enough for a party and easy enough to make for an anytime meal. Check out our 69 traditional (and some not-so-traditional) Mexican recipes for inspiration.
When it comes to Mexican food, we’re sure you’re familiar with the classics, like tacos, quesadillas, and burritos. We’ve included lots of our favorites, like our fish tacos, chicken quesadillas, and cheesy baked burritos, as well as some Tex-Mex/Southern spins, like our Mexican chicken casserole or tamale pie. If your experience with Mexican food has been largely limited to fast food, no judgement. We've also included some more authentic Mexican dishes here too if you'd like to branch out—our sopes, our chalupas, our gorditas, or our chiles rellenos still have all the flavors you love from Taco Bell or Chipotle, but with some traditional twists.
And we can’t forget about all the dips, salsas, and sauces that are some of our absolute favorite parts. Guacamole is classic, of course, but we've also included our salsa verde, our queso fundido, or our pico de gallo here too. Watch out—once you go homemade, you might never go back.
Looking to complete your Mexican meal? Don't forget about drinks and desserts. Pair your meal with our creamy, nutty horchata, our spiced Mexican hot chocolate, or a refreshing margarita, then end it with our homemade churros (easier than you'd think!) or our tres leches cake to take it over the top.
1
Pozole
Don't let the time commitment on this fantastically flavorful Mexican soup scare you. It's as easy as bringing water to a boil and letting it simmer away while you multitask on other things. With time, the meat will turn tender, soft, and buttery, the aromas will deepen, and the color will become as rich as the soup tastes.
Get the Best-Ever Pozole recipe.
2
Mexican Rice
This easy recipe for Mexican rice is so full of flavor and might even be better than any we've had from a Tex-Mex restaurant. Make some to go with your chicken enchiladas or tamale pie, and call it a night!
Get the Mexican Rice recipe.
3
Chicken Taco Torta
Made with rolls called bolillos or teleras, which are crusty-chewy on the outside with a soft and tender crumb, these sandwiches are piled high with all sorts of meats and cheeses, often accompanied by a thick layer of rich refried beans, slices of avocado, and a handful of pickled jalapeños. This iteration of the torta is inspired by the Americanized version of the chicken taco, complete with shredded cheese, taco seasoning, and a layer of crunchy tortilla chips as an homage to the beloved hard shell taco.
Get the Chicken Taco Torta recipe.
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4
Elote: Mexican Street Corn
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 the same way you'd boil or oven bake regular corn on the cob.
Get the Elote: Mexican Street Corn recipe.
5
Grilled Chicken Street Tacos
Nothing beats a street taco—super-juicy, tender grilled meat in a quick grab-and-go format, typically made possible by doubling up two smaller corn tortillas. This makes them easier to eat on the side of the street, in the car, anywhere! They're no frills yet tend to be some of the most crave-able tacos around.
Get the Grilled Chicken Street Tacos recipe.
6
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Filled with a creamy sauce, two kinds of cheese, and plenty of chicken, there’s something in this dish for everyone. While this is certainly not a super-authentic Mexican dish, it does combine lots of flavors and ingredients that will remind you of tacos, enchiladas, and your favorite Mexican/Tex-Mex meals.
Get the Mexican Chicken Casserole recipe.
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7
Chalupas
Chalupas are a classic Mexican street food snack that are crispy, savory, and fun to eat. Usually chalupas are served like a tostada, but because we know you might be looking for the fluffy fry bread-like taco shell, we decided to create a version that was the best of both worlds.
Get the Chalupas recipe.
8
Chicken Enchiladas
When the craving for satisfying comfort food meets the need for a straightforward weeknight dinner, chicken enchiladas are a guaranteed winner. They’re easy, filling, and take less than an hour to prepare from start to finish.
Get the Chicken Enchiladas recipe.
9
Carne Asada Tortas
These loaded tortas are a fun weekend project, and many of the steps can be done ahead of when you plan to serve them. Plus, you'll never make refried beans the same after trying this method out.
Get the Carne Asada Tortas recipe.
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10
Sopes
One of the greatest pleasures of Mexican street food are sopes: round bundles of masa lightly fried and piled with refried beans, shredded chicken, salsa roja or salsa verde, and cotija cheese. These little antojitos, or snacks, can be eaten throughout the day, and make for perfect anytime party apps.
Get the Sopes recipe.
11
Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
We load this tortilla soup up with extra protein by adding black beans, then throw in some vegetables (corn! bell peppers! onion!) for health and color, and flavor it all with canned fire-roasted tomatoes, which we love for their smokiness. We quick fry tortillas strips at the very end for added crunch, but feel free to use store-bought.
Get the Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.
12
Green Chile Chicken Skillet Enchiladas
Craving homemade enchiladas and being in a hurry aren't really compatible since the classic Mexican dish requires many steps and a fair amount of time. Enter: this skillet recipe, a quick take on the dish that comes together quickly and is perfect for a party.
Get the Green Chile Chicken Skillet Enchiladas recipe.
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13
Mexican Street Corn Flatbread
We’ve riffed on Mexican street corn more ways than we can count—nachos, tacos, even enchiladas—and we’ve loved every version, but this Mexican street corn flatbread is our new go-to. Here, we’re taking the creamy tangy sauce that usually goes on the corn, spreading it over pre-made pizza dough instead, and loading it up with corn, more chili, and lots of cheese. Twenty minutes later, it’s crispy, corny perfection.
Get the Mexican Street Corn Flatbread recipe.
14
Shrimp Tacos
Not to play favorites, but when it comes to street food, it's hard to beat a well-executed taco. Shrimp tacos are easy, fast, and the perfect canvas for showcasing all the best parts of the handheld favorite. Pan-seared shrimp get seasoned with homemade taco seasoning and drizzled with lime juice, then piled into a charred corn tortilla with crisp cabbage slaw and topped with jalapeno-garlic crema (a game changer). Whip these up for an easy weeknight dinner ready in under 45 minutes (!!) that is sure to impress.
Get the Shrimp Tacos recipe.
15
Fish Taco Bowls
When you’re craving the flavors and textures of a fish taco, but need some vegetables in your life, this salad is perfect for you. Crispy fish and a creamy, spicy slaw are the base of these veggie-packed takes on everyone’s favorite taco. There sweetness from the diced mango and creaminess from cool avocado blends perfectly with the drizzle of a spicy crema, making this summer salad an instant staple.
Get the Fish Taco Bowls recipe.
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16
Best-Ever Guacamole
Whether you serve it as a simple dip, load it on top of your tacos, or smear it on a bun as a burger topping, we can all agree—it’s not a party without Mexico’s most famous dip. Keep it simple, like we did, or go wild with your mix-ins—just be sure to make extra, this'll go fast.
Get the Best-Ever Guacamole recipe.
17
Gorditas
We love all foods that are described as pockets... Hot Pockets, pita, arepas, you name it! Our absolute favorite might have to be these gorditas, for two reasons: 1) They are infinitely customizable, and 2) they’re super-simple to make at home, all thanks to masa harina.
Get the Gorditas recipe.
18
5-Ingredient Black Bean Tostadas
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.
Get the 5-Ingredient Black Bean Tostadas recipe.
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19
Grilled Portobello Tacos
Mushroom lovers alert: Summer taco nights just got upgraded. Featuring portobello mushrooms marinated in taco spices and grilled to perfection, these vegetarian tacos will delight meat-lovers and vegans alike.
Get the Grilled Portobello Tacos recipe.
20
Homemade Salsa
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!
Get the Homemade Salsa recipe.
