Mexican and Mexican inspired recipes from tortillas, salsa, and queso to succulent barbacoa, authentic enchilada sauce, and Mexican chocolate cake!
Cinco de Mayo is the perfect excuse to kick off warm-weather cooking with a feast full of bold, vibrant flavors and a deep dive into Mexican and Mexican inspired recipes. While the holiday marks Mexico’s 1862 victory at the Battle of Puebla, it’s actually celebrated more here in the U.S. ~ and we’re all about using it as a reason to gather, grill, and discover something delicious.
This recipe collection brings together a mix of true Mexican classics and fun, creative twists ~ think tacos, enchiladas, aqua fresca, and a few unexpected gems. Whether you’re throwing a backyard bash or just craving good Mexican food, you’ll find something here to inspire.
So grab the tortillas, slice up some limes, and get ready to fiesta like you mean it.
Let’s dig in!
- Cream of Jalapeño Soup
- Cheesy Queso Dip
- Salsa!
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
- Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe
- Mexican Short Rib Tacos
- Shrimp Taco Salad
- Masa Harina Biscuits
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Sweet Corn and Watermelon Salad
- Red Enchilada Sauce
- Green Enchilada Sauce (salsa verde)
- Mexican Cornbread Casserole (with chicken)
- Mexican Fajita Steak Salad
- Melon Salad with Chile and Lime
- Cheese and Onion Enchiladas
- Breakfast Burritos
- Fire Roasted Gazpacho (Black Gazpacho)
- Cantaloupe and Mango Salad
- Roasted Corn Dip
- Stuffed Bell Peppers with Picadillo
- Agua Fresca
- Mexican Chocolate Cake with Berries
- Cinco de Mayo Popsicles
Cream of Jalapeño Soup
Refreshing soups are a Mexican specialty ~ start off your feast with this unique creamy jalapeño soup, the creamy base balances the gentle heat of the peppers.
Cheesy Queso Dip
Tex-Mex cuisine is a fusion of Mexican and Texan culinary traditions, developed by Mexican-American communities in Texas. Queso dip is classic Tex-Mex. Simple, creamy, and delicious hot dip scooped up with your own homemade tortillas (keep scrolling!)
Salsa!
Every Cinco de Mayo feast has to include salsa, and plenty of it! Salsa is the premier condiment in Mexican cuisine and deserves a special spot in any collection of Mexican recipes. A few of my faves:
- Mango Salsa
- Better Than Restaurant Salsa
- Pineapple Salsa
- Fire Roasted Salsa Negra (black salsa)
- Sweet Corn and Hatch Chile Salsa
Homemade Corn Tortillas
These 2 ingredient homemade tortillas will be the base for so many Mexican meals. This authentic recipe made with masa harina is quick and easy, and the flavor is out of this world.
Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe
Authentic barbacoa is made by burying the beef in a pit lined with maguey (agave) leaves and cooking it slowly over hot coals. I think the Instant Pot is a natural shortcut to one of the great Mexican recipes.
Mexican Short Rib Tacos
While short ribs are not a traditional Mexican taco filling, this extra luxe take on tacos is always a hit.
Shrimp Taco Salad
Everything you love about a shrimp taco piled into a fresh salad bowl. I give you a recipe for homemade taco seasoning, too in this beautiful example of contemporary Mexican cuisine.
Masa Harina Biscuits
These soft, fluffy masa harina biscuits bring serious Mexican cornbread vibes ~ part biscuit, part tamal, and perfect alongside chili, pozole, or a big pot of beans.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
This salad has everything the famous Mexican street corn has, except the stick! This gorgeous salad is a must make for Cinco de Mayo.
Sweet Corn and Watermelon Salad
The combination of sweet, juicy watermelon with savory corn kernels, along with other ingredients like lime juice, cilantro, and chili powder makes an incredibly refreshing and flavorful salad. While watermelon is not native to Mexico, it’s been grown and enjoyed there for centuries.
Red Enchilada Sauce
While red enchilada sauce is used to make enchiladas, it can also be used in other Mexican dishes, such as chilaquiles, tamales, or as a topping for grilled meats or eggs. Once you make this easy sauce you’ll never go back to cans!
Green Enchilada Sauce (salsa verde)
Green enchilada sauce made with fresh roasted peppers is a vibrant sauce for enchiladas, tamales, tacos, and more. We love it as a dip for tortilla chips!
Mexican Cornbread Casserole (with chicken)
Mexican Cornbread Casserole ~ a cozy Tex-Mex bake loaded with chicken, black beans, corn, salsa, and all your favorite fixings. Totally customizable and weeknight-friendly.
Mexican Fajita Steak Salad
Mexican Fajita Steak Salad brings together crisp romaine, juicy steak, and sizzling peppers and onions ~ it’s a salad with serious swagger. We’re tossing in homemade fajita seasoning and crunchy tortilla strips, so let’s get to it!
Melon Salad with Chile and Lime
My Mexican Melon Salad with juicy diced watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew has a hint of chile, and a pop of fresh lime ~ it’s ¡deliciosa!
Cheese and Onion Enchiladas
In its simplest form cheese enchiladas consist of corn tortillas filled with cheese, rolled up, covered in enchilada sauce and baked until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are heated through. It’s a simple, classic, comforting dish and one of the most basic of Mexican recipes.
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Breakfast Burritos
Soft scrambled eggs, crumbled sausage, crunchy veggies, lots of melty cheese, a chewy flour tortilla ~ and just like that, you’re a morning person!
Fire Roasted Gazpacho (Black Gazpacho)
Fire-roasting vegetables is a traditional cooking method in Mexican cuisine that has been used for centuries to enhance flavor. It gives this amazing gazpacho an incredible depth. Of course you can make gazpacho without roasting: see my Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho.
Cantaloupe and Mango Salad
Street food culture is an important part of the Mexican food scene, and this vibrant salad takes its cue from the refreshing fruit carts that dot the streets of cities and towns all over Mexico.
Roasted Corn Dip
Roasted Corn Dip ~ hot, melty, and loaded with sweet corn and a kick of jalapeño. Just add tortilla chips and you’re set for Cinco de Mayo and every summer gathering that follows.
Stuffed Bell Peppers with Picadillo
Picadillo is a versatile Mexican recipe made with ground meat (often beef, pork, or a combination), cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and various other ingredients. Picadillo is used as a filling for many dishes, including these stuffed peppers.
Agua Fresca
In this era of flavored waters healthy and colorful Mexican agua fresca is the OG. Common flavors of agua fresca include watermelon (sandía), cantaloupe (melón), pineapple (piña), mango, lime (limón), and hibiscus (jamaica), and so many others! Mix and match fruits to create your own unique blends.
Mexican Chocolate Cake with Berries
Mexican chocolate has a rich, complex flavor profile, made from a blend of cacao beans, sugar, and cinnamon, sometimes with additional spices such as nutmeg, cloves, or chili peppers added for extra depth and warmth. This cake is the perfect end to a Mexican feast.
Cinco de Mayo Popsicles
Mexican paletas made with fresh fruit are an art form in Mexico, and have been around for many generations. Strawberry, coconut and lime make up the colors of the Mexican flag in these fun Cinco de Mayo themed popsicles.
I just wanted to say that I love your site. It is inspiring, the recipes are well-written and simple, the photography is enticing and you always inspire me to get in the kitchen and cook something. Love it! Looking forward to creating a Cinco de Mayo menu based on your suggestions. I know it will be good!
These look so good! The link to the cream of jalapeño soup takes me to the black salsa. Hope you can fix that (meanwhile I’ll Google and see if it gets me there).
What the the delicious looking recipe on the front of Cinco de Mayo! It looks like a salsa for chips?
That’s my corn and hatch chile salsa, it’s listed under the Salsa section!
Hi Sue! The link to the Agua Fresca recipe seems to have been removed. Just a technical issue, or…?
Thanks!
Thanks Terry, the link is fixed now 🙂