30 Mexican Recipes for Cinco de Mayo (2024)

Is it even Cinco de Mayo without an epic spread of delicious Mexican recipes? It certainly is not. The food might just be the highlight of the day, so you want to get it right. If you are wondering what to make for a Cinco de Mayo Mexican fiesta, then you have come to the right place. Today, I am sharing over 30 of the best and most popular Mexican recipes including all the classics from tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, dips, salads, and more.

What is Cinco de Mayo?

Cinco de Mayo (literally translated as the "Fifth of May") is a minor holiday in Mexico that is also referred to as Battle of Puebla Day. It's a commemoration of the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Cinco de Mayo represents a historic triumph of the indigenous Mexican people over European invaders and symbolizes the power and strength of Mexican culture. Although this holiday is literally a celebration of a battle won, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, and one that is more popular celebrated in the United States.

Best Mexican Recipes for Cinco de Mayo

Fish Tacos with Lime Crema

Flavourful, easy fish tacos with lime crema is made with seasoned white fish, cabbage slaw, and lime sauce. It takes less than 25 minutes to prep and serve.

Chicken Enchiladas

Easy baked chicken enchiladas brings the taste of authentic Mexican food into your kitchen -- saucy, spicy, and savoury. Perfect for a Mexican fiesta on Cinco de Mayo.

Easy Basic Guacamole

Incredibly tasty, this easy and basic guacamole takes less than 5 minutes to make. It is the perfect dip for a Mexican-inspired fiesta party.

Sheet Pan Nachos

Oven-baked loaded sheet pan nachos are a crowd pleaser for an easy weeknight dinner or a crave-worthy appetizer to serve on Cinco de Mayo.

Mexican Ground Beef Tacos

Ground beef tacos are delicious, authentic, and so easy to make. They're savory, spicy, creamy, and fresh. The perfect recipe for a Mexican fiesta.

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Skillet chicken fajitas are a light, fresh, and sizzling dish bursting with flavour, packed with colorful vegetables, and wrapped in warm tortillas.

Homemade Taquitos

Homemade Taquitos are crispy, delicious and flavorful. These rolled tacos are filled with seasoned ground beef and melty cheese — and can be fried or baked!

Shrimp Taco Salad

Shrimp taco salad with cilantro lime dressing is flavourful, delicious, and easy to make. It has all the fixings and of shrimp tacos, but without the mess.

Queso Mexican Cheese Dip

Homemade queso Mexican cheese dip is smooth, creamy, delicious, flavorful, and so easy to make. It's so much better than store-bought in every way.

Baked Chicken Quesadillas

Baked Chicken Quesadillas are cheesy, crispy, flavorful, and delicious. This family-friendly recipe is quick and easy to make in just 30 minutes!

Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

Mexican street corn (elote) is a delicious corn on the cob loaded with a cheesy sauce elevated with cilantro and lime. Creamy, cheesy, spicy, and flavorful.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros is a classic Mexican breakfast dish that features fried eggs perched atop a bed of warm tortillas and beans and topped with salsa.

Chicken Tacos

Chicken tacos are juicy and tender, loaded with flavor, delicious, and so easy to make. They are perfect for Taco Tuesday or a Cinco de Mayo Mexican fiesta.

Beef and Bean Burritos

Hearty and filling beef and bean burritos are easy to make ahead, freezer-friendly, and take just 30 minutes for restaurant-quality Mexican food at home.

Vegetarian Quesadillas

Vegetarian quesadillas are quick and easy, completely customizable, loaded with veggies and beans. Serve this kid-friendly Mexican meal for lunch or dinner.

Cilantro Lime Slaw

Cilantro lime slaw is fresh, light, crunchy, and zesty. Ready in 5 minutes, it’s the perfect pairing for tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and barbecued meats. =

Carne Asada

Juicy and tender Carne Asada with perfectly charred edges is flavorful, delicious, and so easy to make. Cook this Mexican steak in under 15 minutes.

White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili is an easy and delicious one pot meal made with shredded chicken, hearty veggies, and a creamy broth that's loaded with flavor.

Shrimp Avocado Tostadas

Shrimp avocado tostadas are a delicious, crunchy, quick and easy Mexican dish you can make in just 15 minutes, loaded with the best combination of toppings.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro lime rice is a fresh, bright and vibrant side dish that will add extra flavour to any meal you serve it with. It's a quick, easy, one pot recipe.

Cheese Quesadilla

This Cheese Quesadilla has the perfect combination of crispy, cheesy, and flavorful. Ready to serve in just a few minutes with your favorite toppings.

Refried Beans

Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious!

Chilaquiles Verdes

Chilaquiles Verdes feature crispy baked tortilla chips smothered in a homemade sauce loaded with salsa verde and features classic Mexican toppings.

Chicken Nachos

Chicken nachos are an easy to make when you’re craving something filling, crunchy, cheesy, and satisfying. Perfect game day appetizer or late-night snack.

Carne Asada Tacos

Carne asada tacos are delicious, juicy, and tender Mexican street tacos loaded with steak bites that everyone will be raving about on Taco Tuesday!

Shrimp Fajitas

Shrimp fajitas are healthy, flavorful, and delicious. This one skillet recipe is loaded with shrimp and vegetables and is ready in just 20 minutes.

Mango Salsa

Fresh mango salsa is sweet, tangy, and delicious. It's a quick and easy recipe that you can whip up with just 6 ingredients and in under 10 minutes.

Pinto Bean Soup (Sopa Tarasca)

Spice up your weeknight dinners with Mexican Pinto Bean Soup (Sopa Tarasca) made with creamy pinto beans, spicy chipotle, and a tomato broth in 30 minutes.

Beef Taco Salad

Beef taco salad is a simple, filling, and delicious meal loaded with your favorite taco fillings, and a creamy lime dressing. Make it in 20 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hearty chicken tortilla soup is a delicious, wholesome and filling soup that you can make in about 30 minutes, packed with classic Mexican flavours.

Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema Slaw

Quick and easy shrimp tacos with lime crema slaw are ready in less than 30 minutes and are packed with flavourful crispy shrimp and creamy cabbage slaw.

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Sizzling and hot sheet pan chicken fajitas are on the table in less than 30 minutes! The best part is that you just throw everything into one sheet pan.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Homemade flour tortillas are delicious, soft, and so easy to make! They are easy to make with just 5 pantry staple ingredients and ready in under an hour.

Cauliflower Tacos

Vegetarian cauliflower tacos are loaded with air-fried or baked cauliflower, a delicious seasoning blend, and creamy lime cilantro slaw inside a tortilla.

Mexican Chicken Breast

Mexican chicken breast is juicy, tender, and flavorful. It's easy to prep with a quick marinade before cooking on the stove, air fryer, or oven.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Mexican street corn salad adds a twist to a classic street food, loaded with freshly grilled corn, a creamy cheesy dressing, and authentic flavor.

Sheet Pan Quesadillas

These Sheet Pan Quesadillas are loaded with veggies and gooey cheese, baked in the oven until crispy, and made to feed a crowd in just 30 minutes.

Salsa Verde Green Chicken Enchiladas

Salsa verde green chicken enchiladas are delicious and flavorful, quick and easy to make, and saucy and spicy. Authentic Mexican food ready in 40 minutes.

Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos (Carnitas)

Mexican pulled pork tacos with juicy and tender traditional carnitas wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with fresh onions, cilantro, and jalapeños.

Pico de Gallo Chunky Salsa

Easy 5-minute pico de gallo chunky salsa is packed with fresh tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime juice (and optional jalapeños for a spicy kick).

Beef Taco Soup

Beef taco soup is a delicious take on tacos, transforming it into a hearty, wholesome, filling soup topped with all the taco fixings. Ready in 30 minutes.

Tortilla Strips

Homemade tortilla strips are crispy, crunchy, delicious, and easy to make using 3 simple ingredients. Serve as a snack or a topping on soups and salad.

Mexican Caesar Salad

This Mexican Caesar Salad is loaded with Mexican ingredients. It's fresh, light, delicious, flavorful — and might even taste better than the original!

Air Fryer Mexican Shrimp

Air fryer Mexican shrimp is juicy, tender, fresh, and delicious. It's packed with classic Mexican flavors and ready in just 10 minutes. So quick and easy.

Mexican Tuna Cakes (Tortitas de Atun)

Mexican tuna cakes, or tortitas de atun, are quick, easy, and delicious. Made with canned tuna, these tuna patties come together in about 20 minutes.

Fish Stick Tacos

Fish stick tacos are fun, quick, easy, and delicious. Crispy breaded fish sticks are topped with a homemade mango salsa and a drizzle of lime crema.

Chili Nachos

Homemade chili nachos are crispy, cheesy, delicious, and flavorful. This modern twist on a Mexican classic are the best way to use up any leftover chili.

Summer Corn Salad

Take fresh-off-the-grill corn on the cob and turn it into a light, flavourful summer corn salad, topped with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and cheese.

Vegan Chickpea Tacos

When it comes to vegetarian tacos, these vegan chickpea tacos are some of the best. They are delicious, filling, easy to make, and loved by all.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole is cheesy, saucy, and packed with layers of enchilada classics like chicken and beans, tortillas, and cheese. A family favorite!

Creamy Mexican Corn Soup

This vegetarian, hearty and filling, creamy Mexican corn soup is dense, bright, and full of flavour! It is the perfect Cinco de Mayo recipe.

Black Bean Salsa

This quick and easy Black Bean Salsa is a delicious Mexican dip loaded with black beans, veggies, cilantro, and lime juice for the best summer flavor.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Mexican stuffed peppers are a delicious, wholesome, healthy meal loaded with fun Mexican flavors. It freezes well and is perfect for meal prep.

Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad

Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad is a delicious, flavorful twist on a classic Caesar salad with Mexican flavors and ingredients tossed in Caesar dressing.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Shredded Beef Enchiladas are flavorful, saucy, and cheesy. They are easy to make for family dinner using just a few ingredients including leftover beef.

Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls

It's time for a fiesta with chipotle chicken burrito bowls served with lime cilantro rice, sautéed bell peppers, corn, black beans and guacamole.

Vegetarian Chili

Easy one pot vegetarian chili is the perfect warm and cozy comfort meal — it’s hearty, filling, wholesome, flavorful, delicious, and loaded with protein.

Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob

Oven-roasted corn on the cob with homemade garlic butter is buttery, juicy, crunchy, and perfectly charred on the outside — without a grill.

Vegan Queso

Vegan Queso is a 5-minute dip that is creamy, cheesy, and perfectly spiced to mimic the classic dip — without any dairy! It tastes like the real thing!

Korean Beef Steak Tacos

Fusion-style Korean beef steak tacos are made with tender, flavour-packed slices of beef and topped with caramelized pineapple, kimchi, and spicy mayo.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

Nothing beats homemade creamy cilantro lime dressing. It's fresh, vibrant, easy to make in 5 minutes, and tastes better than store-bought salad dressing. Serve it over salads, tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, grilled vegetables and meat.

7 Layer Dip

This easy and delicious 7 layer dip is the perfect dip to serve at your next party, made with layers of beans, guacamole, salsa, cheese, and more.

Vegetarian Breakfast Quesadillas

Vegetarian Breakfast Quesadillas are quick and easy to make, loaded with eggs and veggies, and flavorful. Perfect for meal prep and freezer-friendly too.

Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Hearty slow cooker beef chili is an easy, comforting, low-maintenance dinner in fall and winter months. It's a family favourite crockpot chili.

Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Chicken and Kale

Quick and easy butternut squash quesadillas with chicken and kale is the best fall weeknight meal. It's flavourful, so cheesy, and has the perfect crunch.

Grilled Chicken and Avocado Burritos

For something quick and satisfying, grilled chicken and avocado burritos are the kind of creamy, gooey goodness with a bit of a crunch that you will want to make over and over again. So serve this up at your Cinco de Mayo party or at your next get-together, and even the pickiest of eaters will ask for more!

Red Enchilada Sauce

Easy homemade enchilada sauce requires just one pot, an assortment of flavourful spices, four simple steps, and less than 15 minutes to make.

Turkey Chili

Turkey chili is hearty, filling, flavorful, and delicious. It's warm and cozy, quick and easy to make in one pot, and can be made faster in the instant pot.

Cinco de Mayo Party Tips

1. Plan your menu ahead of time. You can prepare many of these recipes and party food ahead of time. Some can stored in an airtight container for a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator, and some can even be frozen, according to recipe directions.
2. Prep your ingredients as much as possible. Once you have decided on the dishes that you are going to serve, prepare as much as you can in advance, whether that is chopping ingredients or prepping the dish and storing in the refrigerator until ready for the oven. Any little bit that you can prepare in advance will make things much less stressful when you just want to kick up your feet and enjoy the fiesta.
3. Set the table the night before. Take out the special party serving dishes, festive napkins and whatever else you need to set up your meal table the night before. It's one less thing to worry about on Cinco de Mayo.

Did You Make Any of These Mexican Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of Mexican recipes for Cinco de Mayo. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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