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Looking for authentic Mexican food recipes that are bursting with flavor? If so, you’ll love these easy Mexican food ideas!
It’s time to ditch the take-out and try preparing some of your favorite Mexican meals at home.
Whether you’re after authentic and easy recipes to cook specifically for Cinco De Mayo, or you’re looking to add new meals into your everyday life, you’ll find plenty of amazing mains, appetizers, sauces and salads in this post.
You’ll find that most of these recipes aren’t difficult to prepare at all: there’s a few core ingredients in Mexican cuisine, like rice, beans, cheese, beef and chicken, so as long as you know how to prepare those, you should be good to go. Cooking up enchiladas and casseroles is actually a lot easier than you think!
So, with that in mind, let’s jump to 50 delicious Mexican food recipes!
Happy cooking!
The Best Authentic Mexican Food Recipes To Try:
1. Quesadillas (Chicken Fajita Style)
Get the recipe on Cooking Classy
This easy recipe is great for a WFH lunch or quick dinner where you want to eat something filling with minimal cleanup and prep time. The great thing is you can adjust it according to your taste and preferences.
2. Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Get the recipe on Homemade Interest
This easy dish is great for a potluck or dinner party as it can be prepped in advance and put in the oven before serving.You can also cook this and portion it out to reheat later in the week. Mexican dishes nearly always taste better the next day – give it a try and let us know if you taste the difference.
3. Vegetarian Mexican Casserole
Get the recipe on Build Your Bite
Mexican cuisine uses rice and beans in many dishes, making it a wonderful option for vegetarians and vegans as it can be a great protein source – with lots of flavor. Dishes like this casserole can be great for meal prep at the start of the week.
4. Taco Casserole
Get the recipe on The Cozy Cook
Mexican cuisine lends itself to being made in big batches and portioned out and/or frozen. You can also load this up with vegetables for a healthier alternative.
5. Easy Mexican Rice
Get the recipe on Seeded At The Table
Mexican rice is essentially a spiced or flavored rice. It can be wonderful to meal prep at the start of the week. To avoid getting unwell from cooked rice, ensure you cool down your rice quickly after cooking, and put it straight in the fridge.
6. Green Chile Chicken Smothered Burritos
Get the recipe on Valerie’s Kitchen
Burritos are a wonderful easy lunch or dinner option. If you don’t like a dry meal, try baking them with this sauce smothered over them. Pair with pico de gallo and sour cream for a morish meal.
7. Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Get the recipe on Life, Love And Good Food
Similarly, these enchiladas are traditionally baked and served in a sauce so make a great midweek dinner (if there are leftovers) as it has minimal cleanup, and you can have it for lunch the next day!
8. Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)
Get the recipe on Recipe Tin Eats
Carnitas pulled pork is a classic indulgent Mexican dish. The soft savory meat pulls apart effortlessly, making it the perfect addition to any dish.
9. Carne Guisada
Get the recipe on Kawaling Pinoy
This hearty stew with meat and potatoes is a lesser-known dish that is perfect for cold winter nights. The spices and vibrancy of this make it warming from the inside and a must-try for all the soup lovers!
10. Baked Beef Flautas
Get the recipe on Mom On Timeout
Flautas and taquitos are similar in that they consist of a fried tortilla with a meat filling inside. This version with beef is perfect if you’re having guests round for Mexican night and want to show off your culinary skills.
11. Southwestern Black Bean Casserole
Get the recipe on Skinny MS
Beans are great for those looking to incorporate more protein into their diet. It can however be difficult to find recipes that are fun and flavourful, and this is where Mexican cuisine shines. This casserole is easy to construct and you can always add meat too.
12. Easy Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
Get the recipe on The Busy Baker
For weeknight meals with minimal time to cook and clean, but where you still need a tasty dinner – this is a fantastic option. Your fajita filling can be cooked in one pan, and used to fill tortillas or even as a salad topping.
13. Mexican Coleslaw
Get the recipe on Spicy Southern Kitchen
Coleslaw is a classic side dish or condiment – depending on how much you like it. It can be boring in flavor with little to season it other than salt and mustard. For your next barbecue, why not surprise the crowd with this Mexican coleslaw instead?
14. Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
Get the recipe on Dear Crissy
Okay, tater tots aren’t Mexican, but we can flavor them with Mexican spices to add to Mexican night dinner. This is similar to what you might be familiar with as a Shepherd’s pie, but more fun.
15. Cheesy Ground Beef Empanadas
Get the recipe on Great Grub, Delicious Treats
Empanadas are a great mess-free option for dinner parties or at-home gatherings where you want to feed your guests without the pressure of a sit-down dinner. These cheesy beef options would pair well with a sour cream-based dipping sauce.
16. Mexican Street Tacos
Get the recipe on Damn Delicious
It wouldn’t be a Mexican food guide without talking Tacos. These can be filled with any meat or even beans for vegetarians. The fun comes when it’s time to decide on your toppings!
17. Spicy Shrimp Fajitas
Get the recipe on Savory Bites Recipes
Similar to other renditions of fajitas, these shrimp-filled ones are a refreshing, flavorful meal during the warmer months – especially if you can get your hands on fresh shrimp.
18. One Pot Mexican Ground Beef And Rice
Get the recipe on This Is Not Diet Food
Fitness influencers would have you believe that to be healthy, your meals have to be boring – but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
This beef and rice one-pot dish is packed with flavor and can be prepped in bulk for your dinners for the whole week.
19. Mexican Potato Tacos
Get the recipe on Cooktoria
For those who are vegetarian but don’t want to miss out on taco night – try out these potato tacos which use mashed potato! This is a great way to use leftover potato which can sometimes dry out in the fridge.
20. Easy 30-Minute Chicken Chimichanga Recipe
Get the recipe on Munchkin Time
This is essentially a deep-fried burrito without the pico de gallo and guacamole as these taste better fresh than fried. If you like burritos and fajitas but just want something a little different – give chimichangas a go!
21. Pork Carnitas Recipe (Slow Cooker)
Get the recipe on Spend With Pennies
Pork carnitas or braised pork, is a classic meat option in Mexican cuisine. It is slow cooked, and so will shred and fall apart easily. This makes it a wonderful option to add to tacos, burritos, and nearly any Mexican dish.
22. Easy Mexican Casserole
Get the recipe on Life Is Sweeter By Design
Mexican cuisine is one of few where the components of nearly every dish are the same, only put together in different ways and different combinations to create new flavors. This bake is an easy way to combine all your favorite Mexican flavors into one dish.
23. Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadilla
Get the recipe on Girl Heart Food
Quesadillas are great for an easy at-home lunch or quick-filling dinner. You can adjust the recipe to suit you, either remove the meat for a vegetarian option or opt for a dairy-free cheese if you’re vegan.
24. Authentic Mexican Beef Enchiladas
Get the recipe on Brown Eyed Baker
Enchiladas are great if you’re hosting a dinner party, or just cooking for many people–they are easy to prep and when it comes time to eat, pour over the sauce and pop in the oven to serve piping hot.
25. Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls
Get the recipe on The Kitchn
Burrito bowls are a great lower-carb way to enjoy the flavors of a burrito if you’re trying to cut down on your carbs or calories. You can add more chicken or beans to up your protein, which will also help you feel fuller for longer.
26. Homemade Posole
Get the recipe on Budget Bytes
This rich stew is perfect during the colder months to warm you from within. Many wellness experts say the key to being well during the cold months is to focus on incorporating spices and hot foods into your diet – this is the perfect way to try the theory.
27. Traditional Mexican Tostadas
Get the recipe on My Latina Table
A tostada is a flat, crispy tortilla, topped with traditional toppings – beef, beans, veggies, and crema (a tangy sour cream dressing).
A tostada bar would be a great fun dinner activity, and all your guests can load up their tostadas with their preferred toppings.
28. Easy Taco Salad Cups
Get the recipe on Just A Taste
This fun way to incorporate Mexican cuisine in party food is easy but looks elevated. Wonton wrappers like those used to make the cup are easily available in the freezer section of your grocery store and can be used for any kind of filling.
29. Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas (5 Ingredients!)
Get the recipe on Fit Slow Cooker Queen
Slow cookers lend themselves to Mexican cuisine as the flavors taste better the longer they are allowed to cook and marinate together. This slow-cooked steak is perfect to prep at the start of the week – or cook while you work if you have people over for dinner in the evening.
30. Lazy Day Salsa
Get the recipe on The Slow Roasted Italian
Salsa is a wonderful condiment for every cuisine and is very easy to make at home with few ingredients. Once you try this, you’ll never eat it out of a jar again.
31. Canned Refried Beans (Restaurant Style)
Get the recipe on Frugal Hausfrau
Refried beans are a Mexican cuisine staple, and aren’t something you’ll find in another country’s dishes with quite so much importance.
That being said, to get the unique flavor – you do need to add some embellishments to the canned stuff.
32. Mexican Shredded Beef
Get the recipe on Closet Cooking
Much like pork carnitas, this shredded beef is a great way to prep meat for multiple Mexican dishes. Even those who don’t know how to cook will be able to prep this easy beef dish in a matter of minutes.
33. White Queso Dip
Get the recipe on Small Town Woman
Queso is similar to a cheese sauce, sometimes with veggies sometimes without. It’s a wonderful dish to learn to make for Superbowl season, or if you’re always hosting people for movie nights!
34. Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Get the recipe on A Wicked Whisk
Enchiladas can be adjusted for every dietary requirement whether you like to eat meat or not. These are also great for fussy little ones as you can bake individual dishes without the components they avoid.
35. Baked Chicken Chili Relleno
Get the recipe on Lady Behind The Curtain
If you’re familiar with hunters chicken, this is its Mexican cousin. This is great to prep in advance of a dinner party and can be popped in the oven to cook before your guests sit to eat. You can serve this with a simple salad and all the traditional Mexican components to wow your guests.
36. Best Ground Beef Taco Meat
Get the recipe on House Of Yumm
Taco meat is super easy to prep ahead of a busy week – and can be changed out for a meat alternative, or ground turkey for a high-protein, low-fat option if you’re trying out healthier options.
37. Mexican Black Beans
Get the recipe on Know Your Produce
Beans are wonderful for keeping in your pantry for the day when you have nothing to eat but don’t want to order out. These are easy to prep and are extremely healthy. Simply serve with rice and you, and your tummy, will be happy.
38. Perfect Enchilada Sauce
Get the recipe on Sweet And Savory Meals
We’ve mentioned enchiladas a few times, however, you can make a general sauce to fit any filling. If you are always strapped for time, prepare this ahead of time and store to use on a rainy day.
39. Authentic Carne Asada
Get the recipe on The Stay At Home Chef
Carne Asada is a word you’ll hear in every Mexican restaurant.This marinated steak is much easier to make than it sounds, but packs a punch. The key is in slicing the meat in the correct way – but you can easily find YouTube tutorials for it!
40. Mexican Spinach Dip
Get the recipe on Food Folks And Fun
You know Spinach dip, this is the amped-up version for those who like a bit of spice. This is a great way to trick yourself into eating more vegetables, particular for those who need to up their iron intake.
41. Authentic Pico De Gallo
Get the recipe on Natasha’s Kitchen
Pico de Gallo is like a small-cut salad, but in Mexican cuisine is used like a salsa with nearly every dish. It’s fresh and tasty and even if you’re not having Mexican, makes a great salad accompaniment with any meat-based dishes.
42. Easy Shrimp Tacos
Get the recipe on Wonky Wonderful
All the seafood lovers – this is the option for you. This dish focuses on the natural flavor of the shrimp, which is why good quality seafood is super important. You can top this with anything you wish, here they’ve used cilantro, avocado and crema.
43. Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos
Get the recipe on Cooking Classy
Vegans don’t need to be left out of the fun when it comes to Mexican cuisine, and this proves it. Sweet potato and black beans are very healthy and have good natural protein content which is super important for those following a vegan diet.
44. Mexican Street Style Grilled Cauliflower
Get the recipe on Texas Granola Girl
Cauliflower is somewhat of an it-vegetable. It is naturally bland but has a wonderful texture, which makes it the perfect blank canvas for Mexican cuisine. This would be a great side dish to add to the table for your next Mexican night.
45. Chicken Burrito Bowl
Get the recipe on Feel Good Foodie
Burrito bowls are a great option for a family of fussy eaters. Simply prepare all the components, put them in the middle of the table, and allow everyone to build the perfect plate for them. This is also a great meal prep option or for a brown bag lunch.
46. Grilled Chicken Street Tacos
Get the recipe on Tastes Better From Scratch
Grilled chicken tacos are perfect if you don’t love messy tacos. Tortillas are also pretty easy to make at home if you’re an experienced cook, otherwise, simply warm up your tortillas on a dry pan and fill them with your grilled chicken and condiments.
47. Crispy Cauliflower Tacos
Get the recipe on Vegan Heaven
Crispy cauliflower is still having its moment. Rather than eating it with buffalo sauce, fill your tacos with these crunchy bites and salad for a fresh summer dinner. If you have a good spice tolerance, you could still dress this with your buffalo sauce.
48. Best Ever Guacamole
Get the recipe on Down Shiftology
How have we made it this far without talking Guac? A great way to prolong your guacamole in the fridge is by adding a good amount of lemon juice to it as this stops it from turning brown and gooey.
49. Street Corn Nachos
Get the recipe on Delish
Nachos are a popular bar snack that comes from Mexican cuisine. This plays off the popular Mexican corn street food, and are wonderful for movie night, or as an on-theme appetiser for Mexican night.
50. Mexican Chopped Salad
Get the recipe on The Cafe Sucre Farine
This is like Pico de Gallo, but not. Keeping with the theme of chopping up your ingredients finely, do this with all your other favorite salad items. If you want to up your protein – add in some beans and pair with Carne Asada!
Which of these authentic Mexican food recipes are you going to cook up for your family, and which of them are you going to reserve for parties and big gatherings? Let me know in the comments!
