15 Savory Mexican Recipes To Spice Up Your Cinco De Mayo

With Cinco de Mayo coming up fast you might be thinking of celebrating either with a party or some sort of small get-together with friends/family. If you’re also wondering just what to cook up for such an event then you don’t need to worry because these Mexican recipes are just what you’re looking for. From appetizers to desserts, you’ll be set to make full-course meals for you and your guests with the many different tastes of Mexican food perfect for the holiday. Here are 15 savory Mexican recipes to spice up your Cinco de Mayo.

1. Chipotle Corn Salsa & Baked Tortilla Chips

This recipe makes for a great salsa that works for either chips or filling for burritos/enchiladas! You’re going to use frozen corn (defrosted of course), Pinto beans, diced Roma tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, Chipotle paste (or chipotle powder) and the juice/zest from four limes! This is a perfect addition to your list of Mexican recipes, especially for making for Cinco de Mayo festivities!

2. Restaurant Style White Queso

If salsa isn’t your thing then maybe this delicious recipe for white queso will be just right for you! Perfect for either Taco Tuesday, or obviously Cinco de Mayo, to go along with any tortilla chips or really whatever you’d want. It’s melted cheese dip for crying out loud it goes well on anything! You’ll want to start by heating some evaporated milk over the stove in a small saucepan, then combine with the cornstarch. As soon as the milk starts to simmer; meaning right before it boils so you’ll see bubbling up the sides then reduce the heat immediately. Stir in your cheese slowly and increase the heat a bit and constantly whisk the whole thing while adding in the cheese. This helps ensure you have a creamy blend of all your different cheeses! You can refrigerate any extra white queso dip you have for about three to four days, however, I doubt you’ll have any left! Mexican recipes such as this are too good to not completely devour once made.

3. South of the Border Pizza

Although this may not seem typical like some of the other Mexican recipes on this list, it’s worth a try! For this recipe, you’ll be making a Mexican-style pizza that’s even worth considering as healthy. You’ll use a precooked whole-grain pizza crust with some Enchilada sauce as your “pizza sauce.” The toppings will be some black beans, a diced red bell pepper, and once done cooking top with some diced avocado and cilantro!

4. Mexican Street Corn Salad

Don’t forget these healthier Mexican recipes when you’re preparing for your Cinco de Mayo festivities! This recipe for Mexican street corn salad is both delicious and versatile so you can put it on tacos, chips, burritos, salads, and more. You’ll make the dressing with plain nonfat yogurt, lime juice, honey, paprika, and cumin. Then, you’ll cook your corn (either on the stovetop as just kernels, or on a grill as a whole ear of corn then cut the kernels off) and combine with garlic, lime juice, and salt. Finally, you’ll add the cooked corn mixture into a large bowl with your black beans, pepper, onion, cilantro, and cheese. Drizzle over your homemade dressing and enjoy!

5. Chicken and Black Bean Chimichangas

Unlike some of the other more complicated Mexican recipes on this list, a chimichanga is simply a deep-fried burrito. However, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t delicious! This recipe for chicken and black bean chimichangas is easy to make, relatively cheap, and should only take you about 20 minutes. You’re gonna combine some shredded deli-roasted chicken with black beans, green chiles, salsa verde, salt & pepper, and fresh cilantro. Put the mixture into your tortillas and sprinkles on some shredded Monterey Jack cheese! Roll up your burrito and fry them in hot oil on a large skillet for about three to four minutes on each side.

6. Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

If you’re looking for some classic Mexican recipes to whip up on Cinco de Mayo then these chicken enchiladas in salsa verde are perfect for you. The recipe takes a bit of time and a good amount of ingredients but you won’t regret it. The recipe recommends that the key to keeping your enchiladas from drying out is to quickly fry your tortillas and then as soon as they’re done dip them into the salsa verde to get them completely drenched! Then fill and roll your enchiladas into a delicious Mexican entree perfect for your Cinco de Mayo dinner or party.

7. Grilled Citrus-marinated Mexican Chicken

Mexican recipes don’t have to be reserved for Cinco de Mayo or Taco Tuesday dinners. When you get a grilled chicken as good as this one you’ll want to make it all the time! This recipe makes a delicious grilled citrus-marinated Mexican chicken that you cannot miss out on. You’ll marinate your chicken overnight with orange and lime juices, a chili pepper, olive oil, salsa, and salt. The acid from the citrus juices will work to tenderize the chicken and the sugar helps in some savory caramelized grill marks!

8. Elote-Style Corn with Cotija and Spicy Cilantro Cream

One of the best classic Mexican recipes you can find on the street or in Mexican restaurants is elote-style corn. It’s a simple recipe where you’ll take an ear of corn on the cob with the husk on, fold back and tie pieces of the husk to make a handle, and put the corn in a pot of cold salted water. Then, grill them until charred on all sides then slather it with a combination of mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, cumin, and salt. You’ll also use Ctojia cheese mixed with cilantro, chives, and amchur powder as a sprinkle on top of your mayonnaise mixture. You’ll really spice up your Cinco de Mayo with classic and delicious Mexican recipes like this one!

9. Huevos Rancheros in Colorado Sauce

Huevos rancheros is an amazing Mexican dish that makes for a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner! This recipe for huevos rancheros in Colorado sauce gives you the opportunity to whip up one of the best Mexican recipes out there. By the end, you’ll have corn tortillas and eggs floating on your delicious homemade Colorado sauce topped with jalapenos, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, and cilantro! To make this homemade Colorado sauce you’ll use: dried New México chili peppers, dried ancho chili peppers, dried chipotle pepper, garlic, Mexican oregano, cumin, coriander, and broth of your choice (chicken, vegetable, etc.). This is a really well-balanced dish with lots of protein and fiber, making it a great choice for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations!

10. Baja Fish Tacos

This recipe for Baja fish tacos is a delicious dish that you can’t skip out on for Cinco de Mayo. You’ll be making a homemade coleslaw, chipotle mayo, and of course the tasty beer-battered fish. The recipe suggests using a firm, milf-flavored fish for your tacos such as cod, halibut, or mahi-mahi. It also suggests not to let your beer batter sit for too long after making it so you want to fry your fish with fresh beer batter so it’s still bubbly and carbonated! This is a dish that can easily be made in bulk thus it’s perfect to put out for your guests at a Cinco de Mayo party, or any party in general.

11. Mexican Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

A great thing about many Mexican recipes is how a lot of the time you find a lot of them with very similar ingredients. So that means you can buy lots of those ingredients and can make many different Mexican recipes without having to go back to the store. This casserole recipe is included in that it uses very similar ingredients to some of the other Mexican recipes on this list. For this dish, you’ll be making a Mexican chicken chilaquiles casserole that would be a great addition to your Cinco de Mayo festivities. If you’re wondering, chilaquiles is essentially an original form of nachos and in this case, you’ll be doing tortilla chips, spiced tomato sauce, shredded chicken, and some cheese. Simple but delicious and perfect for a Cinco de Mayo dinner!

12. Easy Carnitas

Carnitas are the Mexican version of pulled pork so you can’t go wrong with this recipe. You’ll need a slow cooker or Instant Pot and then you’ll be able to make this delicious and easy carnitas recipe. You can use the meat in tacos, burrito bowls, tostadas, and more! Perfect for your Cinco de Mayo because you’ll be able to use the meat in so many different ways. Plus you can make a lot at one time without too much effort. Don’t miss out on easy and delicious Mexican recipes such as this one!

13. Tequila & Lime Margarita Chicken Fajitas

There couldn’t be a list of Mexican recipes without some tasty fajitas! This recipe gives you an (alcoholic) twist on a Mexican classic and you won’t be disappointed. You’re going to be marinating the chicken and vegetables overnight with a combination of tequila, triple sec, lime juice, cumin, coriander, salt (or Goya all-purpose seasoning) & pepper, and cayenne. It’s an easy recipe to follow after everything has marinated overnight you’ll heat up a cast-iron skillet and put your chicken, peppers, and onions with the marinade liquids into the pan. Sear it all for about one minute then start stirring and sauteing until everything is cooked through. Impress your guests on Cinco de Mayo with these margarita chicken fajitas!

14. Strawberries and Milk Shaved Ice (Raspado)

In addition to delicious dinners and such, there are also many tasty Mexican recipes for desserts! This recipe for strawberry and milk shaved ice, or raspados, is easy to make and won’t break your budget. All you will need is fresh strawberries, sugar, condensed milk, and shaved ice. You’ll start by cooking two cups of your cut up strawberries in a saucepan with some water and the sugar. Bring it all to a boil and reduce the heat then stir until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries get soft. Pour your cooked strawberries mixture into a blender/food processor and blend until smooth and cool it. This strawberry syrup mixture is poured onto your shaved ice as well as with some chopped-up strawberries and maybe some condensed milk if you’d like! An easy and delicious dessert to throw onto your list of Mexican recipes and also definitely worth breaking out on Cinco de Mayo.

15. Churros with Espresso & Chocolate Sauce

Don’t even think about hosting any Cinco de Mayo gatherings without breaking out this classic Mexican dessert. This recipe for churros and a delicious espresso & chocolate dipping sauce should be essential for your festivities. Fair warning you’ll likely need the appliances for deep frying and also making the espresso. However, if you have those then you’re good to go! If you love churros (let’s face it, who doesn’t love churros?) then whip up this tasty Mexican dessert for your guests and have a traditional-feeling Cinco de Mayo!