51 Mexican Recipes (and Mexican-Inspired Recipes) to Make Tonight
This collection of delicious Mexican recipes—and dishes inspired by Mexican cuisine—can solve pretty much any meal conundrum. Not sure what to make for brunch? Chilaquiles can do no wrong. Looking for ideas for dinner tonight? Fill tacos with crispy mushrooms, chile-marinated grilled fish, or silky poblano peppers and plump shrimp. Found a local masa purveyor and want to do the good stuff justice? Scroll down to find recipes for gorditas, memelas, chochoyotes, and tlacoyos. Want a big pot of soup to satisfy a crowd? You’ve got multiple options below, including vegetarian-friendly versions of menudo and pozole verde. Whatever you serve, a pitcher of agua fresca and a towering tres leches cake will make your feast even better.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton1/51Tacos de Gobernador (Shrimp, Poblano, and Cheese Tacos)
Let's kick off this list of the best Mexican recipes on Epicurious with chef David Castro Hussong's version of a classic taco. In addition to the juicy shrimp, mild chiles, and creamy cheese often found in Tacos Gobernador, he adds bacon to the mix.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch2/51Shrimp With Chochoyotes in Smoky, Herby Broth
“I will definitely make this over and over again,” writes one reviewer of this recipe from Epi contributor Christian Reynoso. The dimpled masa dumplings in the broth have a soft, rich, corn-filled flavor. Check out our guide if you're looking for fresh masa sources near you.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch3/51Esquites con Salsa de Totopos
The salsa on this summer corn brings the crunch. It's filled with tortilla chips, salted dry-roasted peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds, then layered with creamy ingredients like crema mexicana or crème fraîche, mayo, and crumbled Cotija cheese, plus fresh lime juice.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton4/51Homemade Corn Tortillas
Wondering how to make tortillas so good they don't need filling? Grab a tortilla press, and start with this recipe.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart6/51Chiles Rellenos (Cheese-Stuffed Poblano Peppers)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich7/51Pulled Mushroom Tacos With Salsa Guille
Really crispy mushrooms make a fantastic taco filling, especially when topped with this savory, creamy peanut butter and serrano salsa.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert10/51Breakfast Burritos With Bacon, Egg, and Cheese
There's no better way to start a weekend than Epi contributor Alan Delgado's breakfast burrito with bacon, egg, cheese, and creamy beans. Hop over here for tips on how to roll a burrito, too.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton11/51Sonoran-Style Potato, Cheese, and Tomato Soup
This luscious caldo de queso-inspired soup is a great way to use some garden zucchini or summer squash.
Photo and Styling by Joseph De Leo13/51Plátanos Horneados con Crema y Queso (Baked Banana With Crema and Cheese)
You can bake these plantains—or put them on the grill while you eat dinner. Drizzle with crema and fresh cheese for a dessert that tastes like banana crème brûlée.
Photo by Alex Lau14/51Charro Beans
Cooking the beans with a generous mixture of dried spices, including cumin and coriander, yields an intensely flavorful broth that’s just as delicious as the beans themselves. These beans can be cooked to five days ahead; serve as a side dish for your next barbecue, or heat them up with rice and veggies for a quick lunch.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton15/51Tlacoyos de Frijol y Requesón (Bean and Cheese Tlacoyos)
Epi contributor Fany Gerson says these masa patties are her very favorite Mexican street food snack. Fill them with beans or cheese, then top with a refreshing salad of cactus paddle, cilantro, serrano, and onion.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich16/51Enchiladas Divorciadas
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton19/51Memelas
These little masa snacks get a flurry of toppings. They're great with refried black beans, pulled chicken, chopped romaine lettuce, crema, crumbled fresh cheese, a salsa or two, and guacamole, but you can also simplify to beans + salsa for an easier snack.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne21/51Sikil P'aak
This Mayan toasted pumpkin seed and tomato dip is spicy, rich, and deeply savory. Read a bit more about it and grab some chips for dipping.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne22/51Capirotada
This Mexican bread pudding, usually served during Lent, has been around for some 500 years. This version combines raisins, nuts, coconut, and bananas in a sweet custard with torn bolillo rolls.
Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo24/51Salsa Roja
This salsa's seasonings include just a tiny bit of cinnamon to help bring out the natural sweetness and fruity notes in the chiles. It's a great base for chilaquiles, and you can also use it as an enchilada sauce.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson26/51Pozole Rojo
Pozole is one of the greats in the pantheon of Mexican recipes, and this richly satisfying version is made with two kinds of toasted chiles, turned into a paste that's sautéed in oil to coax out the complex flavors. Top each bowl with diced avocado, crema, queso fresco, thinly sliced iceberg lettuce, chopped white onion, radishes, fried tortilla strips or chips, lime wedges, and/or a pinch of dried oregano.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Ali Nardi27/51Amaya’s Migas
This meatless main dish recipe comes from Robert Amaya of Austin’s Taco Village. When you're craving a Tex-Mex breakfast, nothing else compares.
31/51Classic Michelada
Don't forget the drinks! If you're not making margaritas or palomas, go with this beer cocktail, a low-alcohol sipper that's best made with the spice blend Tajín.
Christopher Testani33/51Perfect Fish Tacos
This taco recipe includes instructions for a homemade Fresno chile hot sauce, but you can substitute your favorite store-bought hot sauce instead.
Photo by Peden + Munk34/51Quesadillas with Oaxacan Cheese and Squash Blossoms
Squash blossoms aren't just for stuffing and frying. They make a lovely, delicately flavored addition to these superlative quesadillas.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich35/51Vegan Roasted Garlic–Potato Enchiladas
These enchiladas filled with creamy, garlicky mashed potatoes have comfort food written all over them.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich37/51Sweet Cinnamon Tamal
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone40/51Aguachile de Camarón (Shrimp Cooked in Lime and Chile)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton41/51Tamales con Elote y Chile Poblano (Tamales With Corn and Poblano Chiles)
These tamales are deeply flavorful but light and fluffy; they're perfect for celebrations. Start with this tamale-making video, then jump over to the recipe.
Photo by David A. Land, food styling by Carrie Purcell, prop styling by Alyssa Pagano46/51Peaches and Crema Paletas
Photo by Todd Coleman47/51Chopped Fried-Fish Tacos (Tacos de Salpicón de Pescado)
Take fried fish, break it up, and douse it with lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, chiles, and cilantro, and you have an incredible jumble of textures and flavors. Because you hack the fish into bits, there's no need to find perfect-for-presentation fillets, so this is a great way to use those that aren't flawless, as long as they're fresh.
Photo by Caleb Adams, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog49/51Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup With Bean and Cheese Nachos
This tortilla-soup-inspired dinner is enriched by the flavor of smoky canned chipotle peppers, brightened by fresh lime, and on the table in under 30 minutes.
