Here are the tastiest Mexican recipes for Cinco De Mayo! From every taco recipe you can imagine to the best guacamole, zesty salsas, and a few ice-cold margaritas, this list has everything you need for your next Mexican fiesta.
Why You’ll Love These Cinco De Mayo Recipes
As a Southern California native and Mexican food fanatic, Cinco de Mayo is by far my favorite foodie holiday. But interestingly enough, Cinco de Mayo is not actually Mexican Independence Day (as some believe). Instead, it commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. And while it’s not widely celebrated in Mexico, it has become a vibrant celebration of Mexican heritage and culture here in the U.S. I personally love this holiday, and think there’s no better way to honor it than with incredible Mexican recipes. Here’s what you’ll find in my list:
- Delicious Mexican appetizers. These are great ways to start a party and you’ll get all the classics, like guacamole, salsa, black bean dip, and more!
- Foolproof meats and seafood. Whether you’re making carnitas, carne asada, barbacoa, or grilling up some chicken thighs, it’s all about the right seasonings and marinades.
- Drinks and cocktails with a spin. While a classic margarita is often the go-to, let’s not forget about alcohol-free drinks like horchata or agua fresca that are equally refreshing!
Best Mexican Recipes For Dinner
1
Carne Asada
This tried-and-true recipe will have people coming back for seconds thanks to my easy and fresh carne asada marinade that's reminiscent of my travels to Mexico!
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2
Carnitas
If you’re a pork lover like me, this slow cooker recipe cooks up the most juicy, tender carnitas. I also like to pop it under the broiler for a few minutes to get those crispy edges we all love!
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3
Birria
This rich, spicy, and stewy slow-cooked beef has become a huge fan favorite. I especially love making cheesy quesabirria tacos with the shredded beef. My mom always requests it!
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4
Barbacoa
So many community members have made this recipe without fail. It's perfectly tender, juicy, flavorful, and perfect for building tacos, bowls, and salads.
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5
Cilantro Lime Chicken
Cilantro lime flavors are my jam, and this marinade is the tastiest blend of fresh cilantro, zesty lime juice, garlic, bold spices, and a touch of honey. Then, all you need to do is sear and bake the chicken until juicy and golden.
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6
Chipotle Chicken (Best Copycat Recipe)
If you're craving a taste of Chipotle at home, this is the ultimate copycat recipe! It's bold and smoky, extra juicy, and charred to perfection. Chop it up and make your favorite Chipotle bowl, burrito, taco, and more.
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7
Taco Soup
This tastes like a ground beef taco, but better! It comes together so easily with pantry staples, and my taco seasoning amplifies the flavor by a ton.
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8
Black Bean Soup
You won't believe how flavorful this black bean soup is! It's layered with spiced, savory flavors, and I love my bowl topped with diced red onion, cilantro, and creamy avocado.
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The Best Taco Recipes
9
Carne Asada Tacos
You can never go wrong with carne asada tacos! Just dice up your steak into small pieces and top your tacos with guacamole, cilantro, onions, and cotija cheese for the final touch.
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10
Carnitas Tacos
Tacos made with meltingly tender pork, cilantro, chopped red onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice are my absolute favorite.
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11
Birria Tacos
Oh boy, are these tacos mouthwatering! They're like mini quesadillas with melty Oaxacan cheese, shredded birria, onions, and cilantro. Then, you'll dip them in a rich and spiced consommé.
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12
Shrimp Tacos
For a Baja take on tacos, these shrimp tacos are my favorite with a special cilantro lime bacon slaw and a drizzle of lime crema. And if fish tacos are more your thing, add grilled Alaskan wild cod into the mix. It’s the perfect summer taco!
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13
Barbacoa Tacos
The best way to enjoy barbacoa tacos is simple—add diced red onions, freshly chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice! But feel free to add more toppings that I'll lise below.
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Easy Fajita Recipes
14
Chicken Fajitas
This fajita seasoning gives all my fajita recipes a flavorful, authentic touch! But one fajita dish I make most often is definitely chicken fajitas. Juicy chicken, sweet bell peppers, and fresh lime juice—I'm all for it any day of the week.
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15
Shrimp Fajitas
If you love shrimp, then you'll instantly fall in love with shrimp fajitas. It cooks fairly quickly, and the flavors are unbeatable.
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16
Steak Fajitas
The marinade on this grilled flank steak is incredibly delicious! And when it's tossed with fajita veggies, it's the ultimate summer steak dinner.
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17
Fajita Veggies (Just Like Chipotle)
This is the ultimate Chipotle copycat! I love adding these veggies to tacos, bowls, salads, or wherever you want a side of seared Mexican veggies.
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Mexican Sides and Appetizers To Complete Your Meal
18
Best Guacamole Recipe
I’m not lying when I say this is the best guacamole recipe you’ll ever have. It’s perfectly creamy, chunky, and full of the freshest ingredients.
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19
Pico de Gallo Recipe (Easy & Authentic)
The classic chunky salsa is an essential topping for almost all my Mexican meals! It adds the perfect crunchy, refreshing bite.
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20
Ultimate Nachos Recipe
These loaded nachos disappear so fast every time I make them! It's topped with all the good stuff like seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, onion, avocado, jalapenos, and more. And there's plenty of room for customization.
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21
Ceviche
I love making this ceviche for an amazing summer appetizer. It's so easy to chop everything up and let it marinate. Just make sure to buy good quality fish—it's the star ingredient!
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22
Restaurant-Style Salsa
I love a salsa and chips starter, and this recipe mimcs the ones I love at Mexican restaurants. But…I'd say this tastes even better!
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23
Simple Salsa Verde
This roasted tomatillo salsa is probably one I make most often! I use it for salsa verde chicken, chilaquiles, and as the perfect green sauce for tacos.
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24
Black Bean Dip
This black bean dip is almost like my black bean soup, but in a chunky, creamy dip form! It really is a wonderful appetizer everyone will love.
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25
Mango Salsa
Come mango season, this fruit-forward salsa is a given. It’s sweet and fresh with a little kick, and will complement any Mexican seafood dish, especially fish tacos!
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26
Creamy Chipotle Sauce
Made with chipotles in adobo sauce, it's creamy, smoky, and perfect for adding a little heat to your meals.
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27
Lime Crema
A refreshing, zesty sauce that’s perfectly creamy and tangy. This is my favorite for dolloping onto tacos!
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28
Elote Recipe (Authentic Mexican Street Corn)
Give grilled corn on the cob a Mexican twist with elote! This classic dish slathers grilled corn with limey mayo and lime juice, then finishes with a generous sprinkle of cotija cheese, chili powder, and cilantro.
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29
Best Mexican Rice
You can never go wrong with a side of Mexican rice! It's rich with tomato flavors and perfect for assembling plates with black beans and grilled meats.
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30
Cilantro Lime Rice (Chipotle Copycat)
If you prefer a rice that's a bit lighter, this cilantro lime rice is my go-to! It's so refreshing and tastes just like the one from Chipotle.
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Refreshing Mexican Drinks
31
Classic Margarita
When in doubt, make this classic margarita for your next taco night! It's the perfect refreshing cocktail for tequila lovers.
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32
Fresh Mango Margarita
When mangoes are fresh and juicy you have to give this mango margarita a try! It's naturally sweet and perfect for sipping outside with a spread of Mexican food.
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33
Easy Strawberry Margarita Recipe
This frozen strawberry margarita is always a fan favorite, especially during the summer. Plus, I love how easy it is to make. Just toss everything into a blender to make multiple servings in a pinch!
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34
Easy Horchata Recipe
This creamy, cinnamon rice drink is my favorite! It's so refreshing and perfectly sweet. Kids also love this one!
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35
Agua Fresca Recipe (Several Flavors!)
This is the best way to make use of summer fruits! Just add everything to a blender for the most refreshing fruit juice. Watermelon is my personal favorite.
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I hope you, your friends, and your family enjoy these delicious Mexican recipes for Cinco de Mayo or anytime the Mexican cravings hit! If you make any of these recipes, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment box below.
Recipe roundup originally posted April 2020, but updated with new recipes.
I am deeply grateful for all your rescearch and care of the recipes you offer. Thank you
Hi Pam – Thanks so much for your feedback!
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Thanks for your feedback! Hope you enjoy Downshiftology recipes :)
The Taco Soup was a big hit with my family today. I love how quickly it comes together with a few simple ingredients and of course, your infamous taco seasoning!
I’m happy your family loved the taco soup recipe, Terri! That’s a personal favorite of mine as well. :)
The lime Crema was fantastic! I couldn’t get enough of it and I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!
Hi Vicki- Wonderful! Now you can enjoy the lime crema with tons of Tex-Mex recipes :)
Oh wow! I want to make all of your recipes for Cinco de Mayo. Love every one of your recipes! Thank you so much for the inspiration. Cheers!
No problem, Robyn! I can’t wait to see what delicious recipes you make from this list.
This is such a great round-up, I can never have enough Mexican food! So many great ideas here and I love that they are healthy too!
Thanks Michelle! Can’t wait for you to give some of these recipes a go!
Oh wow – so much delicious choice. I really want the taco with the egg on it.
Oh yes, huevos rancheros is the best for breakfast! You’ll definitely have to give that recipe a try.
Mexican is my ultimate favourite cuisine!! I could eat something from this awesome collection every single day. So many ideas here and plenty of flavour packed dishes, I can’t wait to try a couple of them!
Hi Adrianne- It’s my favorite cuisine as well! You can’t go wrong with any of these dishes :)
Having moved to New Zealand from the states many years ago, good Mexican food is one of the things I miss most. We always make it ourselves and welcome new recipes. Lots of options to choose from here, but I am starting with either your pulled pork or shrimp tacos. Yummy! Thanks for all these options.
Hi Rhonda- Luckily New Zealand is full of fresh ingredients, where these Mexican recipes can easily be made right at home! The pulled pork and shrimp tacos are a great start to this list :)
Pantry staple and affordable recipe. Thanks for sharing.
looks amazing
Thanks, Daphne! They’re all really delicious! :)
I love anything with a Mexican inspired twist, especially when they’re better for me. Can’t wait to try these out over the weekend!! Thanks for sharing :)
I’m with you, Deanne! I’ll gladly eat all the Mexican food. ;) Hope you enjoy a few of these recipes!
Mexican is my favourite!! I especially love the Black Bean Vegetarian Pizza, it sounds fabulous.
The Black Bean Vegetarian Pizza is one of my favorites! Thanks for the kind comment, Adrienne! :)
I’m a huge fan of Mexican ingredients and I’m always happy to discover new recipes, especially healthy ones!
Thanks, Corina! Yep, these recipes are all delicious Mexican or Mexican-inspired dishes!
This is a great collection! Thanks so much for sharing!
Of course! Thanks for the kind comment, Courtney!
All of these Cinco De Mayo recipes look amazing! I really love the mango margarita and Carne Asada Fries.
Thanks, Erin! Both are very delicious! :)