10+ Mexican Food Recipes to Spice Up Your Dinner Tonight

Mexican food recipes bring bold flavors and fresh ingredients into your kitchen. They offer a mix of tastes that are both comforting and exciting, making meal times something to look forward to.

You can easily make a variety of dishes that are delicious and full of traditional Mexican flavors.

Whether you enjoy simple meals or want to try something new, these recipes can fit your cooking style. You don’t need to be an expert to create tasty Mexican dishes that your family and friends will love.

Ingredients

• Various fresh vegetables (tomatoes, onions, peppers)
• Corn or flour tortillas
• Beans
• Meat (chicken, beef, or pork)
• Cheese
• Spices (cumin, chili powder, oregano)

Cooking Instructions

1. Prepare and chop fresh vegetables.
2. Season and cook your choice of meat or beans.
3. Warm tortillas on a pan or oven at 350°F (175°C) for 2-3 minutes.
4. Assemble ingredients and cook according to the specific recipe steps.

1) Chicken Tacos with Fresh Salsa

Chicken tacos with fresh salsa are a simple and tasty way to enjoy Mexican food. You cook juicy chicken and top it with salsa made from fresh tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.

This combo gives you bright flavors and a light, fresh feeling with every bite. You can use a slow cooker or an Instant Pot to make the chicken tender and juicy.

Adding your salsa at the end keeps it fresh and full of flavor. Serve the tacos with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings like avocado or shredded cheese.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 1 cup fresh salsa (tomatoes, onions, cilantro)
• 8 small tortillas
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Cook chicken in slow cooker or Instant Pot until tender.
3. Shred the chicken with two forks.
4. Warm tortillas in a pan or oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.
5. Fill tortillas with chicken and top with fresh salsa.

2) Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Beef enchiladas with red sauce are a classic Mexican dish you can make at home. They’re filled with seasoned ground beef wrapped in corn tortillas.

The red sauce adds a tangy, slightly spicy flavor that makes the dish tasty and comforting. You can customize the sauce with chili powder, cumin, and oregano for a rich taste.

After filling the tortillas with beef, cover them with the red sauce and cheese. Bake until everything is hot and the cheese melts nicely.

Ingredients:

• 8-10 corn tortillas
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cups red enchilada sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook ground beef and onion in a skillet until beef is browned.
3. Add chili powder, oregano, cumin, and salt; mix well.
4. Soften tortillas by warming them briefly.
5. Fill each tortilla with beef mixture, roll up, and place in a baking dish.
6. Pour red enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas.
7. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
8. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

3) Classic Guacamole with Lime

Making classic guacamole is simple and fresh. Start with ripe avocados for a creamy texture.

Add lime juice to keep the avocado from browning and to give it a bright, tangy flavor. Mix in chopped onions, tomatoes, and cilantro for more texture and taste.

A little salt brings out all the flavors. If you like a small kick, toss in a bit of jalapeno.

This recipe is great for dipping chips or topping tacos. It only takes a few minutes and uses easy-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
• 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ cup chopped tomatoes
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 small jalapeno (optional), finely chopped

Cooking Instructions

1. Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl.
2. Add lime juice and salt. Mash until smooth or slightly chunky.
3. Stir in tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno if using.
4. Taste and add more lime juice or salt if needed.
5. Serve immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

See the full guide for classic guacamole here.

4) Street-Style Elote (Mexican Corn)

Street-style elote is a popular Mexican snack you can easily make at home. It starts with grilling corn on the cob until it’s slightly charred.

This gives the corn a smoky, tasty flavor. After grilling, coat the corn with a creamy sauce made of mayonnaise and lime juice.

Sprinkle chili powder and crumbled Cotija cheese on top. This combination creates a perfect mix of creamy, tangy, and spicy flavors.

You can also serve elote in a cup, mixing the corn kernels with the same sauce and toppings. It’s a fun way to enjoy this street food without the cob.

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C).
2. Grill the corn, turning often, until charred in spots, about 10 minutes.
3. Mix mayonnaise and lime juice in a bowl.
4. Spread the sauce over the hot corn.
5. Sprinkle chili powder and Cotija cheese on top.
6. Serve immediately and enjoy.

For more details, see this Elote Recipe.

5) Spicy Shrimp Fajitas

You’ll love how quick and tasty spicy shrimp fajitas are. The shrimp cook fast and get a nice kick from spices like smoked paprika, cumin, and chili powder.

Toss them with sautéed bell peppers and onions for a colorful, flavorful meal. These fajitas work great for a weeknight dinner.

Just marinate the shrimp briefly, then cook everything in one pan. Serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• Tortillas for serving

Cooking Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix shrimp with spices, lime juice, zest, and olive oil.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through.
4. Remove shrimp; add peppers and onions to the skillet. Cook 5-6 minutes until soft.
5. Return shrimp to the pan and stir to combine.
6. Serve hot with warmed tortillas.

You can find more details on spicy shrimp fajitas here.

6) Homemade Chicken Tamales

Making chicken tamales at home might seem hard, but it’s easier than you think. You start with masa dough, which is soft corn dough that holds the filling.

Spread the masa on corn husks and add cooked chicken mixed with green chile sauce for flavor. Once filled, fold the husks to seal the tamales.

Steam them for about 1 to 1.5 hours until the dough is firm and cooked through. You’ll enjoy a warm, tasty meal that feels special.

Using rotisserie chicken can save time without losing taste. You can find a simple recipe for easy homemade chicken tamales with salsa verde here.

Ingredients

• 4 cups masa harina
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup lard or vegetable shortening
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup green chile verde sauce
• 30-40 dried corn husks

Cooking Instructions

1. Soak corn husks in warm water for 30 minutes.
2. Beat lard until fluffy.
3. Mix masa harina with chicken broth to make dough.
4. Combine masa dough with lard until smooth.
5. Spread masa on soaked husks.
6. Add chicken and green chile sauce in center.
7. Fold husks to close tamales.
8. Steam tamales for 60-90 minutes at 212°F (100°C).
9. Check for firmness before serving.

7) Quesadillas with Oaxaca Cheese

Quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese are simple and tasty. The cheese melts well and has a mild, stringy texture that makes your quesadilla gooey and delicious.

You can use flour tortillas for a crisp, buttery outside. To make it more filling, add black beans or shredded chicken before folding the tortilla.

Cook your quesadilla in a hot pan until the cheese melts and the outside turns golden brown. Enjoy this quick meal any time you want a snack or a light dinner.

These quesadillas only take a few minutes to make but taste great.

Ingredients

• 2 flour tortillas
• 4 ounces shredded Oaxaca cheese
• Optional: 2 tablespoons black beans or shredded chicken
• Butter or oil for cooking
• Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat a pan over medium heat.
2. Place one tortilla in the pan.
3. Sprinkle cheese evenly on the tortilla.
4. Add beans or chicken if you like.
5. Sprinkle a little salt.
6. Fold the tortilla in half.
7. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cheese melts.
8. Remove, cut, and serve warm.

8) Pork Carnitas with Cilantro and Onion

Pork carnitas? They’re all about juicy, fall-apart pork with a punch of fresh cilantro and onion. You slow-cook pork shoulder with a handful of spices, letting the flavors soak in.

Once it’s done, you shred the meat—honestly, it just falls apart at this point. Toss in chopped onions and cilantro, and squeeze some lime over the top.

Eat it in tacos, burritos, or just grab a fork and go for it. If you want, throw on some corn tortillas and whatever toppings you like.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork shoulder
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lime, juiced

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. Rub salt, pepper, and cumin all over the pork.
3. Put the pork in a roasting pan and cover it with foil.
4. Let it cook for about 3 hours, until it’s super tender.
5. Shred the pork with two forks.
6. Mix in onions, cilantro, and lime juice right before serving.

If you want a version with cilantro tomatillo sauce, check out this recipe.

9) Traditional Mexican Rice

Traditional Mexican rice—arroz rojo—gets its pretty color from tomatoes. You start by frying long grain rice in oil until it turns golden.

This step keeps the rice fluffy. After that, you add tomato juice (or sauce), broth, garlic, and onions.

Let everything simmer until the rice soaks up the flavors and gets tender. It’s a classic side for tacos, enchiladas, honestly, almost anything.

Want a simple recipe? Take a look at Tastes Better From Scratch or Stellanspice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup tomato juice or sauce
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add rice and stir it around until it turns golden brown.
3. Toss in onion and garlic; cook for about a minute or two.
4. Pour in tomato juice and chicken broth, then add salt.
5. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down low.
6. Cover and let it simmer for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
7. Let the rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes before you serve.

10) Chiles Rellenos with Cheese

Chiles rellenos with cheese—honestly, it’s one of those Mexican dishes that’s way easier to make than you might think. You roast poblano or Anaheim peppers until the skins blister and peel off without much fuss.

After that, stuff them with a good melty cheese like queso Oaxaca or asadero. I really think the cheese makes all the difference here.

Next comes the fun part: dip those stuffed peppers in a fluffy egg batter. Fry them up until they look golden and crispy.

You can serve them just like that, or pour a tomato-based sauce over the top if you’re feeling extra. Either way, it’s a cheesy, spicy, and comforting meal.

I like making these for lunch or dinner, especially when family drops by. They always disappear fast.

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 poblano or Anaheim peppers
• 2 cups shredded queso Oaxaca or asadero
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Cooking Instructions:

1. Roast the peppers over a flame or under a broiler until the skin is blackened.
2. Put the peppers in a covered bowl to steam for about 10 minutes.
3. Peel off the skins, then make a slit in each pepper and remove the seeds.
4. Stuff each one with cheese.
5. Separate the eggs, and beat the whites until you get stiff peaks.
6. Gently fold in the yolks.
7. Lightly dust the stuffed peppers with flour.
8. Dip them in the egg batter.
9. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the peppers until they’re golden brown.
10. Let them drain on paper towels before serving.