Cinco De Mayo Recipes

The best Cinco de Mayo recipes to share with friends and family for a fun and festive day filled with amazingly flavorful food! There are so many tasty recipes here that you're sure to find plenty of ideas that will have everyone talking about your entertaining skills!

Tasty Mexican Recipes for Cinco de Mayo!

The festival of Cinco de Mayo is a fun, food-filled celebration both in Mexico and here in the States! To help you get your Mexican-themed party underway, we've gathered our favorite authentic Mexican and Mexican-inspired dishes for you here!

Jump to:

• Tasty Mexican Recipes for Cinco de Mayo!
• Appetizers
• Chips & Dip
• MAINS - Tacos, Taquitos, Tostadas
• MAINS - Quesadillas & Burritos
• MAINS - Casseroles
• MAINS - Enchiladas
• Soups & Salads
• More Hearty Main Dishes
• Side Dishes
• Drinks
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Reviews

Appetizers

Start your Cinco de Mayo celebrations out right with serving plenty of flavorful appetizers! This variety offers something for everyone!

• Nachos Supreme - Nachos like this pile all of your favorite toppings onto crispy tortilla chips to make an appetizer or meal that everyone loves! I serve mine on small baking sheets so everyone can individualize their toppings (like a nacho bar!).
• Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers - Quick and easy is the theme with these air fryer jalapeno poppers. They're tasty, and nothing is quicker than popping a frozen snack food into your air fryer!
• Leftover Prime Rib Tostadas - Have some tender leftover prime rib, roast beef, or steak on hand? Try these fantastic bite-sized tostadas!
• Coctel de Camarones - A fantastic shrimp appetizer that impresses all seafood fans! If you love shrimp and Mexican food, then you're sure to love this easy appetizer!
• Lobster Jalapeno Poppers - Sticking with the seafood theme, you're also sure to love these amazingly delicious lobster poppers! The creamy filling is studded with tender pieces of cooked lobster tail and accented with a bit of lemon zest!

Chips & Dip

What's a Mexican-themed dinner or get together without chips and dip? Not much, right?! We've got amazingly delicious salsa recipes, dips, and chips!

• 7 Layer Dip - Perfect for parties, this 7-layer dip has something for everyone! Layers of beans, sour cream, guac, salsa, cheese, and tomatoes are topped with sliced black olives for the most delicious taco dip that can be enjoyed warm or cold!  
• Salsa Verde - My salsa verde is made with fresh tomatillos and just the right amount of jalapeno for flavor and heat. If you are looking to switch things up from a traditional red salsa, or you like to offer multiple salsa choices, this salsa verde is always a crowd pleaser. 
• Guacamole - This homemade guacamole recipe is beginner-friendly and full of flavor, even my daughter can whip it up on her own (which we do frequently as it is a household favorite). The key is in using the freshest ingredients! 
• Pico De Gallo - Everyone should know how to make a simple yet delicious pico de gallo. It can be used as a dip on its own, or to top all your favorite Mexican-inspired recipes! 
• Air Fryer Tortilla Chips - For all these incredible dips, you’ll need some incredible chips (incredibly easy, that is)! You can make restaurant-quality tortilla chips in minutes with just some corn tortillas and your air fryer! 
• RoTel Dip - Rich and creamy Rotel dip is always a part of our Cinco de Mayo spread. This simple blend of creamy Velveeta cheese, canned RoTel tomatoes with chiles, and ground beef always has a crowd around it at every get-together! 

Plus salsa roja, creamy guacamole, and our super tasty hatch chile guacamole! Try making those perfectly crisp air fryer tortilla chips with my homemade flour tortillas instead!

MAINS - Tacos, Taquitos, Tostadas

Tacos and more tacos! Pretty much all you need to have a great party is a taco bar that everyone can pick their fave toppings from!

• Shredded Chicken Tacos - Chicken is cooked until fall-apart-tender then mixed with a fresh salsa roja to make a taco filling you can’t resist! Whether you like corn tortillas or flour, you can add all your favorite toppings and make these tacos your own! 
• Ground Venison Tacos - Not only are ground venison tacos a great way to use up any meat left over from deer season, but they are totally delicious! Perfectly seasoned venison with a little lime juice pairs wonderfully with all the traditional taco condiments and toppings.  
• Birria Tacos - Birria Tacos (A.K.A. Tacos de Birria) include a savory goat stew that is the perfect combination of spicy, sweet, sour, and smokey. Enjoy birria as a traditional taco filling, or make Quesatacos by dunking your tacos in the delicious stew broth, filling it with cheese, and pan frying until irresistibly crispy!  
• Leftover Prime Rib Taquitos - Leftover prime rib taquitos are often an after-holiday treat around here. What’s not to love about crispy corn tortillas and melted cheddar cheese wrapped around some hearty prime rib roast? And they are so easy to make! 
• Tacos Dorados -  Tacos Dorados are also referred to as ‘golden tacos’ because the shell is fried to crispy golden perfection! I fill mine with juicy ground beef and all the usual taco toppings, but it’s the homemade hard shell that makes these tacos extra special! 
• Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas - This easy, hands-off pulled pork recipe is as versatile as it is delicious! Pork carnitas make wonderful tacos, but can also be enjoyed over a steamy bowl of rice, a salad (trust me it’s delicious), or a sandwich, and it blends wonderfully with your favorite hot sauces or salsas! 

Plus ground beef taco meat, leftover prime rib tacos, leftover turkey carnitas, and more great taco recipes here! You may also enjoy our best side dishes for tacos!

MAINS - Quesadillas & Burritos

This tasty quesadillas and burritos are where it's at! Burritos are a long time personal favorite meal-on-the-go for me! Yummy!

• Air Fryer Quesadillas - These 3-ingredient beef quesadillas are a hit with kids and adults alike. They take very little prep and can be cooked to until delightfully crispy by just tossing them in your air fryer! 
• Leftover Prime Rib Burritos - These savory leftover prime rib burritos are great on Cinco de Mayo, or any holiday, for anyone with a hearty appetite. Loaded with juicy prime rib, cilantro lime rice, black beans, pico de gallo, guac, and cheese, you may just need a nap after lunch! 
• Corn Tortilla Quesadillas - If you don’t have an air fryer, you can still make perfectly crispy quesadillas on the stovetop! I fill mine with cheese and use the quesadillas as a vessel for all my favorite dips and sauces, but you could easily add beef, chicken, or whatever you please! 
• Prime Rib Quesadillas - The only thing better than melted cheese in a crispy tortilla is melted cheese and tender prime rib in a crispy tortilla! Any of these leftover prime rib recipes are delicious, but these prime rib quesadillas with a little salsa roja have to be my favorite. 
• Leftover Prime Rib Breakfast Burritos - You could serve leftover prime rib breakfast burritos on Cinco de Mayo, but they are even better the next day after partying just a little too hard. Take one bite of this burrito stuffed with prime rib, eggs, avocado, rice, beans, and cheese, and all will feel right with the world! 

Be sure to take a look at all of our best dishes for serving with quesadillas too!

MAINS - Casseroles

If you're feeding a crowd a full dinner, make sure to check out all of these tasty casseroles! They're easy to assemble and completely filling to eat!

• Doritos Chicken Casserole with Cream Cheese - This quick and cheesy Doritos casserole is so simple to make, you can enjoy it any day of the week. Crushed nacho cheese Doritos make up the crust and topping of this fun, indulgent casserole the whole family will love! 
• Mexican Cornbread Casserole - This Mexican cornbread casserole will be one of your most-requested recipes thanks to the perfectly seasoned ground beef and melted cheese sandwiched between 2 layers of fluffy cornbread! Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but it’s incredibly filling! 
• Ground Beef Mexican Casserole - My ground beef Mexican casserole is like an entire Mexican-inspired dinner in one dish! Tortilla chips, taco seasoned ground beef, corn, beans, and melted cheese baked in the oven- it's everything you could want from a casserole! 
• Walking Taco Casserole - A play on the popular ‘walking tacos’ found at the fair, this casserole is full of many cheeses, taco seasoned ground beef, onion, chilis, and Doritos! Add your favorite toppings and customize it to your family’s liking! 
• Doritos Casserole - If you haven’t noticed by now, we love Doritos and love incorporating them into easy dinners! Layers of Doritos, ground beef, sweet creamed corn, black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and lots of melted cheese come together to make an irresistible casserole the whole family will enjoy! 

MAINS - Enchiladas

Another classic meal to serve before the Cinco de Mayo party starts (but that's completely on point for the theme) is rich and delicious enchiladas!

• Leftover Turkey Enchiladas - I like making these easy, cheesy enchiladas with Turkey leftover from Thanksgiving, but they are equally delicious on Cinco de Mayo! Turkey offers a welcome change from the usual beef and chicken enchiladas, and everyone will enjoy trying something new! 
• Cheese Enchiladas - A classic for a reason, cheese enchiladas are so incredibly satisfying and allow your favorite sauces and toppings to take center stage! Sometimes simple is best, and cheese enchiladas are proof. 
• Shrimp Enchiladas - If seafood is more your vibe, these shrimp enchiladas are everything you could ask for! Tender shrimp, corn, tomatoes, and onions all rolled up in tortillas then topped with a savory red enchilada sauce. Yum! 
• Chicken Enchiladas - You can’t go wrong with chicken enchiladas and they are an easy way to feed a crowd. I enjoy making mine with homemade flour tortillas stuffed with cheese, corn, green chilis, and tender, fall-apart cilantro lime chicken thighs. 

We have a great collection for what to serve with enchiladas for you too!

Soups & Salads

Looking for some lighter fare before enjoying more festivities? These flavorful soups and salads offer an incredibly tasty alternative!

• Doritos Taco Salad - If you fancy yourself a salad but want to enjoy all the fun flavors of our other Dorito dishes, this Doritos taco salad is for you. Taco seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, cheese, and Catalina dressing make for a tasty salad that still feels indulgent! 
• Albondigas Soup - Albondigas soup is a classic Mexican meatball soup with a rich tomato and beef broth. This savory soup is comforting and warms the soul.  
• Caldo de Pollo - If you’re craving comfort food, Caldo de Pollo (Mexican chicken soup) is just the thing you’re looking for. It has tender shredded chicken, lots of veggies, and lots of flavor! 
• Chicken Tortilla Soup - Nothing beats homemade chicken tortilla soup made with fresh. Chicken tortilla soup is light enough you won’t feel overly full but hearty enough to keep you satisfied, it makes a great appetizer, lunch, or dinner! 
• Green Chile Chicken Stew - Delicious salsa verde with a whole slew of fresh vegetables and tender chicken come together for this flavor-packed stew that is bound to be a new favorite! A dollop of sour cream on top will have you savoring every bite. 

More Hearty Main Dishes

If you still haven't found what 'hits the spot' maybe one of these hearty meals can help out! In case you're still undecided, I'd suggest throwing in the Taco Bell Mexican pizza for good measure!

• Taco Bell Mexican Pizza - Your favorite Taco Bell menu item, but made from the comfort of your own kitchen! This simple tortilla pizza recipe features perfectly seasoned ground beef sandwiched between two crispy tortillas topped with melted cheese and your choice of toppings! 
• Albondigas - If you don’t want to try your albondigas (Mexican meatballs) in the soup listed above, serve them up tapas-style for everyone to enjoy! You can also make them into some of the tastiest tacos you’ll ever have! 
• Picadillo Mexicano - Picadillo Mexicano is a hearty meat and potatoes dish that is incredibly versatile! It can be served with eggs at breakfast time, in burritos, over rice, in tacos, you name it! 
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas - Sheet pan fajitas are one of my go-to last-minute meals. Toss your veggies and shrimp together, put it on a baking sheet, and dinner is served in 20 minutes or less! 
• Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas - If you aren’t a fan of shrimp, these steak fajitas are just as easy and equally delicious! It’s a one pan meal the whole family will love with almost no prep time and quick cleanup! 
• Instant Pot Chipotle Barbacoa Beef Cheeks - There’s no need to wait for Cinco de Mayo to whip up some incredible Instant Pot chipotle barbacoa beef cheeks when it is so easy to make! The Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting, and the meat will be so tender people will think you spent hours cooking it! 

Plus sheet pan chicken fajitas, chorizo mussels, and cilantro lime chicken thighs as well as what to serve with your fajitas!

Side Dishes

Once you're decided on all of your starters and main dishes, check out these tasty sides to serve with your Cinco de Mayo meals!

• Corn Fries - Mexican street corn, or elotes, on top of a heaping pile of crispy french fries! Creamy, cool Mexican crema balances out the salty cotija cheese and zesty seasonings for a side dish (or appetizer) that you can’t stop eating! 
• Mexican Corn Bread (Jiffy Mix Recipe) - A tray of fluffy Mexican cornbread enhances any meal. All it takes is some easy-to-make Jiffy cornbread with some jalapenos, bell pepper, and cheese mixed in! 
• Restaurant Style Mexican Rice - A Cinco de Mayo menu, or any Mexican-inspired menu for that matter, would not be complete without Mexican rice. It’s featured at any restaurant you’ll go to and it makes a wonder pairing with everything on this list! 
• Roasted Peppers & Onions - Roasted bell peppers & onions are a versatile vegetarian side dish that can be enjoyed on their own, used as toppings, or mixed in to other recipes! Just customize the seasoning to suit your needs and pop them in the oven! 
• Mexican Corn Fritters - Easy pan-fried corn fritters compliment any Mexican-inspired meal! They can be an appetizer, a side dish, or whatever you need them to be, and you can make them as spicy (or not spicy) as you like! 
• Tomatoes & Rice - Juicy tomatoes add a wonderful textural element to rice that is both savory and satisfying. It goes well with chicken, beef, veggies, whatever is on the menu! 

Plus our tasty Instant Pot cilantro lime rice and flavorful elotes!

Drinks

Here's a variety of drinks to include with your amazingly tasty food! Everything from vodka spins on the classic mojito and margarita to a couple tasty lemonade recipes!

• Pink Vodka Margarita - Everyone loves a margarita! This fruity pink vodka margarita is as delightful to drink as it is to look at. Serve these at your Cinco de Mayo party and be the talk of the town! 
• Vodka Mojito - The muddling is worth the added effort once you take a sip of this fabulous vodka mojito. It is a refreshing beverage that is easy to sip on during Cinco de Mayo or any time! 
• Vodka Margarita - If tequila isn’t your thing, try a smooth and tangy vodka margarita! It’s so delicious, you may want to drink your margaritas with vodka from now on. 
• Pink Vodka Lemonade (with or without alcohol, or as a slushie) - This pink vodka lemonade can easily be made into a mocktail. It’s tasty, it’s fun to look at, and you can even turn it into an alcoholic slushie! 
• Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade (non-alcoholic) - A pitcher of strawberry pineapple lemonade will keep the party going on hot summer days. There’s no alcohol in this juicer recipe, so it’s great for the whole family! 

Now that you have a varied collection of Cinco de Mayo recipes to choose from, you should have no problem being a superstar host! Be sure to check back in and let us know what you picked, and what everyone loved!

📖 Recipe Card