60+ Best Cinco de Mayo Recipes Main, Side + Dessert
60+ Best Cinco de Mayo Recipes Main, Side + Dessert
Whether you’re hosting a big carnival or just celebrating with the family, this collection has all the Cinco de Mayo recipes you need! From entrees and appetizers to desserts and beverages, we’ve got you covered!
More Favorites: Mexican Sides, Mexican Desserts, Mexican Soups, Mexican Beef Recipes, Mexican Appetizers
A day to celebrate!
Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is a day that celebrates the victory of the Mexican army over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War of 1862. It is also known as the Day of the Battle of Puebla.
Although it’s a small holiday in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo has become America’s memorial to Mexican culture and heritage, especially in areas with large Mexican-American populations.
Growing up in Arizona, having a Mexican mother myself, we always do a lot of Cinco de Mayo and celebrate each year with a lot of amazing homemade Mexican food. I’ve put together this list of our favorite Cinco de Mayo recipes, including mains, sides, appetizers, drinks and desserts!
Cinco de Mayo Party Tips
Like any dinner party, you need to plan your menu in advance.
- Decide which dishes to make fresh and which to make ahead of time. (See individual recipes for more storage and reheating information.)
- Mix traditional fare with several new dishes. Be sure to try new dishes beforehand for any recipe problems.
- Use dishes with different flavors and textures.
- Note that while some people prefer spicy Mexican food, others prefer lighter dishes. I recommend marking which dishes are spicy and which are milder.A good solution to this problem is to prepare milder dishes, but with hot sauce for those who want to make their plate a little more savory
Generally, when dining with guests, we like the following foods:
- Appetizers – 1-2 (Salsa + dipping sauces can be made ahead of time.)
- Side – 1 (rice is a great one to make ahead and keep warm in a slow cooker or hot pot)
- Main Course – 1-2 (can be made ahead). Anything fried is usually done before serving.
- Dessert â 1 serving (usually made ahead with ice cream) đ
- Drinks – 1-2 (including water). It’s nice to have a flavored drink (or two!), but make sure you have plain or flavored water as well.
Favorite Cinco de Mayo Decorations
When I think of Mexican ornaments, I think of bold, bright, contrasting colors. I always use red, green and white (yes, some yellows, reds, pinks, blues, etc!) since these are the colors of the Mexican flag, from there pick 3 other colors that can be repeated throughout the decor.
- Paper picado banners strung from above and around the table.
- Large tissue flowers are beautiful and easy to make. The kids especially love helping make these.
- It was fun to decorate with straw hats and take pictures.
- In my opinion, piñatas are a must for any Mexican party. Fill it with candy or small toys.
- Canned salsa is great for decorations, flowers and succulents
- Candles – You can usually get cheap candles at the dollar store and they go well with the decor.
So many decorations can be found online and on Amazon, so be sure to check them out and store them for future use. đ
The Best Cinco de Mayo Recipes
These are some of the best Mexican recipes in our opinion! Many of these classic dishes are perfect for larger gatherings (like a Cinco de Mayo party).
We include favorite appetizers, side dishes, and main dishes! Often, we like to choose one or two from each section to create our menu.
appetizer:
Homemade Salsa Recipe for Appetizers
This is such an easy homemade salsa recipe! All you have to do is toss all the ingredients into your blender and blend!
Total time: 10 minutes
Check out this appetizing salsa verde recipe
Sweet Salsa Verde – A delicious salsa recipe that’s sweet and only takes a few minutes to make. Ingredients include tomatoes, jalapeños, sugar and cilantro.
Total time: 6 minutes
Check out this appetizing black bean and corn salad recipe
Black Bean and Corn Salad – One of our favorite dips and appetizers. Everyone loves this salsa filled with tomatoes, avocado, corn and black beans!
Total time: 10 minutes
Check out this appetizing guacamole recipe
Spicy, chunky Simple Guacamole is addictive and addictive and sure to please a crowd! You won’t be able to stop eating it.
Total time: 10 minutes
Check out this recipe for Appetizer 7 Layer Bean Dip Recipe
This 7-Tier Bean Dip Recipe is a must for every feature! It has tons of flavors and all your favorite dips, including avocado, olives, tomatoes, cheese, guacamole, and more!
Total time: 10 minutes
Check out this recipe for appetizers, side dishes and homemade nachos recipe
Homemade nachos are crispy and sprinkled with salt. They are amazingly fast and easy to make!
Total time: 20 minutes
check out this recipe
both sides:
Appetizer Beans Recipe
Just add three extra ingredients to canned beans for the perfect creamy restaurant-style refried beans! These refried beans are great as a dip, side dish or filling for burritos and tacos!
Total time: 10 minutes
Check out this recipe for side dish spanish rice recipe
Restaurant-style Spanish rice (aka Mexican rice) is simple to make, tastes like it’s straight from a restaurant, and is the perfect side dish to any Mexican main dish.
Total time: 45 minutes
Check out this recipe for Garnish Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
This recipe tastes just like Rio Coffee and Jalapeno Cilantro Lime Rice! If you’ve been to either restaurant, you know how delicious cilantro rice can be in salads, burritos, or tacos. Now you can make this delicious lime rice dish at home!
Total time: 30 minutes
Check out this recipe for Main Dish Flour Tortilla Recipe
Homemade flour tortillas made with 5 ingredients. They’re super soft, easy to make and can be used in wraps, tacos, quesadillas, whatever you like!
Total time: 31 minutes
Check out this recipe for Entree, Soup Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
The best slow cooker chicken tortilla soup with chunks of chicken, beans and corn. It’s easy to make and full of flavor!
Total time: 4 hours 15 minutes
check out this recipe
main course:
Main Dish Chicken Tacos Recipe
Restaurant-style chicken tacos are filled with toppings like shredded chicken, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, all in a taco.
Total time: 25 minutes
Check out this recipe Entree Carne Asada Recipe
Carne Asada is the perfect Mexican-style meat to add to tacos, burritos, salads or quesadillas. It’s tender, flavorful and juicy.
Total time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Check out this recipe for Main Dish Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Recipe
One of our favorite Mexican dishes – Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Recipe! ! The tortillas are stuffed with chicken, cheese, Las Palmas green chile enchiladas, sour cream, and green peppers, plus more sauce and cheese!
Total time: 40 minutes
Check out this recipe for Entree Cheese Enchiladas Recipe
Restaurant Style Red Cheese Enchiladas is an old family favorite recipe and simply the best! ! They’re cheesy, playful, and delicious.
Total time: 47 minutes
Check out this recipe for an appetizer, main dish Frauta recipe
Delicious, crunchy chicken patties filled with shredded chicken, salsa, cheese, and more! They can be fried, air fried, or even baked for a delicious and easy dinner or appetizer.
Total time: 30 minutes
Check out this recipe for Main Dish Baked Chimichanga Recipe
Grilled Chicken Chimichangas â stuffed with rice, chicken, cheese, and more. Such an easy dinner recipe that everyone will love.
Total time: 25 minutes
check out this recipe
Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipe
While we’ve shared our top recipes for Cinco de Mayo, we want to make sure you have a complete list of easy recipes to make for your celebration.
From appetizers to side dishes to main dishes, we’ve got you covered. The best part is that all of these recipes are easy and quick to prepare, or have very few ingredients. What’s not to love about simple, delicious recipes? !
appetizer:
Appetizer, Main Course Chicken Tacos Recipe
These easy, cheesy chicken tacos are not only filled with cheese and chicken, but a delicious homemade sauce that makes these handheld treats irresistible!
Total time: 12 minutes
Check out this recipe for Appetizer Jalapeno Recipe
Spicy Fried Jalapenos are the classic appetizer everyone wants! Take a bite of these cheesy poppers and let the flavors explode!
Total time: 15 minutes
Check out this recipe for Appetizer Loaded Nachos Recipe
Stacked high loads of nachos are the perfect game day meal and appetizer. They’re easy to make and customize with your favorite nacho toppings!
Total time: 27 minutes
Check out this appetizing Queso Blanco recipe
This delicious queso blanco comes together in no time and will be the perfect addition to your next party, especially with nachos and vegetables.
Total time: 15 minutes
Check out this recipe for Appetizer Crock Pot Bean Dip Recipe
This cheesy and delicious Crock Pot Bean Sauce is almost effortless! So easy, convenient and perfect for holiday parties! Grab those chips and take a dip.
Total time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Check out this recipe for Appetizing Cream Cheese Bean Dip
Served with sour cream, cream cheese, Mexican cheese, refried beans, and salsa, Cream Cheese Bean Sauce is great with chips, tacos, or any Mexican dish!
Total time: 30 minutes
Check out this recipe for Appetizing Chili Salsa Recipe
The salsa restaurant you know and love, make it at home anytime, anywhere! This chili salsa parody recipe is made in minutes with the help of a blender.
Total time: 3 minutes
Check out this recipe for Appetizing Mango Salad Recipe
This sweet and savory mango salsa is perfect with chips or any Mexican meal. It’s filled with sweet pineapple, cilantro, mango, onion, cilantro, and jalapeños, making it full of flavor and easy to make.
Total time: 15 minutes
check out this recipe
Side dishes and salads:
Side Dish Esquites Recipe
Esquites are a delicious corn salad topped with peppers and cotija cheese. It’s delicious and easy to stir!
Total time: 20 minutes
Check out this recipe for Side Dish Mexican Street Corn Recipe
Tasty Mexican Street Corn – a knockoff version of Torchy’s Tacos, stuffed with butter, cheese, paprika and cilantro.
Total time: 13 minutes
Check out this recipe for bread mexican cornbread recipe
This Mexican cornbread (aka Mexican cornbread) is light and fluffy and filled with cheddar cheese and jalapeños. It has a little bite and a lot of flavor.
Total time: 50 minutes
Check out this recipe Sopa de Fideo recipe
This quick, easy, and delicious Sopa (soup) de fideo is a family favorite. It’s also cheesy and delicious! With just 5 ingredients, you can have dinner in no time.
Check out this recipe for Entree, Soup Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
Crock Pot Green Chile Enchilada Soup is a newly popular soup with chicken, green peppers, corn, rice, and a mix of spices and cheeses.
Total time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Check out this recipe for soup taco soup recipe
One of the easiest dinner recipes ever! This super easy taco soup is made with canned peppers, beans, corn, tomatoes, and green peppers, plus ranch dressing and taco seasoning. All you have to do is pour everything into a saucepan and simmer. Ready in less than 20 minutes!
Total time: 20 minutes
Check out this recipe for Salad Chicken Taco Salad Recipe
Crunchy and…