Our 44 Best Mexican Recipes Ever

From homemade tortillas to pozole, birria, and horchata, this is our biggest, best collection of Mexican recipes.

One of the things I often get asked about as an American living in Germany is what I miss most about the U.S. After family and friends, my answer always heads in the direction of food, Mexican food, in particular. It's one of my favorite cuisines and is unfortunately hard to find in Germany, due partially to geography and ingredient sourcing as well as lack of knowledge and technique. Even in a city as diverse and international as Berlin, it's not easy to find staple Mexican ingredients like dried chiles, hominy, and masa.

That being said, just in the past few months I've seen a few new restaurants and specialty grocery stores come across my radar, so I have hope that my occasional toe-dipping into making some of my favorite Mexican dishes at home (or grabbing them out) can become more frequent this year. The first place I'd start? Right here!

This collection of our best Mexican recipes spans the gamut from basics like tortillas, salsas, and quesadillas to more complex braises, soups, meats, and baked dishes, so no matter where you are in your Mexican cooking journey, you can find something new to try.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Get Recipe: How to Make Corn Tortillas

"Making homemade corn tortillas is actually almost ridiculously easy, once you get the hang of it. All you need is masa harina corn flour, water, a tortilla press (you can use a rolling pin, but a tortilla press is helpful), and a hot griddle surface."—Elise Bauer, Founder

Chicken Pozole Blanco

Get Recipe: Chicken Pozole Blanco

"Pozole is a traditional soup or stew of Mexico, from pre-Columbian days. The name is derived from the Nahuatl "potzolli" and the stew is made with hominy and pork or chicken. This particular version of my friend Arturo's is made with chicken and is called "pozole blanco" in his native state of Guerrero, Mexico, where pozole is practically the state dish."—Elise

Homemade Beef Birria

Get Recipe: Homemade Beef Birria

"Originally from Jalisco, Mexico, birria is a beef stew cooked slowly in a rich and spicy consommé—a deeply flavorful red broth made with dried Mexican chiles, herbs, spices, and aromatics. The meat becomes tender and is served shredded in the consommé."—Susy Villasuso, Recipe Developer

Shrimp Ceviche

Get Recipe: Shrimp Ceviche

"This version of ceviche is prepared with shrimp, which is first lightly cooked and then marinated in the citrus juice."—Elise

Horchata

Get Recipe: Horchata

"Horchata is a popular Latin American rice-based drink. This sweetened cinnamon-vanilla beverage is common in the Mexican taquerias that pepper San Antonio, Texas, the city I now call home."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

Carnitas

Get Recipe: Carnitas

"Carnitas are originally from Michoacán, Mexico. Pork shoulder or butt is cut into smaller bite-sized pieces, hence the charming name: “little meats.” It’s then cooked submerged in hot lard, a confit-like cooking process that yields pork that is deliciously tender on the inside and beautifully crisp on the outside."—Susy Villasuso, Recipe Developer

Red Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Get Recipe: Red Chili Chicken Enchiladas

"All you need to make the enchiladas are corn tortillas, already cooked and shredded or chopped chicken meat, some grated melty cheese like cheddar or Monterey Jack, and red chili enchilada sauce. You can either use canned enchilada sauce or make your own from scratch."—Elise

Chicken Tamales with Chile Verde

Get Recipe: Chicken Tamales with Chile Verde

"Green chile chicken tamales are one of the most popular tamales served during the holidays in Mexican and Mexican American homes like mine, especially on Christmas Eve. The tamales are usually served with rice, beans, crema to tame off the heat, and a warm mug of creamy champurrado."—Ericka Sanchez, Recipe Developer

Tacos al Pastor

Get Recipe: Tacos al Pastor

"When it comes to preparing these tasty tacos at home, there may be some fiddly ways, like skewering pork and pineapple and grilling them over charcoal for hours, or if you have your own spit roast at home, that can take a long time too. I recommend this quick and easy version—a fast stovetop sear followed by 20 minutes in the oven. I promise it has all the flavors with a lot less effort. You won’t even need any special equipment."—Susy Villasuso, Recipe Developer

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Get Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup

"The essential step that distinguishes tortilla soup from other Mexican soups is that you fry strips of corn tortillas in oil first, and then use the tortilla cooking oil to build the soup. Tortilla chips aren't merely a garnish for this soup. By using the tortilla frying oil as a base for the soup you infuse the whole soup with the warm flavor of toasted corn tortillas!"—Elise

Huevos Rancheros

Get Recipe: Huevos Rancheros

"A classic Mexican breakfast, huevos rancheros (translated "ranch eggs") are fried eggs served on a lightly fried corn tortillas and smothered in cooked salsa."—Elise

Easy Spanish Rice

Get Recipe: Easy Spanish Rice

"My mother's Spanish rice (aka Mexican rice) is a mandatory accompaniment to any Mexican dish we serve at our house, whether it's with enchiladas or tostadas, or with steak and black beans."—Elise

Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)

Get Recipe: Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)

"If you aren’t able to find traditional Mexican crema in your local grocery store, use regular sour cream spiked with some lime juice. You can also substitute crumbled feta for the cotija cheese."—Megan Keno, Recipe Developer

Simple Cooked Tomato Salsa

Get Recipe: Simple Cooked Tomato Salsa

"At any taqueria, there is usually a choice of salsas, one smooth, red, and hot, the other made with chopped fresh tomatoes, onions, and chiles. This would be the first—the smooth, red and hot one. It's great for dipping tortilla chips, or over quesadillas."—Elise

Grilled Pork Chops with Adobo Paste

Get Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Adobo Paste

"Adobo is a savory paste prepared with a mixture of Mexican dried chilies, spices, garlic, and vinegar—the ingredients and quantities can vary depending on the cook. The paste is not considered spicy, but this depends on the type of chiles used. All the ingredients from the adobo are blended into a thick paste that can be used to rub over meat before cooking."—Susy Villasuso, Recipe Developer

Esquites (Warm Mexican Corn Salad)

Get Recipe: Esquites (Warm Mexican Corn Salad)

"Esquites, also known as elote en vaso, is a very special way to prepare corn in Mexico. White Mexican corn kernels are gently fried in butter, then cooked with epazote leaves (an herb) and chiles. Once the pot of corn releases its distinctive sweet aroma, it is ready to serve with a variety of toppings like mayo, a dollop of crema, ground chiles, a good amount of lime juice, a sprinkle of queso cotija, and a generous dash of spicy salsa."—Susy Villasuso, Recipe Developer

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Get Recipe: Tomatillo Salsa Verde

"To cook the tomatillos, you can either roast them in the oven, brown them on the stovetop, or boil them. Roasting in the oven or browning on the stovetop will deliver more flavor. Each way works, though boiling is a more common way to cook the tomatillos."—Elise

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Get Recipe: Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

"Albondigas soup is a traditional Mexican meatball soup (albondigas means "meatballs" in Spanish) that my mother has cooked for our family for more than 50 years. It is our version of comfort food."—Elise

Red Enchilada Sauce

Get Recipe: Red Enchilada Sauce

"If you want to add more heat to your enchilada sauce, add up to 1 teaspoon of your favorite cayenne pepper with the other dried spices."—Marta Rivera, Recipe Developer

Mexican Tostada

Get Recipe: Mexican Tostada

"A tostada has a pretty simple construction: it's like a taco, but flat. It's usually made with a fried corn tortilla, topped with refried beans, shredded cheese, salsa, and other toppings. Anything that could go in a taco could also go on a tostada, so you can have fish tostadas, shredded chicken tostadas, or beef tostadas."—Elise

Tepache

Get Recipe: Tepache

"If you’ve got some leftover pineapple skins, you can turn them into tepache, a fizzy brew local to Mexico."—Elana Lepkowski, Recipe Developer

Mexican Wedding Cookies

*Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Senevirate*

Get Recipe: Mexican Wedding Cookies

"The soft, melt-away texture of Mexican wedding cookies is thanks to a rich, buttery dough and lots of crushed nuts. These cookies don’t have any egg to bind them, so they're crumbly instead of chewy. This makes them more like shortbread than, say, sugar cookies."—Irvin Lin, Recipe Developer

Cochinita Pibil

Get Recipe: Cochinita Pibil

"Cochinita pibil (ko-chin-ee-ta pee-beel) is an easy braised pork dish that originally comes from the Yucatan in Mexico. It’s not supposed to be fiery hot, although the bright red of the achiote paste, which is largely crushed annatto seeds, cornmeal, and garlic, sure make it look picante."—Hank Shaw, Recipe Developer

Crispy Cheese and Mushroom Quesadillas

Get Recipe: Crispy Cheese and Mushroom Quesadillas

"If you want to serve all your quesadillas at once, preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the already-made quesadillas in a single layer on a baking sheet. Keep them warm in the oven as you make more."—Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

Pozole Rojo (Mexican Pork and Hominy Stew)

Get Recipe: Pozole Rojo (Mexican Pork and Hominy Stew)

"Pozole (or posole) is a traditional soup in Mexico, often served Christmas Eve, and in many parts of the country on Thursdays and Saturdays all year round. This pozole rojo, or red pozole, is made with pork shoulder or shanks, red chiles, and lots of hominy corn served with garnishes for all to pick and put in their soup as they wish."—Elise

Birria Tacos

Get Recipe: Birria Tacos

"What makes birria tacos unique is that the corn tortillas are coated with consomé, then they’re filled with birria meat and grated cheese. The tacos are fried in a hot, lightly oiled pan until golden brown. As if this doesn't sound delicious enough, they are then served with a small bowl of warm consomé for dipping the tacos."—Susy Villasuso, Recipe Developer

Queso Fundido

Get Recipe: The Hot, Cheesy Dip I Make for Every Gathering

"I started making this easy dip with just two ingredients—cheese and chorizo—years ago for friends and family. I’ve since upgraded the classic recipe, adding fun stir-ins like tender onions, green chiles, and sometimes pickled jalapeños to make it extra special."—Samantha Saunion, Recipe Developer

Chile Verde

Get Recipe: Chile Verde

"Chile verde is made with chunks of pork shoulder, slow cooked in a green chile sauce of jalapeño chiles, garlic, and tomatillos. It's a favorite filling for burritos and tacos, and wonderful just on its own with a bit of rice and tortillas."—Elise

Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)

Get Recipe: Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)

"Agua de Jamiaca is hibiscus tea made from an infusion of hibiscus flowers. The taste of this hibiscus tea is slightly tart and refreshing."—Elise

Arrachera (Mexican Skirt Steak)

Get Recipe: Arrachera (Mexican Skirt Steak)

"Arrachera, or skirt steak, takes this fresh pineapple marinade very well, keeping the beef tender and juicy. The marinated steak will take just 10 minutes to grill."—Esteban Castillo, Recipe Developer

Octopus Salad (Ensalada de Pulpo)

Get Recipe: Octopus Salad (Ensalada de Pulpo)

"One of my favorite dishes in the whole world is Mexican octopus salad, or "ensalada de pulpo", with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro, and chiles. It's fabulous as a side or topped over tacos or tostadas."—Elise

Pressure Cooker Green Pork Pozole

Get Recipe: Pressure Cooker Green Pork Pozole

"I like to make pozole in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot because it's a lot faster than on the stovetop. Also, the beauty of the pressure cooker is that the pozole tastes like it simmered all day, but takes about an hour to make, from start to finish."—Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

Easy Carnitas

Get Recipe: Easy Carnitas

"This is my father's favorite 2-ingredient recipe for pork carnitas which we put into fresh tortillas for tacos, with fresh tomato salsa."—Elise

Salsa Verde Carnitas

Get Recipe: Salsa Verde Carnitas

"This version of carnitas is cooked first in a braise of tomatillo salsa verde, or green salsa. It's delicious served with fresh corn tortillas and topped with a shredded cabbage slaw, cotija cheese, avocado, and Mexican sour cream."—Elise

Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

Get Recipe: Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

"If you like a salsa with less heat, remove the ribs and seeds from the peppers. But you can always set aside some of the seeds—if the salsa isn't hot enough, you can add a few for more heat."—Elise

Green Chile Enchiladas

Get Recipe: Green Chile Enchiladas

"These Green Chile Enchiladas are a riff on my mom's cheesy enchiladas. Instead of a tomato sauce, we are using a tomatillo salsa verde sauce, and we stuff the enchiladas with roasted green chiles and jack cheese."—Elise

Ceviche

Get Recipe: Ceviche

"Ceviche most certainly originated in South America, but which country first used this method on raw fish is debatable. It's a staple in all Latin American countries, and each treats it with a slightly different preparation."—Elise

Masa for Tamales (Easy Tamale Dough)

Get Recipe: Masa for Tamales (Easy Tamale Dough)

"Many tias, mamás, and abuelitas debate around the kitchen table—who has the best tamale recipe? Though it's an argument that's never really settled, one thing’s for sure: whether you are new to making tamales or an expert with your own recipe or one passed down to you, the most delicious tamales start with a delicious, reliable masa recipe."—Ericka Sanchez, Recipe Developer

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

Get Recipe: Mexican Chicken Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

"This soup is tangy from limes, smoothed with the buttery richness of avocados, and enjoys a little crunch from fried tortilla strips added for garnish. It's reminiscent of both pozole and tortilla soup, but with somewhat different spices and a strong hit of lime."—Elise

Huevos Divorciados

Get Recipe: Huevos Divorciados

"Huevos divorciados quite literally translates to “divorced eggs.” It’s a traditional Mexican dish consisting of one fried egg drenched in salsa roja and one egg drenched in salsa verde, usually separated by a serving of refried beans or potatoes to keep them “divorced.” Huevos divorciados are a great way to use up any leftover salsa you might have stored in the fridge, and they’re even easier to make with store-bought salsas."—Esteban Castillo, Recipe Developer

from Simply Recipes | Recipes and cooking advice for home cooks https://ift.tt/357Bgd6

Our 44 Best Mexican Recipes Ever

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