Mexican Recipes
498 recipes found
Tacos al Pastor
Tacos al pastor, a Mexican street-food staple, are a perfect synthesis of local flavors (pineapple, chiles, annatto), Spanish influence (pork, adobo), and Middle Eastern technique (a spinning, shawarma-style vertical rotisserie). The synthesis comes from Mexico’s history, but perfection comes from the combination of sweet pineapple, spicy meat and fragrant corn. This recipe, from the chef Gabriela Cámara, provides an easy way to make it at home; try boneless chicken thighs if you don’t want pork. Either way, make sure to blot the meat until very dry before cooking it so you get a hard sear that mimics the char of a grill.
Frijoles de Fiesta (Fiesta Refried Beans)
Fiesta refried beans are a must for quinceañera celebrations in the state of Sonora, and variations can be found in just about every carne asada gathering, taqueria and home. They belong to the category of frijoles maneados, a name that comes from having to constantly use your hands, manos, to stir the pot to get the texture right. Maneados are made with creamy pintos or buttery mayocoba beans that are cooked, mashed and cooked again in lard or oil. As they thicken, melty cheese is added. Fiesta refried beans go a step further by including fresh, dried or pickled chiles, and meats like chorizo. This version gets its peppy flavor from Colorado chiles and its smoke and spice from chipotles in adobo sauce. Salty crumbled Cotija crowns the dish. Aside from being fundamental to Sonoran carne asada tacos, these beans can also be slathered on flour tortillas for burritos, dipped with chips, filled in quesadillas, layered on tortas, scooped next to grilled meats or have eggs sitting over them. They are so accommodating that they end up in almost every Sonoran meal, becoming essential.
Tacos Campechanos
One of the best food experiences you can have in Mexico City is walking up to a sidewalk taco stand late at night and smelling the incredible aroma of meats and vegetables simmering in a huge pot over a gas flame. The taqueros start early in the day and add meats like suadero, pork, offal, tripe, chitlins, pig and beef feet, chorizo, onions and chiles into a giant pot, where they cook until the meats fall apart and the flavors fuse together in perfect harmony. On the menu at many of these stands, tacos campechanos include a little bit of everything in those pots.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Enchilada Pie
This recipe was developed for a special kids’ edition of The New York Times, but we’ve found that people of all ages love it. It sounds a little strange, but we promise you, it’s surprisingly delicious. It’s easy to make, and anything you don't already have on hand can be picked up from the corner store. We used leftover turkey, braised greens and mashed sweet potatoes, but feel free to experiment with savory dishes like sautéed brussels sprouts, cornbread stuffing or mashed potatoes. Top your slice with cranberry sauce salsa, a dollop of sour cream and a scattering of roasted pumpkin seeds. (We used a mix of Velveeta, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses because the Velveeta helps prevent clumping, but, if processed cheese bothers you, leave it out and add a half-cup more Cheddar or Monterey Jack.)
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Of course, you can buy tortilla chips at the store, but there are many good reasons to make your own. For one, they can support more toppings, since they’re likely to be thicker. And you can control the level of salt and browning. This recipe allows you to bake or fry them: Frying results in the crispiest, snappiest crunch, while baking is incredibly easy. If you decide to fry, mind your stovetop heat, adjusting as needed so the chips turn golden in the same time it take them to crisp. The chips are delicious on their own, with salsa or guacamole, or in nachos, chilaquiles or migas. Keep the chips in a sealed container or bag and they will stay beautifully crisp for at least one week.
Sonoran Carne Asada Tacos
If you’re trying to replicate the carne asada experience in Sonora, there are rules to follow: Diezmillo (chuck roll) and palomilla or aguayón (top sirloin) are the traditional meats of choice. The first brings a deep beef flavor and a sturdy chew, while the second has a milder taste and a tender bite. Use one or the other, or a combination. Either way, they need to be sliced to 1/2-inch thickness, grilled over high heat, and seasoned with a generous amount of salt — and only salt — right as they are thrown on the grill. They should be flipped just once, when meat juices rise and start to bubble, allowed to rest covered, and then thinly sliced or diced into bite-size pieces. There is no carne asada just for the meat, though the meat turns out as tasty as can be, but it should end up in a taco that should have trouble closing (with its proper accompaniments of refried beans, guacamole and salsa) and should be eaten in good company.
Hearty Bean Nachos With Spicy Salsa
According to Dr. Adalberto Peña de los Santos, the director of the International Nacho Festival, in Piedras Negras, Mexico, there are three timeless nacho essentials: crispy corn tortilla chips, mounds of melted cheese and at least one chile. If you want to go big, here are some unofficial guidelines: Nacho toppings should be good enough to stand on their own, the nachos should be saucy (maybe even messy) and they should be so delicious together that you can’t have just one bite. In this recipe, nachos take a vegetarian turn, with buttery pinto beans, tender carrots or sweet potatoes (or both), and a tomato-and-tomatillo salsa. Melty cheese, Mexican crema and chopped onion and cilantro take it over the top.
Birria Tacos
Birria is one of Mexico’s most beloved dishes, and eating it is a tradition, a way of life. A signature dish from Jalisco, it now extends through the entire country and north of the border. In this version from Oaxaca, goat or lamb is first marinated in vinegar to moderate its gamey flavors, then it’s cooked gently for so long that it falls apart. Guajillo chiles and aromatic avocado leaves coax delicate flavors from the meat and result in an intense, fragrant broth. The shredded meat is tucked into tacos here, but can also make its way into quesadillas and tortas. In every form, the meat tastes best garnished with chopped onion and cilantro, and chased with the broth mixed with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Pickled Jalapeños
Ask any Mexican if they have pickled jalapeños in their pantry, and the answer is usually a resounding yes. More than a condiment, they are an absolute necessity. Incredibly versatile, they can be tucked into tacos, quesadillas and sandwiches, mixed into tuna salads or eggs for omelets, or served as garnishes, crowning nachos, hot dogs and pizzas. The tangy brine, which can be used to punch up any vinaigrette, tames the heat of the chiles. There are countless store-bought options — and people tend to be loyal to particular brands — but pickling your own is easy, and allows you to customize to taste, altering the vegetable ratios, herbs or sugar content. Inspired by fruit-based vinegars available in the Mexican countryside, this version combines white distilled vinegar with natural rice vinegar, adding a dose of sweetness.
Chile Verde Guacamole
Mexicans are split into two camps when it comes to guacamole: those who always add lime juice and those who absolutely do not. Many Sonoran friends shout “Never!” at the mere suggestion. Having grown up in the pro-lime camp in Mexico City, I was filled with skepticism before trying versions from the deep Mexican north, but what a pleasant surprise. The creamy and nutty avocado takes a deserving central role in Sonoran guacamoles. What won me over was the combination of two chiles: roasted Anaheim, with its tart, fresh, peppery flavors, and raw serrano, with its grassy taste and heat. (I hate to admit it, but this guacamole really needs no lime.)
Mole de Olla (Beef Stew With Chiles)
Mexico has innumerable beef stews: puchero, birria, puntas al albañil — but the most universal, according to writer Pati Jinich, is mole de olla, a true one-pot dish, often made for family gatherings, with vegetables like corn, zucchini, cactus and chayote added at the last minute. If the name seems surprising, Ms. Jinich said, the word mole doesn’t refer just to the famous thickened sauces of Puebla and Oaxaca, but any kind of “saucy thing.” What makes mole de olla a stew and not a soup is the rich purée of roasted dried chiles that both thickens and seasons it.
Camarones Embarazados (Adobo Grilled Shrimp)
Camarones embarazados translates to pregnant shrimp, but these crustaceans aren’t necessarily carrying roe. The catchy name is a play on words: “en vara” means on a stick, and “asado” means roasted, and together, “en vara asado” sounds like “embarazado.” These shrimp are soaked with an adobo that becomes a crunchy crust when grilled. This take on the dish, which spread from Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast of Mexico to beaches all over the country, combines guajillo chiles and chiles de árbol with the surprising addition of Mexican chocolate. The chocolate rounds out the sharpness of the adobo and provides a caramelized finish. Simmered extra adobo is delicious for dipping the shrimp hot off the coals.
Lamb Chops With Guajillo Chili Sauce and Charro Beans
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
This vegetarian version of tortilla soup is no less complex than its chicken counterpart, thanks to plenty of vegetables, spices and a secret ingredient: canned chipotles in adobo. Smoked and dried jalapeños softened in a vinegar-tomato mixture, these little powerhouses do much of the heavy lifting in this vegetarian soup, offering depth and a certain meatiness to an otherwise light and tangy broth.
Enfrijoladas
This is one simple dish you can make if you have corn tortillas in the freezer and black beans in the pantry. Enfrijoladas are comforting enchiladas made by drenching corn tortillas in creamy, coarsely pureed black beans, folding them into quarters, and serving them in more of the black bean sauce. The authentic ones are garnished with Mexican queso fresco, but they are delicious without cheese. Cilantro or epazote is optional – I didn’t have any; it is the black beans that make this dish what it is.
Mexican Scrambled Eggs
I often eat this beloved Mexican breakfast dish for dinner. Serve the eggs with warm corn tortillas.
Grilled Corn on the Cob With Chipotle Mayonnaise
The spicy dip that I serve with grilled corn (as well as with steamed or boiled corn) is sort of like a Mexican aïoli, pungent with garlic, smoky and spicy with chipotle chiles. You can also serve it as a dip with vegetables or chips, or use it as a flavorful spread for sandwiches and panini. The recipe makes more than you’ll need for six ears of corn — if you’re having a crowd for a barbecue, you’ll have enough.
Green Chilaquiles With Eggs
This comforting Mexican dish is made with fried tortillas and salsa. Frying tortillas is easy, but you can use store-bought chips if you’d like; just be sure that they are thick, the type sold in bags at Mexican groceries or tortillerías.
Tomatillo Pineapple Salsa
This fiercely bright salsa comes from Eduardo Rivera, who runs a farm called Sin Fronteras ("without borders") in Minnesota. Resist the temptation to eat it right out of the blender; it's best after it's been chilled at least an hour.
Salsa Taquera
This is a classic salsa of the Mexico City taquero — a combination of tomatoes, tomatillos and chiles de árbol. The preparation varies from stand to stand. Some prefer to char over an open flame, others boil and others just throw everything in the blender raw. They are all incredibly delicious, and you should play around with the preparation until you find your inner taquero style.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
This recipe was brought to The Times in a 1990 article about traditional Christmas cookies, but we think these butter-rich confections are delicious any time of year. Sometimes called Mexican wedding cakes (or polvorones or Russian tea cakes or snowballs), their provenance is often debated, but this much is true: they are dead-simple to make and addictive to eat. This version is done completely in a food processor, so you can clean-up in minutes, and get to the important business at hand: eating cookies and licking your fingers.
Vegan Enchiladas
Tacos de Calabacitas
