Mexican Recipes
504 recipes found
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Tamales de Pollo con Salsa Verde (Tamales with Chicken and Green Salsa)
These shredded chicken and green salsa tamales are inspired by my family’s version, but I’ve added a few of my own twists—finely chopped crisped chicken skin is folded into the filling for a richer flavor, and ground coriander is added to brighten the sauce.
Sopa de Verduras y Chochoyotes (Summer Vegetable Soup With Masa Dumplings)
Chochoyotes, or corn masa dumplings, are commonly added to flavor and thicken soups and guisos (stews) across Mexico. They are also found in mole amarillo, the famous yellow mole from Oaxaca, and added to frijoles de olla because the corn flavor complements the regionally grown beans and herbs. In this soup, a summer vegetable medley, including fresh poblanos, corn and squash, is browned in olive oil to give the broth sweetness from the caramelized sugars in the vegetables. The chochoyotes slightly thicken the soup without any dairy or gluten added and contrast the flavor of the fresh, sweet corn.
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Cazuelitas (Fried Masa Pockets with Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Filling)
One of the best features of these Mexican hand-held fried masa pockets is that they can be filled with almost anything. This version of cazuelitas features a rich mushroom, caramelized onion, and crème frâiche filling. Once assembled, they’re dunked into a buttery chicken stock glaze before serving.
Mushroom Queso Fundido
Sizzling and gooey, queso fundido topped with chorizo is a staple on Mexican restaurant menus across the country. But the dish likely stems from home cooks along North Mexico and South Texas. Depending on where you go, different cheeses like Monterey Jack, Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheeses are used. Bricia Lopez, an author of “Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling (Abrams, 2023)” and “Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico” (Abrams Books, 2019), and an owner at Guelaguetza, in Los Angeles, was inspired by the salsa de queso and quesillo she grew up eating at her family’s restaurant to create her version of queso fundido, which uses the Oaxaca cheese to create a great cheese pull. She also tops it with mushrooms and epazote (see Tip), a fresh herb she grew up eating with cheese.
Roasted Broccoli and Chickpeas With Mole Verde
Mole verde is one of the seven famous moles from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. There are an almost infinite number of variations on this classic mole — the type of ingredients, the method of preparation, the length of time cooked and what is served with it. But what they have in common is their shade of green, from raw moles that are bright emerald green to the long simmered, charred vegetable mole that has a deep olive hue. This version gets its bright color from the spinach and cilantro, and its tang from the tomatillos with a little heat from the poblanos. It’s served topped with roasted broccoli and chickpeas for a vibrant vegan dinner but would complement a roasted chicken just as easily.
Sopa de Fideo y Frijoles con Chorizo (Fideo and Bean Soup With Chorizo)
This weeknight-fast soup — a common and comforting family meal in Mexico — is easy to prepare and uses ingredients typically stocked in the Mexican kitchen like beans, chorizo and fideo noodles. Puréeing the beans with chicken stock, tomatoes, oregano and spices gives the soup a rich and hearty finish, while bits of broken pasta and spicy chorizo add bite. Toasting the pasta adds a nutty depth to the flavor that, together with the fire-roasted tomatoes and stock, give the impression that this soup has simmered for hours, not 10 minutes.
Cheesy Shrimp Tacos
Featuring succulent sautéed shrimp, onion, poblano chile and melty cheese, these crispy, cheesy tacos — a take on tacos gobernador — veer toward quesadilla territory. Their roots can be traced back to Los Arcos, a revered Mazatlán seafood restaurant where tacos gobernador were created for a visit from the governor of Sinaloa in the early 1990s. The dish evolved over time, and today, variations abound: Ingredients can include herbs like oregano or cilantro; fresh tomato or paste; other chiles, like serrano or chipotle; flour or corn tortillas. The tacos may be grilled over an open flame or crisped in a skillet. In this version, garlic and Worcestershire sauce add zing. Pair with a favorite salsa, hot sauce and lime and adjust as you like; these tacos are customizable yet consistently tantalizing.
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Pambazo (Mexican Chorizo and Potato Sandwich)
This Mexican sandwich features a delightful jumble of crisp chorizo and fluffy potatoes topped with a crunchy slaw and slabs of tangy cheese all served on a smoky, lightly charred salsa-griddled bun.
Carne Asada Torta
Tender white rolls stuffed with smoky grilled meat, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, pickled jalapeños and red onion, the Mexican torta is a much-loved sandwich that likely originated in Puebla during the French occupation in the 1860s. Mexican bakers were inspired by baguettes, and created telera, a smaller, softer loaf with signature hash marks across the top. While the exact history is blurry, one thing remains true: like any good sandwich, good bread is key. Telera or bolillo rolls are traditional here, although according to Claudette Zepeda, a San Diego chef who specializes in regional Mexican cooking, ciabatta is an acceptable substitute. She also said that while pickled onions and chiles are a must, cheese is usually only found on a cold torta. All that to say, while it’s not strictly authentic, feel free to add refried beans or crumble on a little cotija cheese. For extra flavor, place the cut sides of the toasted bread over the carne asada while it’s resting to soak up some of the flavorful juices. This version of the popular sandwich calls for carne asada, but you could also use shredded pollo asado.
Champurrado
This creamy and rich atole, or corn-based drink, is made with Mexican chocolate, cinnamon and raw cane sugar, then thickened with toasted masa harina for a soothing hot drink that is often served in cooler months and for holidays like Día De Los Muertos and Las Posadas. Piloncillo, a cone-shaped raw cane sugar, is usually added for sweetness, but you can use brown sugar in a pinch. If you’d like to experiment, add warm, whole spices, such as cloves and star anise, or orange peel to the simmering pot. Traditionally, champurrado is prepared in a clay pot and mixed with a molinillo, a wooden whisk, to make the drink frothy, but for a similar effect, continually whisk the champurrado, or use an immersion blender to froth it up right before serving. Champurrado is often served with hot, crispy churros alongside.
Cemitas
The cemita is a widely popular Mexican sandwich from the state of Puebla. It’s named for the bread it’s served on, an egg-rich, sesame seed bun. Also referred to as a cemita Poblana, the sandwich is frequently filled with a crispy fried cutlet, often pork or chicken. Traditional toppings are layered to create a symphony of textures and flavors, including creamy avocado, salty Oaxaca cheese, tangy pickled jalapeños or smoky chipotles en adobo, fresh raw onions and papalo (a fragrant Mexican herb similar to cilantro). If Oaxaca cheese is unavailable, string cheese delivers a similar texture and flavor.
Ceviche
Light and bright, vibrant and punchy, ceviche involves marinating raw seafood in citrus juice until it becomes opaque and toothsome. You’ll find many variations of the dish in coastal Latin America made with ingredients like coconut milk, ketchup and green olives. This colorful rendition is one style popular in Mexico, but if you leave out the tomatoes, cucumber and avocado, you’ll get a dish that’s common in Peru, the birthplace of ceviche. Whatever version you make, start with fish that’s as fresh as possible; ask your fishmonger what’s best for ceviche that day, and to make shrimp ceviche, see Tip.
Tomato-Habanero Salsa
With only three main ingredients — tomatoes, onion and habanero — this chunky, saucy, salsa is bold, simple and beautiful in its simplicity and multiple uses. The roasted tomato leads, slightly smoky with an acidic tang; the roasted onion provides sweetness; and the habanero provides a bright pop of flavor that transforms into a light yet spicy kick that lingers and tickles the tongue. The salsa is as versatile as it is addictive: Dip it with chips, or spoon it over sunny-side-up eggs huevos rancheros style, grilled meats, cheesy quesadillas, crispy taquitos or avocado toast. It also makes a quick, lively breakfast: Spoon about 1/4 cup salsa onto a heated small skillet, pour a couple whisked eggs on top for a quick egg scramble with a side of toast.
Rosca de Reyes
For many Mexicans and Mexican Americans celebrating Epiphany on January 6, Three Kings Day begins by picking up a rosca de reyes from a local bakery and enjoying the sweet, ring-shaped bread with family members. This traditional recipe comes from La Monarca Bakery in Los Angeles, which sells at least 5,000 of these festive desserts every year. The bread’s design is symbolic: The circular form represents eternal love from God, and the colorful decorations resemble the jewels on the crowns of the Magi. Many bakeries in the United States and Mexico use red and green strips of acitrón — a candy made from cactus — but because the cactus is endangered, the candy can be difficult to find. Home cooks often substitute quince paste, guava paste or dried fruits like those in fruitcake. Similar to king cake, the bread often has a figurine (or fava bean or walnut) tucked inside from the bottom after it is done baking; the person who finds it is often tasked with hosting a Candlemas feast on February 2. Rosca de reyes is typically served with champurrado, café de olla or hot chocolate.
Tamales
Tamales are a traditional Central and South American dish of masa, a corn dough, that is filled with meat, vegetables, cheese and seasonings, then wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf and steamed. They have been around for thousands of years — the Aztec and the Maya people ate them — so there are innumerable delicious variations, but this Mexican version, which is known as rojos de puerco, is filled with braised pork and red chile sauce. Often served at special events like weddings, baptisms, first communions and the like, tamales are particularly important to Mexicans and Mexican-Americans at Christmas time during which tamaladas, or tamale-making parties, are hosted to divide the work, share the food and enjoy each other’s company. For convenience, this recipe calls for masa harina, a dried form of masa that can be found in most supermarkets and is reconstituted with water and fat, but if you can find fresh masa, use it for outrageously good, authentic results.
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Birria de Res (Beef Birria)
Everything you need to know about Mexican birria, including its history, ingredients, variations, and a step-by-step guide to making this ultimate beef version.
Taquitos
In Spanish, taquitos means “little tacos,” and depending on where you are in Mexico, they can refer to small tacos, breakfast tacos, or stuffed, rolled and fried tacos. If they’re the latter, as in this recipe, medium-size tortillas are typically used, whereas when larger tortillas are used, they are called flautas (or flutes). When choosing your tortillas, freshness is more important than size — they need to be soft and pliable so they won’t crack when rolled. Pick up the bag of tortillas at the store and gently bend the stack; if they are stuck together, stiff or you see any broken edges, they are probably old and will be difficult to roll. Conversely, if there is condensation inside the bag, that generally means the tortillas were packed warm, have a higher moisture content and are likely fresh.
Tostadas
In Spanish, tostada is used as an adjective and a noun to refer to a tortilla that has been toasted on a comal or griddle, crisped in the oven, or in some regions of Mexico, fried until golden brown. Stateside, store-bought corn tortillas are made using preservatives to extend their shelf life, but they can also add a sour taste and smell to the product. This is masked by toasting or frying them, which enhances the flavor of the corn, making them taste more like something you would find in Mexico. Tostadas can be used to hold whatever fillings you want to pile on top, but in this recipe, chorizo and canned beans make a quick meal perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Barbacoa
Originating with the Taíno people of eastern Dominican Republic, barbacoa is a method of cooking meat whose name comes from the Arawak word barbaca. In Mexico, barbacoa is a style of slow cooking large cuts of beef, lamb, goat and pork. Depending on regionality, the meat is cooked over an open fire or in an underground pit called a pibil, wrapped in agave or banana leaves, often covered with earth, then slow roasted overnight. In this version, beef is oven roasted at a low temperature in a sauce made from dried chiles, herbs and spices, until the meat is so tender it easily shreds.
Refried Beans
Refried beans, a staple of Mexican cuisine, is a flavorful side dish that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. (They’re not really fried twice — “refried beans” is derived from their Spanish name, frjoles refritos, which means “well-fried beans.”) Throughout Mexico, the beans are cooked in freshly rendered lard, which adds a deep, caramelized pork flavor. In this quick recipe, smoked bacon stands in for the lard while chipotle pepper in adobo adds heat, sweetness and a long-simmered flavor that makes canned beans taste homemade. For a meatless version, replace the bacon with half a bell or poblano pepper, and swap the vegetable oil with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. You can easily make a double batch and freeze the leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Salsa Negra (Sinaloan Salsa for Seafood)
Salsa negra’s punch of heat, complexity, and savory backbone pairs perfectly with seafood and more.
Michelada
A classic Michelada means different things to different people but its core ingredients remain constant: cold beer, lime, salt. Serve the beer-based cocktail as is, over ice, in a chilled glass rimmed with salt or adapt from there to your preferred Michelada by adding a litany of condiments such as: Worcestershire sauce (or salsa inglesa), hot sauce, Maggi seasoning, and Clamato or tomato juice, or both. If you like, switch out the salt rim for a Tajín rim.
Chilaquiles Verdes
Chilaquiles are beloved all over Mexico and across the U.S. Southwest. Tortillas are fried, simmered in salsa and adorned with a multitude of herbs and proteins that vary with the chefs cooking them. Some folks prefer their totopos (tortilla chips) crisper, while some like them softer. Chilaquiles can be doused in salsa, but just a bit can yield a meal just as delicious. Though it really is worth stretching for the best quality tortillas you can find and frying them to your liking, in a pinch, buying the best tortilla chips you can works, too. Bottled salsa will do, if absolutely necessary, but a quick homemade salsa will produce dividends in taste with relatively little labor.
Poc Chuc (Citrus-Marinated Grilled Pork)
Super citrusy and smoky, poc chuc is both charred and full of tangy brightness. This dish with Mayan origins, from the state of Yucatán in Mexico, translates to “toast” over “fire” and is grilled hot and fast. Traditionally, thinly sliced pork is marinated in sour orange juice. Here, a mixture of citrus juices mimics the spirit of sour oranges, and makes the meat tender and full of flavor. A simple yet delicious way to prepare versatile and cost-effective pork shoulder, poc chuc can top tacos or salads or be served with beans, rice, tortillas, pickled onions, cabbage and avocado. There are no boundaries on how to enjoy it.