Recipe Roundup

Our 41 Best Cinco de Mayo Party Recipes

These recipes, both traditional and Mexican-inspired, are worthy of a fiesta.

By The Epicurious Editors

April 24, 2018

Image may contain Plant Animal Seafood Food Sea Life Lobster Vegetable Corn and Egg

Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
1/41
Party Posole Rojo
When we entertain, we want everyone to have fun—including the host. Enter posole, one of the tastiest, prettiest one-pot dishes on earth. Make ahead and all that's left to do is ice some beers and set out all the toppings. This is no-stress party food for the win.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
2/41
3-Ingredient Grilled Orange Margarita
Grilling the oranges infuses this refreshing drink with slightly sweet, slightly bitter notes and smoky flavor, balanced by bright lime juice and aged tequila.
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Photo by Linda Xiao
3/41
Double-Pork Carnitas
A combination of pork belly and pork shoulder, slow-cooked to tenderness and then crisped in a pan, yields carnitas with unparalleled texture and richness.
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Photo by Ted Cavanaugh, Food Styling by Ali Nardi, Prop Styling by Martin Bourne
4/41
Margarita
Not exactly classic, but certainly alluring, this margarita leaves out Triple Sec for a simplified version of the cocktail.
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Photo by Alex Lau
5/41
Skirt Steak Tostadas With Cashew Salsa and Red Cabbage Slaw
A sheet-pan salsa and quick-cooking tostadas make this multi-component meal easy to pull off.
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Photo by Alex Lau
6/41
Tajín-Seasoned Vegetable Spears
This recipe for raw vegetables is the only conscionable thing you can serve right before sitting down to a heavier meal.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
7/41
Herby Ricotta-Poblano Tacos
If your only experience with ricotta has been smothered inside lasagna or ravioli, you need to try this simple, herby, green-chile studded ricotta taco.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li
8/41
Braised Birria
Though Birrieria Zaragoza uses goat, this deeply spiced braise is equally good with lamb.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
9/41
Aguachile de Camarón (Shrimp Cooked in Lime and Chile)
Of all the ceviche relatives, this one is arguably the easiest and most refreshing (not to mention, as many Mexicans will tell you, a great hangover cure).
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
10/41
3-Ingredient Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Make this street-food favorite at home with flavor-packed chipotle mayonnaise and crumbly Cotija cheese.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle
11/41
Creamy Rice and Beans in Three Classic Flavors
Cooking the rice and beans in a rice cooker means this dish couldn't be easier to make.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
12/41
Frozen Raspberry-Ginger Margarita
Add sweet-tart flavor and a hint of spice to a slushy margarita with frozen raspberries and grated fresh ginger.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, and Ali Nardi
13/41
Grilled Corn, Zucchini, and Black Bean Quesadillas
Packed with vegetables, beans, and cheese, these meatless quesadillas are no less satisfying.
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Photo by Nicole Franzen
14/41
Green Posole with Cod and Cilantro
The lighter, herbier counterpart to porky posole rojo, this brothy stew is perfect when early May is still a bit chilly.
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Christopher Testani
15/41
Raspberry-Melon Paletas
The near-creamy sweetness of cantaloupe plays exceptionally well with tart raspberries in these frozen treats.
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Photo by Linda Xiao
16/41
Green Pico de Gallo
A cooling and crunchy green version of the typical salsa.
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Photo by Alex Lau
17/41
Hibiscus, Orange, and Vanilla Agua Fresca
You can't party on margaritas alone. This thirst-quencher packs plenty of rehydrating flavor, without the booze.
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Photo by Christopher Testani
18/41
Taqueria Guacamole
This authentic taqueria-style guac brings the classic dip back to the basics: avocado, lime, cilantro, salt, and—surprise—just a little bit of water to smooth things out.
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Photo by Eva Kolenko
19/41
Breaded Chicken Sandwiches With Sesame Rolls (Cemita Poblana de Milanesa)
Most people have heard of a torta—one of the traditional sandwiches of Mexico—but the cemita is its own unique breed of Mexican sandwich.
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Photo by Shea Evans
20/41
Instant-Pot Red Chicken Enchiladas
These pressure cooker enchiladas are all about the tortillas and the ancho chile sauce. Shredded chicken and cheese round out the Mexican-American favorite.
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Photo by Waterbury Publications, Inc.
21/41
Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa Tacos
Salty, spicy, and slightly tangy, this dish delivers flavor on multiple levels.
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Photo by David A. Land, food styling by Carrie Purcell, prop styling by Alyssa Pagano
22/41
Shrimp-Salad Tostadas with Tomatoes and Cucumber
The shrimp salad can be chilled for up to 1 day. Just bring it to room temperature before serving.
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Photo by Marcus Nilsson
23/41
Skirt Steak Fajitas with Grilled Cabbage and Scallions
These hearty fajitas are guaranteed to be better than anything you'll find in a restaurant.
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Christopher Testani
24/41
Fresh Corn Tortillas
Follow our step-by-step guide and you'll never look at supermarket tortillas the same way again.
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25/41
Ultimate Nachos
The key to crispy nachos is to limit the number of ingredients that go into the oven with the chips. These start with three essential ingredients: a dollop of homemade pinto bean dip, sliced jalapeños, and plenty of grated cheddar.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
26/41
Grilled Cheese Tacos
Salty, smoky grilled halloumi is the star of this tasty, satisfying vegetarian option for the grill.
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Christopher Testani
27/41
Perfect Fish Tacos
Club soda in the batter is the key to making the fried fish extra light and crisp.
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Christopher Testani
28/41
Homemade Fresh Chorizo
A few simple spices are all you need to transform ground pork into a fantastic taco filling.
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Lara Ferroni
29/41
XOCO Churros with Mexican Hot Chocolate
These cinnamon-sugar dusted fritters are traditionally dunked in a cup of creamy hot chocolate—and who are we to argue with tradition?
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Photo by Peden + Munk
30/41
Grilled Chicken Tacos
Once you've make these simple tacos, it will be a recipe to turn to over and over again.
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Leigh Beisch
31/41
Herbed Pumpkin Seed Mole (Mole Verde con Hierbas)
In Oaxaca, green mole (mole verde) is one of the seven famous moles—with fresh herbs giving it fabulous color. This version is sometimes called mole pipían, referring to the pumpkin seeds used in it.
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Photo by Linda Xiao
32/41
Roasted Tomato–Cashew Salsa
If we had to give this salsa a heat index rating, it would get three out of five chiles.
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33/41
Spicy Chipotle Chicken Tostadas
Spicy Mexican chorizo adds richness to tinga, a tomatoey shredded-chicken tostada topping.
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Christopher Testani
34/41
Cucumber-Lime Paletas
A hint of fresh ginger gives these refreshing ice pops just a small kick of tingly heat.
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Photo by Linda Xiao
35/41
Habanero Jam
Looks like a perfectly innocent bowl of apricot jam, burns like a bright and fruity pepper jelly.
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Photo by Mathew Ramsey
36/41
Ancho Chile–Rubbed Grilled Corn
This recipe can be kerneled and served on top of a burger or eaten straight off the cob, dressed in cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.
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Photo by David A. Land, food styling by Carrie Purcell, prop styling by Alyssa Pagano
37/41
Creamy Black Bean Spread
This black bean dip gets a hint of unexpected sweetness from the ground fennel seeds. Traditional Mexican dishes often use dried avocado leaf, which has a similar flavor.
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Peden + Munk
38/41
Salsa de Chile Morita
Charring the vegetables adds bittersweet depth to this dried chile–and-tomato salsa; serve leftovers on scrambled eggs.
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Alex Farnum
39/41
Tuna Tostadas, Contramar Style
Chipotle aioli and sushi-grade tuna crown these modern tostadas, which come from Contramar, a lauded Mexico City seafood restaurant.
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Todd Coleman
40/41
Tortas de Salchicha (Grilled Hot Dog Tortas)
Virtually every tortería serves this torta, split hot dogs griddled and tucked inside bread. Instead of mustard and relish, you dress your dog with all the typical torta condiments.
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Photo by Romulo Yanes
41/41
Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs
This Mexican dish of tortilla chips smothered in chile sauce is just as good for dinner as it is for breakfast. Don't skimp on the garnishes; they add color and freshness.
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