40 Mexican recipes

40 Mexican recipes

Esquites (Mexican corn salad)

Bring comforting Mexican flavours to the table with esquites, a charred sweetcorn side dish topped with jalapeño mayonnaise and cool mozzarella. This recipe comes from Soho’s El Pastor restaurant.

Birria tacos

Birria tacos, a speciality of Jalisco, Mexico, feature beef braised in a flavorful charred tomato sauce with three types of chilli. After pulling the meat, it's stuffed in tortillas, fried with onion, coriander and mozzarella for a balance of flavours. Dip in the smoky juices for a perfect taco night.

Pork pibil (cochinita pibil)

Pork pibil is a slow-cooked Mexican dish that’s great for the weekend, it may take a bit of time but it’s super easy. This spicy, low-calorie one-pot dish can feed up to eight people and is suitable for freezing to give your midweek meals some Mexican zing.

Crab tostadas

Check out Edson Diaz-Fuentes' crisp crab tostadas for a crowd-pleasing savoury snack. Edson says: “In Coyoacán in Mexico City, my local market has become famous for (among other things) a tostadas stand that has expanded and become hugely popular. The stand offers a wide variety of tostadas: chicken tinga, prawn cocktail or pata (cow’s hooves), which is one of my favourites. I like to pair fresh crab with the simple, raw freshness of a jalapeño and lime mayonnaise, and serve this with crispy tostadas and avocados.”

Tacos al pastor

This dish was developed by Lebanese immigrants in Mexico who combined the cooking style of shawarma with Mexican ingredients such as achiote and chillies. It’s usually cooked on a spit but this is a simplified version, which is very easy to make at home.

Classic nachos

For a homemade Mexican-style feast, you can’t go wrong with a tray of classic nachos loaded with beef, beans, cheese and chilli.

Beef burritos

Tuck into these beefy burritos for a Tex-Mex weekend feast. Depending on the size of tortilla wraps, the recipe can serve up to six.

Tikin xic (sea bream cooked in banana leaves)

Tuck into this Mexican-style tikin xic, where sea bream is marinated in a blend of garlic, cinnamon, cloves, achiote paste and orange juice, then baked in banana leaves.

Chicken enchiladas

Pack plenty of protein into your midweek family meal with smoky chipotle chicken, crunchy peppers and black beans.

Spicy Mexican rice

This vegan rice dish can be eaten on its own or, if you want to add some protein, it’s good with beans, crumbled feta, cooked chicken or prawns stirred through. Ready in 30 minutes, it's a great dinner to have up your sleeve, midweek.

Chiles en escabeche

Try Edson Diaz-Fuentes' chiles en escabeche – Mexican-style pickle – for your next weekend project. Edson says: “you’ll see big jars of these pickles in torterías and fondas. You can really taste all the flavours from the spices but they’re not too spicy. When preparing my pickles, I like combining layers of flavours by using aromatics such as coriander seeds, honey and smoky dried chillies. Enjoy them in your favourite torta or sandwich with a cold beer.”

Refried beans

You can’t have a Tex-Mex feast without a side of refried beans. Sprinkle over coriander, pickled jalapeños and feta for extra oomph.

Pibil-style pork ribs

Try Edson Diaz-Fuentes' peppery pork ribs for a crowd-pleasing Friday night dinner. Edson says: “Cochinita pibil is the emblematic dish of Yucatán. The whole suckling pig, known as cochinita, is doused in achiote marinade, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted in a pit. Achiote paste, a mix of crushed annatto seeds and spices, has a deep, vibrant red colour and unique peppery, musky flavour that pairs beautifully with pork.”

Thomasina Miers' Mexican pork chops

Ancho is a dried poblano chilli with a sweet earthy flavour. These Mexican pork chops from Thomasina Miers make for an impressive main and prove that Mexican food doesn't mean Tex Mex!

Short rib suadero

This recipe comes from Tacos Padre, a stall at London's Borough Market. It takes a little effort and time to make, but it's so worth it for those meltingly tender beef short ribs.

Mooli and pomegranate ceviche

In this vibrant ceviche from Mexican restaurant Cavita, mooli – a mellow-flavoured type of radish – is paired with sweet and juicy pomegranate seeds.

Red guacamole

If you don't fancy salsa macha, top your guacamole with toasted seeds, some chilli flakes, desiccated coconut and a drizzle of rapeseed oil. This recipe comes from Tacos Padre, a stall at London's Borough Market.

Mexican elotes

This classic Mexican street food is so easy to make at home. It's topped with crema, a saltier, creamier Mexican soured cream which pairs well with the fiery chilli powder in this easy recipe.

Pulled pork carnitas

Fill soft tacos with tender pulled pork cooked in smoky chipotle and oregano, and top with zingy red cabbage, chillies and coriander for an easy way to feed a crowd.

Mexican-style sweetcorn soup

Spice up your soup with punchy ancho chillies in this Mexican-inspired recipe.

Tajín cauliflower bites

Tajín is a classic Mexican seasoning made from lime, chilli and salt. It works so well on these moreish cauli bites with the cooling soured cream.

Queso fundido

Layers of melting cheese and spicy chorizo make up this seriously OTT hot Mexican dip. Be prepared to fight over this one. We also have a recipe video to check out how to make this Mexican dish properly.

Easy chicken mole

Mole – the best easy Mexican food! This recipe for cheat's chicken mole uses a clever product to mean it's ready in less than an hour and is under 300 calories – perfect for a midweek treat. Try our best low-calorie chicken recipes here.

Barbacoa lamb carnitas

If you're a fan of Mexican food, you'll love carnitas. These gluten free, slow-cooked lamb tortillas are great for a Mexican feast between friends. It's easy to make and everyone can get stuck in and make their own.

Mexican-style salad tortilla bowls

Try our vibrant vegan Mexican-style salad bowls. This quick and easy recipe is super fresh and has just the right amount of spice and zing – ready in 20 minutes.

Mexican-style breakfast corn muffins

Check out our moist and cheesy corn muffins. Packed with Mexican flavours these easy muffins are ready in less than an hour and make a simple and healthy breakfast.

Huevos rancheros

Eat your eggs Mexican-style today! That means piling on smoky beef chilli and a fiery homemade salsa made from tomatoes, green chillies, coriander and lime.

Mini charred sweetcorn tacos with feta avo crema and quick pickled onions

Pack in heaps of colour and flavour to your vegetarian entertaining with these vibrant tacos.

Taquitos dorados de papa (crispy potato tacos)

Enjoy these tacos with your favourite fillings, such as broad beans, refried beans, cheese or curd cheese. Make them ahead and simply warm before serving.

Mexican dessert ideas

Pan de elote (Mexican corn cake)

For a dinner party dessert with a difference, try these Mexican-style pan de elote from restaurant Cavita. These cakes can be eaten straight from the ramekins, but if you want to turn them out, make sure the ramekins are well-buttered and lined.

Chocoflan

Edson Diaz-Fuentes's festive flan cake, featuring chocolate, caramel and cinnamon, is known as 'flan imposible' and combines two popular Mexican desserts.

Orange and tequila crème caramel

Crème caramel is really popular in Mexico. Orange zest sharpens the flavour in this recipe from Thomasina Miers, which a little tequila in the caramel gives it a richer, deeper flavour.

Manzanas bicolor (wine-poached apples)

Poach apples in rich red malbec and leave overnight with sugar, cinnamon and orange and lemon zest to absorb the flavours. Serve with your choice of ice cream.

Get the chillies right with our quick how-to video (plus we have an expert chilli guide so you can find the right chillies to buy for your recipe).

Mexican-inspired cocktail recipes

Largartija

You can prep this drink in advance by mixing all the ingredients without ice and refrigerating until serving. Simply double the ingredients to make two drinks.

Bacalar cocktail

This Mexican-style cocktail balances Mezcal Amores with its smooth, smoky notes, with chardonnay and ginger ale.

Mezcal, pineapple and jalapeño smash

The smoky notes of the mezcal work wonderfully with the grilled pineapple and gentle heat from the chilli in this spicy drink. It’s simple to make and can easily be made into a jug cocktail for a crowd.

Margarita cocktail

You can't get more classic than a delicious margarita. Shake up this simple, punchy and citrussy tequila cocktail then check out our refreshing twists for summer.

Frozen mango and lime margaritas

Margaritas are great party cocktail and make a great accompaniment to Mexican dishes. Our frozen margarita is the perfect refresher for a hot day, with sweet mango and a dash of lime.

Make it a Mexican fiesta with our pick of the best tequilas, click here to try...