Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, so bringing you this ultimate list of Cinco de Mayo recipes is a no brainer. And it wasn’t until I started putting this post together that I realized just how much Mexican-inspired food I have made over the years.
This holiday is such a fun time to kick back on a patio with a margarita and chill. That’s so my favorite vibe where we just soak up the sun and enjoy this thing called life.
As I was writing this post and finding recipes both on my blog and all over the web, well it was a little overwhelming. There are SO many different kinds of Mexican flavors and dishes to find inspiration, but I think my Cinco de Mayo recipes list is pretty amazing.
I’m bringing you everything from savory and spicy to sweet and indulgent, because it’s the right thing to do. In fact, I was going to count how many recipes I’m sharing, but it’s a ton, so I gave up. Haha!
So let’s chat a bit about what all you’re about to find in this Cinco de Mayo recipes list. You’ll find the following and click the link to go right to that section:
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- Healthy: Because we ought to enjoy Cinco de Mayo recipes without the guilt, right?!
- Margaritas: I mean what screams Cinco de Mayo more than tequila, or at least makes you want to scream a little? Haha!
- Dips: Well I’m a little obsessed with dips, so they must have their own categories.
- Enchiladas: Growing up our family enchilada recipe is one of my favorite memories, so they deserve their own section.
- Tacos: Pretty sure that when most of us think of Cinco de Mayo recipes, then tacos come to mind.
- Nachos: These recipes are amazing, because they make a perfect snack or you can make a meal out them!
- Desserts: What’s a special meal without ending it with a little dessert?!
- All the Rest: There are so many other recipes that don’t fit into any other category but are savory, so they fall here.
Let’s dive into our ultimate list of Cinco de Mayo Recipes, shall we?!
Healthy Cinco de Mayo Recipes:
Slow Cooker Black Bean Burritos – So many layers of flavor with black beans, tomatoes, corn, brown rice, salsa and more make up these fairly healthy burritos. Yum!
Crock Pot Salsa Chicken – I’m not sure it gets much easier to make flavorful chicken than this recipe. You’re cooking the chicken with salsa and then topping with cheese and scallions, and then dinner is served!
Healthy & Easy Tilapia Ceviche – (DF & GF) I’m so excited that Summer is nearly here so I can have an excuse to whip up this citrus ceviche. The recipe is simple, light, and filled with bright flavors you’ll love!
Mexican Quinoa with Lazy Guacamole – (DF & GF) This recipe is super popular and for great reason: It’s easy and delicious! You just have to check it out, and the guac is so simple you’ll be making it on repeat!
Spicy Chicken Flautas – (DF) I recently whipped these up as a healthy version of flautas I’d had in a restaurant. I’m not joking when I say that I’ve eaten them for 6 meals in a week and could have had more. Yum!!
Chicken Tostada – (DF) This recipe quickly became a favorite of mine because it’s seriously delicious. You’ve got a toasted corn tortilla, refried beans, lettuce, salsa, corn, chicken, guac, and a killer DF Mexican lime crema. It’s got it all, so whip it up ASAP!
Healthy Enchilada Casserole – Aside from lots of mozzarella, this recipe is pretty guilt free and looks fabulous! Who doesn’t love a good casserole?!
Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – This recipe is perfect for meal prepping, so you can take them straight from the freezer to the oven. So there’s a lot of healthy goodness to love here!
Margaritas:
Classic Margarita – (DF) Sometimes you want a good margarita without all the add-ins, so here you are! Three simple ingredients are all you need, and then you’re sipping away!
Triple Berry Margaritas – (DF) Strawberries, blackberries & blueberries make this refreshing drink a total winner, so bottoms up!
Strawberry Jalapeño Margaritas – (DF) I’m loving this idea of tequila and orange liqueur, because it balances the lime, strawberries, and jalapeño slices for a refreshing, spicy drink.
Pineapple Margarita – (DF) This drink sound amazing, because it makes me want to be sipping it on a beach. Pineapple and lime are the star of this tequila drink, and we should probably book a vacation after reading this recipe!
Frozen Watermelon Margarita – (DF) A more refreshing margarita may never exist, because I find watermelon delightful. I can’t wait to try this, so here we go!
Coconut Margarita – (DF) Grab a lime, tequila, and coconut flavored sparkling water, and then you’ll be enjoying this skinny drink in no time!
Frozen Mango Margaritas – (DF) We have some amazing mango margaritas across the street from me, and this recipe has me craving those right now. Plus the chili lime salt rim sounds intriguing, so I may need to try this one!
Dips:
Roasted Poblano Queso Fundido – You’ve got roasted poblano pepper corn, butter, and beer for the foundation of this dip, so immediately it’s a great start. Then Mexican cheese and lime get stirred in and hot damn, you’re in dip heaven!
Crock Pot Margarita Chicken Dip – Chicken, cheese and tomatoes are a great start to a dip, so let’s fire up our crock pots!
Mexican Street Corn Dip – This hot dip is calling mine name, because I love corn and cheese. You’ve got this cheesy corn mixture that gets baked until bubbly perfections, and then dive in with chips!
Zesty Refried Bean Cheese Dip – I’m wanting a Corona and tortilla chips just looking at this spicy cheese dip with a layer of beans on the bottom. Yes please!
Enchiladas:
Homemade Enchilada Sauce – DF & GF option – Before you make enchiladas, then you need a yummy sauce. And this one looks fabulous, so here you go!
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas – You’ve got this cheesy, spicy filling that goes inside the enchiladas and then covers them for maximum flavor! When you want some cheesy indulgence, then this is it!
Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas – The only thing I’ll do differently with these is to use flour tortillas so they stand up to the homemade tomatillo salsa, but otherwise these enchiladas are the BOMB! Super flavorful and crazy good!
Chipotle Chicken, Mango & Black Bean Enchiladas – They had me at mango, so who am I kidding?! These are especially for you if you’re a fan of soda pop, because a can of Coke makes an appearance.
Tacos:
Blackened Tilapia Fish Tacos – It takes a lot of ingredients but these fish tacos are grilled and crazy good! Plus you’re topping the tacos with onions in a jalapeño sauce which is amazing. It’s worth this recipe just to try the that sauce, so go do that now!
Chipotle Steak Fajita Tacos – (DF & GF) These tacos feature GF soft tortillas and a killer DF green chile aioli. Roasted corn, a spice rubbed flank steak, and fajita-style peppers are added to a tortilla, then top with aioli, devour, and repeat.
Caramelized Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa – (DF & GF) I love the idea of this recipe, because it adds sweetness & heat. You’ve got spicy, caramelized pork then topped with pineapple salsa and chili sauce, so sign me up!
Crock Pot Pork Verde Tacos – (GF) I love a good verde sauce, and serving that with pork in taco form sound lovely. Plus it’s topped with a jalapeño sauce that is creamy and packed with flavor.
BBQ Pork Tacos – One of my favorite things is BBQ pulled pork, so I have KC BBQ to thank for that! So when I saw this taco recipe I was in, and then top it with a honey mustard slaw to keep it light and fresh makes this a fab taco option!
Teriyaki Chicken Tacos – If you’re in an Asian mood but still want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, then these tacos are perfect. And I love the idea of the pineapple pear salsa plus pineapple lime crema to keep the dish from being too heavy.
Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos – Fry shrimp until crispy and then serve it with slaw and sweet chili sauce. I love the different textures and flavors, because it makes these tacos interesting!
Nachos:
Chorizo, Bean, & Cheese Nachos – I mean the name tells you everything you need to know, because these nachos are so amazing I still think about them 7 years later! Please just go make them for a spicy, crazy good appetizer (or meal)!
Volcano Nachos – I’m thinking my boyfriend would love the spice in these thanks to salsa con quest, chili, jalapeños plus all the normal nachos fixin’s. Now I’m wanting to go visit Margaritaville, so I can pick up an order of these guys!
Spicy Black Bean Nachos – I grew up loving refried beans, and you make your own here that serves as the base layer on top of the tortillas. There’s also an avocado salsa verde that sounds fab and a homemade pico de gallo to top them off with, so these sound amazing!
Southern BBQ Chicken Nachos – Now BBQ chicken plus pepper jack and sharp cheddar cheese are exactly how I envision taco heaven. These guys look super easy yet totally impressive, so we should whip them up ASAP.
Mexican Street Corn Nachos – After how much I loved my pasta version of Mexican street corn, then I know these will be equally amazing!
Loaded Buffalo Chicken Nachos – My love for spice has grown over the years, so naturally these sound fab. Buffalo chicken then topped with a ranch queso are calling my name.
Sloppy Joe Nachos – I haven’t had sloppy joes in ages, but I’m definitely craving them now. These guys are pretty much exactly how they sound with a sloppy joe mixture on nachos topped with cheese and the fixins, so what more do I need to say?!
Desserts:
Baked Churro Donuts – Make no mistake, these guys are not good for you. But a little indulgence is quite alright. These donuts get dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar plus a chocolate sauce, because it’s the right thing to do!
Mini Margarita Cheesecakes – If you love lime and cheesecakes, then add a splash of tequila and you’ll adore this dessert.
Churro Cupcakes – If you love cupcakes and cinnamon sugar, then I have a feeling you’ll need this recipe.
Sopapilla Cheesecake Dessert – This dessert is packed with decadent ingredients, but it’s a great indulgence if you love crescent rolls and cream cheese.
Margarita Bars – I love a good bar with graham cracker crust, so naturally these (with optional tequila) are making me drool a tad.
Mexican Coconut Candies – I can totally see whipping these sweets up for a party, because with only 3 ingredients they’re an easy choice!
Mexican Brownies – I adore brownies, and these are kicked up a notch with some cayenne! So I’m thinking I need these in my life ASAP!
Chocolate Churro Muddy Buddies – I grew up on muddy buddies at my friends’ houses, and young Kelli could have only dreamed about enjoying a churro version. Holy smokes!
All the Rest:
Chicken Tamale Casserole – I’d honestly forgotten about this recipe until I did some searching here, and now it’s all I can think about. So much cheesy goodness with chicken, some heat and layers of spicy corn bread!
Southwest Fajita Chicken Wrap – DF – Say hello to one of my favorite treats with this wrap filled with rice, chicken, fajita style peppers and onions and topped with a killer chipotle aioli!
Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Pasta Salad – (DF & GF) I love this bright salad that’s filled with veggies, gluten free pasta, and a dairy free sauce. I love how you can transform a dish into something creamy and seriously delicious without a hint of dairy. You’ve GOT to try this one! I fed it to my boyfriend and he had no clue what he was eating was good for him!
Enchilada-Style Stuffed Shells – This ricotta and cream cheese filling with green chiles is just amazing! Fill up large pasta shells with the filling, top it all with red enchilada sauce and cheese, and bake. Holy smokes is this one fab!
Mexican Street Corn Salad – Everything about this corn salad sounds fabulous, so click this link to see for yourself. Spicy, sweet, creamy are just a few thoughts that come to mind, so let’s dive in!
Chicken Empanadas – I’ve never made empanadas before, but they sound delicious and look so adorable. Plus the flavors of the filling have me so excited for what could be done with this easy recipe. Yum!
Salsa Rollups – I love a good rollup recipe, and these look delicious with salsa mixed into the cheesy filling. Oh heck yes!
I have so many thoughts now after writing this post. Most of them end with me grabbing a beer or margarita, and then finding myself in a food coma!
I hope this ultimate list of Cinco de Mayo recipes has inspired you to whip up a little something for the holiday. I am thinking a dip, margarita and dessert should totally be happening in my kitchen, so what about you?! Are the mango margaritas and Mexican brownies speaking to you, because they sure are to me? Comment below and then we can chat more!
Stay inspired & cheers to this fun holiday!
~Kelli
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