Latin American Recipes & Food Ideas

As an ardent pie crust lover, it’s only natural that I adore empanadas, the sweet or savory stuffed pastries from Latin America or Spain. They’re usually served at parties or even as a meal, and one of my favorite fillings is chicken with olives. This quick weeknight version reimagines the handheld pastry as a skillet pie, with a bubbling layer of juicy ground chicken cooked with bell peppers, onions, and olives in a savory spiced sauce, all topped with a flaky pie crust.

It’s a very particular kind of morning we’re talking about when we say this is the Cuban sandwich you want for breakfast — specifically the kind that starts closer to noon than it does to nine, and one where the night before might’ve included lots of dancing. That, or those mornings when you wake up ravenous and ready for something truly hearty to eat. The Cuban medianoche is a close sibling to the more famous cubano.

Whether you’re putting the finishing touches on the ultimate taco salad, or just trying to pretend your leafy green salad is a plate of tacos, these crispy, flavor-packed croutons will help get you there. Any type of bread will work to make these seasoned croutons a reality.

Enchiladas make a wonderful and unique breakfast dish. A true crowd-pleaser, they can easily be scaled up or down, depending on the number of mouths you are feeding. Enchiladas are also super versatile; if you don’t have chorizo on hand, some leftover roast chicken works too. If you don’t eat meat, mushrooms or beans make for a satisfying filling. And while the dish itself is best eaten as soon as it is ready, the individual components can always be made ahead of time.

Chicken tamales drenched in mole are a staple of the Christmas season. They are a little time-consuming (but not hard), and best when made with friends and family. In fact, the making of the tamales is almost as important as the eating of the tamales. Gathering together to create this beloved food has become one of my favorite traditions of the holiday season. I like to break the process up over a couple of days.

Since discovering how easy it is to cook amazing flank steak at home, I have become rather obsessed with fajitas. As in, we’ve had them for dinner at least once a week for the past several weeks — sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with friends. They’re just so easy and easily adaptable! Roast some peppers and onions under the broiler, then cook the steak. Pile everything on a platter with a stack of warm tortillas nearby, and dig in.

Whether they come from your grocery store, your garden, or your neighbor’s garden (if you’re lucky!), you will soon be overrun with zucchini. This time of year, zucchini are plentiful and that’s probably an understatement. These easy grilled zucchini boats stuffed with ground beef, cheddar cheese, and salsa are one of my favorite ways to burn through a big pile of summer zucchini.

I have two goals on hot summer days: stay hydrated and eat as much fruit as I can. Agua frescas are the perfect solution to both goals. Lately I’ve been whipping up these fruit juice blends every week, and so far, this vanilla nectarine version has to be my favorite. It’s the drink-child of fresh peach ice cream and takes about two minutes to make.

I sometimes look askance at people who complain about the glut of beautiful end-of-summer produce and fruit — what on earth to do with it? My immediate reaction is to just eat it. Eat it all. Enjoy it because we can’t in January or February or March. But in all honesty, at times I’m one of those people, too. It can be difficult in August to use up all your vegetables and ripening fruit before they go bad.

Where there’s brunch, there are Bloody Marys. So at today’s Cinco de Mayo brunch celebration, it just makes sense that we’ll be happily sipping Mary’s Mexican cousin: the Bloody Maria. The Bloody Maria is the same as a Bloody Mary, but tequila takes the place of vodka, giving this brunch favorite a simple and delicious makeover.

Every Halloween I like to cook something warm and pumpkin-y for dinner. This year I’ll pair my favorite pumpkin tortilla soup with enchiladas de pipián rojo, a smoky, nutty, spiced (but not too spicy) sauce made with pumpkin seeds, chile peppers, and roasted vegetables. In Mexico, pipián is a type of mole or sauce served with meat or over enchiladas. Made with ground seeds or nuts, it may be green (verde) or red (rojo).

My friend Aura is a very good cook. She lives in Florida with her husband, Leo, and two adorable (I do not use that word glibly) children. When I think of Aura’s cooking, I think of fruit salads, smoothies, and the freshest dishes from her native Guatemala — light, healthy, and driven by Florida’s tropical fruits and vegetables. So I was surprised, one winter evening a few years ago, to sit down at her table and find a big, bubbling casserole of chicken wrapped in bacon.

There are very few foods that feed a large crowd with little effort. Tacos may be the simplest option for feeding a lot of people, and today we are bringing you one of our favorite taco stuffings: barbacoa beef, tender and full of rich, complex flavors. Yes, did you know you can make that tasty stuff you buy at Chipotle in your own kitchen — and in your slow cooker, no less? I have a serious thing for barbacoa.

Asparagus and cherries is not a pairing you normally hear of, let alone see in taco form, but when we tasted this combination during our recent trip to Washington state, we felt like we’d been let in on a marvelous secret.When roasted or grilled, the two ingredients turn sweet, succulent, and rich with complex, seasonal flavor. In a taco garnished with zesty asparagus salsa and fresh Mexican cheese, the combination is completely enticing.

This shredded braised beef in a rich sauce with a spicy kick tastes better than you can imagine. Really, it’s that good. And cooking it in a slow cooker means you can have it ready and waiting when you come home from work! Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home? See more How To posts We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too! Submit your own tutorials or ideas here!

This week we’ve talked about making tortillas (withwithoutinstant corn flour Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home? See more How To posts We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too! Submit your own tutorials or ideas here!

This dessert is dedicated to those of you who have seen triple digits on the thermometer this week and cannot imagine firing up the oven under any circumstances. Here, slices of melon provide a cool, silky texture while the syrup punches up the sweet and adds an exciting bit of heat. The lime balances the flavors and refreshes the palate. But best of all, this dessert is quick and simple and leaves the oven resolutely turned off.

Sweet corn is the perfect thing to eat right now – seasonal, fresh and perfect with almost nothing added to it. But just in case you’re ready for something new, let’s load it up with lots of rich and delicious toppings. What do you say? You may be familiar with elote, a Mexican sweet corn treat.

Tortilla soup is something we enjoy any timeOne might not expect a meatless tortilla soup to be very hearty, yet this is actually quite satisfying without animal, or even soy, protein. Pumpkin puree (made from scratch or canned) and cubes of avocado add creamy richness and balance the soup’s tomatoes and spice. Tortillas appear not only as crispy garnish but they are also cooked into the soup, infusing it with texture and flavor.

With the weather turning warmer, we find ourselves turning to lighter meals and nibbles. Healthy dips and spreads such as muhammara are finding their way onto our plates more often in recent weeks.Another benefit of dips and spreads is they can be used as a substitute for less-healthy toppings such as butter, cream, hollandaise sauces, and other high-fat sauces and accompaniments. Try using hummus in place of mayonnaise in a sandwich, or experiment with covering a grilled steak with guacamole.