22 Easy Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Make at Home

updated Oct 12, 2020

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Credit: Joe Lingeman
Lesley Téllez’s Household Tacos

The bold, bright flavors of Mexican food are instant joy-makers, as far as we’re concerned. It’s hard not to smile when tucking into your favorite tacos or whipping up a batch of margaritas. So, we’ve rounded up some of our very favorite recipes — both classic and newfangled — to get you inspired in the kitchen any night of the week. While this lineup isn’t necessarily authentic, the recipes are downright delicious and inspired by classics and restaurant favorites.

Here you’ll find over 20 of our best Mexican-inspired recipes, ranging from crowd-pleasing guacamole and fizzy palomas to cheesy enchiladas and smoky refried beans, plus everything in between.

In This Article

Mexican Main Dishes
Mexican Side Dishes
Drinks and Snacks

Mexican Main Dishes

There’s a little something for everyone here, whether you’re a carnivore or a vegetarian, a spicy food lover or someone who simply wants something extra fresh.

1 / 20

Good things take time, and I promise these pork carnitas are definitely worth the wait.

2 / 20

Instant Pot Barbacoa

This recipe delivers spiced, tender shredded beef from the Instant Pot in less than an hour. Here's everything you need to know to make it.

3 / 20

Téllez Household Tacos

Mexican cookbook author Lesley Téllez shares her family's favorite taco recipe, complete with easy spiced chicken thighs and lots of fun toppings.

4 / 20

A step-by-step guide to making chile relleno at home, including tips for broiling and peeling the chiles, the best way to fry them, and how to serve them.

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The Best Chicken Flautas

Flautas are rolled tacos that are fried until golden and crispy. Here's how to make the very best ones.

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Slow Cooker Chili Verde

This bright and hearty pork-based stew is simmered with green chiles and tomatillos.

7 / 20

Salsa-Simmered Fish

In this weeknight dinner, white fish fillets are simmered in tomato salsa on the stovetop and served over rice.

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Classic Slow Cooker Margarita Fajitas

These fun fajitas are seasoned with all the flavors of a classic margarita.

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Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos

We'll bet that these are the easiest shrimp tacos you can make. They're cooked on a sheet pan and topped with cabbage slaw, avocado, and sour cream.

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Roasted Mushroom and Poblano Tacos

These quick and easy vegetarian tacos are filled with roasted portobello mushrooms and poblano peppers and topped with tangy goat cheese.

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Easy One-Pot Chicken Taco Soup

Loaded with juicy chicken, hearty black beans, and sweet corn, this quick soup was made with weeknight dinners in mind.

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Slow Cooker Veggie Burrito Bowls

Veggie burrito bowls are a one-stop shop, delivering the best part of a burrito — the filling! — with tender brown rice, smoky pinto beans, and fresh veggies, all topped with a dollop of citrusy sour cream.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Slow cooker chicken tinga is swimming in a full-flavored tomato-chipotle sauce, studded with sliced onions. It has just enough heat to keep you on your toes.

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This recipe teaches you how to make restaurant-style steak fajitas at home, from the flavor-packed marinade to the best cooking technique.

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Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Rich and cheesy sour cream chicken enchiladas are comfort food at its finest.

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Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

A quick and easy recipe for soft tacos filled with black beans and sweet potatoes, which can be made vegan without the cheese.

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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos

A jar of pickled jalapeños and a drizzle of maple syrup transforms a big cut of pork into a sweet and spicy taco filling.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Thanks to a little help from the grocery store, this soup is ready in under an hour.

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Pork and Green Chile Tamales

A step-by-step guide to making pork and green chile tamales at home, plus instructions for freezing and reheating.

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The Best Cheesy Quesadillas

Fill it with plain cheese and beans or with shrimp and avocado; the quesadilla is whatever you want to make it.

Mexican Side Dishes

Round out your dinner with one of your favorite Mexican side dishes, such as tomato-rich rice, smoky beans, or a crunchy salad.

1 / 6

This flavorful tomato-based rice dish is tasty any time of day.

2 / 6

The Best Homemade Refried Beans

Here's how to transform a can of pinto beans into creamy, smoky refried beans.

3 / 6

Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)

Sweet, charred corn is partnered with a slew of ingredients for a salad that's just the right balance of smoky, spicy, and tangy.

4 / 6

Frijoles de la Olla

There's no end to all the ways you can eat these slow-cooked beans.

5 / 6

The Best Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

It's hard to resist cooked sweet corn slathered in a spicy mixture of mayonnaise, crema, and chili powder and then sprinkled with cheese.

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Instant Pot Mexican Rice

This popular side dish can be made quickly with just a handful of ingredients to round out any meal.

Drinks and Snacks

Any excuse to kick off your night with margaritas and chips and salsa is a good one.

1 / 10

3-2-1 Pitcher Margaritas

Tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice are all you need for these easy pitcher margaritas.

2 / 10

Michelada Recipe

This michelada pitcher is spicy, tangy, and extra refreshing.

3 / 10

Paloma Cocktail

Rosey-hued and bittersweet, this grapefruit and tequila highball gets a fizzy finish with a splash of grapefruit soda.

4 / 10

Spicy Pineapple Punch

Pineapple juice and muddled jalapeños give this 3-ingredient tequila punch a pop of flavor.

5 / 10

The Ultimate Blender Margaritas

Ditch the syrupy slush that covers bottom-shelf tequila and blend a batch with better ingredients right at home.

6 / 10

Smoked Watermelon Agua Fresca

This summery agua fresca combines juicy sun-kissed watermelon and crisp lime juice with smoked salt and paprika, which add notes of smoke coming off a grill.

7 / 10

Guacamole Recipe

Make this guac once, and it's all but guaranteed it'll become your new go-to.

8 / 10

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

This bold-flavored black bean corn salsa is made with freshly squeezed lime juice, smoky chipotles, and fresh cilantro.

9 / 10

This fresh, 5-ingredient mango salsa pairs just as well with chips as it does with fish tacos, grilled salmon, and more.

10 / 10

The Best Salsa Verde

A simple combination of tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, chile pepper, and onion yields a vibrant and tart salsa.

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