Looking for Mexican recipes? Want to make the best tacos? Try our ideas and twists here, and scroll down for Mexican-style desserts and cocktails to try.

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Create your own Mexican feast with the help of some of our favourite Mexican chefs and restaurants. Our barbacoa lamb carnitas make the ideal centrepiece, along with enchiladas, fajitas and tacos. Whip up vibrant sides such as lime and paprika elotes (corn on the cob) and get the Mexican-themed cocktails flowing (think frozen margaritas and mezcal cocktails). Don't forget the guacamole! For a mid-week Mexican dinner, try charred sweetcorn soup, Tex-Mex-style burritos or our easy quesadilla filling ideas. Now discover all of our recipes with sour cream.


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.

A black bowl filled with sweetcorn and topped with mozzarella cheese and red chilli powder

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.

Beef tacos next to a bowl of gravy

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.

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Cochinita Pibil With Pork

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.”

Crab Tostadas

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.

Tacos Al Pastor recipe containing pork, pineapple, onion and coriander

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.

A tray of nachos topped with minced beef, chilli and cheese next to a pot of soured cream

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.

Halved burritos on a wooden board next to limes and a bowl of salsa

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.

A plate filled with a whole seabream cooked in a banana leaf and various small bowls of sauces and chutneys on a wooden background

Chicken enchiladas

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

Chicken enchiladas in a baking tray and on a dish

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.

Spicy Mexican rice

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.”

a glass jar on a stone surface overflowing with chillies, bay leaves, sliced potatoes and baby corn

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.

Bowl of refried beans topped with coriander, chilli and feta, with tortilla chips and lime wedges

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.”

two racks of pork ribs on baking parchment in a roasting tray with a pot of salsa

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!

Thomasina Miers’ Mexican pork chops in a lime and ancho marinade

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.

Ribs and salad on a blue plate

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.

A pastel pink plate topped with pomegranate seeds and mooli on a marble stone table top

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.

A bowl of red guacamole

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.

Mexican Elotes 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.

Pork Carnitas Recipe

Mexican-style sweetcorn soup

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

Vegan Mexican Sweetcorn Soup Recipe with Ancho Chillies

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.

A silver tray topped with orange roasted cauliflower with a pot of white sauce in the corner

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.

Easy Chicken Mole Recipe

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.

Barbacoa lamb carnitas

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.

OLI0318-Healthy-MexicanSaladTortillaBowls

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.

OLI0618-Healthy-BreakfastMuffins

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.

Huevos rancheros

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.

Sweetcorn Tacos with Avocado Cream and Quick Pickled Onions

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.

Rolled potato tacos on a bed of salad topped with guacamole and sour cream, next to a bowl of guacamole

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.

A dark circular sponge on a grey plate topped with a scoop of ice cream

Chocoflan

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

Mexican Chocoflan Recipe on a platte with a gold serving knife

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.

Orange Creme Caramel Recipe

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.

Poached apple on a plate topped with ice cream next to cinnamon sticks and mint. Next to a bowl of more poached apples with orange zest

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.

Two long green cocktails wiht lime garnish and mint

Bacalar cocktail

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

A stemmed cocktail glass filled with an opaque white liquid topped with a purple flower

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.

Mezcal smash

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.

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Margarita in a glass with copper cocktail shaker and a plate of limes behind

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.

Frozen margaritas recipe

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

Best Tequila To Buy For Best Tequila Brands

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