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Mexican Recipes: How To Make Your Favorite Dishes At Home

Each flavorful taste of Mexican cuisine is centuries in the making and tradition and heritage are at its heart. More often than not, recipes are passed down generations with little consideration as to exact measurements and more emphasis on muscle memory. Luckily for us, some have sat and recorded what it takes to make recetas de comida Mexicana muy deliciosas.

Papaya Agua Fresca

Start your day off with this brisk and refreshing papaya agua fresca. Papaya may most often be enjoyed doused in spicey Tajín, but blend a couple of these must-eat fruits with a few cups of water, pour over ice and prepare for a citrusy wake-up call. 

For the Papaya Agua Fresca recipe, click here.

Camarones Con Rajas

Served over rice or plain pasta, camarones con rajas consists of sauteed shrimp in a creamy sauce of garlic, onions, poblano peppers and cilantro. Be sure to add salt to the boiling water and avoid other common pasta cooking mistakes as you prepare the noodles. 

For the Camarones Con Rajas recipe, click here.

Albóndigas

Comfort food done Mexican style. On a chilly or gloomy day, nothing beats albóndigas — ground beef meatballs made with tomato, garlic and more all seeped in a clear vegetable broth. Squeeze in a hint of lime, put on your chanclas (house shoes) and call it a productive night in

For the Albóndigas recipe, click here.

Brown Sugar Carnitas

Carnitas are made of pork braised and browned in lard. In this case, the meat is caramelized in brown sugar and milk during its last pass in the dutch oven. 

For the Brown Sugar Carnitas recipe, click here. 

Tacos Al Pastor

Pineapple on pizza? Debatable. Pineapple in your taco? Yes, please. Tacos al pastor are best during springtime when pineapples are counted among the in-season fruits and vegetables

For the Tacos Al Pastor recipe, click here.

Pineapple Habanero Salsa

Best served with pork dishes like tacos al pastor, this pineapple habanero salsa makes for good summer barbecue eating

For the Pineapple Habanero Salsa recipe, click here.

Abuelita Conchas

A panaderia (bread shop) staple, conchas are Mexican sweet loaves topped with sugar and perfectly paired with hot chocolate or a fresh cup of home-brewed coffee

For the Abuelita Conchas recipe, click here.

Mole Sauce

A sauce for anything from enchiladas and tacos to shrimp or chicken, mole may seem like a Mexican mystery sauce. Admittedly, its contents are cause to scratch your head: chiles, tomatoes, sesame seeds, lots of peanut butter, raisins and much more. But mole just works.

For the Mole Sauce recipe, click here.

Arroz con Pollo

First seared on the skillet then transferred to the oven for a final bake, this arroz con pollo is anything but boring. Seasoned with garlic, brown sugar, lemon pepper and more, this dish does not shy away from seasoning, a cooking tip our abuelitas knew well

For the Arroz con Pollo recipe, click here.

Pozole

So fundamental to Mexican cooking, pozole has earned two spots on this roundup. In English, pozole translates to hominy, the ground corn used to make grits, a southern U.S. breakfast essential. In this first pozole recipe, the hominy is drained and cooked alongside shredded chicken (or pork) in a red sauce. 

For the Pozole recipe, click here.

Pozole Verde

Cooked a bit quicker than traditional pozole rojo, pozole verde contains the same drained hominy but is cooked in a green tomatillo based sauce and loaded up with shredded chicken. 

For the Pozole Verde recipe, click here.

Arroz Con Leche

An unforgettable childhood dessert, arroz con leche (rice pudding) warms the heart and the belly. The secret to this recipe: orange. 

For the Arroz Con Leche recipe, click here.

Flan

Chocoflan

Sometimes called pastel impossible or impossible cake, chocoflan lives up to its nickname. In a seemingly impossible and unexpected twist, chocolate cake only adds to flan's inherent yumminess.

For the Chocoflan recipe, click here.

Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa

This roasted tomato and tomatillo salsa packs a double-punch. While some salsas may use either tomatoes or tomatillos, this recipe calls for both. 

For the Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa recipe, click here.

Horchata

The perfect remedy for when salsa sets your tongue on fire, horchata makes an ideal summer beverage too. Let water, two cinnamon sticks and long-line rice sit overnight. The next morning, use a sieve — a common kitchen tool — to strain any remaining rice, blend in sweet condensed milk and pour over ice. 

For the Horchata recipe, click here.

Champurrado Express Edition

From chilled horchata to hot champurrado. This express edition uses rich Mexican chocolate and masa harina as a base. Chocolate is just one of several foods you didn't know had caffeine, so swap out your morning coffee for this hearty replacement.

For the Champurrado Express Edition recipe, click here.

Queso Fresco Enchiladas

In the best Mexican restaurants, you will surely find a classic take or modern spin on the enchilada. This simple family recipe results in rolled-up tortillas stuffed with crumbled cheese and covered in chile sauce.

For the Enchiladas recipe, click here.

Entomatadas

Easy to make with a few pantry staples, entomatadas are similar to enchiladas. They follow the typical formula: cheese tucked in tomato-drenched tortillas topped with sour cream. The difference? Entomatadas are folded not rolled. 

For the Entomatadas recipe, click here.

Potato Chorizo Taquitos

These potato chorizo taquitos are baked, not fried. The crispiness may be turned down a notch, but the flavors stay the same. Word of wisdom: resist the urge to peep inside the oven too often as your taquitos bake. Wait until about 15 minutes after the taquitos have been placed inside. Learning to let food be as it cooks is a restaurant secret every home cook should know

For the Potato Chorizo Taquitos recipe, click here.

Vida Verde’s ‘Gimme Mora’ Cocktail

This cocktail's origins can be traced back to Vida Verde, a Mexican bar in Midtown New York City. Crushed blackberries, an ounce of lime juice, tequila and St. Germain make for a delicious drink for the happiest of happy hours. 

For Vida Verde's Gimme Mora Cocktail recipe, click here.

Vida Verde's Guacamole

Pair the "Gimme Mora" cocktail with Vida Verde's signature guacamole. A no-frills take on the classic tortilla chip dip, this recipe makes a tasty addition to any dinner spread. Avocados are also a famously heart-healthy food, so eat up. 

For Vida Verde's Guacamole recipe, click here.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Talk about a versatile side dish, cilantro lime rice mixes well into the best burritos and still shines solo. 

For the Cilantro Lime Rice recipe, click here.

Refried Beans

Order anything off a Mexican menu and prepare for it to almost always be paired alongside a mound of rice placed next to a pool of refried beans. A trademark Tex-Mex recipe too, refried beans pair well with just about everything under the sun. 

For the Refried Beans recipe, click here.

Baked Breakfast Taquitos

Save time on meal prep by preparing these baked taquitos the night before. That way all that's left to do in the morning is to pop them in the oven for just under 20 minutes. Personalize the taquitos to your taste. Add what you like and substitute what you don't

For the Baked Mexican Breakfast Taquitos recipe, click here.

Red Guajillo Fajita Sauce

Chef Jose Flores of Brooklyn's de Mole crafted this flavorful guajillo sauce to put on basically anything at the restaurant, but most importantly the fajitas. Make the sauce ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to a week for optimal flavor.

For the Red Guajillo Fajita Saucerecipe, click here.

Roast Chicken Tacos with Homemade Salsa Verde

Chicken Salad Tostadas

In English, tostada simply means toasted. Pile your toppings high with grilled chicken, healthy veggies and your favorite salsa. 

For the Chicken Salad Tostadas recipe, click here.

Steak Fajitas

Turn your cheap skirt steak into high-end steakhouse level fajitas. First, chop yours up into strips. Then, roll into tortillas and top with pico de gallo, guac or sour cream. 

For the Steak Fajitas recipe, click here.

Green Chili Mexican Mini Quiches

Pie crust can be used to make more than iconic pies. Press the crust dough into muffin tins, cover with foil to hold shape and bake. Stuff the crusts with your choice of breakfast meat, green chili salsa, heavy cream and cheese. 

For the Green Chili Mexican Mini Quiches recipe, click here.

Traditional Tres Leches

Looking to empty out a few cartons of milk? Rest assured. This recipe contains a whole lot of milk. But unlike the recipe name may suggest, there are actually four milks required to make this delicious cake: regular milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk and whipping cream. 

For the Tres Leches recipe, click here.

Meyer Lemon Margarita

What list of Mexican recipes would be complete without a margarita? And this one is a twist on the classic using lemons instead of lime. 

For the Meyer Lemon Margarita recipe, click here.

Sopa de Arroz

A cross between soup and rice, sopa de arroz makes a convincing case for cooking rice in supposedly soup broth. In the recipe, replace long grain rice with fideo (vermicelli pasta) to turn your sopa de arroz to sopa de fideo. 

For the Sopa de Arroz recipe, click here.

Chicken Flautas

These crispy chicken flautas will require some at-home frying skill, but nothing too difficult. 

For the Chicken Flautas recipe, click here.

15-Minute Quinoa Burrito Bowls

Soon-to-be moms, this one's for you. This burrito bowl takes no longer than 15 minutes to prepare and contains quinoa, a must-add to any pregnancy diet

For the 15-Minute Quinoa Burrito Bowls recipe, click here.

Camarones a la Diabla

Chili pepper is the key ingredient in camarones a la diablo. The shrimp based dish packs a wave of heat that's complemented by the addition of tomato sauce, red onion and lime juice.

For the Camarones a la Diabla recipe, click here.

Churros

Whether they were your favorite treat at the amusement park or you grew up watching your abuela make them in the kitchen, churros are a crowd favorite. The fried dough sticks are coated in sugar and cinnamon, making a dessert that shines down to the last bite (plus the finger licking that follows). 

For the Churros recipe, click here.

Grilled Citrus Tequila Chicken Tacos

Boozy tacos anyone? In this recipe from Esteban Castillo, author of Chicano Eats, chicken is marinated in a blend of tequila, orange juice, serrano peppers, cilantro and more. The tangy combo has a dynamic blend of flavors that are brought to life when then chicken is tossed onto the grill. 

For the Grilled Citrus Tequila Chicken Tacos recipe, click here. 

Huevos Rancheros

Like eggs Benedict, huevos rancheros is a dish that commonly appears on brunch menus across the country. The yolk from the slightly runny eggs coats the salsa and tortillas and gives the dish a savory, buttery flavor. It's so good that you shouldn't have to wait to go out to get it, add it to your breakfast rotation ASAP. 

For the Huevos Rancheros recipe, click here.

Jamoncillo de Leche

If you're looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth, make it jamoncillo de leche. The milk-based fudge is smooth, rich and easy to prepare (plus it only requires four ingredients).

For the Jamoncillo de Leche recipe, click here.

Pico de Gallo

Pico de gallo needs no introduction, the tomato and onion based mixture makes appearances on tacos, in burritos and more. Serve it as a topping or use it as a salsa for dipping tortilla chips in. This no-frills recipe makes it work with anything. 

For the Pico de Gallo recipe, click here.

Pork Al Pastor Burritos

To make this recipe correctly, you'll need to give yourself some extra time to let the pork marinate (overnight is preferable). Once cooking, add it to a tortilla with your burrito fillings of choice, like beans, rice, shredded cheese, avocado and lettuce.

For the Pork Al Pastor Burritos recipe, click here.

Green Salsa with Tomatillos

Store-bought salsa gets the job done, but when you want something really fresh and flavorful it's best to do it yourself. This homemade green salsa is made with roasted tomatillos and jalapenos. You can use it to boost the flavor of everything from tacos to grilled salmon.

For the Green Salsa With Tomatillos recipe, click here.

Crispy Chalupas

Traditional Mexican Chalupas are made of a simple corn masa dough that is fried and topped with a variety of fillings. The crispy street food can be prepared up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container until it's ready to be served.

For the Crispy Chalupas recipe, click here.

Shredded Chicken with Chipotle and Avocado