There’s magic in Mexican dinners that enchants all your senses. Smoky aromas from sizzling chiles and garlic waft, making your mouth water in anticipation. Look no further than these delicious Mexican dinner recipes! This collection showcases the best of Mexico’s rich culinary traditions, from classic tacos and enchiladas to regional specialties like moles and pozoles.
Mexican dinners are a true feast for the senses. Aromatic spices like cumin and cinnamon mingle with the earthy heat of dried chiles. Bright citrus notes from lime juice balance the richness of slow-simmered sauces and tender braised meats. Fresh ingredients like avocado, cilantro, and charred tomatillos add vibrancy and texture.
At the heart of Mexican cooking lies an incredible diversity of regional influences and pre-Hispanic roots. Dishes range from the complex mole poblano with over 20 ingredients to simple yet sublime street foods like elote (grilled corn) or huaraches (oblong fried masa boats).
1. Chicken Enchiladas
Taste: Rich, savory, with a slight kick of spice and a creamy, cheesy coating.
Ingredients: Chicken, corn tortillas, enchilada sauce (tomato, garlic, chili powder, cumin), shredded cheese, onions, cilantro.
- Cook and shred the chicken breasts
- Make the enchilada sauce by sautéing garlic, onions, then simmering with tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt
- Dip tortillas in sauce to soften
- Fill tortillas with shredded chicken and shredded cheese
- Roll up and place seam-side down in baking dish
- Cover with remaining sauce and shredded cheese
- Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly
Cook Time: 1 hour
2. Beef Tacos
Taste: Zesty, beefy, with a blend of warm spices and fresh toppings.
Ingredients: Ground beef, taco seasoning, tomato sauce, taco shells/tortillas, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa.
- Cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until browned
- Drain excess fat, then add taco seasoning and tomato sauce
- Simmer for 5 minutes to let flavors blend
- Warm the taco shells/tortillas
- Fill with beef taco meat
- Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa
Cook Time: 30 minutes
3. Chicken Fajitas
Taste: Smoky grilled chicken and veggies with a kick of lime.
Ingredients: Chicken breasts, bell peppers, onions, fajita seasoning, lime juice, flour tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, salsa.
- Slice the chicken, peppers and onions into strips
- Toss with fajita seasoning and lime juice
- Grill the veggies until tender and chicken until cooked through
- Warm the tortillas
- Serve the fajita mixture with warm tortillas
- Top with guacamole, sour cream, salsa
Cook Time: 45 minutes
4. Chile Rellenos
Taste: Rich, savory, with a slight kick from the chiles and creamy eggy coating.
Ingredients: Large green chiles, eggs, all-purpose flour, vegetable oil for frying, tomato sauce, shredded cheese (monterey jack or queso fresco).
- Roast the chiles over an open flame until charred, then peel, stem and seed them
- Carefully make a slit in each chile and stuff with shredded cheese
- Separate the eggs, whip the whites until stiff peaks form
- Dip the stuffed chiles in the egg whites to coat
- In a skillet, heat 1-inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat
- Fry the egg-coated chiles for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown
- Serve over warm tomato sauce and garnish with more cheese
Cook Time: 1 hour
5. Tamales
Taste: Savory, slightly sweet corn masa wrapping a delicious filling like shredded pork or chicken in red chili sauce.
Ingredients: Masa harina, lard or vegetable shortening, chicken or pork filling, red chili sauce, corn husks, chicken broth.
- Soak the corn husks in hot water to soften
- Make the masa dough by mixing masa harina, lard/shortening, and broth
- Spread some masa onto the corn husks into rectangular shapes
- Place a spoonful of the meat filling into the center
- Fold the long sides over the filling, then fold up the narrow ends to make a packet
- Steam the tamales standing upright for 1-1.5 hours until masa pulls away easily
- Serve warm with red chili sauce
Cook Time: 2-3 hours
6. Mole Poblano
Taste: Rich, complex blend of chiles, spices, nuts, dried fruits, and Mexican chocolate.
Ingredients: Ancho, pasilla, and mulato chiles, onions, garlic, spices (cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander), nuts (almonds, peanuts), raisins, tomatoes, chicken broth, Mexican chocolate.
- Toast and rehydrate the chiles, then puree into a paste
- Sauté onions, garlic, spices and nuts until fragrant
- Add the chile puree, tomatoes, raisins, broth and chocolate
- Simmer for 1-2 hours to allow flavors to develop and sauce to thicken
- Serve over shredded chicken or pork
Cook Time: 2-3 hours
7. Carnitas
Taste: Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender pork with a hint of citrus and warm spices.
Ingredients: Pork shoulder/butt, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, vegetable oil or lard for crisping.
- Cut pork into 2-inch cubes and place in a pot with the juices, garlic, bay, spices
- Braise for 2-3 hours until pork is very tender
- Shred the pork with two forks
- Heat oil/lard over high heat in a skillet
- Add shredded pork in batches and fry until crispy and browned on the outside
- Serve with tortillas, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges
Cook Time: 3-4 hours
8. Huevos Rancheros
Taste: Savory tomato-chili sauce with runny yolks from the fried eggs.
Ingredients: Eggs, tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, corn tortillas, refried beans, avocado, cheese.
- Make the ranchero sauce by sautéing onion, garlic, then simmering with tomatoes, jalapeño, cumin, chili powder
- Fry the eggs sunny-side up
- Warm the tortillas
- Spread each tortilla with refried beans
- Top with ranchero sauce and the fried eggs
- Garnish with avocado slices, cheese, cilantro
Cook Time: 30 minutes
9. Pozole
Taste: Hearty, brothy Mexican stew with shredded pork, chewy hominy, and a kick from chiles.
Ingredients: Pork shoulder, hominy, guajillo chiles, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, lime, shredded cabbage, radish, avocado.
- Simmer pork with onion, garlic, oregano, cumin until very tender
- Shred the pork and return to the broth
- Puree guajillo chiles and add to the broth along with the hominy
- Simmer to allow flavors to blend
- Serve with toppings like shredded cabbage, radish, avocado, lime wedges
Cook Time: 2-3 hours
10. Carne Asada
Taste: Smoky, chargrilled beef full of flavor from a citrusy marinade.
Ingredients: Flank steak or skirt steak, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, vegetable oil.
- Make the marinade by blending orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper
- Add steak to marinade and refrigerate for 2-4 hours
- Preheat grill or grill pan to high heat
- Remove steak from marinade and pat dry
- Brush grill grates with oil
- Grill steak for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare
- Let rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain
- Serve with tortillas, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges
Cook Time: 30 mins (plus 2-4 hour marinade)
11. Chiles en Nogada
Taste: Sweet, savory, nutty – stuffed poblano chiles in a creamy walnut sauce.
Ingredients: Poblano chiles, ground pork, dried fruit (apricots, prunes), tomatoes, walnuts, pomegranate seeds, queso fresco, cream.
- Roast and peel the poblano chiles, make a slit down one side
- For the filling, cook the pork with the dried fruits, tomatoes and spices
- Stuff the chiles with the pork filling
- Make the walnut sauce by blending walnuts, cream, pomegranate juice
- Pour sauce over the stuffed chiles and garnish with pomegranate seeds and queso fresco
Cook Time: 1.5 hours
12. Enfrijoladas
Taste: Warm, comforting corn tortillas smothered in a rich black bean sauce.
Ingredients: Corn tortillas, black beans, onion, garlic, chicken broth, queso fresco, chorizo (optional).
- Purée the black beans with onion, garlic and broth to make a sauce
- Heat the sauce and stir in crumbled chorizo if using
- Quickly fry the tortillas in hot oil to soften
- Dip the tortillas in the warm bean sauce to coat both sides
- Layer the sauced tortillas on plates
- Top with crumbled queso fresco, diced onion, cilantro
Cook Time: 45 minutes
13. Birria
Taste: Rich, deeply flavored beef stew with a hint of spice from chiles and warming spices.
Ingredients: Beef chuck roast or short ribs, guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, beef broth, lime juice, cilantro.
- Toast and rehydrate the dried chiles, then blend into a puree
- Season the beef with salt and pepper
- Sear the beef in a hot pot or dutch oven until browned
- Add the chile puree, onions, garlic, spices and broth
- Simmer for 2-3 hours until beef is very tender
- Shred the beef and return to the stew
- Stir in lime juice and cilantro
- Serve with tortillas, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges
Cook Time: 3-4 hours
14. Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Taste: Hearty, comforting soup with tender beef-rice meatballs in a rich broth.
Ingredients: For the meatballs – ground beef, rice, eggs, mint, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper. For the soup – onion, tomatoes, chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, peas, mint, cilantro.
- Make the meatballs by mixing beef, cooked rice, eggs, herbs, garlic, salt & pepper
- Roll into 1-inch balls
- In a pot, sauté onions and garlic
- Add broth, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and meatballs
- Simmer for 30 mins until meatballs are cooked through
- Add peas, mint and cilantro right before serving
Cook Time: 1 hour
15. Flautas
Taste: Crispy rolled tortillas filled with seasoned chicken or beef.
Ingredients: Corn tortillas, shredded chicken or beef, vegetable oil for frying, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, cheese.
- Mix shredded chicken/beef with spices like cumin, chili powder, salt & pepper
- Warm tortillas to make pliable
- Place some filling across the center of each tortilla
- Tightly roll up each tortilla into a cylinder shape
- In a skillet, heat 1-inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat
- Fry the flautas for 2-3 minutes per side until crispy and golden brown
- Drain on paper towels
- Serve with shredded lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa and cheese
Cook Time: 45 minutes
16. Barbacoa
Taste: Incredibly tender, juicy shredded beef with a deep, rich flavor from slow braising.
Ingredients: Beef chuck roast or brisket, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, cumin, oregano, garlic, onion, beef broth or beer, bay leaves, lime juice, cilantro.
- Make a marinade/braising liquid by blending chipotles, spices, garlic, onion, broth/beer
- Add the beef and marinade to a dutch oven or slow cooker
- Braise in the oven at 300°F for 3-4 hours or on low in the slow cooker for 8 hours
- Shred the beef with two forks, mixing with the braising liquid
- Stir in lime juice and cilantro
- Serve on tortillas or tostadas with diced onion, cilantro, salsa verde
Cook Time: 3-4 hours for oven, 8 hours for slow cooker
17. Sopes
Taste: Thick corn masa boats topped with refried beans, shredded meat, lettuce, queso fresco and salsa.
Ingredients: Masa harina, chicken or pork for filling, refried beans, shredded lettuce, queso fresco, salsa verde or roja.
- Make sope dough with masa harina and warm water/broth
- Form into thick oval shapes and fry until lightly crisp
- Spread each sope with refried beans
- Top with shredded chicken or pork
- Add lettuce, crumbled queso fresco and salsa
Cook Time: 1 hour
18. Tostadas
Taste: Crispy fried tortillas piled high with beans, meat, cheese, lettuce and creamy sauces.
Ingredients: Corn tortillas, vegetable oil, refried beans, shredded chicken or beef, shredded lettuce, crema or sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese.
- In a skillet, fry the corn tortillas in 1⁄2 inch vegetable oil until crisp
- Drain on paper towels and season with salt
- Spread each tostada with a layer of refried beans
- Top with shredded chicken/beef
- Add shredded lettuce, crema/sour cream, salsa and cheese
Cook Time: 30 minutes
19. Chalupas
Taste: Crispy fried tortillas topped with refried beans, shredded chicken or beef, fresh salsa, queso fresco and sour cream.
Ingredients: Corn tortillas, vegetable oil for frying, refried beans, shredded chicken or beef, salsa fresca, queso fresco, sour cream, shredded lettuce.
- Heat 1-inch vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat
- Fry the corn tortillas for 1-2 minutes per side until crisp
- Drain on paper towels and season with salt
- Top each tostada shell with refried beans
- Add shredded chicken or beef
- Top with salsa fresca, crumbled queso fresco
- Drizzle with sour cream and add shredded lettuce
Cook Time: 30 minutes
20. Chiles Rellenos
Taste: Roasted, cheese-stuffed poblano peppers in a light, airy egg batter.
Ingredients: Poblano peppers, monterey jack cheese, eggs, all-purpose flour, vegetable oil for frying, tomato sauce.
- Roast the poblano peppers over an open flame until charred on all sides
- Peel, stem and seed the roasted peppers and make a slit down one side
- Stuff each pepper cavity with monterey jack cheese
- Separate the eggs and beat the whites until stiff peaks form
- Carefully dip the stuffed peppers in the egg whites to coat
- Dredge in flour to lightly coat the egg white batter
- Fry the coated peppers for 2-3 minutes until golden brown
- Drain on paper towels and serve over warm tomato sauce
Cook Time: 1 hour
Conclusion
From the smoky richness of slow-cooked barbacoa to the vibrant freshness of pico de gallo, these authentic Mexican dinner recipes showcase the incredible depth and diversity of flavors in Mexico’s cuisine. While the ingredients are simple – chiles, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime – it’s their artful blending that creates pure magic. Recreate a true taste of Mexico at home by exploring these traditional and regionally-inspired dishes. Whether you crave the cozy comfort of cheesy enchiladas or the bold complexity of an intricate mole, these recipes will transport you straight to the heart of Mexican culinary culture. ¡Buen provecho!