Mexico
82 recipes to explore
Tacos al Pastor
Iconic Mexico City street tacos with achiote-marinated pork, caramelized pineapple, fresh cilantro, and onion on warm corn tortillas. A vibrant blend of Lebanese and Mexican culinary traditions.
Enchiladas Verdes de Pollo
Corn tortillas filled with shredded chicken and bathed in a tangy roasted tomatillo and serrano salsa, topped with crema, crumbled queso fresco, sliced onion and coriander.
Mexican Black Bean & Quinoa Salad
A colourful, protein-packed salad of red quinoa, black beans, charred sweetcorn, cucumber and fresh pico de gallo, drizzled with a creamy avocado, lime and coriander dressing. Great for lunchboxes.
Pozole Rojo (Red Pork & Hominy Soup)
Mexico's festive soup: tender pork and plump hominy in a deep red broth of toasted guajillo and ancho chillies, garlic and oregano, served with crunchy tostadas and a spread of shredded cabbage, radishes, onion, lime and chilli for everyone to add at the table.
Tres Leches Cake
A light sponge soaked through with three milks — evaporated, condensed and whole — until moist and creamy, then topped with softly whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. Served chilled, it's Latin America's favourite celebration cake.
Huevos Rancheros
The classic Mexican ranch breakfast: crisp-edged corn tortillas topped with fried eggs and a warm, chunky tomato and chilli salsa, served with refried beans, crumbled queso fresco, a spoonful of crema and fresh coriander.
Guacamole
Chunky, fresh guacamole the Mexican way: ripe avocados mashed with lime, white onion, chilli, tomato and coriander. Ready in 15 minutes, best eaten right away with tortilla chips.
Pico de Gallo (Fresh Tomato Salsa)
Mexico's fresh chopped salsa: ripe tomatoes, white onion, serrano chilli and coriander with a squeeze of lime. Bright and crunchy, for tacos, eggs, grilled meat or just chips.
Salsa Roja (Roasted Tomato and Chilli Salsa)
A smoky, everyday Mexican table salsa made from tomatoes, garlic, onion and chillies charred in a dry pan, then blended until rough. Perfect for tacos, eggs and chips.
Chilaquiles Rojos
Mexico's favourite breakfast: crisp fried tortilla pieces tossed in a warm red chilli and tomato sauce, topped with crema, crumbled cheese, onion and a fried egg.
Molletes (Bean and Cheese Toasts)
Crusty rolls split open, spread with refried beans, covered in melted cheese and topped with fresh pico de gallo. A quick, cheap and much-loved Mexican breakfast.
Sopa de Tortilla (Tortilla Soup)
A warming tomato and chilli broth poured over crisp tortilla strips, then topped with avocado, crumbled cheese, crema and a crackly fried pasilla chilli. Mexico City's favourite soup.
Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef and Vegetable Soup)
A big, nourishing pot of beef shank simmered slowly into a clear broth with corn on the cob, potatoes, carrots, courgettes and cabbage. Served with lime, onion, chilli and warm tortillas.
Chiles Rellenos (Cheese-Stuffed Poblano Peppers)
Roasted poblano peppers stuffed with melting cheese, dipped in a fluffy egg batter, fried until golden and served in a light tomato broth. A labour of love, and worth it.
Mole Poblano with Chicken
Mexico's most famous festive sauce: dried chillies, nuts, seeds, spices, tomato and a little chocolate, cooked into a dark, velvety mole and served over tender chicken with sesame seeds.
Cochinita Pibil (Yucatán Slow-Roasted Pork)
Pork shoulder marinated in achiote and sour orange, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted until it falls apart. Served in tortillas with bright pink pickled onions.
Carnitas (Crispy Braised Pork)
Pork shoulder slowly braised with orange, garlic and spices until meltingly tender, then crisped in its own fat. Pile into warm tortillas with onion, coriander and salsa.
Tinga de Pollo (Smoky Chipotle Chicken)
Shredded chicken simmered with sweet onions in a smoky tomato and chipotle sauce. Pile it on crisp tostadas with beans, lettuce, crema and cheese, or use it for tacos.
Tamales Verdes (Chicken Tamales in Green Salsa)
Soft, fluffy corn masa wrapped around shredded chicken in tangy tomatillo salsa, folded into corn husks and steamed. A festive Mexican tradition, perfect for making with family. Makes about 16.
Mushroom and Cheese Quesadillas
Corn tortillas folded around stretchy Oaxaca cheese and garlicky mushrooms with a little chilli and epazote, toasted on a hot griddle until crisp. Ready in 30 minutes.
Elotes (Mexican Street Corn)
Grilled corn on the cob brushed with creamy mayonnaise and crema, rolled in salty cotija cheese and dusted with chilli powder and lime. Mexico's favourite street snack.
Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)
Fluffy rice toasted in oil, then simmered in a blended tomato, onion and garlic broth with peas and carrots. The classic side for almost every Mexican main dish.
Frijoles Refritos (Refried Beans)
Pinto beans simmered until creamy, then mashed and fried with onion until thick and savoury. A Mexican staple for tacos, molletes, tostadas or simply on the side.
Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)
A ruby-red, tangy and refreshing Mexican agua fresca made from dried hibiscus flowers, lightly sweetened and served over plenty of ice.
Horchata (Mexican Rice and Cinnamon Drink)
A creamy, cold agua fresca made from rice soaked with cinnamon, blended with milk, sweetened and served over ice. Soak overnight, blend in minutes.
Churros with Mexican Chocolate Sauce
Crisp, ridged fried dough sticks rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with a thick, warm chocolate sauce for dipping. Makes about 18.
Birria de Res (Jalisco Chilli-Braised Beef)
Beef slowly braised in a deep red adobo of dried chillies, spices and vinegar until it falls apart, served in its rich consomé or tucked into crispy, cheese-filled tacos for dunking.
Pozole Verde de Pollo (Green Hominy and Chicken Soup)
Guerrero's green pozole: chicken and plump hominy in a broth made green with tomatillos, pumpkin seeds, chillies and herbs. Topped with radish, lettuce, onion, avocado and lime.
Enfrijoladas (Tortillas in Black Bean Sauce)
Warm corn tortillas folded and smothered in a silky black bean sauce with a hint of chilli, topped with crumbled cheese, crema and onion. A cheap, quick Mexican home classic.
Huevos a la Mexicana (Mexican Scrambled Eggs)
Soft scrambled eggs cooked with tomato, white onion and serrano chilli, the red, white and green of the Mexican flag. A 15-minute breakfast served with beans and warm tortillas.
Sopes (Thick Masa Cakes with Beans and Chorizo)
Thick little corn masa cakes with pinched-up edges, crisped on the griddle and loaded with refried beans, chorizo, lettuce, crema, cheese and salsa. A favourite Mexican street snack.
Flautas de Pollo (Crispy Rolled Chicken Tacos)
Corn tortillas rolled tightly around shredded chicken and fried until shatteringly crisp, then topped with lettuce, crema, queso fresco and salsa verde.
Aguachile Verde (Sinaloa Lime-Chilli Shrimp)
Raw butterflied shrimp bathed in a bright green sauce of lime juice, serrano chilli and coriander, with cucumber and red onion. Sinaloa's fiery cousin of ceviche, served right away.
Baja Fish Tacos (Tacos de Pescado Estilo Ensenada)
Strips of white fish in a light, crisp beer batter, tucked into warm corn tortillas with shredded cabbage, creamy chipotle sauce, pico de gallo and a squeeze of lime.
Chiles en Nogada (Stuffed Poblanos in Walnut Sauce)
Roasted poblano chillies stuffed with a sweet-savoury picadillo of pork, fruit and almonds, covered in a cool, creamy walnut sauce and scattered with pomegranate and parsley: the green, white and red of the Mexican flag.
Picadillo Mexicano (Beef, Potato and Carrot Hash)
Minced beef simmered in a light tomato sauce with diced potato, carrot and peas. A thrifty, comforting weeknight dish served with rice and tortillas or used as a taco filling.
Calabacitas a la Mexicana (Mexican Courgettes with Corn)
Tender courgettes, sweet corn and tomato sautéed with onion and chilli, finished with melting queso fresco. A colourful, quick side dish or a light vegetarian taco filling.
Esquites (Mexican Street Corn in a Cup)
Sweetcorn kernels sautéed with butter, onion, chilli and epazote, served in cups with mayonnaise, lime, crumbled cheese and chilli powder. The spoonable version of elotes.
Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Tomato Noodle Soup)
Thin vermicelli noodles toasted golden in oil, then simmered in a light tomato and chicken broth. The soup every Mexican grew up with, ready in 30 minutes.
Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans with Bacon and Chorizo)
Pinto beans simmered in their own broth with bacon, chorizo, ham, tomato, onion and jalapeño. A brothy, smoky northern Mexican side served with every carne asada.
Bistec a la Mexicana (Beef with Tomato, Onion and Chilli)
Thin strips of beef seared and simmered with tomato, white onion and serrano chillies in a juicy sauce. A quick classic for lunch, breakfast or tacos.
Rajas con Crema (Poblano Strips in Cream)
Strips of roasted poblano chilli and sweetcorn simmered in a silky cream sauce with onion and melting cheese. A rich vegetarian filling for tacos, or a side for grilled meat.
Arroz con Leche (Mexican Cinnamon Rice Pudding)
Rice simmered first with a Ceylon cinnamon stick, then in milk and sweetened condensed milk until thick and creamy, with raisins and a dusting of cinnamon. Delicious warm or cold.
Flan Napolitano (Mexican Cream Cheese Flan)
A dense, velvety Mexican flan made with condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream cheese, baked in a water bath and turned out under a glossy amber caramel.
Champurrado (Mexican Hot Chocolate Atole)
A thick, warming drink of Mexican chocolate, piloncillo sugar and cinnamon, thickened with corn masa. Served steaming hot with tamales on cold mornings and festive nights.
Entomatadas (Tortillas in Tomato Sauce)
Soft corn tortillas filled with cheese, folded and bathed in a smooth, mildly spicy roasted tomato sauce, topped with crema, onion and queso fresco. Gentle, cheap and comforting.
Oaxacan Tamales (Tamales Oaxaqueños)
Soft corn masa enriched with mole negro, wrapped around tender shredded chicken in glossy banana leaf, then steamed until the parcel pulls apart clean. The great Sunday breakfast of Oaxaca, best eaten with hot chocolate or atole.
Oaxacan Black Mole (Mole Negro Oaxaqueño)
A dark, velvety sauce built from charred dried chiles, toasted nuts and spices, and a touch of chocolate, simmered slowly with chicken until deep, smoky and faintly sweet. The great centrepiece sauce of Oaxacan cooking, worth every hour it takes.
Veracruz-Style Fish (Pescado a la Veracruzana)
A whole fish gently simmered in a bright, chunky tomato sauce loaded with green olives, capers and pickled chiles, the signature dish of Mexico's Gulf coast. Spoon the sauce generously over the fish and serve with plenty of white rice to soak it all up.
Swiss Enchiladas (Enchiladas Suizas)
Corn tortillas filled with shredded chicken, bathed in a creamy tomatillo salsa, blanketed in melted cheese and baked until bubbling. Rich, tangy and gently spicy, this is Mexico City comfort food at its best.
Yucatán Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)
A fragrant chicken broth from the Yucatán Peninsula, perfumed with tomato, a whisper of cinnamon and plenty of fresh lime, finished with crispy tortilla strips and avocado.
Tlalpeño Soup (Caldo Tlalpeño)
A deeply savoury chicken broth from Mexico City, smoky with chipotle, loaded with shredded chicken, rice, carrots and chickpeas, and finished at the table with avocado, lime and crumbled cheese.
Gorditas (Stuffed Masa Pockets)
Thick little corn cakes cooked on the comal until set, then fried until they puff up, split open while hot and stuffed with warm refried beans, crumbled queso fresco, lettuce, crema and salsa.
Devilled Shrimp (Camarones a la Diabla)
Plump, juicy shrimp bathed in a fiery red sauce of toasted dried chiles, garlic and tomato, served over white rice to soak up every drop. Bold, smoky-hot and deeply satisfying.
Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread Shells)
Pillowy, buttery sweet rolls crowned with a crackled sugar-paste shell pattern, baked until golden. The classic morning companion to a cup of hot chocolate or coffee.
Bread of the Dead (Pan de Muerto)
A soft, buttery sweet bread perfumed with orange zest and orange blossom water, shaped with bone motifs and finished with a crackly sugar coating. The centerpiece of every Día de los Muertos altar, and just as good with coffee any day of the year.
Capirotada (Mexican Lenten Bread Pudding)
Toasted bread layered with melting cheese, raisins and peanuts, soaked in a dark piloncillo syrup perfumed with cinnamon and cloves, then baked until the edges turn deep and caramelised. A Lenten classic, rich and comforting.
Zamora-Style Milk Curds (Chongos Zamoranos)
Fresh milk is gently curdled, cut into soft squares, then simmered for hours in a cinnamon syrup until golden and custardy. A classic sweet from Michoacán, served chilled with its own syrup.
Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce (Albóndigas en Chipotle)
Tender beef and rice meatballs that finish cooking right in a smoky, deeply savoury tomato-chipotle sauce. Classic Mexican home cooking, best scooped up with warm tortillas and a spoonful of rice.
Tepache (Fermented Pineapple Drink)
A whole ripe pineapple, peel and all, left to ferment gently with piloncillo and warm spices into a tangy, lightly fizzy drink. Served ice-cold, it's one of Mexico's favourite street refreshments.
Rompope (Mexican Eggnog)
A velvety custard drink of egg yolks, milk and cinnamon, spiked with rum and poured cold into small glasses. Rich, warming and perfect for the holidays, straight from the convent kitchens of Puebla.
Carne Asada (Grilled Marinated Beef)
Thin cuts of beef marinated in orange and lime juice, garlic and spices, then grilled fast over high heat until charred outside and juicy inside. Sliced thin and piled onto warm tortillas with salsa, lime and onion, it's the heart of every Mexican backyard asada.
Drowned Sandwiches (Tortas Ahogadas)
Crusty rolls packed with tender, lightly crisped pork carnitas, then submerged in a fiery tomato and chile de árbol sauce until the bread turns soft outside and stays sturdy inside. A Guadalajara classic eaten with your hands, and a pile of napkins.
Pit-Style Lamb Barbacoa (Barbacoa de Borrego)
Lamb rubbed in a deep red chile adobo and steamed for hours wrapped in maguey leaves until it falls apart at the touch of a spoon, served with its own rich consomé. This is the slow, Sunday-market treat of central Mexico, made foolproof for a home oven.
Sinaloa Grilled Fish (Pescado Zarandeado)
A whole butterflied fish bathed in a smoky chile-citrus adobo and grilled over coals until the skin is crisp and the flesh falls apart in smoky, juicy flakes. This is the Pacific coast's most famous way of cooking fish, best eaten with warm tortillas and a cold drink.
Beef in Its Own Juice (Carne en su Jugo)
A Guadalajara classic: finely diced beef seared hot and fast, then bathed in a smoky bacon-and-tomatillo broth with whole pinto beans. Finished with raw onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime, it eats like a soup and a taco at once.
Dried Shrimp Soup (Caldo de Camarón)
A deeply savory, chile-red broth built from toasted guajillo and ancho chiles and dried shrimp, simmered with potatoes and chayote until everything is tender. A coastal Mexican classic, especially loved during Lent.
Blue Masa Bean Cakes (Tlacoyos)
Oval cakes of blue corn masa, stuffed with smoky refried beans and griddle-cooked until lightly crisp, then piled high with tender nopales, crumbled cheese and fresh salsa. A pre-Hispanic street food that still rules Mexico City's markets.
Toasted Chile-Lime Grasshoppers (Chapulines Tostados)
Oaxaca's famous toasted grasshoppers, pan-fried with garlic until crackling-crisp, then tossed with chile and fresh lime juice. A smoky, salty, protein-packed snack, eaten by the handful or scattered over tacos and tlayudas.
Blistered Soy-Lime Chiles (Chiles Toreados)
Whole serrano or jalapeño chiles charred hard and fast in a smoking-hot skillet with onion and garlic, then splashed with soy sauce and lime so the juices turn glossy and sharp. The classic smoky, salty, tangy bite alongside grilled meat and warm tortillas.
Sinaloa Shredded Pork (Chilorio)
Pork shoulder simmered until fall-apart tender, shredded, then fried hard in a thick, tangy ancho chile paste until the edges turn deep red and slightly crisp. The classic filling for tacos, burritos and breakfast eggs all over Sinaloa.
Jalisco Baked Custard (Jericalla)
A rustic egg custard from Guadalajara, scented with cinnamon and vanilla, baked uncovered until the top turns deep golden and faintly bittersweet. Jalisco's own answer to crème brûlée, no torch required.
Three Kings Bread (Rosca de Reyes)
A soft, orange-blossom-scented wreath of sweet bread, decorated with candied fruit and a tiny hidden figurine, baked for Epiphany and shared with mugs of hot chocolate.
Yucatán Crispy Crepes (Marquesitas)
A thin, lacy crepe cooked until the edges crackle, then rolled hot around melted Edam cheese and cajeta or Nutella. This is the beloved night-market snack of Mérida, made foolproof at home.
Michelada (Spiced Beer Cocktail)
Ice-cold Mexican lager mixed with fresh lime juice, Worcestershire, soy and hot sauce, served in a glass rimmed with coarse salt and chile. Tangy, spicy and bone-chilling cold, it's the classic Mexican cure for a slow Sunday.
Tequila Lime Cocktail (Margarita)
Tequila shaken hard with fresh lime juice and orange liqueur, poured over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. Bright, sharp and perfectly balanced, this is Mexico's most famous cocktail export done the proper way.
Spinach & Cheese Quesadilla Triangles
Golden, crispy tortillas filled with melted cheese, finely chopped spinach, sweetcorn and black beans, cut into triangles. Hidden veggies kids actually eat, ready in 20 minutes.
Chicken & Avocado Lunchbox Wraps
Juicy pan-cooked chicken strips with smashed avocado, lettuce, tomato and a little cheese, rolled in soft tortillas and cut in half. Filling, fresh and easy to hold. Made with no added salt, so the whole batch is safe for everyone, including toddlers.
Quick Shrimp Tacos (Mild, for Little Ones)
Soft little tacos with sweet, mild shrimp, creamy mashed avocado and a squeeze of lime, cooked through and chopped small for little hands. Ready in minutes for a speedy family dinner.
Quick Chickpea Veggie Tacos
A soft, mashable chickpea and veggie filling that's ready in minutes and gentle enough for little hands — tucked into warm tortillas and dressed up with avocado for a dinner even picky eaters will reach for.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas
Crispy little quesadillas filled with soft mashed sweet potato, black beans and melty cheese, cut into fun triangles. A gentle, naturally sweet way to get vegetables and beans into small hands.
Mango Chia Breakfast Smoothie
A bright, naturally sweet mango smoothie thickened with soaked chia seeds for omega-3 and fibre, inspired by the fruit licuados sold on Mexican street corners. No sugar is added — the sweetness comes from ripe mango — but it still counts as a sugary drink for young children, so it's best kept as an occasional treat rather than an everyday one.