31 craveable Mexican recipes that are better than takeout

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Are you unable to pass by your neighborhood taqueria, taco truck or Mexican restaurant without popping in for a taco or five? This list of craveable Mexican favorites is for you!

These 31 tried-and-true Mexican recipes will satisfy all your cravings. From tacos to sopas, empanadas, frijoles salsas and more, these recipes are all about sabor!

Quesabirria Tacos

low-angle shot of a quesabirria taco with lime wedges.
Quesabirria Tacos. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Quesabirria Tacos—a crispy-fried tortilla bathed in a chili-based sauce and filled with perfectly slow-cooked beef and melted cheese—will seduce your taste buds, seizing you with the primal pleasure of a perfect spicy, meaty, cheesy bite.
Get the Recipe: Quesabirria Tacos

Beef Birria

Beef Birria marries the richness of slow-cooked beef with a vibrant palette of spices. The meat, tender to the point of melting, mingles with guajillo peppers, cinnamon, ginger, and tomatoes in a broth that’s as layered as it is bold. Each bite is a carnival of flavors—enticingly complex yet comfortingly familiar.
Get the Recipe: Beef Birria

Pickled Onions

Mexican pickled onions are quick to make with just lime juice, onion, and salt. Enjoy on tacos, burgers, or even bagels and lox.
Get the Recipe: Pickled Onions

Carnitas Tacos

three tacos made from air fryer carnitas on a plate with onions, cilantro and lime.
Air Fryer Carnitas. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Air Fryer Carnitas is juicy and flavorful Mexican shredded pork. The meat is juicy and tender with enticingly crisp edges. Perfect for tacos!
Get the Recipe: Carnitas Tacos

Green Chili Chicken Soup

Green Chili Soup from green chilis, salsa verde, shredded cooked chicken, white beans, and spices. It will definitely cure whatever ails you!
Get the Recipe: Green Chili Chicken Soup

Mexican Corn Salad

This Mexican Corn Salad has all the flavors of street stall corn on the cob—sweet corn, creamy butter, freshly squeezed lime juice, diced Jalapeños, chili flakes, and cheese.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Corn Salad

Salpicon de Res

Low angle shot of mini tostadas with salpicon de res or shredded beef salad on top.
Salpicon de Res. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Salipicon de Res is a Mexican shredded beef salad made with lettuce, tomatoes, avocadoes, radishes, and often olives and pickled chili peppers. The beef is slow cooked on the stovetop in a Dutch oven or stockpot. It’s tossed with a simple Salpicon dressing made of vinegar, oil, and oregano and then piled on crunchy tostada shells.
Get the Recipe: Salpicon de Res

Instant Pot Refried Beans

Homemade refried beans are so much better than canned. And it’s easy to make them from scratch in the Instant Pot and only requires a few pantry staples! You can start with dried beans and have these on your table in about an hour with almost no hands-on work at all.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Refried Beans

Sopa de Camaron

Shrimp soup in a white bowl with lime wedges.
Sopa de Camarones. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Sopa de Camarones, or Mexican Shrimp Soup, is light, but full of earthy flavor. Dried chiles give the broth its rich red color and distinctive flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sopa de Camaron

Mango Habanero Salsa

Mango Habanero Salsa is the perfect fiery topping for fish tacos or simply for dipping. It’s spicy and sweet, and really easy to make. It’s also crazy delicious.
Get the Recipe: Mango Habanero Salsa

Corn Tortillas

Corn tortillas are easy to make at home and only require 2 simple ingredients! Homemade tortillas are super delicious, perfect for making tacos, enchiladas, taquitos, and more.
Get the Recipe: Corn Tortillas

Elote

metal baking pan with elote, Mexican grilled corn cobs with mayonn
Elote. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Super easy elote recipe for Mexican grilled corn has just 5 ingredients and it’s totally addictive. It is full of flavor and can be made in minutes!
Get the Recipe: Elote

Pollo Pibil

Pollo Pibil is a deeply flavorful dish from Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. With complex flavors of achiote paste (made from ground annatto seeds), sour orange juice, and spices, this chicken is full of flavor and rich orange color (from the achiote paste).
Get the Recipe: Pollo Pibil

Guacamole

Overhead shot of guacamole in a white bowl.
Guacamole. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Guacamole is the food of the gods. Rich, butter avocado countered by bright, acidic lime juice and tomatoes, and punctuated by spicy chile, fresh cilantro, and zesty onion—what’s not to love?
Get the Recipe: Guacamole

Flour Tortillas

Homemade flour tortillas are soft, fresh, and hot; weirdly light and dense at the same time. So delicious, and fun to make with kids, too.
Get the Recipe: Flour Tortillas

Pickled Jalapenos

Pickled Jalapenos are a staple in my house. We put them on everything: tacos, quesadillas, tuna salad sandwiches, wraps, nachos, chilaquiles, enchiladas, burgers, and more. These quick Pickled Jalapenos can be ready in about 20 minutes to stave off any spicy condiment emergencies!
Get the Recipe: Pickled Jalapenos

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo

Shrimp tacos with lime wedges.
Camarones al Mojo de Ajo. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo is a classic Mexican garlic shrimp recipe. Plump shrimp are infused with garlic, spices, lime juice, & cilantro.
Get the Recipe: Camarones al Mojo de Ajo

Carne Asada

This is the best carne asada marinade out there, packed with authentic Mexican flavor. It’s smoky, citrusy, savory, and perfect for everything from carne asada burritos to a carne asada plate that rivals your favorite Mexican restaurant.
Get the Recipe: Carne Asada

Mexican Shredded Beef Bowls

Mexican shredded beef bowls with plantains, rice and beans and peppers.
Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

These shredded Mexican beef bowls are made in the slow cooker and perfect for weekly meal prep with rice, beans, plantains and peppers to round them out!
Get the Recipe: Mexican Shredded Beef Bowls

Camarones a la Diabla

Camarones a la Diabla is one of my all-time favorite recipes. Plump, tender shrimp are seared in a skillet and then tossed in a rich, fiery sauce made from dried chiles. You can vary the type and amount of chile to get exactly the heat level that’s right for you.
Get the Recipe: Camarones a la Diabla

Salsa Verde

Our favorite Salsa Verde recipe. Made with tomatillos, avocado, lime, and cilantro, this green salsa is part salsa verde and part guacamole.
Get the Recipe: Salsa Verde

Quick Skillet Shrimp Fajitas

Fajita shrimp in a skillet with a wooden spoon and lime wedges.
Skillet Shrimp Fajitas. Photo credit: Call Me Pmc.

Quick Skillet Shrimp Fajitas Shrimp, bell peppers, onion, fajita seasoning, and zesty lime juice is a yummy one pot meal the whole family loves
Get the Recipe: Quick Skillet Shrimp Fajitas

Pepita Salsa Macha

Elevate your dishes with this fiery and flavorful Mexican pepita salsa macha. Packed with roasted nuts, chilies, and spices, it adds a delicious kick to any meal.
Get the Recipe: Pepita Salsa Macha

Grilled Chile Lime Chicken

Grilled and sliced chile lime chicken on a white plate.
Grilled Chile Lime Chicken. Photo credit: Two Cloves Kitchen.

This Chile Lime Grilled Chicken is an easy and delicious dish pairing the flavors of lime, chile, and sea salt with juicy, flavorful grilled chicken! It’s a perfect summer dinner.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chile Lime Chicken

Beef Skewers with Mojo Rojo

Add some flavor to your meal with this easy grilled dish! Slathered in a spicy sauce of peppers, onions, and garlic, these skewers are good eating!
Get the Recipe: Beef Skewers with Mojo Rojo

Fresh Pico De Gallo

Take your Taco Tuesday to new heights with fresh pico de gallo. This zesty and versatile condiment adds a burst of flavor, making it the perfect dipping sauce for your tacos.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Pico De Gallo

Pineapple Pico de Gallo

Pineapple pico de gallo in a white bowl.
Pineapple Pico de Gallo. Photo credit: Two Cloves Kitchen.

This bright, fresh Pineapple Pico de Gallo combines ripe tomatoes, jalapeño, white onion, garlic, sweet pineapple, earthy cilantro, and tart lime juice for a lively, tropical condiment that will bring any dish to life.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Pico de Gallo

Paloma Cocktail

The most popular cocktail in Mexico isn’t the margarita — it’s the Paloma cocktail, a refreshing drink made with tequila and tart grapefruit.
Get the Recipe: Paloma Cocktail

Queso Fundido

Queso fundido in a cast iron skillet.
Queso Fundido. Photo credit: Feast + West.

For your next taco night or dinner party, served up a skillet of hot queso fundido. This flavorful cheese dip is best served warm on crunchy tortilla chips or soft, warm tortillas.
Get the Recipe: Queso Fundido

Aji Picante

Spice up your Taco Tuesday with Colombian aji picante. This vibrant and fiery sauce brings a bold and tangy heat that pairs exceptionally well with a variety of taco fillings.
Get the Recipe: Aji Picante

Frozen Margaritas

two frozen lime margaritas with chili lime salt on the rim sitting on a white countertop.
Frozen Margaritas. Photo credit: Feast + West.

Summer calls for frozen margaritas, the best kind of margarita! Grab your favorite tequila and your blender to whip up some icy, restaurant-style margs at home.
Get the Recipe: Frozen Margaritas

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