Simple Mexican Dinner Recipes for Cinco De Mayo

I will always be in the mood for Mexican food! It is the cuisine that has all my favorite flavors and dishes- enchiladas, salsa, burritos, tacos, margaritas, tequila… to just name a few. All delicious!

If you love Mexican food for dinner, like I do, then this post is for you. All the Mexican recipes you need for a great dinner:

Simple Mexican Appetizer Recipe

Restaurant Style Salsa

It doesn’t get more traditional than chips and salsa as an appetizer for a Mexican Dinner. I have created an easy salsa recipe that is full of delicious flavors. Blend together tomatoes, garlic, onions, cilantro, lime, salt, and a touch of sugar. It is perfect with salty tortilla chips!

Easy Mexican Dinner Recipes

My Favorite Chicken Enchilada Recipe

It is not just a name. This really is my favorite Chicken Enchilada recipe! This is a Mexican dinner entree that is easy to make and super delicious. A great crowd pleaser.

I take a few shortcuts in this recipe by using my favorite store bought enchilada sauce and rotisserie chicken. It is traditional to use corn tortillas in an enchilada recipe, but sometimes I use flour tortillas to make things a little easier!

Verde Chicken Enchiladas

This has been a super popular recipe on my site. Instead of the traditional red enchilada sauce they are covered in a tangy green/verde sauce. They are full of a creamy chicken and black bean mixture and topped with plenty of cheese!

Veggie Enchiladas with Chili Lime Crema

Don’t let the word “veggie” turn you off from this recipe! Even my carnivorous husband loves these enchiladas. The beans and veggies together make a super filling enchilada. And “crema” is just a fancy word for sour cream or greek yogurt that is seasoned and thinned to a drizz-able (is that a word?) consistency.

Enchirito

This was one of my first recipes that I posted on my website! It’s like one of my babies! AND it was one of my first posts to go crazy on pinterest. It is half burrito, half enchilada, and completely delish. A flour tortilla filled with a seasoned ground beef and refried beans, and then topped with plenty of cheese and tangy enchilada sauce.

Instant Pot Carnitas

If you are feeding a crowd for Cinco De Mayo, then this will be your go-to recipe. Carnitas, which usually takes hours to cook, is done in under an hour in your Instant Pot (affiliate link)! It makes great tacos, rice bowls, burritos, or enchiladas. It is a super versatile protein and could be used in any of the other recipes on this page (burritos or enchiladas). 

This recipes uses Insta-Meal Taco Taco Sauce which you can order on Amazon. (affiliate link)

Healthy Mexican Dinner

Instant Pot Burrito Bowl

If you love your Instant Pot and want a delicious Mexican Instant Pot recipe this is it! The burrito bowl has layers of mexican rice, black beans, corn, and tender steak mixed with a delicious blender sauce. The sauce is cooked in the Instant Pot with the steak, so it has cooked-all-day flavor. And it is thickened with a surprise, healthy ingredient.

Garnish your bowl with all your favorite flavors. I like mine topped with lots of blender sauce, pickled jalapenos, a squeeze of lime, and chopped fresh cilantro.

Enchilada Zucchini Boats

You will love these healthy Enchiladas made in zucchinis. The nice thing is that you will not even miss the tortilla. They are completely filling and you will still feel like you are eating a traditional enchilada!

Mexican Side Dishes

The Best 15 Minute Refried Beans

I believe that a side dish should not take longer than the main dish. Right!? That is why I love this recipe for 15 minute refried beans. They are quick to make and just as delish as if you soaked your beans overnight.

Fresh Pineapple with Citrus Herb Glaze

It is easy to get in a rut of serving beans and rice with Mexican food. But the fresh and bright flavor of pineapple, when seasoned with citrus and cilantro, is an excellent addition to any Mexican dinner! 

Mexican Drinks

Jalapeno Infused Tequila

This is not an overly spicy, I need a tums, kind of jalapeno tequila. It is the perfect amount of heat just to add a tingle to your lips and warm your throat. By infusing the heat into the tequila you also get the most delicious herby, verdant jalapeno flavor in the tequila. You can sub this spicy (but not too spicy) tequila in any of your favorite tequila cocktails.

Ginger Cranberry Margarita 

If you love a moscow mule or ginger beer, then this ginger margarita is for you! It is the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and spicy. 

PS. a lot of people as about these glass. They are the Stemless Swirl red wine glasses from Riedel.

Best Ever Grapefruit Margarita

I just have one Mexican drink recipe for you because that is all you need when it is the best ever. Grapefruit Margaritas are a refreshing drink full of easy to find and inexpensive ingredients. You just need silver tequila, a light beer, a grapefruit, Squirt soda, and a can of frozen limeade concentrate. It comes  together in minutes and you have a pitcher to share!

Mexican Dessert

Cookies & Cream Key Lime Ice Cream- No Churn!

Ok, I am pretty sure this recipe isn’t actually a traditional Mexican Dessert, but the flavors are just perfect for the end of a Mexican dinner! Not to mention it could not be easier to make, you do not need any special ice cream making equipment. It is No Churn!

Simply whisk together sweetened cream, lime zest, lime juice and mix in crushed vanilla Oreos. You then freeze it for 6+ hours and you have a stand out dessert that is refreshing and decedent at the same time!

I hope you can use some of these Mexican recipes to make a stand out dinner and have some friends over to share!

Love- Susie

** This post contains affiliate links to Amazon, these are products that I love, use, and recommend. If you purchase through these links I may receive a small commission from your purchase. Thank you for supporting Mom’s Dinner!!♥