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Every year, around late April, early May, I start getting the same questions about what to make for Cinco de Mayo, and for a long time, I was asking those questions myself. I used to just grab store-bought guac and chips and hope for the best. But this year, I’ve actually built out a real list of recipes to make for Cinco de Mayo.
My Fav Cinco de Mayo Recipes
This collection of Cinco de Mayo recipes is all the ones I actually use when I want something easy and worth making, whether it’s a small weeknight dinner or a bigger spread. There are dips and salsas, guacamole, corn salsa, and cottage cheese queso, plus cinco de mayo appetizers like taco cups, bell pepper nachos, avocado fries, and sheet pan nachos.
There are also fresh salads, including a Mexican chopped salad, taco salad, shrimp avocado salad, and taco pasta salad. For mains, there are taco and fajita recipes with ground beef, fish, and Cinco de Mayo recipes with chicken, like sheet pan chicken fajitas. And for bowls, there are chicken, shrimp, beef, and vegetarian burrito bowl options. I hope this helps you figure out what to make.
Dips & Salsa for Cinco de Mayo
Homemade Salsa
Learn how to make homemade salsa in a blender with fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, and cilantro. One of the easiest Cinco de Mayo recipes you can make ready in 5 minutes.
Simple Guacamole Recipe
This Simple Guacamole is made with 7 ingredients, ripe avocado, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, fresh garlic, a little salt, and optional jalapeño.
Corn Salsa Recipe
This corn salsa is made with fresh or thawed, frozen corn, red onions, green chiles, jalapeños, in a cilantro lime dressing of sorts.
Black Bean Salsa Recipe
This black bean salsa is made with canned black beans, corn, fresh diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, limes, and seasoning. A solid Cinco de Mayo appetizer that takes 10 minutes or less.
Peach Salsa
This homemade peach salsa hits the spot on hot summer days. Serve with fish or chicken, or simply scoop up with tortilla chips—yum!
Appetizer Ideas
Taco Cups with Chicken and Cheese
Crispy wonton taco cups filled with chicken, fresh salsa, and cheddar cheese. One of those Cinco de Mayo chicken recipes that works just as well for a weeknight dinner.
Bell Pepper Nachos
These bell pepper nachos are a great low-carb Cinco de Mayo appetizer, easy to make and ready in 30 minutes.
Sheet Pan Nacho Recipe
Sheet pan nachos made with seasoned ground beef, black beans, and melted cheese. Ready in about 25 minutes and easy to customize for everyone.
Fresh Cinco de Mayo Salad Recipes
Mexican Chopped Salad Recipe
Easy Mexican Chopped Salad with Romaine lettuce, avocado, fresh tomatoes, black beans, and red onions with a homemade creamy cilantro dressing. A fresh, easy Cinco de Mayo recipe.
Shrimp Avocado Salad
Make this quick and healthy Shrimp Avocado Salad in just 20 minutes! It’s low-carb, high in protein, and full of fresh flavor.
Taco Pasta Salad Recipe
This taco pasta salad is made with rotini, seasoned beef, black beans, corn, cheddar, and a creamy salsa dressing. A filling, easy Cinco de Mayo recipe that works as a main or a side.
2 hours 25 minutes
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Easy Mexican street corn salad with frozen corn, cotija cheese, lime, & cilantro. This elote salad is mayo-free, big on flavor and perfect for get-togethers!
Taco & Fajita Recipes
Ground Beef Tacos
These Ground Beef Tacos are filled with juicy flavorful taco meat made with my homemade taco seasoning – it’s an easy weeknight recipe for the whole family!
Grilled Fish Taco Recipe
Grilled Fish Tacos made with marinated white fish, cooked about 10 minutes on the grill and served in corn tortillas with a homemade slaw. A solid Cinco de Mayo recipe that doesn’t take much effort.
Street Taco Recipe
Street tacos made with marinated skirt steak seared at high heat, served in warm corn tortillas with fresh cilantro and diced onions. One of those easy Cinco de Mayo recipes that looks like more work than it is.
1 hour 30 minutes
Grilled Shrimp Taco Recipe
This grilled shrimp taco recipe is made with quick marinated shrimp and an easy red cabbage slaw. The shrimp cook in 10 minutes on the grill then you just make your tacos!
Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
Easy sheet pan beef fajitas with bell peppers and onions, made in the oven in 12 minutes. Minimal cleanup and a straightforward Cinco de Mayo recipe for a weeknight.
Tempeh Tacos
Full of flavor and quick to make, these tempeh tacos are a delicious meat-free alternative. Load them with your favorite toppings for a vegan taco that the whole family will love.
Tofu Taco Recipe
This tofu taco recipe uses firm, pressed tofu that is seasoned and then seared to get crispy edges. Serve in a tortilla with an optional cabbage slaw and avocado topping.
Shrimp Fajita Recipe
This shrimp fajita recipe is easy to make in one skillet with seared shrimp and a mix of bell peppers, onions, and fajita seasoning.
The Best Bowls to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Chicken Burrito Protein Bowl
Chipotle-inspired chicken burrito bowl served over cilantro lime rice with 52g of protein. One of the easier Cinco de Mayo chicken recipes that also works well for meal prep.
2 hours 50 minutes
Vegetarian Burrito Bowl
This Vegetarian Burrito Bowl, with black beans, corn, sweet potatoes, and cilantro lime rice, is perfect for meal prep—a filling, wholesome option that retains its deliciousness throughout the week.
Shrimp Fajita Bowls Recipe
Shrimp fajita bowls with stir-fried shrimp, onions, peppers, fresh avocado, and cilantro lime rice. A simple Cinco de Mayo recipe with a Tex-Mex base that comes together in under an hour.
Tips for Making Food on Cinco de Mayo
- Adjust recipes for how many are being served. Scale ingredients accordingly, considering how large your guest list is.
- Embrace fresh ingredients. Cinco de Mayo recipes often feature fresh, vibrant ingredients like avocados, tomatoes, cilantro, and limes. Go for ripe, high-quality produce to enhance your dishes.
- Include make-ahead dishes. To ease the workload on the day of the celebration, incorporate some make-ahead dishes like refried beans, taco meat, and salsas into your menu.
- Explore authentic flavors. Experiment with traditional Mexican spices and seasonings like cumin, chili powder, paprika, and oregano to add depth of flavor to your recipes.
- Fresh garnish is everything. Chopped cilantro, sliced jalapenos, or lime zest add visual appeal to your dishes and a pop of zesty flavor.
How To Keep Food Warm
- Oven: As long as you’re not cooking anything in the oven, you can set it to 200°F and store dishes in there to keep them warm.
- Aluminum Foil: If your oven is not free, you can simply use aluminum foil, which has reflective properties that protects the food from light and oxygen. The foil reflects the thermal energy back to the food which maintains the moisture, flavor and texture.
- Crock Pots and Instant Pots: Think of recipes that can be made in your crock pot or instant pot that will keep warm during the party. You can even use them to keep foods warm even if you don’t cook in them.
- Insulated coolers: You can use a cooler to keep food hot as well as cold. The insulation technology that keeps out the heat to maintain cold foods also works to trap heat in and keep food hot for hours at a time. You can even line the cooler with aluminum foil for even better results.
How To Store Leftovers
- Cool it down. Make sure to cool any hot recipes to room temperature before storing.
- Label everything with the name and date. Keep track of all your leftovers so you know how long you have to enjoy them or toss them if needed.
- Use plastic containers or freezer bags. Keep your food fresh by storing food in airtight containers.
- Save or trash? If you have any perishable items (like meat or dairy), make sure to store them in the fridge. If they have sat out longer than 4 hours, it’s probably best to throw it out.
FAQs
Cinco de Mayo, celebrated on the 5th of May, is a holiday that commemorates Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican war. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a big celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, especially in areas with large Mexican-American populations.
