18 Recipes for a Festive Cinco de Mayo Menu

Ready in a mere 30 minutes and with just a handful of ingredients, these enchiladas are infinitely customizable. Have some leftover shredded chicken, pork, or beef? Throw it in! Or for a vegetarian option, add sliced, sauteed peppers and onions or mushrooms. There's a green version, too.

Carne asada is a simple, marinated beef dish that's bursting with flavor. It makes the ultimate filling for a taco, especially when topped with a sprinkle of onions and fresh salsa. If you've got an Instant Pot, you can use it to make carne asada as well.

It wouldn't be a Mexican celebration without guacamole. This flavorful recipe can be used as a dip and served with chips, or used to top tacos and other dishes.

Pozole is a popular Mexican comfort food, and for good reason. It's a warm and hearty soup, traditionally made with pork and hominy, a chewy kind of plumped dried corn. Made with chicken, this recipe offers variations for green and red pozole.

Birria is a labor of love, but it's not hard to make and it's worth the time spent. It is traditionally made with goat meat, which can be hard to find, so you can substitute pork or beef instead. Start your birria the day before you plan to eat it so that the meat can marinate overnight for the best flavor.

For a crowd-pleasing appetizer, make Mini Chipotle Chicken Taquitos. The crunchy, handheld roll-ups are extra tasty when dipped into guacamole and sour cream.

A classic Mexican side dish, refried beans go great with just about everything. Start with pinto beans cooked low and slow before mashing and cooking them on the stovetop. Or make them in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot.

Tres leche translates to three milks, and this ultra-moist cake has all three. Made quick and easy using a boxed cake mix, it's still a total treat and a pretty sweet end to a Cinco de Mayo feast.

Deep-fried and stuffed with cheese, no one will be able to resist chiles rellenos. Make them fresh so they're nice and crispy and the cheese is salty and melty. Add a dollop of refried beans or shredded meat to your peppers if desired.

If you want to impress a Cinco de Mayo crowd, it doesn't get much better than homemade tamales. They take some time and planning, but they're fun to make and worth every minute. Change up the filling to suit your tastes (may we suggest brisket or corn and green chili).

Mole is a complex, creamy sauce made of a long list of ingredients including chiles, aromatics, nuts, dried fruit, and spices. This simplified recipe still delivers on flavor, and it's perfect spooned on top of chicken.

Adding a little cinnamon and cayenne pepper to gooey, chocolately brownies adds just the right amount of spice. If you're short on time, use a boxed mix and add the spices before mixing.

Tacos al Pastor is traditionally made by marinating pork in a chipotle mixture and placing it on a rotating spit with pineapple. While this version doesn't require a spit, it has all the flavors you want and is easy to make at home. Instructions are included for slow cooking and pressure cooking.

Known in Mexico as frijoles charros, pinto beans cook with Mexican sausage and peppers for a flavorful side dish. If you can't find longaniza sausage substitute Mexican chorizo instead. If you'd prefer to use your slow cooker, try this similar bean dish.

Ceviche is popular on the coasts of Mexico where seafood is plentiful. For a fresh and tasty appetizer, combine shrimp, tomato, cucumber, avocado, and a tomato-based sauce. Double or triple the recipe if you're feeding more than two.

Just a few fresh ingredients and some chopping is all it takes to make homemade salsa. Use the best tomatoes you can find for best results, or make a green salsa instead (or go all-out and make both!). It's great as a dip or a topping.

While non-traditional, hard-shell ground beef tacos are an American favorite and are a total melding of cultures, they're also sure to please the whole family with their crunchy, savory goodness.

Sometimes called a Mexican donut, churros are the ultimate treat. Light and crispy with a dusting of cinnamon sugar, they can be dipped in a chocolate or caramel sauce or eaten as is. Just make sure they're still warm.