18 Vegan and Vegetarian Mexican Recipes

Vegetarian Mushroom Fajitas — Valeria Bismar/Getty Images

Mexican cuisine is loaded with zesty flavors and aromatic spices, making it ideal for adapting to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Whether you eat meatless seven days a week, or want to go meat-free occasionally, we've collected our favorite, easy, delicious vegetarian Mexican food recipes you can prepare at home, with vegan options, too.

15 Mexican Dessert Recipes

01 of 18

Vegetarian Mushroom Fajitas

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Savory mushrooms and crunchy bell peppers, plus spices from your pantry, give these easy vegetarian fajitas plenty of flavor and nutrition. Make them vegan easily by omitting the optional sour cream topping, or using a non-dairy substitute.
02 of 18

Chile and Cheese Flautas

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Flautas are deep-fried stuffed tortilla "flutes" filled with cheese, corn, and green chiles. They make a wonderful snack after school or work, and are always a popular party appetizer. Whip up a big batch in 15 minutes with this easy recipe.
03 of 18

Ten Minute Vegan TVP Tacos

Jolinda Hackett/The Spruce Eats

Enjoy a vegan taco night with these easy, tasty, and filling meat-free tacos. Cook them up for dinner in only 10 minutes, using TVP (a meat substitute made with textured vegetable protein), store-bought salsa, and your favorite Mexican toppings.
04 of 18

Vegetarian Portabella Mushroom Enchiladas

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Bake up a super-satisfying family dinner with this saucy, savory, cheesy vegetarian enchiladas recipe that bakes in only 30 minutes. It's a meatless meal with plenty of hearty flavor and texture from healthy portobello mushrooms and vegetarian mock meat.

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05 of 18

Spicy Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Jolinda Hackett/The Spruce Eats

Quick and easy homemade tortilla soup makes a tummy-warming meal for busy families. Make this spiced Mexican vegetable soup that gets plenty of protein from kidney beans, with a garnish of crunchy tortilla strips. It's on the table 30 minutes for busy weeknights.
06 of 18

Grilled Mexican Street Corn

Leah Maroney

This grilled Mexican street corn recipe will wow you with its salty-sweet flavors, and crunchy, creamy texture. Corn ears are roasted on the grill, rolled in a garlicky lime cream, Parmesan and fresh Mexican cheeses, and finished with chopped fresh cilantro and chili powder.
07 of 18

Vegetarian Bean and Rice Burritos

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Black bean and rice burritos make a fantastic, easy, protein-rich, hand-held vegetarian lunch or dinner any day of the week. They're also a great way to use up leftover rice in the fridge. Feel free to add some chopped bell pepper to this nutritious filling for extra flavor and crunch.
08 of 18

Mexican Day of the Dead Bread (Pan de Muerto)

The Spruce Eats

Enjoy this bread that is a traditional part of Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations in November. The recipe yields a sweet, yeasty loaf, decorated with glazed strips of dough shaped to look like bones.

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The Best Homemade Guacamole

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Guacamole makes every party better! Whether you're serving it with a bowl of chips, or adding it to tacos and burritos, this is the essential, citrusy homemade Mexican guacamole recipe you need.
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Nachos with Homemade Vegan Cheese Sauce

The Spruce / Laurel Randolph

These nachos feature a vegan cheese sauce made with soaked cashews, onion, garlic, spices, and nut milk that is deliciously creamy. Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor without the dairy. And while it looks like a lot of ingredients, all you have to do is blend it up and top with beans, salsa, and guacamole.
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Vegetarian Oven-Baked Cheese and Bell Pepper Quesadillas

The Spruce Eats / Emily Hawkes

Even picky kids will gobble up these easy, cheesy vegetarian quesadillas, with healthy veggies hidden inside. Crispy quesadillas are oven-baked instead of pan-fried, for a healthier school lunch or afternoon snack.
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Vegan Chickpea and Vegetable Tacos with Cauliflower

Betty Crocker

Roasting brings out the natural nutty sweetness of cauliflower and chickpeas in this unusual but delicious vegetarian taco recipe. The crunchy, healthy filling gets plenty of zing from dried spices, jalapenos, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

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Vegan Mexican Rice

Jolinda Hackett/The Spruce Eats

Use this Mexican rice as a filling in vegetarian burritos, or enjoy it on its own as a flavorful side dish. White rice is lightly toasted in a pan with garlic, onion, and spices, then simmered with canned or fresh tomatoes until tender.
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Oven-Baked Refried Bean and Cheese Taquitos

Jolinda Hackett/The Spruce Eats

Nutritious, oven-baked vegetarian taquitos (similar to flautas) are lower in calories and fat than their deep-fried cousins. They still have all the Mexican flavors you crave, with refried beans, cheese, and hot sauce, folded inside corn tortillas.
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Quick Microwave Nachos

The Spruce Eats

Need a quick party appetizer, or an after-school snack that kids can make themselves? Vegetarian nachos are ready to eat in five minutes flat, thanks to your microwave oven. Feel free to load on all of your favorite toppings to make this recipe your own!
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Mexican 7-Layer Dip

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Party-pleasing 7-layer dip makes a perfect game day snack, or winning potluck contribution. Fresh avocados and store-bought salsa are layered with refried beans, cheese, green onions, lettuce, and tortilla chips, plus olives, sour cream, and taco seasoning.

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Vegan Mexican Chocolate Cake

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Vegan chocolate cake inspired by the richness of Mexican hot chocolate is a fabulously decadent, dairy- and egg-free treat, with a pleasantly spicy kick from cayenne and cinnamon in the batter.
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Vegetarian Mexican Casserole With Black Beans

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Give your kids something to smile about when you serve this cheesy, one-dish Mexican tortilla casserole for weeknight dinner. It is packed with healthy veggies, and protein from beans and cheese. Prepare it in under 30 minutes from start to finish.