These 33 Cinco de Mayo dinner recipes are the Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes my family asks for on repeat, and the ones my readers tell me they come back to year after year.
Having lived in Texas my whole life, and Austin for over a decade… Tex-Mex is on the table ALL the time around here. So by the time May 5th hits, the question isn’t IF we’re making anything, it’s how BIG are we going?!
Tacos, tostadas or fajitas normally anchor the night. Easy skillets for one-pan dinners. Sides, soups, salads, and the dips and salsas that round it all out.
Pick a main, pick a side, pick a dip. It really is as easy as that!
Tacos and tostadas
Tacos and tostadas are the easiest path from “what are we eating” to “plates on the table.” Start here, then build the rest of the menu around them.
Crispy Baked Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe
Get ready for the BEST Crispy Baked Ground Turkey Tacos — this recipe makes it so easy and foolproof! Each tortilla is loaded with gooey cheese, refried beans, and seasoned taco meat, then baked to crunchy perfection and served with a creamy 3-ingredient cilantro lime ranch the whole family will love!
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Shrimp Tostadas with Mexican Street Corn
Taco night just got a crispier, crunchier upgrade with these Shrimp Tostadas. Crispy baked tostada shells are piled high with juicy shrimp, creamy Mexican street corn, beans, and avocado — making this an easy weeknight dinner that’s meal prep–friendly, picky-eater approved, and anything but boring.
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Instant Pot Tacos Al Pastor Recipe
Surprisingly easy to recreate at home, Instant Pot al Pastor is also quick to make thanks to the pressure cooking method! You'll get perfect juicy and tender pulled pork, with a spice level you can customize to your preference.
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Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos Recipe
Crispy shrimp, sweet and spicy bang bang sauce, and a fresh, crunchy slaw—these Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos come together in just 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner you'll want to add to your weekly rotation!
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Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos (Slow Cooker Recipe)
Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos just might be the best way to enjoy tacos in the hot summer. A slow cooker saves you from heating up your kitchen, and makes for a mostly hands-free meal.
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Chicken Tinga Tostadas Recipe
These quick and easy Chicken Tinga Tostadas might just be your new Taco Tuesday recipe! Baked tostada shells are layered with refried beans, shredded chicken, Tinga sauce, and toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and Cotija cheese.
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Air Fryer Fish Tacos Recipe
Easy and crunchy, this Air Fryer Fish Tacos recipe is soon to be your new weeknight favorite! Make this quick and easy dinner for your family and pretend you're eating at a food truck!
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Baja Shrimp Tacos Recipe
These Baja Shrimp Tacos are packed with crispy beer-battered shrimp, avocado, and a fresh and creamy cilantro lime slaw—all wrapped in warm tortillas. Inspired by classic beachside tacos, this easy recipe comes together in just minutes for the ultimate taco night upgrade.
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Enchiladas and casseroles
When you want the cozy, cheesy, feeds-everyone kind of dinner. The lazy enchilada skillet is what we make on real Tuesday nights.
Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas with Corn Tortillas
These easy Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas are made with shredded chicken, melty cheddar, and a homemade red sauce that comes together in 20 minutes. Roll, sauce, top with cheese, and bake until bubbly. All the classic Tex-Mex flavor you love in one pan and in under an hour!
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Green Chile Chicken Lazy Enchilada Skillet
All the cozy green chile enchilada flavor you crave, but made in one skillet in 35 minutes. Tender shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and tortilla chip pieces simmer in a zippy green enchilada sauce, then get blanketed with melty Monterey Jack. No rolling, no baking, no sink full of dishes.
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Taco Lasagna with Corn Tortillas
This easy Mexican Lasagna with Tortillas layers seasoned ground beef, soft corn tortillas, melty cheddar, black beans, and corn into one freezer-friendly casserole that feeds a crowd. About an hour, one 9×13, the kind of dinner that doubles as tomorrow’s lunch.
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Easy dinners, skillets, and bowls
One pan, maybe a bowl, on the table in under an hour. These are the dinners that make Cinco feel doable on a weeknight.
Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe (Applebee’s Copycat)
Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken is a surprisingly easy recipe to make at home! Learn how to make this copycat dish with chicken breasts and a salsa ranch sauce that is baked in the oven to cheesy perfection.
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Beef Flank Steak Fajitas Recipe
Sizzling Flank Steak Fajitas that rival your favorite restaurant's… coming right up! The key to this recipe is two-fold: creating a flavor-packed marinade with a few secret ingredients and then letting the beef marinate in it for hours.
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Easy Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet Recipe
Busy weeknights just got easier (and more delicious!) with this Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet! It's a one-pot meal, full of Mexican flavors, that will make your whole family want to go back for seconds.
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Ground Beef Taco Skillet Recipe
This Ground Beef Taco Skillet is a quick and easy one-pot wonder that brings all the bold Mexican-inspired flavors of traditional tacos to your table in just 30 minutes! This recipe has been a staple in our kitchen for years, and I have a feeling it's about to become a favorite in yours too.
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Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
Healthy and easy Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers are a delicious and low-carb recipe for a quick weeknight dinner. Peppers are stuffed with a flavorful filling made with ground beef, salsa, and taco seasoning then topped with cheese and baked in the oven.
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Soups
Tortilla soup season runs longer than you’d think. All three of these feed a crew, reheat like a dream, and basically make themselves.
Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup is a super easy and tasty recipe for busy weeknights. Simply combine chicken, taco seasoning, broth, salsa, and canned corn and beans in your slow cooker before you leave for the day and come home to a Mexican dish your whole family will enjoy.
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Chicken Taco Soup Recipe
Chicken Taco Soup is one of the best and most delicious comfort foods. Something magic happens when you combine chicken, broth, corn, beans, salsa, and seasonings in a Dutch oven and let it simmer.
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Easy Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
This Chicken Enchilada Soup gives you all the bold, cozy flavors of enchiladas without all the rolling and baking. Made with enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, tender shredded chicken, and hearty pantry staples, it’s an easy, comforting meal the whole family will happily dig into.
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Sides and rice
The supporting cast. Cilantro lime rice and Mexican street corn salad could honestly carry a whole Cinco menu on their own.
Skillet Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)
Mexican Street Corn Salad brings all those smoky, sweet, and tangy elote flavors right to your table. Fresh corn is charred and tossed with a garlic-lime mayo, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and plenty of Cotija cheese for a bold, easy side that’s ready in about 20 minutes.
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Fajita Veggies Recipe (Chipotle Copycat)
Making Fajita Veggies at home that taste just like your favorite restaurants' (hello Chipotle and Qdoba!) has never been easier! In fact, with a few of my tricks (using a cast-iron skillet, a sprinkle of seasoning, and thinly sliced bell peppers and onions) you'll get flavor-packed veggies with a gorgeous char every time!
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Instant Pot Mexican Rice Recipe
This simple Instant Pot Mexican Rice recipe is so easy to make and is seriously just as good as the rice at your favorite Mexican restaurant! Fluffy rice and flavorful salsa come together in your pressure cooker for a quick side dish any day of the week.
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Salads
If “dinner is technically just a big loaded salad” is a vibe in your house… same. These three count.
Fajita Steak Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Finally, a Steak Fajita Salad that will make you excited to eat your greens! With tender strips of marinated flank steak, smoky grilled corn, black beans, tomatoes, and avocados that all get tossed in the most DELICIOUS creamy cilantro lime dressing, it's a summer salad that makes the best weeknight dinner!
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Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
This picnic-worthy Mexican Quinoa Salad gets tossed in a bold cilantro lime dressing and then loaded with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and avocado. It's so easy to meal prep ahead of time for your next backyard BBQ, or for an easy lunch or dinner!
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Avocado Corn Salad Recipe
This Avocado Corn Salad is everything you want in a summer dish—fresh, fast, and full of flavor! Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, sweet corn, and creamy avocado all come together with a hit of lime and cilantro for the ultimate refreshing bite.
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Apps, dips, and sauces
End the planning here. Chips, the lime crema everyone asks about, the salsa I make on repeat, and the easiest mole sauce you’ll ever stir together.
Easy Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
This Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado tastes like something you'd order at a beachfront restaurant, but it comes together in 20 minutes with zero cooking. Fresh shrimp marinates in lime, orange, and lemon juice until pink and tender, then gets folded with creamy avocado and crunchy veggies.
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Lime Crema (Fish Taco Sauce)
This Lime Crema is my go-to fish taco sauce—and it couldn’t be easier. Ready in just 5 minutes, it’s made with Mexican crema (or sour cream), fresh lime juice, and garlic for a creamy, tangy topping that works on tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads, and more.
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Baked Tortilla Chips
If you’re tired of tortilla chips that snap the second they hit the dip, these Baked Tortilla Chips are the answer. Made with just corn tortillas, oil, and salt, they bake up sturdy, crisp, and perfect for scooping even the thickest guacamole.
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Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe
Roasted Tomato Salsa is so easy to make at home by simply roasting vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes in the oven and then mixing with cilantro, paprika, and cumin to make this classic spicy dip. Enjoy as a snack with tortilla chips or use as a topping on your favorite Mexican dishes.
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Easy Mole Sauce Recipe
Rich, chocolatey, and full of spicy pepper flavor, this Easy Mole Sauce recipe is so quick to make with common pantry staples! Unlike other authentic mole recipes, this one is made with easy-to-find ingredients such as nut butter, cocoa powder, chili powder, and other simple Mexican spices.
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That’s the lineup. If you only have time to make three things, my move is one main from the tacos or skillets, a side of the cilantro lime rice or the street corn salad, and the lime crema for everything to dunk in. That’s a Cinco de Mayo menu by accident.
