Guide
Quick Latin Dinners, Easy Mexican and Colombian Recipes in 40 Minutes
30-minute Latin recipes and a few 40-minute ones, each with its honest start-to-finish time.
The fastest Latin dinners start with eggs. Colombian huevos pericos, eggs scrambled into a quick tomato and scallion base, take 15 minutes, and Mexican huevos a la mexicana or chorizo and eggs take 20. For a 30-minute Latin recipe with more heft, try corn tortilla quesadillas, bistec a la mexicana or Mexican garlic shrimp, which is done in 25.
Every recipe here takes 40 minutes or less from start to finish, including any unattended simmering, or gets there with a shortcut spelled out in the recipe itself, such as using a rotisserie chicken. The time next to each one is the full time for the yield in the recipe, almost always 4 servings.
They are grouped by type of dish, fastest first, with a minute-by-minute index just below. Most of the ingredients are in a regular US supermarket, and each recipe lists UK alternatives. Cooking on a budget? See our budget Latin recipes. Feeding a crowd? Try our Latin party food guide.
Pick by the time you have
These are total times, not just hands-on minutes.
- 20 minutes or less. Huevos pericos (15), changua (15), huevos a la mexicana (20), chorizo and eggs (20), pisca andina (20) and Colombian calentado made with yesterday's rice and beans (20).
- 30 minutes or less. Garlic shrimp (25), Colombian fried calamari (25), chorizo santarrosano (25), calabacitas (25), bistec a la mexicana (30), quesadillas (30), molletes (30), enfrijoladas (30), huevos rancheros (30), cheese arepas (30) and sopa de fideo (30).
- 40 minutes or less. Creamy chipotle chicken (35), entomatadas (35), Colombian egg soup (35), Mexican white spaghetti (35), beef alambre (40), camarones a la diabla (40), liver and onions (40), chicharrón en salsa verde (40), papas chorreadas (40) and huevos divorciados (40).
- With the recipe's own shortcut. Colombian rice with sausage in 15 minutes with leftover rice, shrimp ceviche in 25 with precooked shrimp, chicken tinga in 30 and green chicken enchiladas in about 30 with a rotisserie chicken, and reina pepiada arepas in 35 the same way.
Quick Latin egg dinners
Eggs make a perfectly good dinner, and they're the quickest route to a hot meal. Huevos pericos (15 minutes) cook the scallion and tomato first so the eggs stay juicy, not watery. Huevos a la mexicana (20) add serrano chile, and the recipe shows how to set aside a mild portion for kids. Chorizo and eggs (20) use raw Mexican chorizo, not the cured Spanish kind, and with beans and tortillas they make a full plate.
With half an hour, huevos rancheros (30) put fried eggs on oil-dipped corn tortillas under a cooked tomato-serrano sauce. Huevos divorciados, with one red and one green salsa, and huevos ahogados, eggs poached whole in a thin tomato broth, take 40 because the sauce is homemade.
BreakfastHuevos Pericos, Colombian Scrambled Eggs with Scallions
Huevos pericos are Colombian scrambled eggs cooked into a quick tomato and scallion base, so they stay juicy and never watery. Ready in 15 minutes for 4, with the Venezuelan perico, US and UK onion swaps, scaling for 20, cost and storage.
BreakfastHuevos a la Mexicana, Mexican Scrambled Eggs Recipe
Huevos a la mexicana are Mexican scrambled eggs with tomato, onion and serrano chile, ready in 20 minutes for 4 and never watery. How long to cook the tomato, a kid-friendly mild version, US and UK swaps and what to serve with them.
BreakfastChorizo and Eggs, Mexican Huevos con Chorizo Recipe
Chorizo and eggs the Mexican way, raw chorizo crumbled and fried in its own fat, then soft-scrambled with eggs and served with beans and tortillas. 20 minutes for 4, with how much grease to pour off, UK swaps and tacos for 12.
BreakfastHuevos Rancheros Recipe with Homemade Ranchero Sauce
Huevos rancheros recipe with a cooked tomato-serrano ranchero sauce, oil-dipped corn tortillas that stay whole and eggs your way, in 30 minutes for 4. Yolk timing by the minute, beans or not, US and UK swaps and a brunch plan for 8.
BreakfastHuevos Divorciados Recipe, Mexican Divorced Eggs
Huevos divorciados with a red tomato salsa and a green tomatillo salsa made in one pot, beans down the middle and crisp-edged eggs, 40 minutes for 4. Salsa amounts, runny-yolk safety, US and UK swaps and cost.
BreakfastHuevos Ahogados, Mexican Eggs Poached in Tomato Broth
Huevos ahogados are whole eggs poached in a thin tomato and serrano broth, covered, over low heat until the yolks are how you like them. Ready in 40 minutes for 4, with yolk timings, a salsa verde version, US and UK swaps and a plan for 12.
Easy Mexican dinner ideas, tacos, arepas and snacks
Mexican quesadillas are the classic fast dinner: corn tortillas and 25 g (1 oz) of cheese each, 4 minutes per piece, 12 in 30 minutes. No Oaxaca cheese? A low-moisture mozzarella block gives the same stretch. Molletes (30), toasted rolls with refried beans and melted cheese, are Mexico's answer to cheese on toast, and Colombian cheese arepas (30) make 4 large corn cakes from masarepa with mozzarella melted inside.
For steak tacos, beef alambre (40) cooks diced steak, bacon, peppers, onion and mushrooms in one skillet, under a lid of melted cheese, no oven. To round out the table, frijoles puercos (40, serves 8) are a rich bean dip with chorizo and cheese, while Mexican street corn (30) needs only 6 minutes of boiling with supermarket sweet corn. Esquites, the same flavors in a cup, take 35.
SnacksMexican Quesadillas with Corn Tortillas and Oaxaca Cheese
Mexican quesadillas made the comal way, with corn tortillas and 25 g (1 oz) of Oaxaca cheese each, 4 minutes per piece and 12 in 30 minutes. US and UK cheese swaps, fried masa quesadillas, the sincronizada and a party plan for 12.
BreakfastMolletes Recipe, Mexican Bean and Cheese Toast
Molletes recipe for Mexican bean and cheese toast, with bolillo rolls toasted in butter at 400°F (200°C) before the beans go on. Serves 4 in 30 minutes, with air fryer times, cheese swaps and a brunch plan for 20.
BreakfastColombian Cheese Arepas, the 30-Minute Breakfast
Colombian cheese arepas made with masarepa, queso fresco in the dough and mozzarella melted inside. Ready in 30 minutes for 4 large arepas. Which corn flour actually works, which US cheeses melt, dough troubleshooting and freezing.
DinnerMexican Alambre, Beef Alambre Tacos with Bacon and Cheese
Mexican alambre is diced steak, bacon, bell peppers, onion and mushrooms, each browned on its own, then covered in melted Oaxaca cheese. 40 minutes for 4, no oven needed, with UK swaps, a taco plan for 20 and US costs.
SnacksFrijoles Puercos, Mexican Bean Dip with Chorizo and Cheese
Frijoles puercos are northern Mexican refried beans fried in lard with bacon and Mexican chorizo, finished with melted cheese. Which beans to use, canned or not, the right texture, 40 minutes for 8 and party amounts.
SnacksMexican Street Corn, Elote Recipe on the Cob with Cotija
Mexican street corn on the cob, boiled or grilled, then coated in butter, mayo, cotija, chili powder and lime, in 30 minutes for 4 ears. Sweet corn needs only 6 minutes of boiling. Plus no-grill methods, cotija swaps and a party plan.
SnacksEsquites, Mexican Street Corn in a Cup with Cotija
Esquites the Mexican street-cart way, with corn kernels simmered in their own broth with epazote, butter and serrano, ready in 35 minutes for 4 cups. Fresh, frozen or canned corn, the charred corn salad, cotija swaps and a party plan.
Chicken and meat in under 40 minutes
Bistec a la mexicana is thin steak with tomato, onion and serrano in 30 minutes, seared in batches so it stays tender. Creamy chipotle chicken takes 35, and you can blend the sauce up to a day ahead; with one chipotle and the seeds scraped out, it's mild enough for kids. Chorizo santarrosano, a fresh Colombian sausage, is simmered and then seared in 25 so it never bursts. Chicharrón en salsa verde, pork rinds stewed in tomatillo salsa, and Colombian-style liver and onions take 40 each.
Three longer dishes make the list only with the shortcut their recipe gives. Chicken tinga drops from 60 to 30 minutes with 800 g (1¾ lb) of shredded rotisserie chicken. Green chicken enchiladas take 55 from scratch, and a rotisserie chicken saves 25 of those. Reina pepiada arepas, Venezuela's chicken and avocado arepa, go from 60 to 35.
LunchChorizo Santarrosano, Colombian Fresh Chorizo
Colombian chorizo santarrosano is simmered to 160°F first and seared for eight minutes after, which is the method that never bursts. Four ways to cook it compared, and how it differs from Spanish and Mexican chorizo.
LunchBistec a la Mexicana, Mexican Steak with Tomatoes Recipe
Bistec a la mexicana is Mexican steak with tomatoes, onion and serrano, ready in 30 minutes for 4, with the beef seared in batches so it stays tender. The best US and UK cuts, safe temperature, cost and taco tips.
LunchCreamy Chipotle Chicken, a Mexican Skillet in 35 Minutes
Creamy chipotle chicken made the Mexican way, with seared breast or thigh finished in a smoky cream sauce until it hits 165°F (74°C). How many chipotles for your heat level, US and UK swaps, a lighter version and reheating tips.
LunchChicharrón en Salsa Verde, Pork Rinds in Tomatillo Salsa
Chicharrón en salsa verde is a Mexican stew of fried pork rinds simmered in tomatillo and serrano salsa, 5 minutes for chewy or 10 for soft. Serves 4 in 40 minutes, with which pork rinds to buy in the US and UK, taco filling and reheating.
LunchLiver and Onions, Latin Style (Hígado Encebollado)
Liver and onions the Colombian way, hígado encebollado, with quarter-inch beef liver seared 2 minutes a side over onions and tomato so it stays tender. Membrane, milk soak, safe temperature and cost. 40 minutes, serves 4.
LunchChicken Tinga, Smoky Chipotle Shredded Chicken for Tostadas
Chicken tinga is shredded chicken thighs in a tomato, sliced onion and chipotle sauce from Puebla, ready in 60 minutes for 18 tostadas. Thighs or breast, heat level, UK chipotle swaps, crowd amounts and freezing.
LunchGreen Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Green chicken enchiladas the Mexican way, with a fried tomatillo and serrano salsa and corn tortillas dipped in hot oil for 10 to 15 seconds a side. 12 enchiladas for 4 in 55 minutes, a baked version for 12, and UK swaps.
BreakfastReina Pepiada Arepas, Venezuelan Chicken and Avocado Arepas
Reina pepiada arepas are Venezuelan corn cakes stuffed with shredded chicken, avocado and mayo in a 4-3-1 ratio, 8 in 60 minutes. Breast or thigh, keeping the filling green, P.A.N. swaps, air fryer and a plan for 20.
Fast fish and shrimp dinners
Shrimp is the next fastest thing after eggs. Mexican garlic shrimp is ready in 25 minutes, and the trick is pulling the golden garlic out of the pan before the shrimp go in, so it never turns bitter. Camarones a la diabla cook shrimp for just 4 or 5 minutes in a guajillo, árbol and chipotle sauce, 40 minutes in all. Colombian fried calamari (25) fries for 90 seconds.
For a cold dinner on a hot night, shrimp aguachile takes 40 minutes, with 10 to 15 of them in lime, and the recipe includes a blanched version for pregnancy. Shrimp ceviche takes 45 from raw shrimp, but with chopped precooked shrimp and 10 minutes in lime it's on the table in 25.
DinnerCamarones al Mojo de Ajo, Mexican Garlic Shrimp with Lime
Camarones al mojo de ajo, Mexican garlic shrimp, are seared in butter with a whole head of golden garlic that leaves the pan before the shrimp go in. Ready in 25 minutes for 4, with timings for 21/25 or 31/40 shrimp, frozen, and cost.
LunchColombian Fried Calamari, Crisp in 90 Seconds
Chicharrón de calamar, the Colombian coast's fried calamari: a flour and cornstarch coating with cold beer, fried at 365 °F for 90 seconds. Why squid turns rubbery, which squid to buy in the US and how to keep it crisp.
LunchCamarones a la Diabla, Mexican Deviled Shrimp in Chile Sauce
Camarones a la diabla are shrimp cooked in a guajillo, árbol and chipotle sauce, ready in 40 minutes for 4 with rice. How to set the heat, use frozen shrimp, hit 145°F (63°C) without rubbery shrimp, and what it costs.
SnacksShrimp aguachile, lime timing and a safer blanched option
Shrimp aguachile with serrano, cilantro and lime, chilled 10 to 15 minutes and on the table in 40 minutes for 4 people. What lime juice does and does not do to raw shrimp, a blanched version for pregnancy, and green, red or black.
SnacksShrimp ceviche, raw or cooked, and how long in lime juice
Mexican-style shrimp ceviche with ½-inch pieces cured 20 minutes in lime, or blanched first for anyone who can't eat raw seafood. Ready in 45 minutes for 4, with how to keep it from going watery, amounts for 20, storage and US cost.
Quick soups for a weeknight
Two of the fastest are breakfast soups from the Andes, and they work just as well at night: Bogotá's changua, an egg poached in milk and water, in 15 minutes, and Venezuela's pisca andina, with potato and eggs poached right in the pot, in 20 for 4.
Sopa de fideo, Mexico's everyday noodle soup with the pasta toasted amber before it hits the tomato broth, takes 30 minutes and has a kid version in the recipe. Colombian egg soup, with potato and the egg poured in thin ribbons, takes 35.
BreakfastChangua, Colombian Milk and Egg Breakfast Soup
Changua from Bogotá is an egg poached whole in milk and water with scallion and cilantro, served over dry bread. The temperature window that keeps the yolk soft, why the milk is cut with water and what goes in the bowl.
BreakfastPisca Andina, Venezuelan Andean Breakfast Soup Recipe
Pisca andina is the Venezuelan Andean breakfast soup of potatoes, scallions, milk and water with eggs poached right in the pot, 20 minutes for 4. How to keep the milk from splitting, which cheese won't go stringy and safe egg timings.
SoupsSopa de Fideo, Mexican Noodle Soup in a Toasted Tomato Broth
Sopa de fideo is Mexico's everyday noodle soup: thin pasta toasted amber in oil, then simmered in a fried tomato broth, 30 minutes for 4 bowls. Noodle swaps, the bouillon sodium trap, a kid version, cost and reheating.
SoupsColombian Egg Soup, with Ribbons Instead of Lumps
Colombian egg soup with potato, scallion and cilantro, and beaten egg poured in a thin stream at about 180°F. That is the temperature where it sets into ribbons rather than curds, and it is the only minute that matters.
Meatless quick dinners
Calabacitas, zucchini sautéed with corn, tomato and chile, take 25 minutes and are vegan as written; crumble queso fresco on top and it's dinner. Enfrijoladas (30) and entomatadas (35) are folded corn tortillas in a black bean or fresh tomato sauce with cheese and crema; use the bean liquid or vegetable stock to keep them vegetarian.
Papas chorreadas (40) are Colombian potatoes under a tomato, cream and melted cheese sauce, for 6. For plantains, fried sweet plantains (30), crisp tostones (30) and cheese-stuffed aborrajados (35) go alongside eggs or rice. Mexican white spaghetti (35) is meat-free but uses chicken bouillon.
VeganCalabacitas Recipe, Mexican Zucchini with Corn and Tomato
Calabacitas are Mexican squash sautéed with corn, tomato, onion and chile, cooked uncovered and salted last so they never turn watery. Ready in 25 minutes for 4 sides, with zucchini swaps, cheese or pork versions, scaling, cost and storage.
BreakfastEnfrijoladas Recipe, Corn Tortillas in Black Bean Sauce
Enfrijoladas are corn tortillas dipped in a smoky blended black bean sauce, folded over queso fresco and topped with crema and onion. Ready in 30 minutes for 4. The sauce ratio, canned vs dried beans, sodium, swaps and cost.
LunchEntomatadas Recipe, Corn Tortillas in Fresh Tomato Sauce
Entomatadas are corn tortillas flash-fried, dipped in a simple cooked tomato sauce and folded over queso fresco with crema and onion. Ready in 35 minutes for 4. Fresh vs canned tomatoes, fillings, US and UK swaps and cost.
LunchPapas Chorreadas, Colombian Potatoes in Cheese Sauce
Papas chorreadas are Colombian boiled potatoes under a tomato, scallion, cream and melted cheese sauce, ready in 40 minutes for 6 sides. Which cheeses melt, how to keep the sauce from splitting, US and UK potato swaps and reheating.
SnacksFried Sweet Plantains, Venezuelan Tajadas Step by Step
Fried sweet plantains the Venezuelan way, long ⅜-inch (1 cm) diagonal slices of black-skinned plantain fried at 350°F (175°C). Serves 4 in 30 minutes, with air fryer and oven versions, ripeness signs, US cost and reheating.
SnacksTostones, Twice-Fried Plantains with Garlic Salt Water
Caribbean tostones are twice-fried green plantains dipped in garlic salt water between the fries, which is the step that seasons them past the surface. How thick to press them, how long to dip and how they differ from patacones.
SnacksAborrajados, Colombian Cheese-Stuffed Plantains
Aborrajados from Colombia's Valle del Cauca: blackened ripe plantain fried, flattened, stuffed with cheese, battered and fried again. How ripe the plantain must be, which cheese holds and the 5-minute chill that stops leaks.
DinnerMexican White Spaghetti (Espagueti Blanco) for Christmas
Mexican white spaghetti is pasta in a blended sauce of crema, cream cheese and butter, the creamy side next to the holiday ham or turkey. How much sauce keeps it loose, how to make it ahead for 20 and how to reheat it without it drying out.
Breakfast for dinner and leftover makeovers
Colombian calentado is the fastest leftover dinner there is: yesterday's rice and beans fried with chorizo, topped with a fried egg and an arepa, in 20 minutes for 2. The rice and beans need to have gone into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. Colombian rice with sausage takes 52 minutes from scratch, but with leftover rice it's a 15-minute skillet dish.
If your household likes something sweet or bready at night, Mexican hotcakes make 12 in 40 minutes, and Colombian pandebono (33) and almojábanas (40), two cheese breads, make 12 each. Cheese-filled Boyacá arepas take 32.
BreakfastColombian Calentado, Yesterday's Beans and Rice
Calentado paisa: leftover beans and rice fried with chorizo until a crust forms, topped with a fried egg and an arepa. The 2-hour rule, the 165 °F reheat and why Colombians cook extra beans on purpose.
LunchColombian Rice with Sausage, One-Pot Arroz con Salchicha
Colombian rice with sausage is yellow annatto rice cooked in a tomato sofrito, with browned hot dogs steamed on top for the last 12 minutes. 1 to 2 rice-to-water ratio, 52 minutes for 6, plus a 15-minute leftover-rice version.
BreakfastMexican Hotcakes Recipe, Fluffy Pancakes from Scratch
Mexican hotcakes made from scratch with flour, baking powder, milk, eggs and butter, thick and fluffy instead of boxed mix. Makes 12 in 40 minutes, with the pan test, when to flip, cajeta toppings and how to freeze them.
BreakfastColombian Pandebono, Cheese Bread That Puffs Without Yeast
Colombian pandebono is a gluten-free cheese bread that rises on steam alone, from sour cassava starch fermented for a month and dried in the sun. Which bag to buy, which cheese works and the oven heat that makes it puff.
BreakfastColombian Almojábanas, Cheese and Corn Buns with Cuajada
Colombian almojábanas are soft cheese and corn buns made with fresh curd cheese and masarepa, baked 20 minutes at 400°F (200°C) for 12 buns. Which US or UK cheese to use, why they go flat or hard, costs and freezing raw.
BreakfastArepas Boyacenses, Stuffed with Fresh Cheese and Panela
Boyacense arepas are yellow corn dough with 28% wheat flour, stuffed with fresh curd and panela and browned in butter. Why the wheat is what lets you seal them, and which cheese softens without melting. Eight arepas.
Sides and salsas that won't slow you down
A homemade salsa turns eggs or quesadillas into a proper meal, and most come together while everything else cooks. Guacamole and taqueria avocado salsa take 15 minutes, boiled salsa verde takes 20, and pico de gallo takes 30, 20 of them just the salted tomatoes draining.
If the dish wants rice, Colombian white rice takes 30 minutes: start it first and everything lands at the same time.
SnacksAuthentic Guacamole Recipe, the Ratio per Avocado
Authentic guacamole recipe built on a per-avocado ratio of 13 g onion, a third of a serrano and 1 tsp lime, ready in 15 minutes for 6. How to ripen avocados on time, what really stops browning and how many to buy for a party.
SnacksAvocado Salsa, Taqueria-Style with Tomatillo, Raw or Cooked
Taqueria avocado salsa with 250 g (9 oz) raw tomatillos, 2 Hass avocados and 2 serranos, blended in 15 minutes for 12 servings. How much water for each texture, how to keep it green, whether it freezes and how much to make for 20.
SnacksSalsa Verde Recipe, Boiled, Raw or Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Mexican salsa verde from 1.1 lb (500 g) of tomatillos, 2 serranos, onion, garlic and cilantro, simmered 8 to 10 minutes. Ready in 20 minutes for 10 servings. Raw or roasted versions, heat levels, why it turns bitter, canned swaps.
SnacksPico de Gallo Recipe, Fresh Salsa That Never Goes Watery
Pico de gallo recipe with seeded Roma tomatoes salted and drained for 20 minutes, white onion, serrano, cilantro and lime, ready in 30 minutes for 6. Ratios per 100 g of tomato, serrano vs jalapeño, party math and storage.
LunchColombian White Rice, Toasted and Fluffy
Colombian white rice starts by toasting the grains in oil with a whole scallion, then a 1:2 ratio and a lid that goes on at one exact moment. The three points that decide whether it comes out fluffy or gluey, in 30 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What is a quick and easy Mexican dinner?
Quesadillas (12 in 30 minutes), huevos a la mexicana (20), Mexican garlic shrimp (25) and bistec a la mexicana (30) are the easiest. All of them use ingredients a regular US supermarket carries.
What Latin dinners can I make in 30 minutes?
Bistec a la mexicana, quesadillas, molletes, enfrijoladas, huevos rancheros, Colombian cheese arepas and sopa de fideo each take 30 minutes start to finish for 4.
What's a quick vegetarian Mexican dinner?
Calabacitas (25 minutes, vegan), enfrijoladas (30), entomatadas (35) or any of the egg dishes. Make the enfrijoladas and entomatadas with bean liquid or vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Which quick Latin dinners do kids like?
Sopa de fideo, quesadillas, Mexican hotcakes and huevos a la mexicana with a portion set aside before the chile goes in. Creamy chipotle chicken works too with one seeded chipotle.
What can I prep ahead for fast weeknight dinners?
The sauces. The chipotle chicken sauce can be blended a day ahead, the salsa and shredded chicken for green enchiladas keep 3 or 4 days so a second batch takes 25 minutes, and a whole batch of chicken tinga keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Can I use a rotisserie chicken for Mexican recipes?
Yes. It cuts chicken tinga to 30 minutes, saves 25 minutes on green chicken enchiladas and gets reina pepiada arepas done in 35. Pull off the skin before shredding.