Traditional food
Traditional Mexican food, the classic dishes and how to cook them
What people actually eat in Mexico, where each dish comes from and the easiest ones to start with at home.
Traditional Mexican food is built on corn, beans and chiles. The corn is nixtamalized, cooked with slaked lime, and that dough, masa, becomes tortillas, tamales, sopes, pozole and atole. Tomatoes and tomatillos, avocado, squash, cacao and vanilla fill out the pantry, and the country's traditional cooking has been recognized as intangible cultural heritage of humanity since 2010.
What sets it apart from the Tex-Mex most people know is the sauces made from dried chiles: guajillo, ancho, pasilla and chipotle are toasted, soaked and blended into moles, adobos and red broths, and there is far less melted cheese and sour cream. It also changes a lot by region: flour tortillas and grilled beef in the north, birria in Jalisco, moles and tlayudas in Oaxaca, mole poblano and chiles en nogada in Puebla, achiote and sour orange in the Yucatán, and fish and seafood on both coasts.
Below are the classic Mexican dishes grouped by type, from moles to aguas frescas, with what to know before you choose and a full recipe for each. For the December menu, see our Mexican Christmas guide.
Where to start if you have never cooked Mexican food
Four steps from easy to ambitious. Each one teaches you something the bigger recipes rely on.
- Start with a salsa. Salsa verde takes 20 minutes and guacamole 15. You learn to control heat with fresh serrano or jalapeño, and you will use both with almost everything else.
- Then a weeknight braise. Chicken tinga is ready in an hour and covers tostadas, tacos and tortas for three days. Chicken in salsa verde is just as forgiving and tastes better reheated.
- A weekend breakfast. Chilaquiles verdes take 45 minutes, or 15 if the salsa and chips are made the day before, and huevos rancheros about half an hour.
- When you are ready for a project. Carnitas tacos need about 50 minutes of hands-on work and no chile at all, and pozole rojo is the easiest party dish to split over two days. Save mole poblano for a free weekend.
Moles and celebration dishes
These are the dishes for weddings, baptisms and big family days, and most of them are spread over two days. Mole poblano, made with dried chiles, spices and chocolate, is the best known; Oaxaca's mole negro is darker, bitter and sweet at once, and mole verde, made with pumpkin seeds and fresh herbs, is the quickest of the three. Chiles en nogada from Puebla, stuffed poblanos under a cold walnut sauce and pomegranate, are the September dish around Independence Day.
Cochinita pibil from the Yucatán is not spicy at all: the pork marinates 12 hours in achiote and sour orange and roasts in banana leaves, and the habanero goes on the side in pickled red onion. Beef birria from western Mexico can be made entirely the day before and leaves you consommé and red fat for quesabirria. If you like it, beef barbacoa is the home version of the pit-cooked barbacoa of central Mexico, steamed over its own broth.
LunchMole Poblano from Scratch, with Turkey or Chicken
Mole poblano from scratch with ancho, mulato, pasilla and chipotle chiles toasted 15 seconds a side so they never turn bitter, 160 minutes for 8. Two-day holiday plan, turkey or chicken, jarred paste vs homemade, allergens and freezing.
LunchOaxacan Mole Negro from Scratch, Black Mole in Two Days
Oaxacan mole negro from scratch with chilhuacle, mulato and pasilla chiles toasted 8 to 12 minutes per batch and chile seeds charred black. Avocado leaves, plantain and chocolate, 240 minutes for 8 over two days, and the paste freezes.
LunchChiles en Nogada, Puebla's Stuffed Poblanos in Walnut Sauce
Chiles en nogada are Puebla's poblanos stuffed with a meat and fruit picadillo under a white walnut sauce and pomegranate, 6 servings in 120 minutes. How to peel walnuts so the sauce isn't bitter, dried-walnut swaps, a two-day plan, costs.
LunchCochinita Pibil Recipe, Yucatán Achiote Pulled Pork
This cochinita pibil recipe marinates pork shoulder 12 hours in achiote and sour orange, then bakes it in banana leaves at 325°F (160°C) until it shreds. Serves 8 with 75 minutes of work, a 20-person plan, Instant Pot timing and swaps.
LunchBirria Recipe with Beef, Consommé and Quesabirria Tacos
Beef birria braised in a guajillo, ancho and morita adobo with shank and short ribs, ready in 260 minutes (65 hands-on) for 8. Consommé, the red fat for crisp birria tacos, Instant Pot and slow cooker times, US and UK swaps.
Tacos
A Mexican taco is a small corn tortilla, doubled if the filling is juicy, topped with onion, cilantro, lime and salsa, not a hard shell with lettuce and shredded cheese. Tacos al pastor work at home without a vertical spit if the pork marinates overnight. Carnitas and suadero have no chile in the meat, which makes them the safest choice for kids; everyone adds heat with salsa.
Baja-style fish tacos are the fastest at 45 minutes, but fry them last, because the batter only stays crisp for about 10. Quesabirria is what you make with leftover birria, and carne asada is the northern cookout, where it comes with flour tortillas. For taquería flavor, make corn tortillas yourself: with masa harina such as Maseca you get 24 in an hour.
DinnerTacos al Pastor Recipe at Home, No Spit Needed
This tacos al pastor recipe skips the spit: pork shoulder marinated 12 hours in guajillo, ancho, achiote and pineapple, then seared hard in cast iron. It takes 70 minutes of work for 18 tacos, with a 20-person party plan and US/UK swaps.
LunchCarnitas Tacos at Home, Crispy Pork With Less Lard
Carnitas tacos made with pork shoulder simmered in water and orange juice until it fries in its own fat, with just 50 g (¼ cup) of lard. Ready in 145 minutes (50 hands-on) for 18 tacos, plus oven and Instant Pot methods and a party plan.
DinnerSuadero Tacos at Home, Beef Confit in Lard Then Crisped
Suadero tacos from Mexico City made at home, with beef poached for 2½ hours in lard and water over the lowest heat, then chopped and crisped. Ready in 200 minutes (50 hands-on) for 18 tacos, with brisket as the easy US and UK stand-in.
DinnerBaja Fish Tacos, Crispy Beer-Battered Fish with White Sauce
Baja fish tacos with white fish in an ice-cold beer batter, fried at 365°F (185°C) until 145°F (63°C) inside, with cabbage and white sauce. 12 tacos for 4 in 45 minutes, best fish by US/UK name, air fryer option and costs.
LunchQuesabirria Tacos, Crispy Cheesy Birria Tacos with Consommé
Quesabirria tacos are corn tortillas swiped through the red fat of a birria pot, filled with Oaxaca cheese and beef, crisped 2 to 3 minutes a side. 12 tacos in 30 minutes, cheese swaps, a plan for 20 and US cost.
LunchCarne Asada Recipe with Skirt Steak and a Citrus Marinade
Carne asada recipe with skirt steak marinated 2 to 8 hours in orange, lime, garlic, chile and cilantro, then grilled hot to 142°F (61°C). Takes 160 minutes (40 hands-on) for 6, with flank swaps, how much to buy for 15 and how to slice it.
SnacksHomemade Corn Tortillas with Masa Harina, Soft, No Cracks
Homemade corn tortillas from 2½ cups (300 g) of masa harina and 1⅔ cups (400 ml) of hot water, pressed to 5 inches and cooked with three flips. Makes 24 in 60 minutes, with the crack test for the dough and how to press them with no press.
Antojitos and street food
Antojitos are the snacks and small plates of market stalls and street carts, and nearly all of them start with corn masa. Griddled quesadillas are the place to start, 12 in half an hour. Sopes and gorditas use the same dough in different shapes: a sope is a thick base with a pinched rim, while a gordita puffs up and is split open to stuff. Flautas are long, crisp fried tacos that need to be eaten right away.
The tlayuda is Oaxaca's giant tortilla spread with pork lard, black beans, string cheese and thin beef, and elotes, corn on the cob with mayo, cheese and chile, are the afternoon street snack. For something heartier, try Guadalajara's tortas ahogadas or tacos de canasta.
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.
DinnerMexican sopes recipe, masa harina bases that don't crack
Mexican sopes are thick masa harina shells with a pinched rim, made with 3 cups of water per 4⅓ cups of flour so they don't crack. 18 sopes in 75 minutes for 6, with make-ahead and freezer steps and US and UK swaps.
SnacksMexican Gorditas Recipe, Masa Pockets with Chicharrón
Mexican gorditas are thick corn masa cakes cooked on a dry griddle, split into a pocket and stuffed, 12 in 55 minutes. The masa harina to water ratio, why they puff, how to split them, US and UK swaps, fillings and a party plan.
DinnerTlayuda Recipe, How to Make Oaxacan Tlayudas at Home
Tlayuda recipe for a homemade 10-inch (26 cm) corn tortilla spread with asiento, black beans, quesillo and steak. Makes 4 in 80 minutes, with oven, skillet and grill methods and swaps for cheese, lard and tortillas you can actually buy.
LunchChicken Flautas, Crispy Rolled Tacos That Stay Shut
Chicken flautas are corn tortillas rolled tight around shredded chicken and fried at 350°F (175°C) for 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Makes 16 in 65 minutes, with US and UK swaps, baked and air fryer versions, a freezer plan 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.
Enchiladas and tamales
In Mexico, enchiladas are corn tortillas dipped briefly in hot oil, filled and covered in sauce, usually without a blanket of melted cheese. Green chicken enchiladas are the everyday home version with medium heat; enchiladas suizas add cream to the sauce and are baked, so they suit people who avoid spicy food and go to the table in the baking dish.
Tamales are masa whipped with lard, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. They take work, but making 24 is barely more effort than 12, and cooked tamales freeze for 3 to 4 months. Green chicken tamales and vegetarian rajas con queso tamales are the two classics to learn first.
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.
LunchEnchiladas Suizas, Creamy Baked Swiss Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas suizas are Mexico's creamy green chicken enchiladas, baked under Monterey Jack or Chihuahua cheese at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. 1 cup crema per 1½ lb tomatillos, 4 servings in 65 minutes, scaled to 12.
LunchGreen Chicken Tamales (Tamales Verdes) for a Tamalada
Green chicken tamales with tomatillo salsa and masa whipped with lard until a pinch floats in ice water, 24 tamales in 3 hours, 90 minutes hands-on. Masa harina swap, steaming without a tamalera, a party plan for 40 and freezing.
LunchRajas con Queso Tamales, Cheese and Poblano Pepper Tamales
Rajas con queso tamales with charred poblano strips, tomato and melting Oaxaca cheese in masa whipped until it floats. 24 tamales in about 3 hours. Easy vegetarian swap, Monterey Jack option, steaming without a tamalera and freezing.
Soups, stews and pozole
Pozole rojo is the big-pot party dish: pork, hominy and guajillo broth, served with radish, cabbage or lettuce, oregano and lime. Pozole blanco has no chile in the broth and is the most common version in central Mexico, while Guerrero also makes a green pozole with pumpkin seeds. Menudo, made with beef tripe, is the Sunday-morning soup. In the US, hominy comes in cans in the Hispanic aisle.
For everyday meals, Mexican beef soup with vegetables is a full dinner in a bowl, and tortilla soup is barely spicy and popular with kids for its crisp tortilla strips and cheese. Sopa de lima is the Yucatán's spiced chicken soup with a slightly bitter citrus note.
SoupsPozole rojo, Mexican pork and hominy stew for a crowd
Pozole rojo is Mexico's red chile pork and hominy stew, ready in 150 minutes (80 hands-on) for 10 bowls from guajillo and ancho chiles. Canned vs dried hominy, US and UK swaps, scaling to 25, make-ahead plan and freezing.
SoupsPozole Blanco Recipe, White Pork and Hominy Soup for 10
Pozole blanco is Mexico's white pozole, pork and hominy in a clear broth with no chile in the pot, ready in 165 minutes (70 hands-on) for 10 bowls. Canned or dried hominy, US and UK swaps, make-ahead plan, scaling to 20 and freezing.
SoupsMexican Menudo, Red Tripe Soup with Guajillo and Hominy
Mexican menudo is a red tripe soup with honeycomb tripe, beef feet, hominy and guajillo chile, ready in 270 minutes (90 hands-on) for 10 bowls. How to clean tripe, a 50-minute pressure cooker method, US and UK swaps and storage.
SoupsCaldo de Res, Mexican Beef Soup with Shank and Vegetables
Caldo de res is Mexican beef soup, bone-in shank and short ribs simmered 2 hours, then corn, chayote, zucchini and cabbage, for 6 bowls. Which cuts to buy in the US and UK, the vegetable order, Instant Pot timing, cost, freezing.
SoupsMexican Tortilla Soup, Sopa Azteca with Pasilla Chile
Mexican tortilla soup, or sopa azteca, is a tomato and pasilla chile broth poured over crisp corn tortilla strips, ready in 70 minutes for 4. Boxed vs homemade stock, baked strips, US and UK swaps, scaling to 10 and storage.
SoupsSopa de Lima, Yucatán Lime Soup and Which Limes to Use
Sopa de lima is Yucatán's clear chicken soup with allspice, clove, a sweet-pepper sofrito, crisp tortilla strips and sour lima juice. Ready in 90 minutes for 6, with US and UK lime swaps, when to add the citrus, cost and storage.
Mexican breakfasts
Breakfast in Mexico is savory and nearly always involves eggs, tortillas, salsa and beans. Chilaquiles verdes, fried tortilla chips simmered briefly in salsa and topped with cream and cheese, are the most ordered; huevos rancheros sit on a tortilla under red salsa, and huevos divorciados get one egg in green salsa and one in red, with beans in between.
Huevos motuleños from the Yucatán add black beans, ham, peas and fried plantain and are the most filling. Molletes, toasted rolls with refried beans and melted cheese, are the quick one at about 15 minutes of work. In almost all of them the salsa can be made days ahead.
BreakfastChilaquiles Verdes Recipe, Crisp or Soft by the Minute
Chilaquiles verdes recipe with a reduced tomatillo salsa and homemade chips that stay crisp, ready in 45 minutes for 4 plates. Timing for crisp or soft, baked vs fried chips, UK tomatillo swaps and amounts for 8 to 20.
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 Motuleños Recipe, Yucatán Eggs with Plantain
Huevos motuleños from Yucatán, fried eggs on crisp tortillas with black beans, a charred tomato-habanero sauce with ham and peas, and fried plantain. 45 minutes for 4, with a 10-plate plan, US and UK swaps and cost.
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.
Chicken, pork and beef braises
This is the midday meal of Mexican homes and small family restaurants, served with rice, beans and tortillas, and it nearly always tastes better the next day. Chicken tinga from Puebla, with chipotle, is eaten on tostadas; chicken in salsa verde with potatoes and pork in salsa verde share the same tomatillo and serrano sauce, and the pork doubles as a taco filling. Tomatillos are sold fresh in most US supermarkets; in the UK, look for them canned.
Chile colorado is the beef stew of northern Mexico, in a guajillo and ancho sauce that tastes more of chile than of heat, and chilorio comes from Sinaloa in the northwest. Cheese-stuffed, egg-battered chiles rellenos take the most work, but they can be roasted and stuffed up to 2 days ahead.
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.
LunchChicken in Salsa Verde, Mexican Tomatillo Chicken Stew
Chicken in salsa verde is bone-in chicken and potatoes simmered in tomatillo and serrano sauce, ready in 65 minutes (40 hands-on) for 6. How to keep it from tasting sour, slow cooker and Instant Pot times, UK swaps, scaling and freezing.
LunchPork in Salsa Verde, Mexican Pork Chile Verde with Potatoes
Pork in salsa verde is pork shoulder browned, then simmered 75 minutes and finished in charred tomatillo and serrano sauce, for 6 in 2 hours. Which cut to buy, pressure cooker and slow cooker times, purslane, UK swaps and freezing.
LunchChile Colorado Beef, Mexican Red Chile Stew Recipe
Chile colorado is chunks of beef chuck braised in a smooth sauce of toasted guajillo and ancho chiles, with no beans and no chili powder. Stovetop or Instant Pot, where to buy the chiles in the US and UK, and how to serve it.
LunchChiles Rellenos, Egg-Battered Poblanos in Tomato Broth
Chiles rellenos are roasted poblanos stuffed with melting cheese, dipped in whipped egg batter and fried at 350°F (175°C) until puffed. Ready in 90 minutes for 4, with tomato broth, an oven or air fryer version and Anaheim swaps.
Fish and seafood
On the Pacific coast, seafood is served cold, sharp and spicy. Aguachile from Sinaloa and Nayarit is raw shrimp in lime, serrano and cilantro and is hotter than shrimp ceviche, which you can blanch first for anyone who avoids raw seafood. Mexican shrimp cocktail, in a tomato-based sauce with saltine crackers, is the mildest and the best bet for kids.
For something hot, fish Veracruz style, with tomatoes, olives, capers and pickled yellow chiles, is the Gulf coast classic, and the sauce can be made the night before. Pescado zarandeado from Nayarit is a whole fish split open, rubbed with chile adobo and grilled, and it needs a grill and a fish of about 4 lb (1.8 kg).
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.
SnacksMexican Shrimp Cocktail, Poaching Times and Sauce Ratio
Mexican shrimp cocktail with shrimp poached to the minute for their size and the cooking water stirred into the sauce, ready in 45 minutes for 6 glasses. How it differs from the American version, a 2:4:4:1 sauce ratio and party math.
LunchFish Veracruz Style, Red Snapper with Olives and Capers
Fish Veracruz style is red snapper or any firm white fish poached in a tomato sauce with olives, capers and pickled chiles, ready in 50 minutes for 6. Cook times by thickness, oven or skillet, 145°F (63°C) doneness and a party version.
LunchPescado Zarandeado Recipe, Grilled Butterflied Red Snapper
Pescado zarandeado is a whole red snapper split flat, coated in guajillo chile and mayo, and grilled in a hinged basket to 145°F (63°C). Serves 4 in 90 minutes, with charcoal, gas and oven times, US and UK fish swaps and cost.
Salsas, beans and rice
A Mexican table always has at least one salsa. Tomatillo salsa verde and chile de árbol red taco salsa are the two basics, and both keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Pico de gallo and guacamole are fresh and best eaten the same day; for kids, make the pico with green bell pepper instead of chile.
Mexican red rice and refried beans go with almost any braise, mole or enchilada. If you start from dried beans, cook them first as frijoles de la olla and refry only part of the pot.
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.
SnacksMexican Red Taco Salsa, Taqueria-Style with Chiles de Árbol
Taqueria red salsa made with 12 toasted chiles de árbol, skillet-charred Roma tomatoes and tomatillos, blended and simmered in 30 minutes. Makes about 21 oz (600 g). Heat by chile count, why it turns bitter, US and UK 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.
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.
LunchMexican Rice From Fresh Tomatoes, Fluffy and Never Mushy
Mexican rice the way it is made in Mexico, with fresh tomato blended into the cooking liquid and the grains toasted pale gold first. Serves 4 in 50 minutes, with a rice cooker method, amounts for 12, US and UK swaps and safe storage.
LunchRefried Beans, Mexican Recipe From Scratch or From a Can
Refried beans are Mexican beans cooked once and fried once in lard with their own broth, ready in 2 hours plus an overnight soak for 8 servings. Pinto or black, how loose to make them, better canned beans, vegan swaps and freezing.
Desserts and sweet bread
Pan dulce is an everyday thing in Mexico, eaten with coffee or hot chocolate, and the shell-topped concha is the best-known piece; make the dough the night before and bake them for breakfast. Flan napolitano, made with cream cheese, is the party dessert: about 20 minutes of work and at least 6 hours in the fridge, so it is made the day before.
Other sweets follow the calendar: pan de muerto for the Day of the Dead at the start of November, buñuelos with piloncillo syrup in December and rosca de reyes on January 6. Cajeta, made with goat's milk, is Mexico's dulce de leche and keeps about three weeks in the fridge.
BreakfastConchas Recipe, Mexican Sweet Bread That Keeps Its Topping
Conchas recipe for 12 soft Mexican sweet buns with vanilla and chocolate topping, ready in 205 minutes (45 hands-on) at 350°F (180°C). Gram and cup amounts, the finger test, why the topping cracks, overnight fridge proof and freezing.
DessertsFlan Napolitano, the Mexican Cream Cheese Flan
Flan napolitano is the Mexican cream cheese flan, made with condensed and evaporated milk and baked in a water bath at 325°F (160°C) for 10 slices. Caramel color, the 170-175°F doneness point, why holes form, Instant Pot and make-ahead.
DessertsPan de Muerto Recipe, Mexican Day of the Dead Bread
Pan de muerto recipe with orange blossom water and bones that stay put, 8 buns in 250 minutes (55 hands-on) at 350°F (180°C). Make-ahead dough for November 1, US and UK substitutes, cost, storage and how it differs from rosca.
DessertsMexican Buñuelos Recipe, Crispy with Piloncillo Syrup
Mexican buñuelos are paper-thin wheat discs fried at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 45 seconds a side, 16 in 110 minutes. How to stretch without tearing, why they turn hard or greasy, piloncillo syrup and how many for a party.
DessertsHomemade Cajeta, Mexican Goat Milk Caramel From Scratch
Cajeta recipe with 2 liters (8½ cups) of goat's milk, 2 cups of sugar and ½ teaspoon of baking soda, reduced by two thirds to 65-69 °Brix. 24 servings in 150 minutes, with the cold-plate test and a grainy fix.
Aguas frescas and drinks
Aguas frescas are the drinks of the midday meal. Rice and cinnamon horchata, hibiscus agua de jamaica and tamarind water are the three classics, and all three can be made as a concentrate the day before a party. The michelada, beer with lime, savory sauces and a chile rim, is the one to pour with seafood.
For cold mornings and evenings there is champurrado, a thick drink of masa and chocolate that goes with tamales, and café de olla, coffee brewed with piloncillo and cinnamon.
DrinksMexican Horchata Recipe, Rice and Cinnamon Without the Grit
Mexican horchata made with 200 g (1 cup) of rice, a Ceylon cinnamon stick and an 8-hour fridge soak, for 2 quarts and 20 minutes of work. The exact ratio, how to stop it turning gritty, dairy-free or creamy, a concentrate, party amounts.
DrinksAgua de Jamaica, Hibiscus Water Recipe with Exact Ratios
Agua de jamaica (hibiscus water) made with 30 g of dried flowers per liter, simmered 5 minutes and steeped 10, ready in 30 minutes for 2 liters. Cold brew, party concentrate, sugar-free, storage and where to buy sorrel.
DrinksAgua de Tamarindo (Tamarind Agua Fresca) from Pods or Block
Agua de tamarindo made with 400 g (14 oz) of tamarind pods, simmered 10 minutes, mashed and strained for 2 quarts in 55 minutes. Pods vs block vs concentrate, peeling fast, sugar and calories, make-ahead and party batches.
DrinksMichelada Recipe, Exact Ratios per Glass and for a Pitcher
A michelada is Mexican lager with lime juice, Worcestershire, Maggi and hot sauce in a chili-salt rimmed glass. 1.5 fl oz (45 ml) of base per 12 oz beer, 10 minutes for 4, plus party, Clamato and alcohol-free versions.
DrinksMexican Champurrado, Thick Chocolate Masa Drink for a Crowd
Mexican champurrado is hot chocolate thickened with nixtamalized corn masa and sweetened with piloncillo, the drink served with tamales at posadas. Ready in 35 minutes for 6 mugs, with a 20-mug batch and US and UK swaps.
DrinksCafé de Olla, Mexican Spiced Coffee with Piloncillo
Café de olla is Mexican coffee steeped with piloncillo and Ceylon cinnamon at 60 g per liter, never boiled with the grounds in. Ready in 30 minutes for 6 mugs, with party math for 24, brown sugar swaps and lead-safe clay pots.
More Latin American cooking
To compare, traditional Colombian food is built around arepas, ajiaco and the bandeja paisa, and traditional Venezuelan food around stuffed arepas, pabellón and cachapas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most traditional Mexican food?
There is no single national dish, but mole poblano, tacos, pozole, tamales and chiles en nogada are the ones most tied to Mexico. Day to day, the most typical meal is a corn tortilla with a braise, beans and salsa.
What is the difference between Mexican and Tex-Mex food?
Tex-Mex grew up in Texas and leans on yellow cheese, cumin, wheat flour tortillas, hard taco shells and dishes like chili con carne and nachos. Traditional Mexican food uses more corn masa, dried chile sauces, fresh salsas and crumbly fresh cheeses, and varies a lot by region.
What Mexican food is easy to make for beginners?
Chicken tinga, ready in an hour, quesadillas, green chicken enchiladas, chilaquiles and guacamole. None of them needs anything a large US supermarket does not stock.
Is all Mexican food spicy?
No. Many dishes use dried chiles for flavor and color rather than heat, and the real heat usually comes from the salsa each person adds at the table. Carnitas, cochinita pibil, pozole blanco, tortilla soup and enchiladas suizas are mild or not spicy at all.
What ingredients do I need to cook authentic Mexican food?
Masa harina for tortillas and tamales (arepa flour will not work), dried guajillo and ancho chiles, canned chipotles in adobo, fresh or canned tomatillos, cumin, Mexican oregano and limes. In the US most of these are in the Hispanic aisle; in the UK, Mexican food shops and online stores carry them, and each recipe lists a substitute where one works.
Which Mexican dishes can I make ahead?
Most braises and moles improve overnight: mole, birria, pozole, tinga and chile colorado. Tamales freeze once cooked, salsas keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge and aguas frescas can be made as a concentrate the day before.