Cinco de Mayo Recipes You Need to Try This Year

Last Updated on May 3, 2024 by Carne Diem

With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, we have some of our favorite Cinco de Mayo Recipes that you need to try this year. There is still time to step up your food game this year and make it the best Cinco de Mayo celebration ever. From guacamole to margaritas these recipes will surely make you the hit of your Mexican fiesta. These Cinco de Mayo recipes are perfect for a neighborhood get together and many are some of our favorite Mexican recipes to make on our grill or smoker.

The Best Tacos you need to make for Cinco de Mayo this year

Yucatan Style Cochinita Pibil

This Dutch oven Cochinita Pibil is the perfect recipe to make on your grill or smoker but turns out great on a stovetop as well. The achiote marinated pork is wrapped in banana leaves and slow cooked until fall apart tender. Use the flavorful Yucatan pork to make Cochinita Pibil tacos, quesadillas, or tortas.

Cast Iron Chicken Fajitas

These Cast Iron Chicken Fajitas are perfectly seasoned with a blend of chili peppers, cumin, warming spices, and a touch of lime. They are super easy to make and easily cooked on your grill or smoker, or on your stovetop. They have been a family favorite for years.

Beer Braised Barbacoa

This tender and juicy Beer Braised Barbacoa is a result of slowly braising the beef in a cast iron Dutch oven with beef broth, chiles, onion, garlic, Mexican spices and beer. It makes the perfect filling for your tacos, burritos, tortas, or just by itself. We used wagyu beef cheeks for our barbacoa, but other cuts of beef work wonderfully as well.

Carne Asada Street Tacos

Carne asada street tacos are the quintessential food truck dish. Tender, juicy steak on a warm tortilla, with salty cotija cheese, and spicy salsa hit all of the right foodie notes. These carne asada tacos make the perfect additional to a Cinco de Mayo inspired taco bar.

Brisket Quesabirria Tacos

These Brisket Quesabirria Tacos are a fusion of two of our favorite foods, brisket and birria style tacos. Tender smoked brisket is simmered in a rich au jus then loaded into corn tortillas with smoked mozzarella before being fried to perfection in beef tallow.

Trompo Al Pastor Tacos on Your Grill

If tacos are the perfect food and al pastor is the best taco, does that make al pastor tacos the world's most perfect culinary creation? You won't get any argument from us. Tender and juicy pork all wrapped up in a warm tortilla with slightly charred pineapple, onions, and hot sauce. Make this classic taqueria style taco at home on your grill or smoker.

Classic Cinco de Mayo side dishes and appetizers

Best Fresh Guacamole

This truly is the Best Fresh Guacamole recipe. Simple to make, but packed with flavor, it has been a favorite in our family for years. The most difficult part is trying to decide if you should make a double batch. Spoiler alert: you will want to make a double batch.

Smoked Taco Dip

Step up your appetizer game with this Smoked Taco Dip. Cook it on your BBQ grill and smoker and become a legend at your next Cinco de Mayo party. This zesty dip makes the perfect appetizer to celebrate the holiday.

Northern Mexican Charro Beans With Hickory Smoked Bacon

These Northern Mexican Charro Beans are the perfect side to your Mexican or Tex-Mex inspired meal. Hickory smoked bacon rounds out these frijoles charros perfectly. Slightly smoky and packed with flavor, they are sure to become a family favorite.

Other Mexican Cuisine for the best Cino de Mayo Celebration

Authentic Mexican Lamb Birria

Birria is a hearty Mexican stew originating in Jalisco. This authentic lamb birria recipe is cooked in a Dutch oven on your grill or smoker, however, the Jalisco style birria can also be made on your stovetop, if desired.

Mexican Migas Skillet

Kick of Cinco de Mayo right with an authentic Mexican breakfast. This migas recipe with scrambled eggs, tortillas, salsa, and cheese is a great way to kick off the Mexican holiday.

Fire Roasted Chile and Beef Enchiladas

These Scratch Fire Roasted Chile and Beef Enchiladas were inspired by one of my favorite chefs, Rick Bayless. His techniques and recipes showcase a love of scratch cooking and demonstrate just how much better using fresh and traditional ingredients can be. They take a few extra steps, but I think you will agree they are worth it.

Mexican Grilled Pollo Asado

This chipotle marinated chicken is some of the best grilled chicken you will ever try. This Mexican Pollo Asado recipe is made with chicken marinated in sour orange, chipotle, achiote and spices, and then grilled until tender and juicy.

Dutch Oven Steak Picado

Juicy strips of steak are browned and stewed with a vibrant sauce of onions, peppers, tomatoes and spices. For Cinco de Mayo, or an easy weekday meal with your family, this Dutch oven steak picado is sure to be a hit.

Best Drinks and Cocktails for celebrating Cino de Mayo

Mango Habanero Margaritas

These Mango Habanero Margaritas are here just in time for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. They are the perfect balance of sweetness and spiciness, and have become one of our favorite versions of this classic drink. Lets face it, it is not Cinco de Mayo without margaritas!

Mezcal Paloma

Mezcal and grapefruit soda combine for a refreshing Mexican cocktail and Mezcal adds a smoky element to the classic Mexican paloma.

Dining out for Cinco de Mayo

The Best Tacos in Kansas City for 2022

More in the mood for dining out? Be sure to check out our definitive list of the absolute best tacos in Kansas City.

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