Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Cinco de Mayo recipes coming at you! It’s only every few years that Cinco de Mayo falls on Taco Tuesday! So let’s taco bout how you can celebrate with some easy Cinco de Mayo recipes that are sure to get you fired-up!

These Cinco de Mayo recipes will knock your socks off! I promise there is something for everyone. 

The response to my Mother’s Day round-up post was so overwhelmingly positive. Thank you so much! I truly love to connect with you, my readers, and hear what’s going on in your life, whether it is about the monotony of everyday living or special occasions and holidays. Thank you for including me in your lives. ♡

I’ve received lots of messages about doing so more round-ups and I’ve got a few more to share with you soon, starting with this one!

How do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

We love going all out with our friends to make some fun memories with each other and for our kids. We gather together mostly to eat (cause Mexican food is delicious), but also so our kids — and us — can play!

While the adults play games and socialize, all the kids run around outside or color kid-friendly Cinco de Mayo coloring pages like these. Playing Coco in the background is a must. (P.S. if you haven’t seen Coco, you absolutely must!)

One year, the kids made homemade maracas. It was the cutest Cinco de Mayo craft I’ve seen. To top it off, some of the dads sang songs in Spanish while the kids shook their maracas! Best night ever!

Typically we have the table and counters decorated with an easy mexican centerpiece to accent our large potluck of Mexican inspired foods. I’m always surprised when we don’t have duplicates.

And so without further ado, here are some of our favorite, easy Cinco de Mayo recipes.

Cinco de Mayo Recipes: Sides 

Set the tone with easy and delicious sides!

Loaded Guacamole — It would be criminal NOT to serve guacamole at a Cinco de Mayo party! This is not your classic recipe, but really is the best.

Grilled Mexican Street Corn — This easy, yet flavorful side will pack a punch! Make sure you prepare extra corn for those who want more.

Mexican Quinoa Salad with Chile Vinaigrette — The perfect salad that combines great nutrition with flavor! Your kids will even love this salad.

Mexican “Rice” with a Chile Lime Vinaigrette — The perfect low carb side with some spice and zest. Perfect for layering in burritos and taco bowls.

 

Cinco De Mayo Recipes: Main Dishes 

Hearty, mouthwatering meals that will keep your guests returning for seconds or thirds!

Easy Pork Carnitas — Tender, citrusy pork carnitas are a must for Cinco de Mayo and any Taco Tuesday!

Instant Pot Shredded Beef Nachos — Let the Instant Pot save you some time to help create this delicious nacho recipe! Top your tortilla chips with the cooked shredded beef and your favorite toppings, then you’re good to go!

Carne Asada Tacos — You’ll feel like you’re walking the streets in Mexico when you eat these street tacos!

Mexican Haystacks — It really doesn’t get any easier than this recipe! Hot rice topped with homemade cream of chicken soup and every taco topping imaginable.

Chicken Taquitos — My favorite chicken taquito recipe that’s filled with a creamy chicken filling and is crispy on the outside. (It’s sturdy enough to eat with one hand, so that means less dishes!)

Cauliflower Taco Meat — Looking for a healthy, vegetarian taco? Use this recipe for when you’re wanting to try something new or are looking for a low carb taco. Your family and friends will be impressed with the flavor!

Cinco De Mayo Recipes: Drinks & Desserts

Start and end the Cinco de Mayo feast with one (or more) of these sweet treats!

Horchata — Best when prepared a day or two in advance, this is a classic Mexican drink and one of my absolute favorites!

Watermelon Agua Fresca — I love this light, bubbling watermelon drink. It also happens to be a favorite of my kids.

Coco Themed Cake — This is a cake I made for my son’s themed birthday a while back. It is so perfect for Cinco de Mayo; I just love the bright colors on the skull!

Tres Leches Cake — Such a classic Mexican dessert, and for good reason! Moist cake soaked in three sweet milks? I can’t think of any better way to end Cinco de Mayo than with a slice of tres leches.

Cinco de Mayo Chocolate Chip Tacos — I think I’m in love with a new kind of taco! Super cute, super easy to make, and a perfect recipe to get the kids moving in the kitchen.

Churro Cake — One of my favorite desserts in a cake! Eek!! Courtney, of Cake by Courtney, nailed the flavors by creating a cinnamon sugar swirl cake, layered with a cinnamon sugar buttercream and covered in a cinnamon chip ganache.

If you’ve tried any of these recipes, then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how it worked for you in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

Meg