No Cinco de Mayo holiday party would be complete without some classic Mexican dishes. If you’re looking for some inspiration for food you could serve at your family celebrations, then you’ve come to the right place. Below are 25 of the best Mexican party foods that you could serve at your Cinco de Mayo party events.
1. Churros
At a celebration of Mexican culture, a good dessert is sure to make anyone happy. Churros are warm Mexican doughnuts dusted with cinnamon and sugar. K. Pacho serves Churr’o’s with cajeta and house-made chocolate dipping sauces for an experience you won’t forget!
2. Elote
Grilled corn is always a crowd favorite, but sometimes you’ve got to take things a step further. One dish, commonly referred to as “street corn” or Elote, involves coating grilled corn in mayo, cheese, and chili powder. Some even incorporate cotija cheese. You can then top them with anything you like, from cilantro and sour cream to lime or even garlic.
3. Beans and Rice
Black beans and rice is one of the most common Mexican side dishes out there and with good reason. Black beans and rice are not only good together, but they’re filling, low in fat, and rich in complex carbohydrates. One of the best parts is that they’re relatively easy to make as well.
4. Guacamole & Chips
Guacamole is yet another classic Mexican party dish. In fact, no list of side dish recommendations would be complete without it. There are hundreds of recipes on the internet, but they can easily be tweaked to adapt to whatever your personal preferences are.
5. Taquitos
The word, “Taquito” means small taco. In Mexico, fried Taquitos are commonly sold under the name of Tacos Dorados (“Golden Tacos”) or Flautas. Flauta means flute and refers to the small, rounded shape of many taquitos. The best Taquitos are made with chicken and feature a crispy tortilla wrapped around delicious melted cheeses and salsas.
6. Nachos
What could be better on Cinco de Mayo than nachos? Nachos are a great way to share a time of celebration with friends and family. They are also delicious. We start with warm toasted corn tortilla chips, top them with cheddar and jack cheeses, and then liven things up with jalapeno chilli, pico, and sour cream. A truly delicious starter. On the other hand, you could also add chicken and make them an entree!
7. Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Often served in a still-sizzling skillet, these chicken fajitas pack a punch of flavor. Marinated chicken with peppers, onions, and any other choice of vegetables may be a bit more work than some of the other dishes on this list, but it’s totally worth it.
8. Crispy Shrimp Tacos
Those who truly want to get into the spirit of Cinco de Mayo should indulge in truly authentic Mexican cuisine. One of the best ways to do that is to eat Tacos de Camarones (“shrimp tacos”). Shrimp tacos originated in Baja California in Mexico and have been enjoyed by people all over the world. Our signature Crispy Shrimp taco features fried shrimp, mango jicama salsa, creamy slaw, and chipotle aioli for an explosion of delicious flavors.
9. Queso Fundito
One of the best Mexican party dishes around is Queso Fundito. Queso Fundito is often compared to cheese fondue and features a plate of backed chihuahua cheese mixed with onions peppers, cilantro, and beef over a warm corn tortilla. The result is a dip that you and your friends won’t be able to resist.
10. Cheese Quesadillas
Quesadillas are a delicious way to feed your Cinco de Mayo party. A truly crispy tortilla sandwich with warm, melted cheeses, pico de gallo, and sour cream. You can also add meat (chicken or steak) to make this an even more satisfying dish.
11. Mango Salad
You may have tried the exquisite fresh spring flavors of a mango salsa, but have you ever had a mango salad? A Mexican mango salad starts with the best ingredients: arugula, fresh mangos, jicama, red peppers, radishes, and cucumbers. Then, over the top of it all is drizzled a rich cilantro lime vinaigrette.
12. Mexi Wings
Wings might be thought of as an American dish, but their Mexican counterpart makes a great option for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Wings covered in sweet chili sauce and served with a hot’n’spicy jalapeno ranch dressing make a delicious appetizer or entree!
13. Carne Asada
Carne asada is a hit on the grill. At face value, it’s just thinly chopped, grilled steak. However, depending on how you serve it, it can be so much more. When seasoned and cooked with care, carne asada can be a delicacy all on its own, or it can be made into tacos for a next-level meal.
14. Burritos
Burritos, whether wrapped in tortillas or served in a bowl make excellent main dishes for any Mexican-themed party. Here at K.Pacho, our burritos are mad with rice, beans, lettuce, pico, & sour cream. For your main filling, we provide the options of chicken, steak, and shrimp.
15. Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro lime rice is a fairly self-explanatory dish. As the name suggests, it consists of rice cooked in cilantro and lime juice. Although it’s rarely a stand-alone meal, there are very few dishes that cilantro lime rice doesn’t pair well with.
16. Veggie Tacos
Another kind of taco which would be highly popular for a Cinco de Mayo party is a veggie taco. Our veggie tacos feature roasted broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, spiced pepitas, and pepper jack cheese.
17. Pico de Gallo
Pico de Gallo is a simplistic type of salsa with tomato, chopped onion, serrano peppers, cilantro, lime, and salt. It’s a low-effort and low-calorie way to add a bit of freshness and flavor to your meal.
18. Loaded Birria Fries
Everyone loves fries. Loaded Birria Fries are a Mexican twist on this beloved potato-based dish. It all starts with a base of warm, crunchy fries. This is then topped with pulled braised beef, melted cheese, jalapeno, and sour cream.
19. Baja Fish Taco
One of the great things about Mexican food is its variety. Baja Fish tacos are deep-fried tacos featuring coleslaw, avocado citrus crema, scallions, radish, and cilantro for a fresh, flavorful experience. Be sure to make this taco a part of your Cinco de Mayo experience.
20. Abuelita
No Mexican party would be complete without a salad. Abuelita is a Mexican salad made with chopped romaine, pico de gallo, roasted corn, bacon, and shredded cheddar. The salad is then topped with crispy tortilla strips and a rich avocado ranch dressing.
21. Coconut Tres Leches
Tres leches roughly translate to three kinds of milk and is the name for a dish which is made using a cake soaked in three flavored milks. At K.Pacho, we provide a coconut-flavored Tres Leche that is perfect for your Cinco de Mayo dessert. Our Tres Leches is topped with coconut and whipped cream.
22. Fried Ice Cream
Fried ice cream is a classic Mexican dessert and consists of vanilla ice cream deep-fried in oatmeal and cornflake flour. It is then topped with rum cream, whipped cream, and mint for a truly delectable experience.
23. Mexican Coffee
No Mexican-themed celebration would be complete without drinks. Coffee did not arrive to Mexico until the late 1700s. Since then, it has been a favorite. Mexican coffee starts with fresh hot coffee and then adds tequila and kahula for a delightful addition to your dessert.
24. Sweet Fried Plantains
Fried plantains are one of the easiest Mexican sweet dishes to make. All you have to do is take some ripe plantains, drop them in a pan of hot oil, and fry them until they’re a nice golden brown color. This causes their natural sugars to emerge, giving them that easily-recognizable flavor.
25. Tacos Al Pastor
“Al pastor” refers to “shepherd style” tacos that are made of steak seasoned with adobo. K.Pacho’s al pastor taco features grilled pineapple, diced onion, cilantro avocado crema.
Whatever dishes you decide to serve at your holiday parties, KPacho is here to meet all of your catering needs. No Cinco de Mayo parties would be complete without food, and getting catering for your favorite dishes means you don’t have to spend any time slaving away in the kitchen and missing out on the fun.