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    Home » Most Recent

    Holiday Crowd Pleasers -- 12 Easy Mexican Recipes

    December 17, 2021 By Patrick 2 Comments

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    Need some munchers for your holiday gatherings?
     
    These are the best options for the middle of the appetizer table -- just plop 'em down and your friends and family will be smiling until the last bite. 
     
    And feel free to double or triple these recipes if you need a big batch for larger groups.  Or even if you just want leftovers for yourself 🙂
     
    Click the recipe name and it will take you to a page on this site where you can print out the instructions. 
     

    Chipotle Cheese Bean Dip

    This dish is always the center of attention, no exceptions.  A cheesy, chipotle-infused concoction that will have all the happy faces asking the creator (you) for the recipe.  
     
    Serve up this Chipotle and Cheese Bean Dip straight from the oven and you'll make some friends for life! Don't forget to add some salsa or roasted tomatoes, it makes a huge difference. So good! mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa

    By now you've probably heard me rave about this one.  Most Salsas on the site will use either tomatoes or tomatillos as the base, but when you use both you get something completely unique, and delicious!  It does quite well next to a bag of chips, but you can use it on just about any dish that calls for Salsa.   
     
    This is a delicious Salsa to add to your repertoire! It uses both tomatoes and tomatillos to create a completely unique flavor. Yum!! mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Black Bean Nachos

    Nachos!  Even though these Nachos are topped with all sorts of goodies, it’s the chipotle-infused black beans that turn them into a keeper for me.   Expert Nacho advice:  I usually make multiple single layer batches so they stay crispy — the double or triple layer batches will turn into a soggy mess before you can finish eating them.
     
    It's tough to beat the combo of warm tortilla chips, melted cheese, and spicy black beans. In other words, NACHOS!! These beans have some kick built into them from chipotles in adobo and they are beyond delicious. mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Spicy Queso Dip

    And who doesn’t love Queso Dip?!  Flavor your Queso with a tomato-chipotle mixture and it will attract a crowd of ravenous peeps who will keep asking for more, so consider yourself warned!
     
    Such an easy Queso recipe! Tons of flavor from the smoky, fiery chipotles but you can always dial back on them for a milder version. mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Masa Harina Cornbread

    It's tough to beat fresh cornbread right out of the oven!   Traditional versions use cornmeal as the base, but using Masa Harina will give you a massive bump in flavor and make it more “corny”. 
     
    I used Masa Harina instead of cornmeal in this batch of cornbread and it was delicious! I also used chipotles in adobo for some kick 🙂 mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Easy Guacamole

    This recipe proves how good Guacamole can be when using onion, lime, salt, and avocado in balanced proportions.  It’s also willing to accommodate any other fixings that are a necessity for your beloved Guac — jalapeno, cilantro, tomatoes -- but I'd say 95% of the time I make Guac I reach for this simple, satisfying recipe. 
     
    We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Pinto Bean Soup

    Wait, soup?!  Don’t rule it out for the appetizer table as this Pinto Bean Soup is remarkably easy to make and I come back to it on a regular basis.  You can easily turn it into a meal by serving it with some crispy, cheesy corn tortillas.   Or with some cornbread 🙂
     
    Sopa Tarasca is one of Mexico's most popular soups -- a delightfully satiating pinto bean soup that will keep you coming back for more. So good! mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Spicy Beef and Cheese Empanadas

    Okay, of all the recipes in the list these Empanadas take the most work because we are building the the pastry dough from scratch.  But when they're fresh out of the oven they are absolutely delicious.  Warm, crispy, flaky -- yum!  I used a spicy ground beef mixture for this batch but you can get creative with the filling.
     
    Flaky, tender dough make these empanadas a recipe worth repeating. We're using a delicious spicy beef mixture to kick them up a notch. So good! mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Avocado Salsa Verde

    This is another kitchen staple for me when cooking for big groups.  It's perfect for the appetizer table but it also works great on tacos and burritos.  All you’re doing here is blending an avocado with some authentic Salsa Verde, but the result is something otherworldly.  Super easy to make too!
     
    Leftover tinga? Make Tingadillas! Cheesy Chicken Tinga Quesadillas with Green Sauce | mexicanplease.com
     

    Beef Taquitos

    Baking your taquitos is a great alternative to deep-frying them as you can get quite close to the awesomeness of fried taquitos without all the grease -- 15-20 minutes in the oven does the job quite well.   I used a chipotle-infused ground beef for this batch but feel free to improvise on the filling. 
     
    It's such a treat to remember you've got some of these Spicy Beef Taquitos in the fridge/freezer for a quick meal! I dipped this batch in some Salsa de Aguacate and they were delicious! mexicanplease.com
     
     

    Red Pozole

    This is an easy recipe for a soul-warming batch of Pozole Rojo, one of the heartiest, most satisfying dishes in all of Mexican cuisine.  I used pork for this batch, but the base flavor will work equally well with chicken or veggies.
     
    Adding spices to the Pozole before simmering
     
     

    Beef Birria

    And last, I want to mention this Beef Birria as a unique option for your holiday get-togethers.  This one is more of a meal, but it's quite flexible too and it could give your friends and family all sorts of munching opportunities.  It has tremendous flavor and I come back to it regularly. 
     
    Beef Birria tacos 
     
    Okay I hope these recipes make for some happy faces over your holiday season.  Enjoy!
     
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shannon Young

      April 19, 2022 at 1:55 am

      Awesome site, fantastic recipes. I love Mexican food, it has always fascinated me, the complex flavors and diverse ingredients used. I'm going to try some of your recipe ideas. Thanks for the info.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        April 22, 2022 at 12:45 pm

        Thanks Shannon, I hope you find plenty of keepers! Cheers.

        Reply

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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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