Mexican
Sopa de Lima
Classic sopa de lima soup from the Yucatan typically uses chicken, but you can use any white meat, in this case, chachalaca, a chicken cousin.
Mexico has one of the richest, most diverse, and let’s face it, tastiest of all world cuisines. With roots dating to the great civilizations of the Maya, Zapotecs, Aztecs and more, compiling a list of Mexican recipes isn’t easy.
Mexico is home to some of the most treasured foods in the United States, from corn, beans and squash to tomatoes and peppers — everything I like to grow in my garden!
This is a wide selection of Mexican recipes I have developed from a combination of travel, study (in English and Spanish), conversations with an array of Mexican cooks, and more.
Hundreds of Mexican cookbooks are out there, but to name just a few in English, I can recommend Pati Jinich’s Treasures of the Mexican Table, Nopalito by Gonzalo Guzman, and really any of Rick Bayless’ books.
To help you navigate these recipes, here are recipes from some general categories to guide you.
Making your own masa, tortillas and such is a bedrock skill you need to know to really be good at Mexican recipes. Yes, you can buy tortillas and even masa for tamales, but knowing this skill makes you appreciate it more.
These sauces are the soul of central Mexican cuisine. Mexican recipes for mole are usually complex, especially if you are making everything from scratch. If you travel to Mexico and can buy homemade mole pastes at markets, do it! Here are my recipes:
These are the everyday sauces for tacos and other masa-based dishes, yes, including chips. They range from picoso to mild.
There are scores of Mexican recipes for pozole, the signature soup of that country. Basically every region in Mexico has its own version. Some are by color, some by what’s in the pozole. Here are my renditions:
Mexican
Classic sopa de lima soup from the Yucatan typically uses chicken, but you can use any white meat, in this case, chachalaca, a chicken cousin.
Mexican
Pozole is a classic Mexican soup. This is the green version I make with pheasant or wild pig, hominy, tomatillos, green chiles and avocado. Damn good!
Mexican
Chile verde is my go-to Mexican comfort food. Works with many meats, and can be eaten as a stew or on tortillas.
Mexican
Mixiotes are Mexico's version of foods cooked in parchment. It's an ancient, versatile way to cook. Here's a recipe and some tips and tricks to make them at home.
Recipe
Classic venison enchiladas are easy to make, delicious and make for fantastic leftovers. What's more, you have plenty of filling options.
Mexican
Chacales are roasted, dried and cracked corn typically cooked in soups. Also called chichales or chuales, it makes a great meatless soup for Lent.
Mexican
How to make classic Sonoran caldo de queso, a cheese soup with a rich broth, roasted chiles, potatoes and chunks of cheese.
Mexican
A recipe for huitlacoche quesadillas. Huitlacoche, "corn smut," is a mushroom that grows on corn, and is amazing cooked with chile and onion on a tortilla.
Featured
How to make chipotles at home. You need ripe jalapenos, a smoker, and time. They're easy to make, and store well.
Mexican
A mahi mahi ceviche recipe inspired by ceviches I've eaten in Baja California. Dorado ceviche is common there, and often uses fruit like mango or pineapple.
Mexican
How to make a cucumber agua fresca with lime and a touch of salt. This is a great hot-weather drink that also uses up cucumbers if you have too many.
American Recipes
Brisket tacos are a Texas tradition that extends into Northern Mexico. Chopped, smoked brisket on a flour tortilla with all the fixins.