Americas · Traditional

Mexican cuisine

Vibrant street food, tacos, and earthy, spicy sauces.

Explore recipes Build a Mexican menu Wine pairings

Food history

Why Mexican cuisine is worth exploring

Mexican food tells the story of geography, trade, agriculture and family cooking. The cuisine has been shaped by the ingredients people could grow, preserve, carry and share, as well as by markets, festivals, migration and regional identity.

Why it is famous

Mexican cuisine is famous for dishes that feel strongly connected to place: everyday family recipes, celebration food, regional specialities and ingredients that give the cooking its recognisable character.

Regional food story

Mexican cuisine is not one single style. Treat the country page as a gateway into regional dishes, local ingredients, family recipes and occasion-led cooking.

How to cook it

Flavours, ingredients and menu ideas

Signature ingredients

Look for the ingredients that define Mexican cooking: staple grains or breads, seasonal vegetables, local herbs and spices, regional cheeses or dairy where relevant, preserved foods, seafood or meat traditions, and sweets linked to festivals or family gatherings.

Cooking style

The cooking style ranges from simple home dishes to more elaborate food for celebrations. Good Mexican recipes usually balance staple ingredients with texture, seasoning and a clear sense of occasion.

Build a menu

Build a Mexican menu by choosing a light starter, a signature main and a dessert that shows the country’s baking or sweet traditions. Add wine or drink pairings where the dish has enough richness, spice, acidity or sweetness to make the match useful.

Starters Mains Desserts

Cook by course

Mexican recipes

Start with a starter, choose a main, then finish with a dessert to build a complete country-inspired menu.

Starters

Mexican starters

Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza

Squash blossom quesadillas with cheese and epazote.

starter 1 hr 23 mins

Sopes

Sopes is a traditional Mexican starter upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer regional…

Starter 1 hr 23 mins

Tlacoyos de Frijol

Blue corn masa cakes stuffed with beans and topped with salsa.

starter 1 hr 23 mins

Tostadas de Tinga de Pollo

Crisp tostadas with smoky chipotle chicken.

starter 1 hr 23 mins

Sopa de Lima Yucateca

Yucatán lime soup with chicken, tortilla and citrus.

starter 1 hr 50 mins

Elote Callejero

Charred Mexican street corn with chilli, lime and cheese.

starter 1 hr 55 mins

Esquites

Mexican street corn cups with lime, chilli, cheese and crema.

starter 1 hr 55 mins

Guacamole Tradicional

Classic avocado, lime, chilli and coriander dip prepared in the Mexican style.

starter 1 hr 55 mins

Queso Fundido con Chorizo

Melted cheese with Mexican chorizo, served with tortillas.

starter 1 hr 55 mins

Main courses

Mexican main courses

Aguachile Verde

Lime-cured prawns with green chilli, cucumber and coriander.

main 1 hr 3 mins

Carne Asada

Carne Asada is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer region…

Main 1 hr 16 mins

Fajitas de Res

Fajitas de Res is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer reg…

Main 1 hr 16 mins

Chilaquiles Verdes

Tortilla chips simmered in salsa verde with toppings.

main 1 hr 23 mins

Enchiladas Verdes

Chicken enchiladas with tomatillo salsa verde.

main 1 hr 23 mins

Enmoladas

Tortillas folded in mole sauce with chicken or cheese.

main 1 hr 23 mins

Gorditas de Chicharrón

Gorditas de Chicharrón is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a cle…

Main 1 hr 23 mins

Huaraches

Huaraches is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer regional…

Main 1 hr 23 mins

Huevos Rancheros

Ranch-style eggs with salsa, tortillas and beans.

main 1 hr 23 mins

Tacos al Pastor

Marinated pork tacos with pineapple, onion and coriander.

main 1 hr 23 mins

Tacos de Canasta

Tacos de Canasta is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer r…

Main 1 hr 23 mins

Tlayudas

Tlayudas is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer regional…

Main 1 hr 23 mins

Caldo Tlalpeño

Chicken, chickpea and chipotle soup from Mexico City.

main 1 hr 50 mins

Pozole Rojo

Red hominy and pork stew with fresh garnishes.

main 1 hr 50 mins

Albóndigas en Chipotle

Mexican meatballs in smoky chipotle tomato sauce.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Birria de Res

Chilli-braised beef birria with consommé.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Camarones a la Diabla

Prawns in fiery red chilli sauce.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Carnitas Michoacanas

Michoacán-style slow-cooked pork carnitas.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Chile Colorado

Beef simmered in a deep red chilli sauce.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Chile Verde con Cerdo

Pork in green tomatillo and chilli sauce.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Chiles en Nogada

Poblano chillies stuffed with picadillo and walnut sauce.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Chilorio

Chilorio is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer regional…

Main 1 hr 55 mins

Mole Poblano con Pollo

Chicken in Puebla’s complex chilli, spice, seed and chocolate mole.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Nopales con Huevo

Cactus paddles scrambled with eggs, onion and chilli.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Pescado a la Veracruzana

Veracruz-style fish with tomato, olives and capers.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Picadillo Mexicano

Mexican minced beef with potato, tomato and vegetables.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Pollo en Mole Verde

Pollo en Mole Verde is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a cleare…

Main 1 hr 55 mins

Tinga de Pollo

Shredded chicken in tomato and chipotle sauce.

main 1 hr 55 mins

Barbacoa de Borrego

Slow-cooked lamb barbacoa with consomé.

main 3 hr 30 mins

Cochinita Pibil

Yucatán achiote pork slow-cooked with sour orange.

main 3 hr 30 mins

Mixiotes de Cordero

Lamb parcels marinated in chilli and spices, slow-cooked until tender.

main 3 hr 30 mins

Tamales de Rajas

Tamales de Rajas is a traditional Mexican main upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer r…

Main 3 hr 30 mins

Tamales Rojos de Cerdo

Corn masa tamales filled with red chilli pork.

main 3 hr 30 mins

Desserts

Mexican desserts

Buñuelos Mexicanos

Crisp Mexican fritters with cinnamon sugar.

dessert 1 hr 35 mins

Arroz con Leche Mexicano

Mexican cinnamon rice pudding.

dessert 1 hr 45 mins

Capirotada

Mexican bread pudding with syrup, fruit and nuts.

dessert 1 hr 45 mins

Chongos Zamoranos

Michoacán milk curds in cinnamon syrup.

dessert 1 hr 45 mins

Pastel de Elote

Pastel de Elote is a traditional Mexican dessert upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer…

Dessert 1 hr 45 mins

Pastel de Tres Leches

Mexican-style three milk sponge cake.

dessert 1 hr 45 mins

Pan de Muerto

Pan de Muerto is a traditional Mexican dessert upgraded with measured metric ingredients and a clearer r…

Dessert 2 hr 35 mins

Flan Napolitano

Creamy Mexican caramel custard.

dessert 5 hr 13 mins

Jericalla

Guadalajara-style baked custard.

dessert 5 hr 13 mins

Wine and drink pairings

What to drink with Mexican food

When pairing wine with Mexican food, match the structure of the dish first: fresh whites for seafood and herbs, medium reds for tomato, spice or roast meat, sparkling wines for fried or salty starters, and sweet or fortified wines for desserts.

Red

Grenache / Garnacha

Warm, generous red with strawberry, red plum, herbs and soft tannin. Great with roast vegetables, lamb, paprika, herbs…

Grape: Grenache, Garnacha, Cannonau Region: Rhône, Priorat, Navarra, Sardinia

Red

Malbec

Plush, dark red with blackberry, plum, cocoa and smooth tannins. Excellent with beef, charred meat, pies and smoky dish…

Grape: Malbec Region: Mendoza, Cahors

Red

Merlot

Plush red with plum, cherry and soft tannins. Works with cottage pies, roast poultry, meat sauces and mellow beef dishe…

Grape: Merlot Region: Bordeaux, Chile, California, Friuli

Red

Rioja / Tempranillo

Spanish red with red fruit, vanilla, leather and spice. Good with garlic chicken, lamb, roast meat, paprika and grilled…

Grape: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano Region: Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra

Red

Syrah / Shiraz

Peppery, dark-fruited red with savoury spice and medium-to-firm tannins. Great with grilled meat, pepper, smoke, sausag…

Grape: Syrah, Shiraz Region: Northern Rhône, Barossa, South Africa

Red

Zinfandel / Primitivo

Ripe, spicy red with blackberry jam, pepper and warm spice. Works with barbecue, sausages, tomato-rich meat dishes and…

Grape: Zinfandel, Primitivo Region: California, Puglia

White

Albariño / Vinho Verde

Fresh coastal white wine with citrus, peach, sea-spray minerality and bright acidity. Excellent with seafood, salt cod…

Grape: Albariño, Alvarinho, Loureiro, Arinto Region: Rías Baixas, Minho, Vinho Verde

White

Chenin Blanc

Versatile white with apple, quince, honey and bright acidity. Works with pork, poultry, pastry, creamy dishes and sweet…

Grape: Chenin Blanc Region: Loire, Stellenbosch