Hey friends! If your weeknights look anything like mine—busy, hungry, and in serious need of a little flavor—then you’re going to love this collection of quick Mexican recipes.
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Whether you’re planning a last-minute Mexican night or just need a dinner that gets rave reviews from even the pickiest eater, I’ve got you covered with delicious recipes that use minimal ingredients, come together fast, and make the whole family happy.
I’m so excited to share that my new Easy Weeknight Mexican Dinner ebook is now the star of our welcome series! If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, sign up and get tons of mileage out of crowd-pleasing meals like grilled fish tacos, cucumber salad, and agua de jamaica. These are the real deal—family favorite dinners you’ll want to make again and again.
What makes these recipes perfect for busy nights? They use main ingredients you likely have on hand—think corn tortillas, black beans, beef, and peppers. Plus, you can whip up a cilantro lime rice or refried beans in a large skillet while your protein cooks. Top it all with pico de gallo, a little sour cream, and a squeeze of lime juice for that bright, fresh finish.
If you’re looking for a complete meal that’s ready in a flash, try mushroom carnitas tacos with avocado salsa verde or huevos rancheros for breakfast-for-dinner vibes. Got leftover carne asada? Make sopes and serve with tortilla chips and homemade or store-bought salsa.
Meal planning for special occasions? Don’t miss Mexican street corn soup, squash and black bean enchiladas, or Mexican chicken marinade. Store leftovers in airtight containers for the next day—these recipes are just as tasty reheated!
Ready to make dinner the best part of your day? Check out the ebook and let’s get cooking!
FAQs
Doctoring up a can of beans with onions, chiles, garlic, and spices is the easiest and tastiest Mexican side dish. Check out my quick black beans for the recipe.
Quick Mexican Recipes
1. Authentic Chicken Apple Quesadillas
You’ll be amazed at what a little spiced chicken and juicy apples can do for a chicken quesadilla. This is an easy 25 minute recipe!
2. Chicken Tinga Tacos
These Chicken Tinga Tacos are perfect for busy weeknights—healthy, easy, and ready in under 30 minutes! Serve as tacos with sliced avocado and scallions or over rice with a side of black beans.
3. New Potato and Chard Tacos
There’s something magical about a taco recipe that’s simple, comforting, and packed with flavor. Bonus points that they take 40 minutes from start to finish. These new potato and chard tacos are all that and more.
4. Healthy Mexican Tuna Salad
When it comes to quick, healthy, and flavor-packed meals, this Mexican tuna salad recipe is a game-changer. Unlike the traditional ensalada de atún you might be familiar with—creamy from mayonnaise and often dotted with corn—this version is light, zesty, bursting with the bold flavors, and ready in 15 minutes.
5. Instant Pot Pozole Verde
Yes, this recipe takes 1 hour, but for pozole that’s pretty quick! Use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken or if it is after Thanksgiving, leftover turkey.
6. Spicy Shrimp Aguachile Rojo
This 20 minute Aguachile Rojo recipe is a vibrant, refreshing seafood dish made with raw shrimp, tangy lime juice, fiery chilies, and crisp vegetables.
7. Sopa de Requesón
I promise, you’ve never had cheese soup like this before. This simple method (which takes about 35 minutes) produces the most light and silky sopa de requesón with very little hands-on work! A spoonful of sautéed onions, potatoes, and zucchini go in the bottom of every bowl.
8. 5-Minute Mexican Chicken Marinade
This bold Mexican chicken marinade recipe is bursting with flavor and is incredibly easy to whip up. It makes mouthwatering grilled chicken but is also a great marinade for grilled mushrooms, zucchini, or even tofu. Mix up a batch (it only takes 5 minutes) and keep it in your fridge for when the grilling urge strikes.
9. Squash Blossom Quesadillas
This simple 4-ingredient recipe is a must-make in the summer when squash blossoms are in season. Ready in under 20 minutes.
10. Grilled Chicken Fajitas
If I tried to describe this chicken fajita marinade I might say it is “amazing” “delicious” and “super fresh” It also happen to be healthy {it’s gluten-free, low in saturated fat, and paleo!} Not to mention the fact that you’ll have juicy chicken fajitas on your table in 40 minutes.
11. Mole Verde Meatball Sandwich
Mole Verde Meatball Sandwiches are cozy, comfort food of tender pork meatballs simmered in mole verde and tucked inside a fluffy hoagie roll. We use prepared mole verde paste, so this recipe is ready in under an hour.
12. Chicken Salsa Verde Tacos
Shredded Chicken Salsa Verde Tacos are made with simple ingredients and are ready in 30 minutes.
13. Mini Mexican Meatloaves
I adore these miniature meatloaves mainly because they’re so stinkin’ cute but also have the perfect ratio of crusty edges and soft interior. Not to mention they take about half the time to bake as traditional meatloaf, ready in 30 minutes!
14. Cajun Shrimp Tacos
Delectable and spicy these 25-minute cajun shrimp tacos recipe is truly the best! Tender shrimp in a spicy cajun seasoning wrapped in warm tortillas with a tangy slaw and lime crema (aka: killer shrimp taco sauce). A fresh, flavorful dish!
15. Walking Taco Quesadillas
Gussying up everyone’s favorite fair food and stuffing it all inside a delicious chewy-on-the-inside and crunchy-on-the-outside flatbread and all in 25 minutes!
16. Easy Fajita Veggies
This 35-minute fajita veggies recipe comes together with a few simple ingredients, and a few minutes in a screaming hot pan. Serve these flavorful, colorful veggies in burrito bowls with black beans or with your favorite protein.
17. Green Chile Chicken Meatballs
These Green Chili Chicken Meatballs take a little bit longer than the other recipes on this list (1 hour 15 minutes) but do double duty as a healthy dinner served with steamed rice, a rainbow of crunchy vegetables and a sweet and spicy dipping sauce, the leftovers get tucked into lettuce cups for tomorrow’s lunch!
18. Entomatadas
If it’s healthy Mexican cuisine you’re after, try this easy entomatadas recipe. As delicious as enchiladas but in a tomato-based sauce instead of a chile-based sauce. Ready in 1 hour.
19. Easy Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas
Super easy Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas made with your favorite store-bought sauce, black beans, and roasted winter squash. Ready in under an hour.
20. Sopa de Fideo
An authentic Sopa de Fideo recipe, you will be surprised how easy, quick (20 minutes) and delicious this soup is. It’s one of Mexico’s most classic soup recipes made with tomatoes, fideo noodles, garlic, and broth. Loved by kids and adults alike.
21. One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice
Chicken and rice made all in one-pot with tomatoes, spinach, creamy white beans, Crema Mexicana and Oaxaca cheese. Gluten-free! This recipe takes just over an hour but most of that time is waiting for it to bake.
22. Chorizo and Eggs
Learn the secret to making authentic Chorizo and Eggs (chorizo con huevo). This recipe features Mexican chorizo, sautéed onions, garlic, fresh tomatoes and scrambled eggs. Serve this 25-minute recipe with refried beans for dinner or as breakfast tacos.
23. Honey Chipotle Grilled Chicken Pizza
A super fresh and easy grilled pizza recipe with fresh veggies and juicy grilled chicken. Ready in 40 minutes.
24. Ham and Cheese Empanadas
Made with store-bought empanada wrappers and a no-cook filling they take a little over an hour but are way easier than traditional empanadas but just as delicious.
25. Chiles En Nogada Grilled Cheese
This Chiles en Nogada Grilled Cheese recipe takes a complex dish of stuffed peppers and simplifies it into an easy, delicious grilled cheese sandwich. Ready in 30 minutes.
26. Veracruz-Style Hominy
A delicious and simple side dish or 45-minute plant-based main course of plump hominy made a la Veracruzana or Veracruz-style with tomatoes, green chilies, green olives, capers, and parsley.
27. Sheet Pan Flank Steak with Cherry Tomatoes and Shallots
Sheet Pan Flank Steak with melted cherry tomatoes and caramelized shallots. A one-pan wonder that is dripping in a garlic marinade and made for warm tortillas. Ready in less than an hour.
28. Albondigas with Arbol Chile Tomato Sauce
Oven-roasted Albondigas with Árbol Chile Tomato Sauce- an easy main dish, perfect for a quick meal. Tender meatballs made with lots of fresh herbs, ground pork and ground beef in a delicate tomato sauce. Serve with Coconut-Cilantro Rice for a super tasty dinner that’s ready in under an hour.
29. Crispy Pork Milanesa
Tender pork cutlet pounded thin and lightly breaded and fried. A quick dinner, ready in 40 minutes and served with a slice of lemon or lime makes a divine dinner.
30. Summer Squash Tacos
The most delicious vegan tacos recipe made with charred zucchini and summer squash. Top with pico de gallo. Super easy, takes about 20 minutes and is extremely delicious!
31. Sangria Marinated Shrimp Skewers
Grilled Shrimp Skewers in a red wine sangria marinade made with wine, orange liqueur, and citrus. Quick (40 minutes) and easy these marinate while you wait for the grill to heat up— serve with steamed rice and a salad for a healthy dinner!
32. Chicken Avocado Jicama Wraps
Featuring a vibrant chicken salad made with rotisserie chicken, avocado, lime, and jalapeños, there’s so much to love about these jicama wraps. Drizzle with salsa verde-yogurt sauce! Ready in 30 minutes.
33. Tapatio Turkey Burger
The BEST Turkey Burger recipe! This one is anything but boring, seasoned with Tapatio hot sauce, a simple spice blend, and Worcestershire with a little spicy mayo on top to boot. Serve the turkey burger with sweet potato fries and a simple Cilantro-Lime Slaw for an easy 25 minute dinner.
34. Instant Pot Barbacoa
From the Chipotle menu to your own dinner table, this Instant Pot Barbacoa recipe is perfect for a quick but delicious Mexican meal! It takes a little over an hour but most of that time is waiting for the beef to cook.
35. Ensenada Fish Tacos
Crunchy fried Ensenada fish taco recipe seasoned the “Ensenada way” with yellow mustard and Mexican oregano. Stuffed into warm tortillas with hot sauce, chipotle crema, and thinly sliced cabbage. These tacos are saucy, spicy, crispy, and ready in an hour.
36. Chili Lime Chicken Tacos with Fruity Pico de Gallo
Arbol chili powder and lime juice add zing to chicken tacos. This fruity pico de gallo makes a bright, citrusy accompaniment. Ready in 30 minutes!
37. Roasted Squash Tostadas
Roasted winter squash, refried beans, a crunchy slaw, and a sprinkle of cheese all piled on a crunchy corn tortilla. Vegetarian and gluten free! This recipe takes 50 minutes, but most of that time is waiting for the squash to roast.
38. Oaxacan-Style Chicken Picadillo
A 30-Minute recipe that’s super easy with rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, onion, raisins, and almonds. This makes a great stuffing for Chiles Rellenos but is also great with steamed rice for a quick meal.
39. Chicken Chile Verde Torta
Ready in 15 Minutes! All you need is rotisserie chicken, your favorite green salsa, fluffy bolillo rolls and goat cheese. Press in a waffle iron for maximum crispiness.
40. Quick & Easy Chorizo Tacos
This 15 minute Chorizo Tacos recipe is for those nights when you are starving and need to eat—NOW!
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