Cinco de Mayo appetizers Archives

15 Perfect Cinco de Mayo Food Recipes

March 29, 2023 by Kate Ramos 4 Comments

What is Cinco de Mayo food? Any recipe that celebrates the beauty of Mexican flavors! Check out these 15 ideas that are perfect for your Cinco de Mayo party or any celebration.

This post was first published on May 1 2021, and last updated March 29, 2023

A green dish filled with tacos on a rainbow-colored placemat. The tacos are topped with diced red onion and cilantro.

If you could throw an epic Cinco de Mayo party what would it look like?

Mine would be FULL of color—bright fuchsia, deep turquoise, marigold orange. I would have Vincente Fernandez blasting on the stereo and of course there would be a massive bar with every tequila under the sun. At least 20 different margaritas on offer and table after beautifully-set table of glorious Mexican food.

Oh, I can throw an off-the-hook fiesta in my head. In reality however, Cinco de Mayo will be a more mellow affair, with an icy margarita, a few friends… and Vincente Fernandez on the stereo.

We can have some pretty great food though. Here’s 15 of the best Mexican recipes that you can rock this fifth of May or any time you want to celebrate Mexican culture!

More To Explore
25 Must-Try Mexican Appetizers For Cinco de Mayo
11 Delicious Way To Use Tajín
17 Canned Chipotle Pepper Recipes

15 Recipes For Cinco de Mayo Food

1. Pico de Gallo Mexican Salsa

The classic Mexican salsa recipe, Pico de Gallo is the perfect appetizer. It is easy to make and has all the fresh, bright ingredients that bring joy to your everything from nachos to tortilla chips. Looking for another dip? Try my Charred Poblano Guacamole too!

A bowl of pico de Gallo with a spoon sticking out of it sitting on a wood table next to a white napkin and a lime.

2. Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

One of the best Cinco de Mayo recipes because it serves a crowd and universally loved. Shredded chicken wrapped in warm corn tortillas coated in homemade enchilada sauce made with charred tomatillos and garlic. Bake then garnish with crumbled cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.

A baking dish filled with chicken enchiladas topped with sour cream, cheese, thinly sliced white onion, and chopped cilantro.

3. Shredded Beef for Tacos {Carne Deshebrada}

This Mexican Shredded Beef recipe is perfect for tacos, gorditas, burritos, and more! Seasoned with cumin, coriander, and chili powder (or make it spicy with cayenne pepper) it is an absolute crowd-pleaser. With stove top, slow cooker, and Instant Pot instructions included. Gluten-free and super kid-friendly.

Two shredded beef tacos topped with mango salsa on a white plate that is sitting on a wood table.

4. Vegan Refried Beans

This easy refried beans recipe is a delicious addition to any Mexican dinner or Cinco de Mayo celebration. Keep them vegan and top with ripe avocado and a drizzle of olive oil or top with queso, chopped ripe tomatoes and a squeeze of lime juice. Goes great with everything from chicken taquitos to fajitas.

A large white platter of refried beans topped with avocado and drizzle with oil sitting on a marble table topped with cilantro.

5. Chile Relleno Recipe

This Authentic Chile Relleno Recipe takes you step-by-step on how to make this traditional Mexican dish of poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped in egg batter and lightly fried. It is one of our favorite Cinco de Mayo Recipes. Serve with frijoles de olla, a crisp salad, and salsa ranchera—Ugh, so good!

A dish with three chiles rellenos on it sitting in red tomato sauce.

6. The Best Crispy Instant Pot Carnitas

These richly spiced Instant Pot Carnitas are full of flavor and ready in a fraction of the time. Orange zest, cumin, and guajillo chiles make these pork carnitas exceptionally delicious. Finishing them in the Air Fryer (or under the broiler) gives incredibly crisp edges. You are going to love this recipe!

A bowl filled with carnitas topped with sprigs of cilantro sitting on a wood table next to some lime wedges.

7. Huaraches with Sautéed Squash Blossoms

This plant-based Huaraches recipe takes you step-by-step through how to make these heavenly bean-filled masa cakes topped with tomatillo salsa, sautéed squash blossoms, and chipotle aioli. Gluten-free and vegan-adaptable!

A brown plate with a huarache on it sitting next to a bowl of green salsa and a white napkin with a knife on it on a wood table.

8. Pork Pozole Rojo

A classic Red Pozole recipe with pork, hominy, and a broth rich with red chiles. This is Cinco de Mayo food at its best. Top the stew with sliced radishes, dried oregano, and chopped onion. Serve with warm corn tortillas. Dairy-free!

9. Chicken Mole Verde

Chicken Mole Verde –A vibrant green mole made with tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeños, and thickend with pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. Serve with Sofrito Black Beans and Mexican rice for a delicious Mexican dinner. Low-Carb and Keto-Friendly!

10. Mexican Chilaquiles with Scrambled Eggs

A simple recipe for authentic Mexican Chilaquiles Rojos—a flavorful Mexican breakfast (but also great for a casual dinner) with salsa-soaked tortilla chips and scrambled eggs. Top with sour cream, and sliced scallions. Ready in under an hour. Vegan-Adaptable.

11. Authentic Tres Leches Cake

This Authentic Tres Leches Cake Recipe takes you step-by-step on how to make a traditional Mexican cake soaked in three different types of milk and topped with a whipped cream frosting. Sprinkle with cinnamon and raspberries—or both! The ultimate Cinco de Mayo desserts.

12. Classic Churros Recipe with Chocolate Sauce

The ultimate authentic Churros recipe–this is the one you’ve been searching for! Crispy, dusted with cinnamon sugar on the outside, soft and buttery inside with a special technique that makes them even easier to make! Don’t skip on the Mexican Chocolate Sauce either, it’s the perfect accompaniment. Or try this vegan dulce de leche recipe.

13. Mangonada

If you’ve ever had this sweet, sour, salty mango slushy than you know why it is one of our favorite Cinco de Mayo dessert recipes. Layers of frozen mango smoothie, Chamoy sauce and Tajin. So easy and so satisfying, bring it on summer!

14. Easy Sopapilla Recipe

An indulgent treat that is completely irresistible. This Sopapilla recipe comes out perfectly every time and is so easy to make. Ultra light with a crisp exterior and chewy insides. These golden puffs are delicious sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or drizzled with honey. Or try Isabel’s insanely delicious Sopapilla Cheesecake.

15. Coffee Cookies with Chocolate Chips

Not one of your traditional Cinco de Mayo desserts but totally irresistible. This chocolate chip coffee cookies recipe is made for coffee lovers with ground coffee beans, milk chocolate chips, and vanilla. Add a kick to your favorite cookie.

Cute Cinco de Mayo Party Favors

Now that you’ve got some recipes in mind, it’s always nice to end the party with something your guests can take home. Surprise them with one of these unique party favors.

Drink Recipes For Your Cinco de Mayo Party

Spicy Raspberry Jalapeño Margarita
Cucumber Mezcal Margarita
Simple and Quick Champurrado Recipe {Non-Alcoholic}
Michelada {Mexican Beer Cocktail}
The Original Cadillac Margarita
Matcha Horchata {Non-Alcoholic}
Vegan Atole {Non-Alcoholic}

Cinco de Mayo Recipes For The Ultimate Party!

I know you will love all of these recipes whether you make them for Cinco de Mayo or any night of the week. Let me know which ones you end up making by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Spicy Marinated Olives with Roasted Garlic & Herbs

March 11, 2022 by Kate Ramos 2 Comments

This quick recipe for Spicy Marinated Olives is an easy appetizer with pan-roasted cloves of garlic, arbol chiles, and loads of fresh herbs. Serve warm or room temperature. {Recipe first posted June 1, 2020. Last updated March 11, 2022}

A dish of marinated olives always gives off an air of luxury even though they are easily made with a handful of pantry ingredients dutifully waiting to brighten cocktail hour any given night.

We use the allure of olives to our advantage and create an ever so simple appetizer of Bistro-style whole mixed olives with pan-roasted cloves of garlic, red pepper and handfuls of herbs.

What Kind Of Olives To Use

Small pan of olives sitting on a wooden table with a bowl of chiles sitting next to it and a tray of herbs.

Really any type of cured quality olives benefit from being combined with sweet roasted garlic and herbs. You can use black olives, green olives, olives that have been in brine.

The best olive recipes use a mixture of different high-quality varieties of olives for the best color, texture, and flavor. The only ones I wouldn’t recommend are olives that are already marinated. You want to start with a blank slate.

One last note on olives before we move on. This is not a marinade for curing your own olives. If you have an olive tree and are looking for how to preserve them, Sylvia has a step-by-step guide you may want to check out.

More To Explore
The 5 Best Habanero Recipes
Smoky Chicken Tacos with Mango Pico de Gallo
Simple and Quick Champurrado Recipe

Olive Marinade Ingredients

A close-up of a dish of green and black olives with a sprig of rosemary on top and roasted garlic.

This one firmly lands in the category of easy olive recipes. There are only five ingredients to the marinade and they are totally adaptable to whatever you have in your pantry and fridge. Ready in 15 minutes!

Dried Chiles. For these spicy black olives (or green, whatever you prefer) I like to use small dried arbol chiles. To control the spice level you can add fewer chiles, use a more mild variety, like Cascabel or Mulato chiles. To make spicier, use more chiles or break the chiles into smaller pieces before frying. You could also just substitute red pepper flakes.
Garlic. Whole, peeled cloves of fresh garlic are key. This method quickly roasts them in the pan instead of slow roasting in the oven.
Fresh Herbs. This can be super versatile. Use your favorites or whatever you have on hand. A good mix is rosemary, oregano, thyme, and basil. Other options would be bay leaves or for something completely different, use a combination of lemon peel and fennel seeds. The garlic lemon combo is awesome!
Black Pepper. Freshly ground is best.
Extra virgin olive oil.

How To Serve Marinated Olives

Close up of green and black olives in a pan with fresh oregano sprig, dried chiles, and a spoon.

This easy, gluten-free appetizer can be served warm or room temperature. It’s really up to you. I like them best warm, but you do have to eat them pretty quickly to enjoy the olives this way.

If you’d rather make them a bit in advance, they are fine to sit at room temperature for an hour or so. I don’t recommend serving them cold. The olive oil will harden and get gloppy.

How Long Do They Last

Green baking dish with a serving spoon, roasted garlic, and toasted dried chiles.

If you want to make these in advance and have them on hand for snacking or for an upcoming get together you can certainly do that up to three days in advance. They actually get tastier if they have a chance to hang out in the marinade for a bit. They’re not that great cold however, so I suggest reheating before serving.

If you have any leftover, they will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. The olives themselves don’t “go bad”, but the roasted garlic and herbs will start to get moldy.

One way you can preserve them longer is to cover the mixture in olive oil. Then seal and refrigerate. The olive oil acts like a heavy blanket that suffocates any oxygen that might reach the olives and grow bacteria.

Another way would be to freeze the marinated olives. They will be a bit spongy however when they defrost. If you do freeze them I suggest reheating and serving them warm to plump the skins a bit.

What To Serve With Them

Green pan filled with herbs, chiles, garlic, and slices of bread, edible flowers, and a serving spoon.

These olives make awesome Cinco de Mayo Party Snacks, cheese board element, or happy hour appetizer.

I even made a beautiful wreath out of the rosemary and served the marinated olives on top for a festive holiday hors d’oeuvres.

Here are a few of our other favorite nibbles that, combined together, would make a delicious spread!

Spanish Tortilla with Green Romesco Sauce
Salsa de Cacahuate (Peanut and Chile Salsa)
Doritos-Flavored Duros de Harina

And here are a few cocktail ideas that are good partners with these spicy olives:

Get Classy With It

I want to see how you class up your happy hour with these fancy pants olives and the rest of your spread! Snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Spicy Marinated Olives with Roasted Garlic & Herbs

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This quick recipe for Spicy Marinated Olives is an easy appetizer with pan-roasted garlic, arbol chiles, and fresh herbs. Serve warm or room temperature.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 dried arbol chiles
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled
12 ounces olives, drained of any liquid (any kind works use your favorite kind)
handful fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, and/or rosemary
freshly ground black pepper
toasted baguette, sliced

Instructions

Roast the Chiles and Garlic: Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add chiles and garlic cloves and toss in the warm oil until just starting to brown.

Warm Olives and Herbs: Add olives and herbs and stir in the oil until warmed. Season with freshly ground black pepper and transfer to a serving dish.

Serve: Serve with toasted, sliced baguette.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 30Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month, such as this one here. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allow me to run the site. Thank you for reading!

Shrimp Aguachile Verde Recipe

July 13, 2021 by Kate Ramos Leave a Comment

How to make Shrimp Aguachile Verde, one of Mexico’s most delicious seafood dishes. This no-cook appetizer takes raw shrimp and marinates them in a spicy mixture of serrano peppers, lime juice, and cucumber. Serve with tostadas for a refreshing summertime recipe.

There are so many types of marinated raw fish and seafood dishes enjoyed all over Latin America.

You may be most familiar with ceviche but a lesser know, albeit equally delicious recipe that you need to try while the weather is warm and no one feels like cooking, is aguachile.

Aguachile, which literally translates to chile water, has the same base of fresh-squeezed lime juice as many ceviche recipes.

Overhead image of shrimp aguachile verde in a white dish with a spoon sticking out of one side. The aguachile is garnished with sweet corn

Where aguachile verde differs is it combines the lime juice in a blended mixture of serrano chile, cucumber, and cilantro for a gorgeous green sauce that is just bursting with flavor.

Aguachile originates in Mazatlán and Mexico’s northern Pacific coast and I’ve enjoyed many versions there.

Not all of them are green like this one, but it is the most common and my favorite so that’s what we’re making today.

As for the charred sweet corn, that is definitely not traditional but was included in a aguachile recipe in Enrique Olvera’s cookbook, Tu Casa Mi Casa. I just loved the sweet contrast, especially during the summer when corn is at its best.

what you need to make aguachile

Ingredients to make aguachile including shrimp, corn, cucumbers, salt, limes, red onion, cilantro, and serrano chiles.

Ultra-fresh shrimp. Scroll down for more info on this.

Fresh-squeezed lime juice. If you can find the small Mexican key limes, even better!

Persian or English cucumber.

Serrano chiles.

Cilantro.

Kosher Salt.

Tostadas. For serving

Sweet corn, avocado, red onions. For garnish.

what kind of shrimp to use

A plate of raw shrimp that has no shells and are cut in half vertically sitting on a pink placemat with a lime cut in half next to it.

Because we don’t cook the shrimp you want to use the freshest shrimp you can buy.

If you live on the coast and can buy local shrimp that is ideal, but if not, look for American-harvest shrimp. Ask when you purchase the shrimp how fresh it is to make sure it hasn’t been sitting around for too many days.

I prefer shrimp that’s on the smaller side, like 10-15 count-size shrimp. If yours is bigger than that you can cut it into smaller pieces so it is not too hard to eat.

Lastly, if really fresh shrimp is not available to you, try this recipe using really fresh white fish instead.

how to make aguachile

A dish of shrimp aguachlie verde on a pink woven placemat on a wood table with a spoon sticking out one side with charred corn on top.

The first step is to prep the shrimp. Peel them, remove the tail, and cut each shrimp in half lengthwise. Remove any veins.

Arrange shrimp in a single layer on the platter you plan on serving it in and refrigerate while you prepare the sauce.

To the blender add chiles, lime juice, cilantro, cucumber and salt. Blend until smooth then strain through a sieve. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

An ear of yellow sweetcorn sitting on a gas stove with a blue flame cooking the corn from below.

Char the sweet corn over the flames of your gas stove until lightly charred all over. You can also do this under the broiler or on a grill. Cut the kernels off of the cob.

Thinly slice some red onion, a serrano chile, and ripe avocado. Pick some cilantro leaves.

Pour sauce over the shrimp and garnish with sweet corn, onion, serrano slices, avocado, and cilantro.

how to serve it

A tostada sitting on a white plate with shrimp aguachile verde on top with sliced red onions, charred sweet corn, and cilantro leaves.

When to serve the aguachile is a matter of taste.

Some prefer to let the shrimp to sit in the chile sauce for anywhere from 20 minutes to 30 minutes to allow the shrimp to “cook” in the acidity of the sauce.

If you want to do this, obviously, keep it covered in the refrigerator during this time.

I like to let it sit about 10 minutes and then dig in.

Feel free to go either route depending on your preferred texture and flavor. The longer it sits, the less it will taste like shrimp and the shrimp will have a firmer texture.

Once you’re ready to serve, arrange the shrimp on a chilled platter and garnish with the veggies I suggested or simply garnish with thinly sliced cucumbers and onions.

Tostadas are a must for scooping up all the tasty shrimp and sauce.

more authentic mexican appetizers to try!

Too hot to cook?

Make aguachile! When you do, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Shrimp Aguachile Verde Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

How to make Shrimp Aguachile Verde, one of Mexico's most delicious seafood dishes. This no-cook appetizer takes raw shrimp and marinates them in a spicy mixture of serrano peppers, lime juice, and cucumber. Serve with tostadas for a refreshing summertime recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 pound fresh medium-sized (10-15 count) shrimp, US-harvested shrimp is best
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (ideally Mexican key limes)
1 Persian cucumber, trimmed and sliced
1-2 serrano chiles, depending on how spicy you like, stemmed and sliced
1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ear sweet corn, shucked

For garnish:

Thinly sliced red onion
Slices ripe avocado
Thinly sliced serrano chiles
Cilantro leaves
Tostadas, for serving

Instructions

Prep the shrimp. Peel the shrimp and remove the tails. Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise and remove all veins. Arrange in a single layer on a serving platter and refrigerate while you prepare the other ingredients.
Make the sauce. Combine lime juice, cucumber, serranos, cilantro, and salt in a blender. Blend on high until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
Char the corn. Set the cob of corn over the flame of a gas burner and char, turning frequently until most of the kernels are lightly blackened, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly then cut the kernels from the cob.
Combine and serve. Pour sauce over the shrimp and garnish with corn, onion slices, avocado, thinly sliced chiles, and cilantro. Serve immediately with tostadas.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 425Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 265mgSodium: 1534mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 39g

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!

15 Recipes For Cinco de Mayo Food

1. Pico de Gallo Mexican Salsa

2. Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

3. Shredded Beef for Tacos {Carne Deshebrada}

4. Vegan Refried Beans

5. Chile Relleno Recipe

6. The Best Crispy Instant Pot Carnitas

7. Huaraches with Sautéed Squash Blossoms

8. Pork Pozole Rojo

9. Chicken Mole Verde

10. Mexican Chilaquiles with Scrambled Eggs

11. Authentic Tres Leches Cake

12. Classic Churros Recipe with Chocolate Sauce

13. Mangonada

14. Easy Sopapilla Recipe

15. Coffee Cookies with Chocolate Chips

Cute Cinco de Mayo Party Favors

Drink Recipes For Your Cinco de Mayo Party

Cinco de Mayo Recipes For The Ultimate Party!

What Kind Of Olives To Use

Olive Marinade Ingredients

How To Serve Marinated Olives

How Long Do They Last

What To Serve With Them

Get Classy With It

Ingredients

Instructions

Recommended Products

Nutrition Information:

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what you need to make aguachile

what kind of shrimp to use

how to make aguachile

how to serve it

more authentic mexican appetizers to try!

Too hot to cook?

Ingredients

For garnish:

Instructions

Nutrition Information:

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