Food

Our Best Authentic Mexican and Mexican-Inspired Recipes

There are an infinite number of ways to love Mexican food—here are 80 to start

Updated: September 30, 2019

From tacos to tamales, it's hard not to love authentic Mexican cuisine. Sure, we love a good Tex-Mex recipe as well, but let's be clear: it's a totally different beast from the authentic Mexican food found south of the border.

Mexican Cooking Techniques

Mexican cuisine draws on indigenous staples like chile peppers and corn. Turn the latter into homemade masa, which can be used as a base for the best masa recipes, namely, excellent tortillas. And while tortillas can be found across the canon of Mexican cooking as the starch du jour, a drive through the country reveals that bread too has a place: the behemoth Mexican sandwiches, cemita poblana with fried cutlet, roast pork torta ahogada reminiscent of a French dips, and griddled pambazo, are ubiquitous throughout Mexico.

Looking for comfort food? Mexican comfort dishes are among some of the best Mexican recipes—think hearty stews, cheesy enchiladas, and zesty soups. Mexican food is never short on flavor, but just to make sure, almost every Mexican dish comes with a side of serious sauce, from rich moles to pico de gallo and various salsas. If the spice gets to you, reach for the closest Mexican drink, like a cooling agua fresca.

Whether you’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo or just in the mood for classic Mexican recipes, we’ve rounded up our 80 favorite authentic Mexican recipes here.

Ceviche Verde with Homemade Tortilla Chips — Fresh lime juice and puréed tomatillos, cilantro, and serrano chile form an irresistible bright-green broth for this fish and squid ceviche. Get the recipe for Ceviche Verde »Jenny Huang

As a nod to Mexican street corn, this chowder is finished with crema, cotija cheese, and ancho chile. Get the recipe for Elote Soup »Jenny Huang

These crunchy empanadas, featuring shells made with masa, lard, and salt, are filled with tender shredded beef tossed in a spicy salsa. You can prepare the masa and filling in advance, but don't fill or fry the empanadas until just before eating. Adding baking powder and using an electric mixer are two secrets to light, puffy empanada pastry. Get the recipe for Fried Shredded Beef Empanadas »Heami Lee

This salsa verde has a fresh, tangy sourness (and kick of heat if you like) that helps cut through richness. Get the recipe for Corn Tamales with Tomatillo Salsa »Heami Lee

Behold the glory of mashed potato-y homemade masa, building block of many Mexican favorites. Get the recipe for Homemade Masa »Heami Lee

Enchilads — These enchiladas aren't baked; they're simply drenched in a rich sauce made with fruity dried chiles, rolled, and eaten right away. Get the recipe for Enchiladas »Todd Coleman

Hatch green chile enchiladas — Roasted Hatch chiles are the most important ingredient for this recipe. You can purchase green chiles fresh or frozen online (find our favorite Hatch chile sources here), available in mild, medium and hot varieties. From July to October, some produce shops and farmers markets carry them fresh. As a substitute, use roasted Anaheim or other green chiles (but don't tell anyone from New Mexico). Get the recipe for Hatch Green Chile Enchiladas »Matt Taylor-Gross

Get seasonal recipes, methods and techniques sent right to your inbox—sign up here to receive Saveur newsletters. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram at @SaveurMag.

Mexican Cooking Techniques

Ceviche Verde with Homemade Tortilla Chips

Mexican Street Corn Soup

Grilled Fish Skewers (Pescado Embarazado)

Mexican Peanut Brittle (Palanquetas de Cacahuates)