37 Cinco de Mayo Party Recipes That Are Full of Flavor

Cinco de Mayo is not a major holiday in Mexico. In fact, it’s even considered a minor holiday in the region where it is observed, Puebla. It actually commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1865 when a small band of Mexican fighters defeated French invaders. It has nothing to do with Mexican independence, contrary to what a lot of Americans may think. It’s kind of the equivalent of Patriot’s Day in the United States.

Chances are that if you’re not from New England, you’ve never heard of the holiday, and most people who have heard of it don’t really do much in terms of celebrating it other than mix up a margarita or two and make a batch of guacamole to snack on. The same goes for Cinco de Mayo in Mexico. Nevertheless, Cinco de Mayo has evolved in the United States to become a big celebration of Mexican cuisine and culture, or at least Americans’ interpretations of it.

That's why we've rounded up some of our favorite apps, mains, drinks and desserts representing both authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex flavors, starting with Marcela's mini flautas. They're hearty and satisfying with their combination of zesty Mexican chorizo and potatoes. The crunchy corn tortillas give way to a soft and savory filling that will make these a hit at any party.

Ceviche de camaron (shrimp ceviche) is easy to make and refreshing, and a crunchy tostada is a perfect way to serve it. Mexican ceviche is typically made with mild fish or shrimp that’s cooked by the acid in lime juice. In the Sinaloa region along the Sea of Cortez, seafood tostadas are often served topped with mayonnaise, the inspiration for the spicy mayo sauce in this recipe. You can find tostada shells premade at Mexican grocery stores but they’re quite easy to make yourself and delicious fresh. For best flavor be sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice (not bottled) in the ceviche and make sure your shrimp is super-fresh.

This fruity and refreshing drink is so simple to make. Just puree cubed, seeded watermelon with a little water in a blender, until smooth. Then, pour over a mixture of muddled mint leaves, sugar and lime slices. Best of all, agua fresca (which can be made with a variety of different fruits) pairs perfectly with just about any Mexican dish you’re serving up.

Grilled street-style corn is a staple all over Mexico. You will often see the corn being grilled in its husks over fire — but you can achieve great results on a stovetop. This recipe offers options for each. In both versions, you cook the corn in its husks to develop that smoky and sweet flavor that goes so well with creamy mayo, sour cream and salty Cotija cheese, making it one of the most delicious street foods you can find.

This is a recipe for the Mexican rice you get with entrees at most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. It’s a perfect accompaniment to enchiladas, moles, or beans. It can also be made ahead of time and reheated.

This cake originated in Nicaragua but has become hugely popular throughout Latin America, especially in Mexico. If you love super moist desserts, this is the cake for you as it’s soaked in a combination of cream, evaporated milk, and condensed milk.

This dish is based on the famous chile-rich, boldly spiced birria stew credited to the Mexican state of Jalisco. For quesabirrias, a specialty of Tijuana, the tender meat is folded with cheese into corn tortillas and pan-seared until golden for an irresistible treat. Although birria itself is traditionally made with goat, this recipe, like many popular variations, uses beef.

Ingrid makes party-perfect tamales easy: Use store-bought rotisserie chicken and jarred green salsa.

Pico de gallo literally means rooster’s beak in Spanish. While stories vary on how this fresh salsa got its names, we can agree that it’s one of the most popular types of salsa in the US. This simple recipe can be multiplied to feed a crowd.

Shake things up a bit with these mole nachos, which feature a complex Mexican sauce that includes lots of spices, chiles, and even some peanut butter. It’s a nice alternative to the typical taco meat topping you find on nachos and a more authentic taste of Mexican cuisine.

There are few things as comforting as a bubbling dish of enchiladas straight out of the oven. This recipe is a great one to keep in your recipe book as it recreates the flavors of perfect Tex-Mex enchiladas drowned in a tangy red sauce.

Marcela’s take on this delicious, deep-fried treat couldn’t be easier: she uses pre-made tortillas. Leave them whole or cut them into any desired shape before frying, then toss in cinnamon-sugar. It’s that simple!

This authentic recipe from Marcel Valladolid strips guacamole down to its bare essentials, making it super easy to recreate at home with just a handful of ingredients. It’s also a great base recipe to which you can add your creative touches and seasonings.

Perhaps you’ve journeyed past street vendors selling Mexican sliced mangos, their juicy flesh flecked with the deep red chile-lime-sea salt seasoning called tajin. Here those sweet, tangy flavors are transformed into mangonadas. Although you can find many variations on this classic recipe, the drink is typically made with chamoy, a mouth-puckering sauce made from pickled fruit. Look for it, along with tajin and tamarind candy straws, at Mexican markets or online. Our version of the drink is frozen and luscious, perfect with your other party foods.

This marinated, shredded beef is perfect for tostadas, burritos, tacos and even sandwiches. Better yet, this recipe makes a big batch so you can easily store some in the freezer and be one step ahead on the night of your party.

Enchiladas are a great Cinco de Mayo dish, but they can be messy to serve if you’re hosting a cocktail party. This recipe solves that by making toasted tortilla cups and filling them with enchilada-inspired fillings.

These beautiful galle-conchas or galletas de conchas (shell cookies) are inspired by Mexico’s conchas, popular sweet rolls that are topped with sugar paste and scored to resemble seashells. We use a fluffy vanilla cookie dough with a hint of Ceylon cinnamon for the base instead of the traditional dense yeast-risen dough and top it with a cheerful pink, yellow and purple sugar paste Scoring the tops with a concha cutter give the cookies a traditional look, but you can also make the design with a paring knife. The result is an irresistible, eye-catching treat that’s bound to be a hit at your party.

Queso is a classic Tex-Mex dip and can be just as good drizzled over burritos or enchiladas. This recipe ups the cheesiness by adding cheddar and monterey jack cheese to the mix of processed cheese and canned tomatoes and chiles. It makes for a thicker, richer queso all your guests will remember.

Not all nachos need to feature beef, and this is the perfect example. This recipe from Ina Garten subs the meat for crab, making it a lighter alternative and also perfect for pescatarians. You can also beef it up with some sauteed shrimp.

Esquites are a popular Mexican street snack of corn kernels with seasonings, sharp cheese, and a creamy sauce. This recipe calls for grilling fresh ears of corn, which aren’t always available this time of year. Fortunately, you can recreate the recipe with frozen corn kernels

Chicken is a favorite filling for flautas, and these flautas are a perfect vehicle for a creamy avocado dipping sauce. You may want to make extra dipping sauce, because your guests are sure to double dip into this velvety condiment.

This classic Mexican candy is made with real tamarind pods and often rolled in chile, chile-lime seasoning or sugar (or a combination). The tamarind balls are sweet with a mouth-puckering tartness and a bit of heat. There are two versions here—one with chipotle powder—so add more or less depending on your heat tolerance.

A classic margarita should have a nice balance of sweet and sour. This particular cocktail won’t lie; most prepared mixes don’t taste as bright and fresh as the real thing — so taking the time to squeeze juice before bartending is key.

Dial up the flavor of your go-to cabbage-based slaw with a bit of cilantro, lime and jalapeño. It's a simple tweak that makes it the perfect addition to tacos, tostadas and more.

These squares of dough puff up like balloons when you fry them, and they’re one of the most fun things to eat drizzled with honey. But don’t let this recipe stop your imagination. Sopapillas are the perfect vehicle for any type of sauce or topping that you want. Go crazy!

Tostadas are like flat crunchy tacos with a ton of toppings. While they’re usually layered with beans and meat, these combine the beans and ground beef for simple assembly. The topping is also seasoned with smoky chipotle chiles.

Tamale pie is a classic Tex-Mex dish and super easy to make. It’s kind of like a spicier version of shepherd’s pie topped with a cornmeal crust rather than mashed potatoes. It’s something you can assemble ahead of time and pop in the oven right before company arrives.

The real star of this recipe is the creamy, zesty dressing, which can go on pretty much anything. You can follow Ree Drummond’s salad suggestions or make your own Mexican-inspired salad to have with this irresistible dressing.

Get the perfect balance of sweet heat with Marcela's easy guacamole. It's nice and chunky, too — perfect for scooping up with salty tortilla chips.

Paletas are Mexican popsicles and can be made out of almost anything from limeade and mango juice to sweet corn and cucumbers. These are made with ingredients that are readily available in most US supermarkets, like grape juice and blueberries.

Fish tacos aren’t just a diet thing. They’re actually very popular along Mexico’s coasts, especially in Baja California. The fish in this recipe is seasoned with ancho chiles, and there are even instructions for how to make your own smooth Mexican tomato salsa.

This is a great recipe if you like planning ahead or you like having taco filling ready to go in the freezer. It makes a lot of shredded chicken filling and includes instructions for how to freeze and defrost it. You can make this filling weeks ahead of time and simply reheat when you’re ready to serve.

Make this big batch of margaritas with a spicy twist by pulsing jalapeños with sugar and fresh lime juice before mixing with tequila.

The beauty of this cake is all in the topping: a luscious combination of mango, cream cheese, and tequila. It’s perfect drizzled over Marcela Valladolid’s vanilla bundt cake, but you can also use the topping as a dip for fruit or even sopapillas.

This is a creative way to add some Mexican flavor to your Cinco de Mayo celebrations, and it’s a really simple recipe. It just calls for store-bought pizza dough to which you add crumbled Mexican chorizo and Monterey Jack cheese.

This Pioneer Woman recipe replaces the ground beef you find in most nacho recipes with brisket, which gives these nachos some heft. It’s paired with some homemade pinto beans with a lot of bacon-y flavor.