Whether you’re throwing a Cinco de Mayo party or are just celebrating any old Tuesday (with tacos, ofc!), these Mexican-inspired side dishes have your back. From dips to salads to must-have condiments, they’re sure to turn any dinner into a party. Check out our 37 recipes for ideas (and don’t forget the margaritas!).
One of the myriad reasons Mexican food is extra special is that a lot of it relies as much on the toppings as it does on the main ingredients themselves. Take tacos or quesadillas, for example: What would they be without just the right combination of cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa on top? (Though not fully authentic, Taco Bell and Chipotle have built an entire business around the ability to customize their food with whatever toppings you desire, so you know it’s true!) With this in mind, we’ve included a number of our favorites here, everything from pickled red onions and pico de gallo to queso fundido and refried pinto beans, with tons of corn and black bean salads in between. Make a bunch and then mix and match them—you might just find a new favorite you’ll make again and again. Hot tip: These dips are great on top of your main and eaten as an app, so put out some tortilla chips to serve alongside them.
Speaking of tortilla chips, they’re not the only crispy, crunchy side that pairs perfectly with Mexican food. Try adding our esquites fritters, our baked yuca fries, or our chicken empanadas to your meals too. Watch out though, they might just outshine the main.
Want even more Mexican food inspiration? Check out our top Mexican appetizers, our favorite Mexican desserts, and our best Mexican drinks too.
Mexican Rice
This easy recipe for Mexican rice is so full of flavor and might even be better than any we've had from a Tex-Mex restaurant. Make some to go with your chicken enchiladas or tamale pie, and call it a night!
Get the Mexican Rice recipe.
Elote: Mexican Street Corn
Elote is an unbelievably popular antojito (little craving) that you can find sold on the street in Mexico. It's often served on a stick, though you could skip the skewer and make it the same way you'd boil or oven bake regular corn on the cob.
Get the Elote: Mexican Street Corn recipe.
Baked Yuca Fries
Are you a sweet potato fry fan? You’re going to LOVE these. These sweet and nutty cassava fries admittedly do take a bit of preparation, but once you’ve peeled, chopped, and boiled them, you can turn them into extremely crispy fries that’ll rival any French fry.
Get the Baked Yuca Fries recipe.
Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions are one of our favorite condiments here at Delish, so we felt compelled to share this super-simple, super-delicious treat with everyone. It's perfect for tacos, nachos, salads... pretty much anything you can think of! Besides being incredibly crunchy, their beautiful pink color also adds a visual pop to any dish they grace.
Get the Pickled Red Onions recipe.
Tamales
Mexican tamales aren’t just fun to eat, they’re a great solo or group project for anyone who loves to cook. Make it a party by involving your friends, enlist your partner or spouse for a different kind of date night, or get the whole family involved. Tamale making is a joy, and tamales are a great canvas for different kinds of fillings.
Get the Tamales recipe.
Queso Fundido
Queso fundido is maybe the lowest effort, highest reward dip—a true party trick! Hot tip to make it the best it can be: Go for Mexican chorizo here instead of the Spanish, which is usually dried.
Get the Queso Fundido recipe.
Chicken Empanadas
Empanadas come in many different forms with many different fillings. This version is a flavor bomb, with tender chicken thighs, peppers, and olives, bolstered by tomato paste and paprika. Yum!
Get the Chicken Empanadas recipe.
Best-Ever Guacamole
Whether you serve it as a simple dip, load it on top of your tacos, or smear it on a bun as a burger topping, we can all agree—it’s not a party without Mexico’s most famous dip. Keep it simple, like we did, or go wild with your mix-ins—just be sure to make extra, this'll go fast.
Get the Best-Ever Guacamole recipe.
Vinegar Coleslaw
To make this a truly vegan-friendly slaw, there is neither mayonnaise nor honey in the mix. We use maple to bring out the veggies’ natural sweetness and Dijon mustard helps emulsify the oil and vinegar (while adding a delicious bit of a kick in the back of your throat).
Get the Vinegar Coleslaw recipe.
Refried Pinto Beans
Mastering this classic Mexican staple takes a little bit of time, a lot of pork fat, and a few helpful hints (like how to speed up soaking your homemade beans!). Trust us, the effort is worth it for the best refried beans you'll ever have.
Get the Refried Pinto Beans recipe.
Black Bean & Corn Salad
This easy salad comes together quickly and works as a side dish, a great topping for tacos, or as an appetizer with tortilla chips. Think of this as a medley of the most exciting parts of a vegetarian burrito bowl, unadulterated by rice, and hyped up by a little honey-lime action.
Get the Black Bean & Corn Salad recipe.
Mexican Corn Salad
Looking for ways to use up that sweet summer corn? Look no further! This simple salad hits all the right notes: creamy, spicy, salty, and citrusy, just like the beloved Mexican street food dish elote (grilled sweet corn coated in mayo, cotija cheese, and spices) that it's inspired by.
Get the Mexican Corn Salad recipe.
Red Pozole
Don't let the time commitment on this Mexican pozole recipe scare you. It's as easy as bringing water to a boil and letting it simmer away while you multitask on other things going on in your life. That said, the longer you let the soup simmer, the better it will be—with time, the meat will turn tender, soft, and buttery, the aromas will deepen, and the color will become as rich as the soup tastes.
Get the Red Pozole recipe.
Pico De Gallo
Bright and acidic with a kick of heat, this just might be the easiest sideto prepare (and devour). All it takes to make is chopping your ingredients and tossing them together—that's it! In 15 minutes, you'll have an easy, satisfying side on your hands that will boost any and every meal it's served with.
Get the Pico De Gallo recipe.
Esquites Fritters
We’re happy to report that esquites, the irresistible and less-messy version of everyone’s favorite cotija-coated snack, elote, were the perfect inspiration for these bite-sized fritters. Paired with a lime- and garlic-spiked sour cream sauce, these crisp patties are guaranteed to disappear in a crowd in minutes.
Get the Esquites Fritters recipe.
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Though it may seem surprising, homemade flour tortillas are extremely easy to make at home. And they can be ready in under an hour. You'll need: flour, salt, baking powder, cold lard (or cold bacon fat or shortening), and water. That's it!
Get the Homemade Flour Tortillas recipe.
Cheesy Beef Empanadas
This filling is loosely based on a very traditional Mexican (top-secret!) recipe. It’s delicious as is, but if you want to give it even more pizzaz, we highly recommend adding a splash of red wine vinegar, finely chopped capers and green olives, and a good squeeze yellow mustard. Once you've got the pastry down, you can pretty much stuff them with anything!
Get the Cheesy Beef Empanadas recipe.
Refried Bean Dip
This dip has EVERYTHING—4 types of cheese (including our dip secret weapon, cream cheese), refried beans, and taco seasoning, and a jalapeño for spice.
Get the Refried Bean Dip recipe.
Grilled Corn Salad
This versatile, flavorful corn salad is the perfect way to use up leftover grilled corn. Mix and match your favorite cheeses, herbs, and nuts, but keep the citrus for brightness and oil for a little richness. And if you like a little *kick*, add some sliced jalapeños or a big pinch of red pepper flakes.
Get the Grilled Corn Salad recipe.
Avocado Salsa
Creamy, just-ripe avocados are tossed with chopped tomatoes, jalapeño, red onion, sweet corn, and tons of chopped fresh cilantro to create this refreshing hybrid dip. Now you’ll never have to decide between salsa and guac ever again!
Get the Avocado Salsa recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
