These 11 Cookbooks Will Help You Explore Mexican Foods And Traditions

The Lopez family runs Los Angeles's Guelaguetza Restaurante, the city's lauded Oaxacan hotspot. And with this cookbook, co-owner, Bricia, introduces the cuisine to a wider audience. The southern Mexican state's ingredients influence its popular dishes—like mole and barbacoa. You'll find recipes for both those (and many other dishes you'll want to bookmark), plus personal photographs and stories about the Lopez family in this book that reads like a love letter to Oaxaca. (Psst: Guelaguetza sells its own vegetarian, gluten-free moles online!)

You may know him as Hollywood's bad guy, but Danny Trejo can cook. In his cookbook, you'll get 75 recipes for cantina favorites all while hearing about his life journey from ex-con to actor. 

Tender and juicy cuts of meat from the slow cooker are exactly what you need for classic Tex-Mex meals. It only makes sense, then, that blogger Vianney Rodriguez put together a collection including some of her fan favorite recipes that you can make with an Instant Pot, like Chile Con Carne, Classic Margarita Fajitas, and Tamale Pie.

This best-selling cookbook brings together the flavors of home-style dishes loved everyday in Mexican households with influences from the states of  Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Veracruz, Puebla, Estado de México, and Yucatán.

Esteban Castillo brings the same playful voice from his popular blog Chicano Eats to his debut cookbook. The Santa Ana-based blogger blends traditional Mexican fare—like tacos al pastor—with creative, original dishes, like cilantro-pesto rigatoni and guava cheesecake bars.

With recipes as colorful and vibrant as the cultural hotspot they come from, Gabriela Cámara dishes out recipes that are both traditional and on-trend in her hometown of Mexico City. Discover food the city is famous for like Chilaquiles Verdes and Flan de Cajeta.

This James Beard Foundation Cookbook Award-winning comes from chef and owner of beloved restaurant Nopalito in San Francisco, Gonzalo Guzmán. With a focus on organic and sustainable ingredients, this cookbook will teach you of all the basics of traditional Mexican cuisine.

Professors Luz Calvo and Catriona Rueda Esquibel focused this cookbook on plant-based recipes from indigenous Mexican cuisine. So, veg-heads: The Cauliflower Ceviche and Red Enchiladas Stuffed With Potatoes will be right up your alley.

Of course, you can't forget about dessert. Author Alejandro Ochoa consulted his Veracruz-born grandparents for this collection of sweet treats like cacao pots de creme, Tamarind ice pops, and fried ice cream.

Okay, so we might be a little ahead of the game on this one, but Pati Jinich's newest cookbook comes out so soon. And if you're a fan of her PBS show, you'll love how Pati dives into the culinary treasures of Mexico in this book.

Taco trucks don't mess around when it comes to flavorful, satisfying Mexican food—at least Guerrilla Tacos owner Wesley Avila's truck doesn't. The native Angeleno shares the unique recipes made from traditional Mexican ingredients that have made his taco truck an L.A. must-go.