24 Festive Cinco De Mayo Menu Ideas
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Need help planning your Cinco de Mayo menu? Let us help with this list of 24 festive recipes, including appetizers, dinners, and drinks!
Cinco de Mayo is the perfect day to indulge in all your favorite Mexican foods – tacos, burritos, nachos, you name it. Whether you’re celebrating with a big party or a simple family dinner, a full menu of festive recipes is a must.
This list has 24 of our best recipes for Cinco de Mayo, including shareable appetizers, authentic Mexican dinners, and agave-forward drinks for cocktail lovers. (It’s not a Cinco de Mayo party without margaritas, after all!). Browse by category below or scroll to build your ideal Cinco de Mayo party menu!
Table of Contents
Cinco De Mayo Appetizers
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Start your Cinco de Mayo party off strong with traditional appetizers like these homemade corn tortilla chips and plenty of dips! Made with just corn tortillas, oil, and salt, you can easily whip up a big batch of fresh chips for your party the morning of – or a day ahead of time. Serve them with recipes like our Mexican salsa verde, homemade fire roasted salsa, or guacamole for an easy crowd-pleasing snack.
Restaurant Style Mexican Bean Dip
This restaurant style bean dip is sure to be a crowd pleaser at your Cinco de Mayo party! Serve it with homemade tortilla chips for a savory appetizer no one will be able to resist. With just 7 ingredients that you mix together and throw in the oven, making appetizers for a crowd doesn’t get much easier.
4 Layer Mexican Dip
When we say this is an easy Cinco de Mayo recipe for a crowd, we mean it. This is one of our personal favorite dips for any party, since you only need 4 ingredients – cream cheese, chili, shredded cheese, and jalapenos – and you can throw it together in no time. Make a single batch for a party of about 6 to 8 guests, or double it for a larger crowd.
Crockpot Mexican Street Corn Dip
We love a good cheesy dip! And this ridiculously easy Mexican street corn dip is no exception. With our simple set-and-forget crock pot recipe, you can get your dip started 2 hours before guests arrive so it’s ready for everyone to dig in right when the party starts!
Carne Asada Nachos
We love all kinds of nachos, as you may be able to tell from the recipes on our site… But we especially love making extra special nachos for extra special occasions. Cinco de Mayo is a great occasion for putting a little more time, love, and care into your nachos. With a flavor-packed, 6-hour-marinated carne asada and avocado lime crema, these nachos will be a hit at your party.
Loaded Sheet Pan Nachos
It’s not a party without nachos, and it’s definitely not Cinco de Mayo without these loaded sheet pan nachos! Topped with beans, jalapeno nacho cheese, shredded chicken, tomato, jalapeno, guacamole, and cilantro, these nachos are the ultimate crowd-pleaser (and will be gobbled up in seconds). You can serve them as an appetizer, side dish, or main course – because nachos are a perfectly acceptable lunch or dinner.
Mango Pico De Gallo
Light, bright, and fun, this mango pico de gallo adds a little extra sweetness to whatever you’re eating. Add it to some fried fish tacos, al pastor, or simply just enjoy it with some chips, it’s hard to go wrong. I love adding a little mango pico to my carnitas tacos to balance the saltiness of the pork with the sweetness of the mango.
Homemade Guacamole
Guacamole is a classic for a reason. There isn’t a more iconic recipe for Cinco de Mayo, so make sure you do it right by making it from scratch. No matter how many different Mexican dips we come up with and make, guacamole will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Tiny Tacos with Spicy Dipping Trio
If you’re looking for a large batch Cinco de Mayo appetizer that’s both delicious and adorable, these fun-size tiny tacos fit the bill! A simple filling of chicken, beans, and cheese and a festive trio of dips – jalapeno avocado aioli, habanero hot sauce, and spicy queso – make these the perfect dippable finger food for a party.
Cinco De Mayo Dinner Recipes
Chicken Tinga Tostadas
We love serving these simple tostadas as a build-your-own dinner, which makes it perfect for celebrating Cinco de Mayo with all your friends and family! All you have to do is prepare the individual components, then it’s up to everyone else to assemble their own tostada at the table. Low-effort cooking and a fun, interactive dinner even kids will love? Now that’s a win-win in our book.
Pork Enchiladas Verde
Change things up this Cinco de Mayo with a fun, bright, and flavorful green salsa on top of carnitas enchiladas. Our Mexican verde sauce is super simple to make, but will be sure to impress all your guests! It’s the perfect complement to the savory pork in this recipe. Plus, enchiladas are so easy to make in a big batch for a large crowd. All you need is some sides to go with it and dinner is set.
Carne Asada Street Tacos
If you aren’t sure what to make for your Cinco de Mayo feast, you can’t go wrong with a street taco bar. And these carne asada tacos are the perfect start to your Mexican buffet. Just make a large batch of carne asada, cilantro lime rice, avocado lime crema, and pico de gallo. Oh and have a bunch of tortillas ready to go! Add on a couple sides like guac and Mexican street corn dip for the ultimate taco bar.
Carne Asada with Rice and Beans
A simple and elegant dish, this carne asada recipe will impress your guests with its bright and zesty flavor! Paired with silky avocado lime crema and served with Mexican rice and beans, this dish is surprisingly easy to prepare and scale for a dinner party – no matter how many guests you’ll be feeding. Just make sure to plan ahead so you have plenty of time to marinate the steak.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
This recipe makes a lot of enchiladas! Which is perfect for when we’re trying to feed a crowd on Cinco de Mayo. Everyone loves these easy, flavorful, and filling vegetarian enchiladas no matter the occasion. And if you aren’t feeding a large crowd, simply freeze half of them for a later date. We promise you’ll be happy you did!
Chipotle Lime Black Bean Burrito Bowls
Looking for a spicy vegetarian Cinco de Mayo dinner? These chipotle black bean burrito bowls are one of our go-to dinners no matter what time of year it is. With chipotle aioli, a black bean and corn mixture, pico de gallo, cilantro lime rice, and a topping of fresh avocado slices every bite is a wonderful one. Especially when you get a little bit of everything!
Chicken Burritos Ranchero
Burritos are hands-down one of the best foods for celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Stuffed with a savory filling of rice, beans, chicken, and cheese and drenched in a spicy homemade ranchero sauce, these restaurant style burritos are the perfect indulgent Mexican dinner! Serve them with a side of chips, salsa, and guacamole – and a margarita – for an unforgettable fiesta.
Crispy Pork Belly Tacos
Crispy pork belly is always a treat when we make it at home. And since it’s a special ingredient for us, we want to make sure it’s the star of the show. That’s why we keep these tacos relatively simple. Just a little fake guac and quick pickled cabbage to add brightness and acidity to the savory pork belly. Coming together in less than 30 minutes, these simple tacos are a treat in more ways than one.
Vegetarian Tostadas
Need vegetarian or vegan recipes for your Cinco de Mayo party? You’ll definitely want to try these vegetarian tostadas, made with cauliflower, peppers, and onions. They’re spicy, savory, and so flavorful! Just make sure to use vegetarian refried beans, and skip the queso fresco to make them vegan.
20 Minute Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
If you’re looking for an easy Cinco de Mayo dinner, don’t have much time, or just simply don’t want to do a lot of cooking, these easy 20 minute sheet pan fajitas might be exactly what you’re looking for. Simply put all your ingredients on a sheet pan, bake for 15 minutes, and serve. That’s truly all there is to it.
Cinco De Mayo Drinks
Spicy Mezcal Margarita
Nothing says Cinco de Mayo quite like a mezcal cocktail. This spicy and smoky mezcal margarita is a unique twist on a classic margarita that doesn’t disappoint. And the best part? It’s easy to prep a large batch for the crowd at your Cinco de Mayo party. Just make a pitcher ahead of time, then lay out glasses, lime wedges, a plate full of tajin, and jalapeno slices. That way all your work is done ahead of time, and your guests can garnish their drink however they’d like!
Pineapple Mezcal Old Fashioned
Sometimes we’re in the mood for a lighter old fashioned to pair with dinner. This pineapple mezcal old fashioned adds a little citrus and smoke to a classic drink, making it a little lighter than the original. That makes it perfect to pair with some carnitas enchiladas or fish tacos. And perfectly drinkable all Cinco de Mayo long!
Dulce de Leche Martini
This may be a cocktail, but it’s also definitely a dessert. When dinner is done and everyone’s looking for just a little more, break out the dulce de leche martinis. With a sweet tequila-mezcal combination cocktail your night might not be coming to an end after all…
Mezcal Old Fashioned
Do you have some friends coming over that only drink whiskey? Or always seem to turn their nose up at tequila? If so, have them give this mezcal old fashioned a try, cause we’re sure it’ll change their minds! Smoky, a little sweet, and spirit-forward, it has everything we love about a classic old fashioned, it just fits the Cinco de Mayo theme a little better.
Tequila Pina Colada
If you’re looking for a slightly less traditional Cinco de Mayo cocktail or just want something that isn’t a margarita, check out our tequila pina colada. This agave twist on the classic tropical drink will instantly have you dreaming of warm weather and beach days. It’s the perfect way to enjoy Cinco de Mayo and celebrate the fact that summer is just around the corner.
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