Blog| Mexican Food Journal

Antojitos, Cheese Recipes

A Mexican After-Dinner Coffee Drink

A Carajillo is an easy to prepare Mexican cocktail served as an after-dinner digestif or as a dessert course. Although originally from Spain, the carajillo has become an integral part of restaurant culture in Mexico particularly in Mexico City.

Espresso and Licor 43, a sweet Spanish liqueur are served over ice to get a nice layered effect. The carajillo is a perfect drink to serve on a slow, relaxing, warm evening.

Licor 43 is made with a secret blend of citrus and fruit juices, vanilla, and aromatic herbs and spices. It has a well-rounded, sweet flavor that lingers. It is a slow-sipping liqueur.

Traditionally, this coffee cocktail is made with espresso but you can substitute some very strong coffee and get acceptable results.

How to Make

You only need two ingredients. Preparation couldn’t be simpler.

Ingredients:

Espresso or very strong coffee
Licor 43, a sweet Spanish liqueur
Ice

If you can’t find Licor 43 at your local market or wine store, it’s readily available online.

Glassware:

8-ounce rocks or wine glasses

Ingredients to make a Mexican Carajillo cocktail.

Prepare your espresso or strong coffee, then measure out 2 ozs. Let cool for a few minutes.

Measure out 2 ozs. of Licor 43.

Add 4 ice cubes to your rocks glass and add the Licor 43.

Slowly pour the espresso over the ice. The coffee will float on top of the Liqueur.

If you pour the espresso slowly, it will float on top of the liqueur which makes for a sharp looking drink. Serve immediately.

Are you going to add the Carajillo to your recipe book?

Provecho!

Print Recipe

4.58 from 7 votes

Carajillo Cocktail

The Carajillo is a popular coffee based after-dinner drink served in Mexico prepared with Licor 43, a sweet aromatic Spanish liqueur.

Prep Time5

Course: Drink

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Carjillo Cocktail, Mexican Cocktail

Servings:

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

espresso maker or stovetop espresso pot
8 ounce rocks glasses

Ingredients

2 ozs. espresso coffee
2 ozs. Licor 43
4-6 ice cubes

Instructions

Chill the glasses in the freeze for 15 minutes before preparing.
While your glasses are chilling, prepare your espresso and let cool for a few minutes.
Place 4 ices cubes in each glass, then add the Licor 43, then slowly pour the coffee over the ice.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Notes

Pour the coffee very slowly and it will float on top of the liqueur which makes the drink look really sharp.

Nutrition

More Mexican Drinks

Huitlacoche Quesadillas

Corn Truffle Filled Quesadillas

You may know of huitlacoche the mysterious Mexican corn mushroom also called corn truffle but aren’t quite sure what to do with it. We recommend these quesadillas filled with sautéed onions, tomatoes, and huitlacoche.

First, What is Huitlacoche?

Huitlacoche is a fungus that grows on ears of corn and is a celebrated delicacy in Mexico. In the U.S. it is considered a blight on corn crops but is gradually being embraced by organic farmers because an ear of corn with infected with huitlacoche brings a much higher price than a regular ear of corn.

Cooking with huitlacoche gives a dish delicate mushroom or truffle like flavor. It’s most commonly used to prepare quesadillas, tacos, and soup.

Where to Buy

During the summer months, you may be able to buy fresh huitlacoche at a farmer’s market or specialty grocery store. If fresh is unavailable, you can use a 13oz. size canned huitlacoche well-drained. (Affiliate link)

Huitlacoche (corn mushroom) filled quesadilla served with salsa roja.

Corn or Flour Tortillas?

Authentic Mexican quesadillas are prepared with corn tortillas and tend to be much smaller with less filling than the “loaded quesadillas” prepared with fluffy flour tortillas we often see in the U.S. For this recipe, don’t substitute flour tortillas.

Plate of Huitlacoche - Mexican Corn Truffle

Huitlacoche, also spelled cuitlacoche goes, by a number of different names in English. Starting with the most glamourous to the least; corn truffle, corn, mushroom, corn fungus, and corn smut.

How to Make

Ingredients:

Choosing Your Cheese

You need a good Mexican melting cheese for quesadillas. Try Oaxaca cheese, Chihuahua, or asadero cheese. Mozzarella is an acceptable substitute is a Mexican cheese is unavailable.

Ingredient list:

cheese – Oaxaca, Chihuahua, or asadero
huitlacoche (corn mushroom)
tomato
white onion
garlic
epazote
salt
corn tortillas

Ingredients to Make Huitlacoche Quesadillas

Preparing the Filling

Chop the onion, tomatoes, and garlic.

Cook the onions, tomatoes, and garlic in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium heat stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

Chopped onion, tomato, and garlic in pot on stove.

When the tomatoes have changed color and started to lose their shape they are ready. Set them aside.

Simmering Onion, Tomato, Garlic in Pot on Stove.

In the same pot where you cooked the tomatoes, onion, and garlic cook the huitlacoche over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Notice how the huitlacoche has darkened in color.

Cooked huitlacoche in clay pot on stove.

Add the reserved mixture of tomatoes, onion, and garlic and stir well.

Tomatoes, onions, huitlacoche in clay pot on stove.

Season with epazote and salt and cook for 2 more minutes.

Huitlacoche quesadilla filling in clay pot on stove.

Assembling the Quesadillas

Once the filling is done cooking, it’s time to make the quesadillas. Start by putting about ¾ ounce of cheese on a corn tortilla.

Tortilla and cheese on plate to make quesadillas.

Then put 2 tbsps. of filling on the tortilla.

Filling Quesadillas with Huitlacoche Mixture

Then add another ¾ ounces of cheese and top with another tortilla.

Stuffing Quesadillas with a Huitlacoche Filling

Preheat your pan or comal to medium-hot. Place the quesadilla in the pan and cook until the tortilla just starts to turn golden then flip once.

Check to see that the cheese is fully melted before serving.

Serving

Slice the quesadillas in half. Serve 2 quesadillas per person with your favorite salsa, red or green on the side. Try one of our recipes for salsa verde or salsa roja.

Huitlacoche quesadilla served on rustic clay plate.

Provecho!

Quesadillas de Huitlacoche served on rustic clay plate.

Print Recipe

3.24 from 21 votes

Huitlacoche Quesadillas Recipe

Recipe for quesadillas filled with huitlacoche, sautéed onions, and tomatoes prepared with corn tortillas.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Course: Antojitos

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: quesadilla recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 353kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

Cutting board
Kitchen knife
12" pan or comal
Spatula

Ingredients

8 corn tortillas
12 ounces Mexican cheese Oaxaca, Chihuahua, or asadero
2 tomatoes large
½ white onion medium
1 clove garlic
12 ounces huitlacoche fresh
4 leaves epazote fresh
1 tsp. salt

Instructions

Preparing the Filling

Chop the onion, tomatoes, and garlic.
Cook the onions, tomatoes, and garlic in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium heat stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
When the tomatoes have changed color and started to lose their shape they are ready. Set them aside.
In the same pot where you cooked the tomatoes, onion, and garlic cook the huitlacoche over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add the reserved mixture of tomatoes, onion, and garlic and stir well.
Season with epazote and salt and cook for 2 more minutes.

Assembling the Quesadillas

Start by putting about ¾ ounce of cheese on a corn tortilla.
Then put 2 tbsps. of filling on the tortilla.
Then add another ¾ ounces of cheese and top with another tortilla.
Preheat your pan or comal to medium-hot. Place the quesadilla in the pan and cook until the tortilla just starts to turn golden then flip once.
Check to see that the cheese is fully melted before serving.

Serving

Serve 2 quesadillas per person. Slice the quesadillas in half and serve with your favorite salsa for dipping.

Notes

Substitutions

You can substitute canned huitlacoche of you are unable to find it free. Omit the step where you cook the huitlacoche because it is pre-cooked.
If you can’t get a Mexican melting cheese, mozzarella is an acceptable substitute.
Substitute 2 sprigs of dried epazote for the fresh epazote.

Storage

Quesadillas don’t store well at all. They should be eaten immediately.
Left-over filling can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Nutrition

More Quesadilla Recipes

Arroz Con Leche – Rice Pudding

Desserts

Mexican Rice Pudding

One of our favorite Mexican desserts is arroz con leche, a Mexican style rice pudding. From a simple list of ingredients; rice, milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, you create a rich dessert great than the sum of its parts. It’s delicious served warm or cold. Our photographer Andrés shares his family’s authentic recipe.

An Adaptable Easy Recipe

Every cook in Mexico has their favorite arroz con leche recipe that they have tweaked and modified over the years. Some add sweetened condensed milk, some add evaporated milk, some add raisins. Some make it very sweet others make it lightly sweet. Some prefer it very moist almost to the point of being wet while others like it a little bit dry. You get the idea. It’s really up to you.

It’s a kid-friendly dessert too that I also consider Mexican comfort food at it’s best.

How to Make Arroz con Leche

The ingredients you need you probably already have on hand. All are inexpensive pantry staples.

Ingredients:

long grain white rice
whole milk
water
sugar
cinnamon stick
salt
butter
vanilla extract
ground cinnamon
raisins (optional)

Cook the Rice First

Bring the water to a boil, then add the rice, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Your cooked rice is ready.

Prepare the Arroz con Leche

While the rice is cooking in a medium pan soak the cinnamon stick in 1 cup of milk.

When the rice is ready add it to the milk with the cinnamon stick and turn the heat to low.

Add the sugar.

Adding Sugar to Cooked White Rice and Milk

Add the salt then cook for 10 minutes stirring regularly.

After the rice has absorbed some of the milk add the butter.

Adding Butter to Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding) on Stove

And add the remaining cup of milk.

Then add the vanilla.

Stir to mix the ingredients well. Continue cooking over low heat for 2 minutes.

Stirring Arroz con Leche in Pan on Stove

Turn off the heat then cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Getting Your Rice Pudding Recipe Just Right

The rice pudding will have absorbed much of the liquid but it should still be creamy. Here is how to adjust it to your liking.

Too dry? If you find that it is too dry, stir in ¼ cup of milk at a time and heat for a couple more minutes until you get the level of moisture that you want.
Too wet? If you find that it is too moist, just cook over low heat until enough liquid has evaporated.

Serving

Serve warm or cold. Spoon rice pudding into a dessert bowl or cup then dust with ground cinnamon and garnish with a bit of cinnamon stick if you like.

English – Spanish Recipe Glossary

Recipe – Receta
Rice Pudding – Arroz con Leche
Dessert – Postre
Ingredients – Ingredientes
Rice – Arroz
Milk – Leche
Butter – Mantequilla
Water – Agua
Condensed Milk – Leche Condensada
Sweetened Condensed Milk – Leche Condensada Dulce
Sugar – Azúcar
Cinnamon – Canela
Raisins – Pasitas
Vanilla Extract – Extracto de Vainilla
Delicious – Delicioso

What is your favorite way of preparing it? Share in the comments below.

Provecho!

Cups of Mexican arroz con leche on table.

Print Recipe

4.68 from 25 votes

Arroz con Leche Recipe

Traditional Mexican Arroz con Leche, an easy to prepare rice pudding dessert flavored with vanilla and cinnamon served both warm and cold.

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Arroz con Leche Recipe, Mexican Arroz con Leche, rice pudding recipe

Servings: people

Calories: 353kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

1 medium pot or high-sided pan with lid
measuring cups
measuring spoons
Kitchen spoon

Ingredients

¾ cup white rice long grain
2 cups whole milk divided in 2 parts
1 ¾ cups water
⅓ cup sugar
1 tbsp. butter
½ tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
¼ tsp. salt
ground cinnamon to taste
½ cup raisins optional

Instructions

Prepare the Rice

Bring the water to a boil, then add the rice, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Prepare the Arroz con Leche

While the rice is cooking in a medium pan soak the cinnamon stick in 1 cup of milk.
Add the cooked rice to the 1 cup of milk with the cinnamon stick and turn the heat to low.
Add the sugar and the salt then cook for 10 minutes stirring regularly.
Add the butter and stir well.
Add the remaining cup of milk and vanilla. Stir to mix the ingredients well. Continue cooking over over low heat for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and cover. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Serve

Dust with ground cinnamon and garnish with a bit of cinnamon stick if you like.

Notes

Optional

Add ½ cup raisins when adding the remaining cup of milk.

Storage

It will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. Serve cold or reheat.
It does not freeze well.

Nutrition

More Mexican Desserts

Tuna Patties

Fish & Seafood

Croquetas de Atún

Enjoy our recipe for Mexican style tuna patties, croquetas de atun. They are prepared with chopped onion and cilantro and you can add some serrano pepper if you want them spicy.

We like to serve them topped with our cilantro lime dressing. Other great options are our fish taco sauce or chipotle lime yogurt dressing.

Plate of Mexican tuna patties (croquettes).

Preparation is quick and easy using pantry staples. You can have the patties and dressing prepared in under 30 minutes with little fuss. They are kid-friendly and easy on the budget.

Mexican tuna patties served on a green salad.

How to Make

These patties come together quickly with economical pantry staples.

Ingredients:

canned tuna (water-packed)
eggs
onion
cilantro
breadcrumbs
cooking oil
salt

Finely chop the cilantro and onion.

Drain the tuna. Press to remove as must liquid as possible.

Put the tuna, onion, cilantro, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Canned Tuna with Onion and Cilantro in Mixing Bowl

Mix until the ingredients are evenly dispersed.

Tuna Cilantro and Onion Mix in Mixing Bowl.

Place an egg-sized scoop of tuna mixture in the palm of your hand and form into a tight patty. Do this with all of the mixture.

Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl then dip each patty in the egg.

After dipping each patty in the egg coat the patty in breadcrumbs.

Place the coated patties on a plate until they are coated.

Ready-to-cook tuna patties on yellow plate.

Fry the patties in ½ cup cooking oil over medium-high heat.

Turn once when frying. Cook until both sides are golden brown.

Place the cooked patties on paper towels or paper napkins to remove any excess oil.

Tuna patties draining on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Serve the patties on a bed of lettuce with our cilantro lime dressing. Recipe Below.

This is a great dish to serve on Meatless Mondays or for Lent.

Alternate Names

Tuna Croquettes

Closeup of Tuna Patties with Cilantro Lime Sauce

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Tuna Patties Recipe

Mexican style tuna patties, "croquetas de atun" prepared with chopped onion and cilantro and topped with cilantro lime dressing. Also known as tuna croquettes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Total Time22

Course: Fish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: canned tuna, tuna recipe

Servings: people

Calories: 396kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Kitchen spoon
mixing bowl
Frying pan

Ingredients

Tuna Patties

4 5 oz. cans tuna water packed
3 eggs
2 cups bread crumbs
½ cup cilantro finely chopped
½ cup onion finely chopped
1 serrano pepper optional
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup cooking oil

Serving

8 leaves iceberg lettuce hand torn
1 cup cilantro lime dressing recipe below

Instructions

Tuna Patties

Finely chop the onion and cilantro.
Drain the tuna. Press to remove as must liquid as possible.
Put the tuna, onion, cilantro, and salt in a mixing bowl then mix until the ingredients are evenly dispersed.
Place an egg-sized scoop of tuna mixture in the palm of your hand and form into a tight patty. Repeat until all of the tuna mixture is used.
Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl then dip each patty in the egg.
After dipping each patty in the egg coat the patty in breadcrumbs.
Place the coated patties on a plate until the are all have been coated.
Fry the patties in ½ cup cooking oil over medium-high heat. Turn once when frying. Cook until both sides are golden brown.
Place the cooked patties on paper towels or paper napkins to remove any excess oil.

Serving

Shred the lettuce leaves by hand and serve 2 patties on a bed of lettuce with our cilantro lime dressing for each person. Recipe Below.

Notes

Optional

Add 1 serrano pepper, seeds and veins removed and finely chopped if you want the patties to be a little spicy.

Storage

Patties are best when eaten immediately but will keep a couple of days in the refrigerator. Reheat to serve.

Nutrition

Mexican cilantro lime dressing in serving bowl.

Print Recipe

4.41 from 5 votes

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Creamy cilantro lime dressing. Greek yogurt gives the dressing body, fresh cilantro, garlic, and lime the bright tangy taste.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Resting time2

Course: Dressing, Sauce

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Cilantro lime Dressing, Cilantro sauce

Servings:

Calories: 139kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Blender
Serving bowl

Ingredients

1 cup chopped cilantro (about 12 sprigs) loosely packed
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 clove garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt

Instructions

Rinse the cilantro well and pat dry with paper towels.
Remove the stems and discard.
Roughly chop the cilantro.
Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend for 1 minute.
Refrigerate and allow to rest for 2 hours before serving.

Notes

Substitutions

Apple cider vinegar for the white vinegar.
Plain unsweetened yogurt for the Greek yogurt.

Nutrition

More Mexican Tuna Recipes

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Antojitos, Enchiladas and Enmoladas

Homemade dressings are easier to prepare than you might expect. Our creamy cilantro lime dressing takes less than 10 minutes to prepare from start to finish including cleanup.

Greek yogurt gives the dressing body, fresh cilantro, garlic, and lime the tangy taste.

Cilantro is an herb that people either love or hate. If you happen to hate cilantro this dressing just might make you change your mind.

How to make

Ingredients

1 cup of chopped cilantro (about 12 sprigs)
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsps. lime juice
1 clove garlic
¼ olive oil
1 ½ tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt

Rinse the cilantro well and pat dry with a paper towel. Remove the stems from the cilantro and discard.

Roughly chop the cilantro. You should have about 1 cup of loosely packed cilantro.

Cilantro lime dressing ingredients in blender jar.

Uses

Print Recipe

4.41 from 5 votes

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Creamy cilantro lime dressing. Greek yogurt gives the dressing body, fresh cilantro, garlic, and lime the bright tangy taste.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Resting time2

Course: Dressing, Sauce

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Cilantro lime Dressing, Cilantro sauce

Servings:

Calories: 139kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Blender
Serving bowl

Ingredients

1 cup chopped cilantro (about 12 sprigs) loosely packed
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 clove garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt

Instructions

Rinse the cilantro well and pat dry with paper towels.
Remove the stems and discard.
Roughly chop the cilantro.
Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend for 1 minute.
Refrigerate and allow to rest for 2 hours before serving.

Notes

Substitutions

Apple cider vinegar for the white vinegar.
Plain unsweetened yogurt for the Greek yogurt.

Nutrition

Mores sauces and dressings

Mashed Potato Croquettes

Side Dishes

Croquetas de Papa

Potato croquettes (patties) make the perfect meatless meal. Our version is filled with queso fresco cheese, super tasty, filling, and easy to make. This dish is popular in Mexico, especially during Lent.

Mashed potato croquettes with green salad.

They are delicious on their own but you should try them topped with your favorite salsa also. Salsa verde, salsa Mexicana, or guajillo salsa pair perfectly. We’ll add a dollop of Mexican cream or sour cream at times too.

Mashed potato patties and a green salad with tomatoes.

Add this one to your list of favorite vegetarian recipes.

How to Prepare

Ingredients

4 waxy potatoes (about 1 lb.)
9 ozs. Mexican cheese: queso panela, queso fresco
1 egg
bread crumbs
½ cup cooking oil
1 tsp. salt

We used waxy potatoes because they are the potatoes used in Mexico. Russets aren’t available in Mexico but work well too. You can also use any leftover mashed potatoes which makes prep even easier.

Ingredients to make mashed potato croquettes.

Preparing the potato mixture

Cook the potatoes with the skin on for 40 minutes.

After cooking the skins start to fall off which makes them very easy to peel.

Allow the potatoes to cool to the touch.

Use your fingers to remove the potato skins.

Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork.

If your cheese came in a large chunk, use your fingers to crumble it in small pieces.

Add the crumbled cheese to the mashed potatoes and mix well.

Cheese added to mashed potatoes in mixing bowl.

Beat one egg and then add it to the potato and cheese mixture.

Adding beaten egg to potato cheese mixture in mixing bowl.

Mix thoroughly to incorporate the egg.

Potato, egg, and cheese mixture in stainless mixing bowl.

Add the bread crumbs.

Adding breadcrumbs to potato, egg, and cheese mixture.

Mix thoroughly to incorporate the bread crumbs. Tip: if the mixture is very dry you can add another beaten egg.

Breadcrumbs blended with potato, egg, cheese mixture.

Forming the croquettes

Tip: dip your fingers in cooking oil to keep the potato mixture from sticking to your fingers when you form the patties.

Dipping fingers in cooking oil in small bowl.

Form a ball of the potato mixture in the palm of your hand that is just a bit bigger than the size of a golf ball.

Ball of potato, egg, cheese mixture in hand.

Use the tips of your fingers to press the patty flat to a thickness of about ¾″. The patties are ready when the mixture doesn’t stick to your fingers.

Form all of the patties before cooking.

Uncooked potato patties on cutting board.

Cooking the Croquettes

Heat ½ cup cooking oil to medium-hot. Place for croquettes in the pan at a time. Cook for about 1.5 to 2 minutes until golden on one side then turn.

Cook for another 1.5 to 2 minutes until golden brown on the other side.

For potato croquettes / patties cooking in oil.

Remove the croquettes from the oil and drain on paper towels to remove any excess oil.

Potato croquettes daring on paper towel.

Serving

Serve the patties warm allowing 2 to 3 per person with a simple green salad on the side. This is an enjoyable lunch or light dinner. It’s a great side dish too.

Mexican croquetas de papa served with a green salad.

Provecho!

Mexican potato croquettes with a green salad.

Other names for the dish

Potato fritters
Potato patties
Potato cakes
Tortas de papa
Tortitas de papa

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Mexican Potato Croquettes

Mexican potato croquettes (patties) filled with queso fresco. A popular meatless dish in Mexico especially during lent.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: potato croquettes recipe, potato fritters recipe, potato patties recipe, vegetarian recipe

Servings:

Calories: 561kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

Large pot
Frying pan
mixing bowl
Spatula
fork

Ingredients

4 white potatoes large
9 ozs. Mexican cheese panelo or fresco (fresh crumbly cheeses)
1 egg
9 ozs. breadcrumbs fine
½ cup cooking oil
1 ½ tsp. salt

Instructions

Preparing the potatoes

Cook the potatoes with the skin on for 30 minutes then allow the potatoes to cool to the touch.
Use your fingers to remove the potato skins.
Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork.
Crumble the cheese into small pieces and add to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
Beat one egg and then add it to the potato and cheese mixture and mix thoroughly.
Add the breadcrumbs to the mixture and mix thoroughly.

Forming the croquettes

Form a ball of the potato mixture in the palm of your hand that is just a bit bigger than the size of a golf ball.
Use the tips of your fingers to press the patty flat to a thickness of about ¾".

Cooking the croquettes

Heat ½ cup cooking oil to medium-hot. Place for croquettes in the pan at a time. Cook for about 1.5 to 2 minutes until golden on one side then turn.
Cook for another 1.5 to 2 minutes and then remove the croquettes from the oil and drain on paper towels to remove any excess oil.

Notes

Tip: Dip your fingers in cooking oil to keep the potato mixture from sticking to your fingers.

Optional toppings

Your favorite salsa
Mexican cream (crema)
Sour cream

Nutrition

More potato recipes

Enchiladas Potosinas

San Luis Potosí Style Enchiladas

The state of San Luis Potosí has a unique style of enchiladas that are prepared by dipping the tortillas in a guajillo chile sauce and then cooked with a few spoonfuls of a chile sauce prepared with ancho, chile, serrano chile, green tomato, and tomato.

They are very lightly sauced and folded not rolled like many other types of enchiladas.

The traditional version of Enchiladas Potosinas uses lard to fry the enchiladas but we have substituted cooking oil.

Ready to make some?

Closeup of Enchiladas Potosinas Topped with Onion and Cream

Ingredients:

As with every Mexican dish, the quality of the ingredients greatly affects the outcome. You will want to use the highest quality corn tortilla that you can get because the corn flavor of the tortilla plays a prominent role.

Homemade tortillas or ones freshly made at the tortilleria are best.

Avoid the corn tortillas that are packed in plastic bags in the bread aisle of the supermarket. They won’t give good results.

Ingredients to Make Enchiladas Potosinas

8 green tomatoes
½ medium white onion
1 plum tomato
2 guajillo chiles
2 ancho chiles
1 serrano chile
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
7 ounces Chihuahua cheese (queso Chihuahua)
7 ounces cotija cheese (queso cotija or queso añejo)
½ cup Mexican cream (crema)
½ cup cooking oil
12 corn tortillas

How to Make

Chile Sauces

Remove the seeds and stems from the chiles and discard.

Soak the chiles in 2 cups warm water for 10 minutes.

Put the green tomatoes, plum tomato, and chile serrano in a pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Blend the guajillo chiles with ½ cup water and set aside. We will use the blended guajillo to coat the tortillas before placing them in the oil.

This is what the blended guajillo chile will look like.

Blend the green, tomatoes, tomato, serrano chile, and ancho chiles with 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth.

Finely chop the onion.

Fry the onion in 3 tbsps. cooking oil over medium heat until they start turning translucent.

Strain the blended green, tomatoes, tomato, serrano chile, and ancho chiles into the fried onion.

Cook on high for 5 minutes. The color will go from reddish to brownish.

Blend until smooth.

Return the blended chile sauce into your cooking pot and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat. Then, add salt until it’s just slightly salty tasting.

The reduced sauce will look like this.

Assembling and Cooking

Dip each tortilla in the reserved guajillo chile sauce.

Dipping corn tortilla in guajillo chile sauce.

Add a thin slice of Chihuahua cheese to each dipped tortilla.

Assemble all of the enchiladas before cooking.

Assembled enchiladas Potosinas on plate.

Pour ¼ cup cooking oil into a medium-hot frying pan.

Pouring ¼ cup cooking oil in frying pan.

Place 4 enchiladas at a time in the hot oil.

Spoon the cooked chile sauce over each enchilada. Cook for 30 seconds. Turn them once and then spoon a little more sauce over each enchilada. Cook for 30 more seconds.

Serving

Serve 4 enchiladas per plate. Top with crema, crumbled añejo cheese, and very thinly sliced onion rings.

Plate of authentic enchiladas Potosinas.

Print Recipe

2.41 from 22 votes

Enchiladas Potosinas Recipe

San Luis Potosí style enchiladas prepared by dipping the tortillas in a guajillo chile sauce then cooked with in a few spoonfuls of a chile sauce prepared with ancho, chile, serrano chile, green tomato, and tomato.

Prep Time35

Cook Time10

Course: Antojitos

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Authentic Enchiladas, San Luis Potosí

Servings:

Calories: 1056kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Kitchen spoon
Blender
Stock Pot

Ingredients

8 green tomatoes
1 tomato
1 white onion halved
2 guajillo chile peppers
2 ancho chile peppers
1 serrano chile pepper
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
7 ozs. Chihuahua cheese
7 ozs. cotija or añejo cheese
6 ozs. crema Mexican cream
1 cup cooking oil
12 corn tortillas
salt to taste

Instructions

Chile Sauce Preparation

Remove the seeds and stems from the chiles and discard.
Soak the chiles in 2 cups warm water for 10 minutes.
Put the green tomatoes, plum tomato, and chile serrano in a pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Blend the guajillo chiles with ½ cup water and set aside. We will use the blended guajillo to coat the tortillas before placing them in the oil.
Finely chop the onion.
Fry the onion in 3 tbsps. cooking oil over medium heat until they start turning translucent.
Strain the blended green, tomatoes, tomato, serrano chile, and ancho chiles into the fried onion.
Blend the tomato chile sauce with onion again until smooth.
Return the blended chile sauce into your cooking pot and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat. Then, add salt until it's just slightly salty tasting.

Assembling and Cooking

Dip each tortilla in the reserved guajillo chile sauce.
Add a thin slice of Chihuahua cheese to each dipped tortilla and fold in half. Do this with all the tortillas before cooking.
Pour ¼ cup cooking oil into a medium-hot frying pan.
Place 4 enchiladas at a time in the hot oil.
Spoon the cooked chile sauce over each enchilada. Cook for 30 seconds. Turn them once and then spoon a little more sauce over each enchilada. Cook for 30 more seconds.

Serving

Serve 4 enchiladas per plate. Top with crema, crumbled añejo cheese, and very thinly sliced onion rings.

Notes

Substitutions

Use any mild melting cheese in place of the Chihuahua cheese.
Use any crumbly Mexican cheese in place of the añejo cheese.

These enchiladas are served warm not piping hot.

Nutrition

More Enchiladas Recipes

Chef Juan Antonio Hussong

Instructor Mastering Mexican Cooking

Get to know Juan Antonio Hussong owner and chef of Osho Restaurante in Ensenada, BC, Mexico. He is working with us at the Mexican Food Journal to share his 30 years of cooking experience in Mastering Mexican Cooking, an online cooking school.

Mastering Mexican Cooking Header Image with Salsa Roja

Pictures of Mexican dishes at OSHO Restaurante, Ensenada, Mexico

Video transcript

Finding his path

Welcome to Mastering Mexican Cooking. My name is Juan Antonio Hussong. I was born and raised in Ensenada. I was born in 1963 from a German descendant family. I basically started the restaurant business when I was 17 as a dishwasher. That’s when I knew that I had a passion and I really liked what I was doing. I grew up in a farm south of here, San Quintin, so I was 15, moved to the city, and then started working in a restaurant. Then from there on I went on as a dishwasher and then I went into prep and then assistant to the chef and two years went by. When I’m turned 20 my family asked me what I wanted to do with my life and I say, “Well, I want to be a chef and I want to study.” So they took me to San Francisco and I went to California Culinary Academy. In 1987 I graduated and I live in San Francisco for about 15 years, work in many restaurants. I have my own café, so it was a very awesome experience and one day I decided I wanted to return.

To California, the world, and back

I wanted to come back home and hometown and so I left San Francisco and I moved back to Ensenada and also I work in a cruise ship, Royal Viking and while it was one of my best, best experiences, travel all over the world and then came back 13 years ago and I worked for about a two years in a hotel, local hotel in Ensenada, and then I opened my cooking school. I have my cooking school for approximately eight, nine years, and four years ago I opened Osho, which is a restaurant where we specialize in breakfast, we do breakfast and we had the restaurant, I still continue with my cooking classes and with the restaurant. I also do some private dinners in the afternoon in the restaurant and now we embracing this new experience and challenge and sharing my experience of 40 years of cooking with all of you and I hope you enjoy and follow me through this interesting journey.

The future

We are just beginning and this is the beginning of a very huge project (Mastering Mexican Cooking) and hopefully, we’ll have all the energy and people will follow us and we’ll share the knowledge. Thank you.

Ask the chef a question.

Molé Mama the Book

A Mother’s love

Diana Silva a San Diego-based home chef has written a tender story, Molé Mama – A Memoir of Love, Cooking, and Loss, in which you’ll feel the love between Diana and her beloved mother, Rose, and swear that you smell Sonora enchiladas, Spanish rice, mole, and other delicious Mexican food simmering in your kitchen.

Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a small commission if you click through and purchase a product which helps support our site. We only recommend things which we love.

Culinary Training Begins

Diana was just nine years old, and when her culinary training began. Rose was making her legendary flour tortillas, and Diana’s big job was to mix the masa. Rose expertly poured water, flour, salt, and a little baking powder in the bowl, and Diana eagerly put her small hands in the bowl and tried to follow her mother’s patient instructions on how to mix it. Diana loved the way the sticky dough felt in her little fingers. She was so very proud and excited to help her mama. Diana didn’t understand the road she had embarked on that afternoon and the joy she’d experience cooking with her mother for more than 20 years.

A Shared Love of Food

Rose was a patient, loving teacher, and her food was magical! She had a way of making everyone feel at home around her, loved, listened too like they were important and cared for, and always filled their tummies with a memorable meal. Their love of food and cooking together was the basis for their close relationship, and as Rose battles, a terminal illness, once again home-cooked food, is at the center of their farewell. Diana cooks her mother’s heirloom Mexican recipes every weekend while Rose presides from her nearby hospice bed and completes taste tests to ensure that Diana has perfected her favorite dishes. None of these multi-generational recipes had been written down. Diana knew how to make several of her dishes before Rose became terminally ill, but whenever they cooked together, Rose always added more spices and made the final tweaks to recipes when Diana wasn’t in the kitchen. So it was in these last thirteen months that Diana knew she had to perfect their cherished family heirloom recipes or they’d be lost forever.

Buy the Book

Secrets to a Good Life

Rose also uses this precious time to help Diana understand the secrets to a good life: forgiveness, love, faith, and gratitude for every moment. Witnessing her mother’s grace and zest for life during these last few months changes Diana’s understanding of how to live, and this is the best recipe her mother ever shared.

Diana hopes that her story will inspire you to be courageous, present, authentic, and vulnerable during your farewell journeys. Reviews describe it as a mix of Like Water for Chocolate and Tuesdays with Morrie. Many readers have shared that Diana’s book brought them deep comfort and an understanding that they weren’t alone in their heartbreaking farewells.

About the Author

About the author – Diana Silva is a San Diego-based home chef, video blogger, and podcaster. Her Molé Mama Recipes YouTube channel celebrates family recipes, cooking delicious meals at home, and adding love to every recipe. Diving into her Latina roots, she uses her magical molcajete, and other tools and techniques that make her food taste like grandma used to make back in Mexico. Along with her guest chefs, Diana explores recipes and traditions from all over the world and the stories that keep them alive. Diana is calling everyone to return to their kitchens and to preserve their living and past ancestors’ favorite recipes and stories for future generations.

“We need to try to preserve our cultures and not just let those favorite recipes disappear forever. The common thread of every cherished family recipe is that they were homemade with love, and that’s the real secret ingredient,” says Diana. For many home chefs, cooking is their preferred love language, and that’s why we cherish their recipes. Their love has the power to transcend an ordinary recipe into magic!

Diana encourages everyone to preserve those precious recipes and the stories that make them unique. She invites those whose recipes have been lost or have faded over time to subscribe to her YouTube channel, there are plenty of recipes and traditions to share, and you just might be inspired to create your own because “Every Recipe Tells a Story.” Many of the recipes in this book are on her YouTube channel.

Buy the Book

Other Books and Magazines You Might Like

Spanish Omelette

Eggs

Tortilla Española or Spanish Tortilla

Spanish omelettes are loved throughout Spain and you will find them in every tapas bar but they are also enjoyed in Mexico.

We have taken the classic recipe and have given it a Mexican touch with the addition of sautéed tomato, goat cheese, and a pinch of Mexican oregano. It looks laborious but is quite easy to make.

It can be eaten warm as a main dish with a simple green salad or cold as an appetizer.

Spanish Omelette Served with Green Salad

This dish is also known as a Tortilla Española, Torta de Patatas, Tortilla de Patatas, or Spanish Tortilla. Whatever you call it, it’s delicious.

Spanish Omelette Served on Talavera Plate

How to Make

You can easily put this dish together with pantry staples you probably already have on hand. If goat cheese isn’t your thing, you can substitute your favorite cheese.

Ingredients:

Start by gathering the following ingredients:

Waxy white potatoes (small)
Eggs
White onion
Tomatoes
Goat cheese (or any cheese of your choice)
Mexican oregano
Salt
Olive oil

Rinse the potatoes then peel. Discard the peels.

Slice the potatoes into ⅛″ pieces.

Slice the onions into ⅛″ strips.

Cut the tomato into ¼″ thick slices.

Preheat a medium frying pan (10″) with ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil to medium-low.

Add the potatoes and stir to cover in olive oil.

Cook for 10 minutes stirring regularly so that the potatoes cook evenly.

Then add the sliced onions to the potatoes.

Cook for 5 more minutes stirring continually so that the potatoes and onion cook evenly and don’t burn.

Potatoes and Onions Cooking in Frying Pan

Add the oregano and cook for 5 more minutes stirring continually. Don’t allow the mixture to brown.

Remove the potato-onion mixture from the heat and strain. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Reserve the olive oil. You will use it to cook the omelette.

Draining Cooked Potatoes to Remove Excess Olive Oil

While the potato-onion mixture is cooling. Cook the sliced tomato in the same pan over medium heat.

Cook the tomato until it is just starting to brown.

Set the tomato aside.

Crack the eggs into a medium-size mixing bowl and beat with a wire whisk or fork until well mixed.

Add the salt.

Add the potato-onion mixture to the beaten eggs and stir to coat the potatoes with egg.

Heat your frying pan to medium-low and add the reserved olive oil.

Spoon ½ of the potato egg mixture into your frying pan.

Pouring Potatoes and Eggs Into Frying Pan

Add the cooked tomato slices distributing them evenly.

Adding Fried Tomatoes to Spanish Omelette

Add the crumbled goat cheese.

Spoon the other half of the potato egg mixture into your frying pan.

Using a spatula and working all the way around the omelette, gently push the edge in allowing the uncooked egg to flow around the edge.

Losening Edge of Spanish Omelette in Pan

Cook for about 5 minutes until the egg has just set.

Now comes the exciting part, flipping the omelette so that it cooks evenly. Place a plate over the top of your frying pan.

Holding your hand on the plate, quickly turn the frying pan over so the omelette releases onto the plate.

Place the frying pan back on the heat and gently slide the omelette back into the pan.

Continue cooking for 5 more minutes.

Remove the omelette from the pan using the same technique you used to turn it by placing a plate of the pan and quickly turning it over to release the omelette.

Serving

You can serve your Spanish Omelette hot, at room temperature, or cold. At all 3 temperatures, it’s delicious.

To serve hot, cover it with aluminum foil or a Pyrex dish and allow it to set for 10 minutes before slicing.
To serve at room temperature, loosely cover and allow it to cool for 2 hours then slice and serve.
To serve cold, allow to come to room temperature then refrigerate. Slice and serve.

A simple green salad is a perfect accompaniment.

Tortilla Española Served on Talavera Plate

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Spanish Omelette

Spanish Omelette with a Mexican touch. Filled with potato, sautéed tomato, goat cheese, and a pinch of Mexican oregano. Also called a Tortilla Española, Torta de Patatas, Tortilla de Patatas, or Spanish Tortilla.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Spanish

Keyword: egg recipe, Mexican recipe, potato recipe, spinach omelette recipe

Servings: slices

Calories: 197kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Medium cutting board
2 medium mixing bowls
Wire whisk
Strainer
Spatula
Medium frying pan (12")

Ingredients

4 white waxy potatoes medium size
8 eggs
½ white onion medium size
1 tomato medium size
2 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 ½ tsps salt
¼ cup olive oil extra virgen

Instructions

Cooking the Potato Filling

Rinse the potatoes then peel. Slice the potatoes into ⅛" pieces. Discard the peels.
Slice the onions into ⅛" strips.
Cut the tomato into ¼" thick slices.
Preheat a medium frying pan (10") with ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil to medium-low.
Add the potatoes and stir to cover in olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes stirring regularly so that the potatoes cook evenly.
Next, add the sliced onions to the potatoes. Cook for 5 more minutes stirring continually so that the potatoes and onion cook evenly and don't burn.
Add the oregano and cook for 5 more minutes stirring continually. Don't allow the mixture to brown.
Remove the potato onion mixture from the heat and strain. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Reserve the olive oil. You will use it to cook the omelette.
While the potato-onion mixture is cooling. Cook the sliced tomato in the same pan over medium heat. Turning once, cook the tomato until it is just starting to brown and set aside.

Cooking the Omelette

Heat your frying pan to medium-low and add the reserved olive oil.
Spoon ½ of the potato egg mixture into your frying pan.
Add the cooked tomato slices distributing them evenly then add the crumbled goat cheese.
Spoon the other half of the potato egg mixture into your frying pan. Using a spatula and working all the way around the omelette, gently push the edge in allowing the uncooked egg to flow around the edge.
Cook for about 5 minutes until the egg has just set.
Flip the omelette by placing a plate over the top of your frying pan then hold your hand on the plate, quickly turn the frying pan over so the omelette releases onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the heat and gently slide the omelette back into the pan.
Continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
Remove the omelette from the pan using the same technique you used to turn it by placing a plate of the pan and quickly turning it over to release the omelette.
Allow your omelette to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Then enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions

The recipe calls for goat cheese but you can substitute any of your favorite cheeses and it will turn out great.

Storage

Keeps in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Nutrition

More Mexican Egg Recipes

Mexican Chocolate Skulls

Calaveras de Chocolate

Organic Stone-Ground Chocolate from Chiapas

Our friends at Hernán Mexican Food have Artisanal Chocolate Skulls to prepare Mexican Style Hot Chocolate. Perfect to celebrate Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead on Nov. 2. In Mexico on Día de los Muertos, it is traditional to prepare the foods loved by family members who have passed as a way to share and celebrate with them.

Hernán’s chocolate is presented in artisan hand-woven, brightly colored palm leaf baskets and is made of stone-ground organic cocoa beans from a bio-diversified plantation in the Mayan region harvested and produced in the state of Chiapas where they continue the Mayan tradition of cultivating cocoa in harmony with the environment. You can get it here. It’s delicious!

Buy Here

Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a small commission if you click through and purchase a product that helps support our site. We only recommend great products that we love.

Our Guide to Prepare Mexican Hot Chocolate

If you have never prepared Mexican Hot Chocolate you can follow our guide to prepare a perfect cup.

Authentic Mexican Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon

Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipes

Lentil Soup

Soups

Sopa de Lentejas

Lentil soup is enjoyed throughout Mexico. Enjoy our hearty version prepared with sautéed onions, carrots, tomatoes, and bacon. It’s a meal in itself or a great side dish when served in smaller portions.

Bowl of Mexican Lentil soup with Tomato Carrot Garnish

It keeps well in the refrigerator so you can prepare it and enjoy it all week long.

How to Make

Our Mexican lentil soup recipe is an easy weeknight dish and all of the ingredients are pantry staples.

The traditional way to prepare this dish is with chicken stock but if you would like to make this vegan, just substitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken broth and omit the bacon.

Ingredients

Start by gathering your ingredients.

1 lb. green lentils
2 qts. chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium), or vegetable broth, or water
6 strips bacon
1 large white onion
3 medium carrots
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes
8 sprigs cilantro
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp. salt + to taste
water as needed

Start by Preparing the Lentils

In this recipe, we cook the lentils on the stovetop but they turn out really well cooked in an Instant Pot.

Soak the lentils in water for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, drain the water from the lentils and rinse under cold water.

Place the lentils in a large pot. Add the 2 quarts of chicken broth and ½ of the white onion.

On high bring to a boil. When the lentils have come to a boil reduce the heat to medium. Remove any foam that forms.

Add 1 tsp. salt.

Next Prepare the Bacon

While the lentils are cooking you need to prepare the bacon. Choose your favorite brand. You can substitute 6 ounces of ham for the bacon. Brown it the same as you would the bacon.

Cut the strips of bacon in half. Cutting the bacon this way adds a rustic touch to the dish. You can also finely chop the bacon if you prefer.

Cook the bacon until it has started to brown on both sides. Don’t cook it until it’s crispy because it will continue to cook in the soup and you want the bacon to give off some of its fat which builds flavor.

Add Bacon

Add the browned bacon to the lentils and continue cooking over medium heat.

Adding Bacon to Lentil Soup Cooking on Stove

Remove the onion and discard.

Then Prepare the Vegetables

While the lentils continue to cook, you will prepare the vegetables. Many cooks add the vegetables directly to the lentils without sautéing them which tastes great but when you cook them in olive oil first you build more depth of flavor.

Peel and chop the carrots into ¼ in. pieces.

Chop the onion into ¼ in. pieces.

Remove the seeds and chop the tomatoes into ¼ in. pieces.

Preheat 3 tbsp. olive oil to medium-hot.

Add the onion first and cook for 3 minutes until the onions just start to become translucent.

Add the carrots and cook for 3 more minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are just starting to break apart.

Carrots, Onion, Tomatoes Cooking in Frying Pan

The vegetable mixture should look like this.

Add Vegetables to Soup

Add the onion, carrot, tomato mixture to the lentils and stir.

Then add the sprigs of cilantro and stir.

The soup is almost ready. It’s starting to look really good.

Cook your lentils for 10 more minutes. Add water one cup at a time if the soup is too thick. Taste and add salt if needed before serving.

Serving

Serve your Mexican Lentil soup with a stack of warm corn tortillas or bolillos, a type of airy French roll enjoyed all over Mexico.

Bowl of Mexican Lentil Soup with Vegetables on Side

Provecho!

Print Recipe

4.60 from 10 votes

Mexican Lentil Soup Recipe

Authentic Mexican lentil soup, sopa de lentejas, prepared with sautéed onions, carrots, tomatoes, and bacon. An easy weeknight recipe made with pantry staples.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Course: Main Dish, Soup / Stew

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Lentil soup recipe, lentils, Mexican soup recipe

Servings: bowls

Calories: 375kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Equipment

Large pot
Cutting board
Kitchen knife
Vegetable peeler
Strainer

Ingredients

1 lb. lentils green
2 qts. chicken broth homemade or low-sodium
6 strips bacon
1 white onion large
3 carrots medium
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes
6 sprigs cilantro
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt + as needed to taste

Instructions

Preparing the Lentils

Soak the lentils in water for 30 minutes then drain the water from the lentils and rinse under cold water.
Place the lentils in a large pot. Add the 2 quarts of chicken broth and ½ of the white onion.
On high bring to a boil. When the lentils have come to a boil reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tsp. salt. Remove any foam that forms.

Preparing the Bacon

Cut the strips of bacon in half.
In a medium-hot pan, cook the bacon until it has started to brown on both sides.
Add the browned bacon to the lentils and continue cooking over medium heat. Remove the half onion from the lentils and discard.

Preparing the Vegetables

Peel and chop the carrots into ¼ in. pieces.
Chop the onion into ¼ in. pieces.
Remove the seeds and chop the tomatoes into ¼ in. pieces.
Preheat 3 tbsps. olive oil to medium hot. Add the onion first and cook for 3 minutes until the onions just start to become translucent.
Add the carrots and cook for 3 more minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are just starting to break apart.
Add the onion, carrot, tomato mixture, and the sprigs of cilantro to the lentils and stir.

Finishing the Soup

Cook your lentils for 10 more minutes. Add water one cup at a time if the soup is too thick. Taste and add salt if needed before serving.

Notes

The lentils can be cooked in an Instant Pot.
Finely chop the bacon if you prefer.
You can substitute 6 ounces of ham for the bacon. Prepare the same as bacon.
To make this soup vegan, just substitute vegetable broth or water for the chicken broth and omit the bacon or ham.
It will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Nutrition

More Mexican Soup Recipes

Mexico has so many delicious soups. Here are some of our favorites. Give them all a try.

Taco Seasoning

Tacos

Sazonador para Tacos

Never use taco seasoning packets again. Blend your own taco seasoning. It’s super easy and you can adjust it to your exact taste.

Mild to Spicy – Your Choice

You start with a mild base of paprika, powdered onion, powdered garlic, lemon pepper, tablespoon black pepper, ground cumin, dried parsley, and dried oregano. Then, you add or subtract spices as desired. Perfect for preparing ground beef or shredded chicken taco fillings.

In Mexico, we don’t actually use a lot of pre-made spice mixes but this is a great one to have on hand. It’s versatile and you can use it for more than just seasoning taco meat.

Ingredient List

Here is the spice blend you will need. All are common pantry items.

3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
½ tablespoon lemon pepper
1/ tablespoon black pepper
½ tablespoon ground cumin
½ tablespoon dried parsley
½ tablespoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or Cayenne pepper (optional if you want a hotter mix)

Salt is Important

The recipe intentionally doesn’t include salt which allows you to salt your dishes exactly to your preferences. When you are salting your dish we recommend adding ½ tsp. of salt at time then tasting it. Continue adding ½ tsp. at a time and tasting until the flavor pops and the level of saltiness is just right for you.

Plate of ingredients to make homemade Mexican taco seasoning

How to Make

The seasoning is super easy to put together. First, rub the oregano and parsley between the palms of your hands until it is nearly a powder.

Then put all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir until the ingredients are equally dispersed. That’s it. Easy peasy.

Mixing Bowl with Homemade Taco Seasoning

Your seasoning mix is ready to use. We like to use 1 tablespoon of seasoning per 1 pound of meat. You can use more or less depending on how you like your food seasoned.

Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 months. Small Mason jars are great for storing your mix.

Many Uses for Your DIY Taco Seasoning

You can use this taco seasoning mix for more than just taco meat. Try it for the following dishes:

Beef tacos.
Chicken tacos.
Fajitas.
Seasoning meatloaf. This will give your meatloaf a big flavor boost.
As a rub for baked chicken.
Seasoning for shrimp. Great for making shrimp tacos.
Seasoning roasted vegetables. It’s particularly good on roasted red potatoes.
Seasoning lentils.
Seasoning beans.
To replace chili powder when making chili.
Making soups.
Use it just about on any dish when you need a flavor boost.

You’ll never use a store-bought packet of taco seasoning again. This blend is too easy and too delicious.

Makes a Great Gift

A batch of your homemade mix in a pretty glass jar makes a great gift for someone in your life who loves to cook.

What else will you use it for? Let us know!

Print Recipe

4.16 from 52 votes

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

Easy to make, mild, homemade, taco seasoning prepared with paprika, powdered onion, powdered garlic, lemon pepper, tablespoon black pepper, ground cumin, dried parsley, and dried oregano.

Prep Time5

Cook Time1

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Homemade Taco Seasoning, How to Make Taco Seasoning, Taco Seasoning Recipe

Servings: prepared dishes

Calories: 26kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

3 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon lemon pepper
½ tablespoon black pepper
½ tablespoon ground cumin
½ tablespoon dried parsley
½ tablespoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional if you want a hotter seasoning)

Instructions

First, rub the oregano and parsley between the palms of your hands until it is nearly a powder.
Then put all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir until the ingredients are equally dispersed.

Notes

Use 1 tablespoon of seasoning per 1 pound of meat. You can use more or less depending on how you like your food seasoned.
Seasoning will keep for 3 months in a tightly sealed container.
The recipe intentionally doesn’t include salt which allows you to salt your dishes exactly to your preferences. When you are salting your dish we recommend adding ½ tsp. of salt at time then tasting it. Continue adding ½ tsp. at a time and tasting until the flavor pops and the level of saltiness is just right for you.

Nutrition

Taco Fillings

More Mexican Seasoning Mixes

Fajita Seasoning

Mexican Pickled Peppers

Chiles

Chiles en Vinagre (Escabeche)

At every mom-and-pop restaurant in Mexico, you will find a bowl of pickled peppers and vegetables on the table to accompany your meal.

The tang from the vinegar, the heat from the serrano peppers, and the crunch from the vegetables whet your appetite. These peppers are so easy to make and the taste is superior to the canned versions.

Bowl of Mexican Pickled Peppers (Chiles en Vinagre)

How to Make

If you have ever thought that pickling would be difficult, no worries. This is a no-cook pickle recipe. That means no boiling, no canning, and almost no prep time.

Prep and clean up will take you less than 15 minutes. There are no reasons not to give it a try.

Mexican Pickled Peppers, with Carrots, and Onions (Chiles en Vinagre)

Gather Your Ingredients

There is a good chance that you already have the ingredients on hand. You can substitute jalapeño peppers for the serranos if you’d like. The end result won’t be as hot.

Ingredient List

10 serrano chili peppers
2 carrots
½ white onion
12 ounces apple cider vinegar
8 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon whole black pepper

Ingredients on Cutting Board to Make Mexican Pickled Peppers (Chiles en Vinagre)

Prepping the Vegetables

Cut the stems off the peppers then slice the chiles in quarters lengthwise. Leave the seeds and veins. (You can remove them if you prefer less heat.)

Chopped Serrano Peppers on Cutting Board

Chop the onion into ½″ pieces.

Cut the carrot into ¼″ rounds.

Coarsely chop the garlic.

Pickling

Layer the vegetables and the spices.

Cover completely with apple cider vinegar. Put the lid on the jar.

Adding Vinegar to Jar of Mexican Pickled Peppers (Chiles en Vinagre)

Cure for 3 Weeks

Place the jar in the refrigerator. Every three days give the jar a gentle shake to ensure that the vegetables cure evenly.

After 3 weeks, it is ready to serve. You can use the pickled peppers before but for best results wait for the full 3 weeks. You will love the results.

Pro tip: Label the top of the jar with the date that you placed the jar in the fridge.

The Finished Product

Use the hot pickled peppers and vegetables a tangy side-dish or hors d’oeuvre. They are great as a bar snack (botana) with an ice-cold Mexican beer. Pop a pepper in your mouth. Take a few swigs of beer and repeat.

Jar of Mexican Pickled Peppers, Carrots, and Onions (Chiles en Vinagre)

How will you serve them?

Mexican Pickled Peppers in Jar (Closeup)

Print Recipe

3.87 from 23 votes

Mexican Pickled Peppers

Tangy and spicy Mexican style pickled serrano peppers (chiles en vinagre, chiles en escabeche) with white onion, carrots, and garlic. An easy to make no-cook pickle recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time21

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chiles en vinagre recipe, pickled peppers recipe

Servings:

Calories: 46kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Equipment

Cutting board
Kitchen knife
Canning jar with lid

Ingredients

10 serrano peppers
2 carrots
½ white onion
12 ounces apple cider vinegar
8 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cumin seed (comino)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

Instructions

Cut the stems off the chiles then slice the chiles in quarters lengthwise. Leave the seeds and veins.
Chop the onion into ½" pieces.
Cut the carrot into ¼" rounds.
Coarsely chop the garlic.
Layer the vegetables and the spices in the canning jar.
Cover the vegetables completely with apple cider vinegar. Put the lid on the jar.
Place the jar in the refrigerator. Every three days give the jar a gentle shake to ensure that the vegetables cure evenly.

Notes

Label the top of the jar with the date that you placed the jar in the fridge.
Remove the seeds and veins from the peppers if you prefer a pickle with less heat.

Substitutions

You can substitute jalapeño peppers for the serrano peppers. The taste will be similar but not as hot.

Nutrition

Salsa Taquera

Taqueria Style Salsa with Árbol Chile

Salsa Taquera, a tomato based, fiery, garlicky salsa prepared with dried árbol peppers. This type of salsa is served at taco stands throughout Mexico. It’s a good one.

Bowl of Chile de Árbol Salsa (Salsa Taquera)

The finished salsa will be shiny, smooth, and thick with a beautiful orange color. It only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. Let’s get started.

Gather Your Ingredients

If you cook Mexican food regular you probably have all the ingredients on hand: plum tomatoes, garlic, árbol peppers, oil, and salt. You can find the peppers at any supermarket that carries dried chiles.

Ingredient List

2 plum (Roma) tomatoes
1 white onion
6 árbol chiles
3 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon of salt + as needed

If you prefer a milder salsa reduce the number of chiles by half.

How to Make

Roughly chop the tomatoes and onions. Peel the garlic and remove the stems from the chiles.

Preheat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Cook the tomatoes and onions for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Chopped Tomatoes and Onions in Frying Pan

Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes stirring occasionally.

Browning Tomatoes and Onions in Frying Pan

Add the árbol chile and cook for 1 more minute. Do not cook longer which may make the chiles turn bitter.

Tomatoes, Onion, and Arbol Chile in Frying Pan

This is how the ingredients should look before blending. Browning develops a deep rich flavor.

Browned tomatoes, onion, and garlic in pan on stove.

Add all of the ingredients from the pan to your blender and blend for 30 seconds.

Salsa Taquera Ingredients in Blender Jar

While the salsa is blending add the oil to the blender and blend for 1 more minute until the salsa has a smooth thick consistency.

Taste and add salt if needed.

Serve

Serve this salsa as an accompaniment to your favorite tacos. We really like it on carne asada or shredded beef tacos.

Bowl of Salsa Taquera (Salsa de Chile de Árbol)

Alternate names: salsa de chile de árbol, chile de arbol salsa.

Bowl of Salsa Taquera (Salsa de Chile de Arbol)

Print Recipe

3.86 from 49 votes

Salsa Taquera

Salsa Taquera also known as Salsa de Chile de Árbol, a fiery salsa prepared with tomatoes, garlic, and dried árbol chiles, which is served at taco stands throughout Mexico.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Course: Salsa

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: easy salsa recipe, salsa de chile de árbol recipe, salsa recipe, salsa taquera recipe

Servings:

Calories: 83kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Frying pan
Blender
Serving bowl

Ingredients

2 plum tomatoes
1 white onion
3 cloves garlic
6 dried árbol chiles (pepper)
6 tablespoon cooking oil
.5 teaspoon salt + salt to taste as needed

Instructions

Roughly chop the tomatoes and onion. Peel the garlic cloves. Remove the stems from the árbol peppers.
Preheat a pan with 2 tablespoons cooking oil to medium hot. Add the chopped tomatoes and onions and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the árbol peppers on cook for 1 minute more.
Blend all of the salsa ingredients for 30 seconds. While the salsa is still blending add 4 tablespoons of cooking oil and blend for 1 more minute until the salsa is smooth, shiny, and thick.
Taste and add salt if needed.

Notes

You can find the peppers at any supermarket that carries dried chiles.

Nutrition

More Salsa Recipes

Each one of these recipes is perfect for serving with tacos. Give them all a try.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Soups

Sopa de Tortilla con Pollo

I throw the word classic around a lot but tortilla soup really is a classic. Every Mexican cook has a variation. This is mine. I defy you to find anyone who doesn’t love tortilla soup.

If you are not familiar with it, it’s shredded chicken in a rich and spicy tomato broth balanced with avocado, sour cream, and tortilla strips added for crunch. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Looks good too!

Step-by-Step Instructions

We have broken down the preparation process into easy to follow steps so that you get perfect results the first time. To make, you will do the following:

Prepare the Chicken Breast – Cook and Shred
Prepare the Tomato Broth
Make the Tortilla Strips
Assemble the Soup and Serve
And of course, eat and enjoy :)

Print the recipe or work through it with the step-by-step photos below. Leave a comment below to let us know how the recipe worked for you.

First, Gather Your Ingredients

Tortilla soup doesn’t require any exotic ingredients. You probably have most everything you need in your pantry. The recipe calls for a morita chile but a perfect substitute is canned chipotle chiles in adobo, available in almost every supermarket, which gives the soup a similar and equally delicious flavor.

Ingredients to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredient List

12 ozs. uncooked chicken breast
3 cups chicken broth saved from when you cooked the chicken
2 lbs. Roma tomatoes (plum)
1 medium white onion (sliced in half)
3 cloves garlic
1 morita chile (or 1 canned chipotle in adobo)
2 small avocados or one large ripe but not mushy
4 ozs. sour cream or crema
8 corn tortillas to make tortilla strips or 3 cups of pre-made tortilla strips
4 cups water
1 tsp. salt + to taste

How to Make

Prepare the Chicken and Chicken Broth

Place your chicken breast in a pot with 4 cups cold water, the white onion and 2 cloves of garlic.

Chicken Breast and Onion in Pot on Stove

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Save the cooking liquid. You will use it to make the tomato broth.

Remove the chicken from the pot and allow it to cool to the touch.

Cooked Chicken Breast on Rustic Mexican Plate

Once the chicken is cool use your fingers to pull it into thin strips.

Shredded Chicken Breast on Rustic Mexican Plate

Set the chicken aside until you are ready to serve the soup.

Prepare the Tomato Broth

The broth is the most important part of tortilla soup. Don’t rush it. Take your time to do it right and you will be rewarded with a deeply satisfying soup.

If you are using a dried chile morita remove the stem and seeds and discard.

Blend the ingredients for the tomato broth: Roma tomatoes, clove of garlic, morita chile, chicken broth, and salt. You don’t have to slice the tomatoes or anything, just chuck them into the blender whole. You will probably have to blend in two batches. Blend for at least 1 minute until the base for the broth is very smooth.

Once you have blended the ingredients, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Pour the soup base into the hot oil then reduce the heat to low. Notice in the picture below how the hot oil forms a circle around the outer edge of the pot. This step develops a deeper flavor in the broth and helps to keep the broth from separating.

Cooking Tortilla Soup Base in a Wide Pan

Simmer the broth for 30 minutes until it takes on a deep red color and has reduced approximately 1 inch. You want the broth to have some body but not be as thick as a salsa. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and adjust as needed. If your broth is too thick just add water or chicken broth a ¼ cup at a time until it reaches the consistency you want.

Pot of Tomato Broth to Make Tortilla Soup

The finished broth will look amazing. If possible, allow the broth to rest for at least 2 hours so that the flavors meld. Resting overnight is even better. If you can’t wait and want to serve right away the soup will still taste great. Don’t worry.

Make the Tortilla Strips

While the soup base is simmering make the tortilla strips. Homemade tortilla strips are the best and they are not difficult to make. Store-bought work fine too if you are short on time.

Start by cutting the tortillas into ¼” to ½” strips. Separate the strips if they are sticking together.

Preheat 4 tablespoons of cooking oil to medium-hot in a wide frying pan. Place the tortilla strips in the hot oil. Let them fry for a few seconds and then turn to coat the remaining tortilla strips in oil.

Keep turning the tortilla strips until they are golden brown. A pair of kitchen tongs makes the job of turning much easier.

Drain the tortilla strips on napkins or paper towels to remove any excess cooking oil. Look good, don’t they?

Here are some more instructions on making tortilla strips and tortilla chips. They are so easy to make from scratch.

Assemble and Serve

Now the fun part, serving your soup. Pour approximately 1 cup of the tomato broth into a wide shallow bowl then add some shredded chicken. Top with a generous dollop of sour cream and some chunks of avocado. Garnish with a few tortilla strips. Serve immediately.

A perfect bowl of authentic Mexican tortilla soup! Dig in!

Provecho!

Print Recipe

3.50 from 8 votes

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Authentic chicken tortilla soup (sopa de tortilla con pollo) – shredded chicken in a rich and spicy tomato broth balanced with avocado, crema, or sour cream with tortilla strips added for crunch.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chicken, soup, tomato, tortilla soup

Servings: bowls

Calories: 918kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

12 ozs. uncooked chicken breast
3 cups chicken broth saved from when you cooked the chicken
2 lbs. roma tomatoes
1 medium white onion sliced in half
3 cloves garlic
1 morita chile
2 small avocados or one large ripe but not mushy
4 ozs sour cream or crema
8 corn tortillas to make tortilla strips or 3 cups of pre-made tortilla strips
4 cups water
1 tsp. salt + to taste
6 tablespoon cooking oil

Instructions

Preparing the Chicken Breast

Place your chicken breast in a pot with 4 cups cold water the white onion and 2 cloves of garlic.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the cooking liquid and allow to cool.
Shred the chicken into thin strips about 1 to 1 ½ inches long.
Reserve the cooking liquid.

Preparing the Tomato Broth

First, remove the stem and the seeds from the morita chile.
Blend the Roma tomatoes, clove of garlic, morita chile, and 3 cups chicken broth. Blend in 2 batches.
After you have blended the ingredients, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to medium-hot in a pot. Pour the soup base into the hot oil. Reduce the heat to low.
Simmer the broth for 30 minutes until it takes on a deep red color and has reduced approximately 1 inch.
Add the salt and adjust as needed. The broth should seem slightly salty. When you add all of the other soup ingredients it will reduce the saltiness a bit.

Making the Tortilla Strips

Cut the tortillas into ¼” to ½” strips.
Preheat 4 tablespoons of cooking oil to medium-hot in a wide frying pan.
Place the tortilla strips in the hot oil. Let them fry for a few seconds and then turn to coat the remaining tortilla strips in oil.
Keep turning the tortilla strips until they are golden brown. Keep a close eye on them so that they don't burn.
Remove from the pan and drain the tortilla strips on napkins or paper towels to remove any excess cooking oil.

Serving the Soup

Pour approximately 1 cup of the tomato broth into a wide shallow bowl.
Add shredded chicken.
Top with a generous dollop of sour cream or crema.
Add a few chunks of avocado to the bowl.
Top with a tortilla strips and serve immediately.

Notes

Substitutions

If you are unable to find morita chiles you can substitute 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo. Canned chipotles are available in the Hispanic section of most grocery stores.

Optional

Many people like their tortilla soup with a squirt of lime. Give it a try if a little lime sounds good.

Nutrition

More Mexican Soup Recipes

Sour Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca

Agua de Xoconostle

Mexico has an infinite variety of aguas frescas. Enjoy this one prepared with xoconostle, a sour cactus fruit. The peak season for xoconostle is summer and fall but you can often find it year-round.

Mexican Cactus Fruit Drink in Glass with Ice

How to Make

Gather your ingredients. You’ll need:

4 xoconostle cactus fruits
½ cup brown sugar
8 cups water

Where to Buy Cactus Fruit

There is a good chance that your local Mexican or Latin market will carry fresh xoconostle cactus fruit. Look for it in the produce section.

Ingredients to Make a Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca

How to Clean Cactus Fruit

Don’t be intimidated by the cactus fruits. They are very easy to clean. Slice the ends off the cactus fruit then score the skin lengthwise. Use the blade of you knife to peel off the outer layer. Scoop out the seeds with small spoon. See the cleaning cactus fruit tutorial.

Cleaned Xoconostle Cactus Fruit on Cutting Board

Preparing the Base

Blend the cleaned fruit with 4 cups of water and ½ cup sugar for 1 minute. After blending, strain the mixture to remove the pulp. Add the remaining 4 cups water and stir well.

Serving

Serve over ice. Enjoy aguas frescas with your mid-day meal. They are a healthy alternative to sodas.

Storing

It will keep in the fridge for 3 days but we like it best when served freshly made.

More Agua Fresca Recipes

Here are some of our favorites. Give them all a try.

Print Recipe

4.50 from 2 votes

Sour Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca

Tangy Mexican agua fresca prepared with a sour cactus fruit called xoconostle and brown sugar. An easy to make drink which is a delicious healthy alternative to sodas.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Drink

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: agua fresca, cactus fruit, drink, xoconostle

Servings: Medium glasses

Calories: 43kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

4 xoconostle cactus fruits
½ cup brown sugar
8 cups water

Instructions

Clean the cactus fruit by removing outer skin and seeds
Blend the cleaned cactus fruit with 4 cups of water and ½ cup sugar for 1 minute.
After blending, strain the mixture to remove the pulp.
Add the remaining 4 cups water and stir well.
Serve over ice.

Notes

You don’t need to add lime. The drink is already quite tart from the xoconostle.
Add more sugar is you prefer a sweeter drink.
Try preparing this drink with tunas, the sweet prickly pear cactus fruit.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Sodium: 3mg | Sugar: 9g

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Guajillo Chile Salsa

A Versatile Mild Salsa

Try this very simple salsa made with guajillo chile peppers, a mild dried chile with a complex fruity flavor. It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico for making salsas.

In this recipe, the chiles aren’t toasted as they are in many other salsa recipes which allows the flavor of the guajillo to come through.

Don’t like your salsas too hot? This is a good one for you, rich chile flavor but with less burn. This a versatile salsa that goes well with many dishes.

Guajillo Chile Pepper Salsa in Serving Bowl

Try this guajillo chile sauce on tacos, enchiladas, chicken, scrambled eggs or on cactus salad.

This type of salsa is typical in the state of Guanajuato. It’s perfect for making enchiladas mineras.

How to Make

Gather your ingredients:

16 guajillo chiles, also called chile cascabel ancho
4 cloves of garlic
¼ cup chopped cilantro
4 cups of water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tsp. salt + as needed

Choosing Guajillo Chiles

Choose peppers that are soft and pliable that have a mild fresh fruity smell. Brittle chiles are stale, lack flavor, and may be bitter. Learn more about how to choose guajillo peppers.

Remove the stems, seeds, and veins from the chiles. Discard.

Peel the cloves of garlic.

Chop the cilantro. You can use the stems.

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan. Add just enough water to cover the ingredients, about 2 cups.

Bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 minute then turn off the heat. Allow the ingredients to soak for 15 minutes.

Notice how the chiles have absorbed water and changed color after the have reconstituted.

Pour all of the ingredients including 2 cups of the soaking water into the blender.

Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add a little soaking water if needed to blend.

Strain the mixture back into a bowl. Press the remaining pulp firmly with the back of your spoon to release all of the flavor.

Discard the pulp that remains in the strainer.

Now it’s time to season the sauce. You do this by frying the base in hot oil. Start by heating a pan to medium-hot then add 2 tbsps. of cooking oil.

Pour the chile base into the hot oil. Add up to 1 cup of soaking water to get the desired consistency.

At this point, the sauce will be a little bit runny and will lightly coat the back of a spoon. It will thicken as it simmers.

Season with 1 tsp. of salt. At the end of cooking, you can add more salt to taste if needed.

Turn the heat to low then simmer the salsa for 30 minutes until it thickens. At this point, the sauce will coat the back of a spoon without being too runny.

The salsa will take on a beautiful dark red color during simmering. Looks delicious, doesn’t it?

Rest the Salsa for Best Flavor

Let the salsa rest for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to come together. Try not to skip this step. Resting 4 to 6 hours gives even better results.

Adjusting the Salsa

If the salsa is too thick, add ¼ cup of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
If the salsa is too thin, simmer until enough water has evaporated until the desired consistency is reached.
If you find the salsa to be too bitter for your tastes, add 1 tablespoon of sugar to reduce the bitterness.

Guanajuato Guajillo Salsa in Serving Bowl

Equipment needed:

Knife
Cutting board
Saucepan
Blender
Strainer
Mixing bowl
Kitchen spoon

Provecho! Let us know what you think of this recipe in the comments below.

Print Recipe

3.87 from 43 votes

Guajillo Chile Salsa Recipe

Easy, simple Guanajuato style salsa recipe made with guajillo chile, a mild dried chile pepper with a complex fruity flavor. Great on tacos, enchiladas, chicken, scrambled eggs or on cactus salad.

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Salsa

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: guajillo peppers, mild, salsa, Sauce

Servings: servings

Calories: 38kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

16 guajillo chiles also called chile cascabel ancho
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 to 4 cups water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
salt to taste

Instructions

Remove the stems, seeds, and veins from the chiles. Discard.
Peel the cloves of garlic.
Chop the cilantro. You can use the stems.
Put all the ingredients in a pan.
Add just enough water to cover the ingredients, about 4 cups.
Bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat to low.
Simmer for 1 minute then turn off the heat.
Allow the ingredients to soak for 15 minutes. The dried chiles will reconstitute at this time.
Pour all of the ingredients including 2 cups the soaking water into the blender.
Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add a little water if needed to blend.
Strain the mixture into mixing a bowl. Discard the paste that remains in the strainer.
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in your saucepan over medium heat then add the strained salsa and 1 tsp. salt.
Turn the heat to low. Add up to a cup of soaking water to get the desired consistency.
Simmer the salsa for 30 minutes until it thickens. The salsa will darken in color during this time.
Taste the salsa and add salt if needed to get the desired taste.

Notes

The flavor of the salsa will deepen if you let is rest for a few hours before serving.
If you find the salsa to be too bitter for your tastes, add 1 tablespoon of sugar to reduce the bitterness.
This salsa freezes well. Portion it in freezer bags and it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/3 cup | Calories: 38kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Sodium: 4mg | Sugar: 4g

More Salsa Recipes You Might Like

Grilled Sirloin Cap Roast (Picaña)

Beef

Picaña de Res a las Brasas

Salt encrusted sirloin cap roast grilled directly on hot coals. Sometimes the simplest dish is the best. If you love carne asada, you’ll love this dish too.

Sliced Grilled Sirloin Cap Roast with Baked Potato

To cook, you wrap a sirloin cap roast, called picaña in Mexico, with salt soaked kitchen towels and grill it directly on hot coals. It’s real campfire cooking.

The result is a tender, smoky, slightly salty, beefy flavored piece of meat that needs nothing else but a simple charcoal-grilled baked potato on the side. Wash it down with an ice-cold Mexican beer for a perfect meal.

Mexican Sirloin Roast (Picana) with Baked Potato

The sirloin cap is a cut that comes from just under the beef tenderloin. In Brazil, it’s called picanha and one of the most popular cuts used to make Brazilian BBQ.

Ask for it at the butcher counter and be sure to buy it with the fat on which ensures the meat remains juicy, tender, and full of flavor.

Light the Charcoal First

Before preparing the meat you need to start the fire to get the coals just right.

Once the flames have died down and the charcoal briquets are turning white they are ready to cook the meat. Spread them out to make a bed on which to place the meat.

Prepping the Sirloin Cap

After you have lit the charcoal and it’s getting to just the right point start prepping the meat.

Gather your ingredients:

4 lb. sirloin cap roast with fat
1 cup sea salt
1 bottle dark beer (Dark beer adds more flavor.)
3 or 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cotton kitchen towels that you don’t mind parting with. They get bunt up during cooking
Kitchen twine

Ingredients to Prepare Grilled Sirloin Cap Roast

On a baking pan, spread out one of the kitchen towels and pour ½ of the bottle of beer in the middle of the towel.

Sprinkle half of the salt evenly over the towel. A thin paste will start to form.

Place the sirloin cap in the middle of the towel.

Top the meat with the rosemary sprigs.

On the second kitchen, towel pour the remaining half bottle of beer and salt. Cover the meat with the towel.

Sirloin Cap Covered with Salt Encrusted Kitchen Towels

Wrap the meat tightly with the kitchen towels the tie firmly.

Sirloin Cap Wrapped and Tied in Kitchen Towels

Place the wrapped meat directly on the hot coals and cook for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, turn the meat over and cook for another 20 minutes.

Remove the meat from the coals and let it rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping. Unwrapping the meat is very showy.

Unwrapping Whole Charcoal Grilled Sirloin Cap

Serving

Cut the meat in ½″ slices.

Sliced Sirloin Cap Roast on Cutting Board

Serve 2 or 3 slices with a charcoal-grilled baked potato topped with butter and shredded asadero cheese. Try it the next time you have friends and family over.

They’ll love the flavor and they’ll love watching it be prepared. Cutting the meat out of the burnt towels is a unique presentation.

Grilled Sirloin Cap (Picaña de Res) Served with Baked Potato

Mexico has so many great beef dishes. This is one to add to your recipe book.

You can make tacos with the meat too. Just grill up some corn tortillas and top with a great salsa like this fresh tomatillo salsa verde.

Provecho!

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Sirloin Cap Roast

Sirloin cap roast recipe prepared by wrapping the meat with beer soaked, salt encrusted kitchen towels and then slow cooking directly on hot charcoal. Simple campfire cooking with great presentation.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beef, grilled, roast, sirloin

Servings:

Calories: 325kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

4 lbs sirloin cap roast
1 cup sea salt
1 bottle dark beer
4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 tbsp. dried
2 cotton kitchen towels
10 feet kitchen twine

Instructions

Prepping the Charcoal

Before preparing the meat you need to start the fire to get the coals just right.
Once the flames have died down and the charcoal briquets are turning white they are ready to cook the meat. Spread them out to make a bed on which to place the meat.

Prepping the Meat

On a baking pan, spread out one of the kitchen towel and pour ½ of the bottle of beer in the middle of the towel.
Sprinkle half of the salt evenly over the towel. A thin paste will start to form.
Place the sirloin cap in the middle of the towel and top with the rosemary sprigs.
On the second kitchen, towel pour the remaining half bottle of beer and salt. Cover the meat.
Wrap the meat tightly with the kitchen towels the tie firmly.

Cooking the Meat

Place the wrapped meat directly on the hot coals and cook for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, turn the meat over and cook for another 20 minutes.
Remove the meat from the coals and let it rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping.

Serving

Cut the meat in ½" slices.
Serve with a charcoal grilled baked potato.

Notes

Kitchen Towels

The kitchen towels are no longer useable after cooking. Don’t use your favorite ones.

Buying the Meat

Buy the sirloin cap with the fat on which ensures the meat remains juicy, tender, and full of flavor.

Other Names for Sirloin Cap

Coulotte Roast
Top Sirloin Cap
Rump Cap
Picaña de Res (Mexico)
Picanha (Brazil)

Nutrition

More Mexican Beef Dishes

Cactus Fruit Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo con Xoconostle

Enjoy this unique variation of pico de Gallo, from the community of Don Francisco, Guanajuato. Classic pico de gallo is an uncooked salsa/dip prepared with plum tomatoes, onion, cilantro, serrano Chile, and lime juice. This version is prepared with sour xoconostle cactus fruit and avocado which gives it a unique tart taste.

Pico de Gallo Prepared with Xoconostle Cactus Fruit

The recipe was told to us by Don Cirilo, a vendor who comes daily to San Miguel de Allende from the community of Don Francisco to sell lettuce, medicinal plants, and xoconostle which he grows on his plot of land. It’s a dish that he and his family enjoy regularly.

Don Cirilo Fruit and Vegetable Vendor, San Miguel de Allende

A Healthy Dish

Of course it’s delicious but it’s very easy to make and healthy. It’s also a perfect vegan or vegetarian option. Try it next time you get together with friends and family. You will never want a pre-made pico de Gallo again.

How to Make

You need the following ingredients:

4 xoconostle cactus fruits (available at Mexican/Hispanic markets)
2 plum tomatoes
2 avocados
¼ white onion
1 serrano chile
6 sprigs cilantro
1 tsp. salt

The fresher the ingredients, the better the dish. Look for very ripe tomatoes and avocados that are soft but not yet mushy. The cilantro should be firm and not wilted. The cactus fruit should be firm but give slightly when pressed.

Ingredients Xoconostle Cactus Pico de Gallo

Prepping the Cactus Fruit

Cut the ends off the cactus fruit and remove the outer skin with a sharp knife. Slice the fruit in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon. Here is a quick tutorial to clean and peel cactus fruit.
Cut the cleaned cactus fruit into ¼″ pieces.

Prepping the Remaining Ingredients

Cut the tops off the tomatoes then slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard.
Cut the tomato, onion, and avocado into ¼” pieces.
Cut the stem end off the serrano chile and slice lengthwise. Remove the seeds and veins and finely chop.
Remove the cilantro stems and finely chop.

Chopped Ingredients Cactus Fruit Pico de Gallo

Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and gently stir until all ingredients are well mixed.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so that the flavor blends and concentrates.

How to Serve

Serve cool not cold. Enjoy like you would with a classic pico de gallo or guacamole. Serve with corn chips or on tostadas. Try it on carne asada tacos in place of your usual salsa.

Let us know what you think! Provecho!

Print Recipe

3.67 from 3 votes

Pico de Gallo with Xoconostle Cactus Fruit

Unique variation of pico de Gallo prepared with sour xoconostle cactus fruit and avocado from the community of Don Francisco, Guanajuato. The recipe was told to us by Don Cirilo, a vendor who comes daily to San Miguel de Allende to sell lettuce, medicinal plants, and xoconostle which he grows on his plot of land. True Mexican homecooking.

Prep Time20

Total Time15

Course: Salsa / Dip

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: avocado, avocado salsa, cactus fruit, dip, salsa

Servings: servings

Calories: 114kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

4 xoconostle cactus fruits
2 plum tomatoes
2 avocados
¼ white onion
1 serrano pepper
6 sprigs cilantro
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Cut the ends off the cactus fruit and remove the outer skin with a sharp knife. Slice the fruit in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon.
Cut the cactus fruit, tomato, and avocado into ¼” pieces.
Cut the stem end off the serrano chile and slice lengthwise. Remove the seeds and veins and finely chop.
Remove the cilantro stems and finely chop.
Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and gently stir until all ingredients are well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so that the flavor blends and concentrates.
Serve cool with corn chips or on tostadas. Try it on carne asada tacos in place of your usual salsa.

Notes

Use 2 serrano chiles if you prefer a hotter pico de gallo. Omit the chiles is you don’t want it hot.
You don’t need to add lime juice because the cactus fruit adds tartness.

Nutrition

More Pico de Gallo and Dip Recipes

Mexican Street Corn – Esquites

Snacks

Esquites (Corn in a Cup)

Mexican Street Corn in a Cup Called Esquites

When you buy Mexican street corn from a cart in the plaza you have two options for ordering, on the cob called elotes or in a cup called esquites. The cart will always be loaded with toppings for your corn; lime juice, mayonnaise, grated cheese, chili powder, butter, and hot sauce so that you can personalize your cup. In this recipe we’re making esquites, the street corn in a cup. Going to get corn in the plaza is one of our favorite things to do on a weekend evening. Now you can recreate the experience at home.

How to Make

Choosing the Corn

If you want authentic flavor, you have to prepare this dish with white Mexican corn, elote blanco, not sweet corn. Mexican corn is much firmer, not sweet, and has an earthy, grain like taste. The first time I ate elote blanco I was confused. It tasted nothing like the soft sweet corn that I was used to eating. At first, I wasn’t sure that I cared for it but after a few more tries the taste grew on me. I’ll happily eat it every day now.

Ingredients:

To Prepare the Corn

4 ears Mexican white corn, elote blanco
1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 epazote leaves, (a pungent Mexican herb)

Typical Toppings (All are optional. You mix and match to taste.)

Lime
Mayonnaise
Grated cheese, queso fresco
Chili powder
Melted butter
Hot sauce

Preparation

Start by removing the husks and silk from the corn. Cut off the top and base of the cob. This will make it easier to cut the kernels off the cob.

Mexican White Corn on Wooden Cutting Board

Remove the kernels from the cob. Hold one end of the cob with your hand and place the other end of the cob on the cutting board. Hold the cob at a 45-degree angle. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off and be sure to always cut away from your hands and body.

Place the kernels in a pan.

Add 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth.

Adding Chicken or Vegetable Broth to Corn Kernels in Pan

Add 4 cups of water.

Add the epazote and salt. Bring the water to a boil then reduce to medium.

Cook until about ⅔ of the liquid has evaporated. If the corn is still too tough for you after the liquid has reduced add 1 cup water and cook until you get the desired texture. Repeat if needed. You want a little bit of liquid to remain. It goes in each cup when you serve.

Cooked Corn Kernels with Epazote in Frying Pan

Serving

Serve your corn warm in a cup and then add the toppings of your choice. My perfect cup is like the one in the photo, just a squirt of lime juice, a pinch of salt, a dab of mayonnaise, a sprinkle of chili powder, and a good squirt of hot sauce.

Shall we serve you a cup? Looks good, doesn’t it!

Cup of Mexican Street Corn with Hot Sauce and Lime

Provecho!

Print Recipe

4.43 from 7 votes

Mexican Street Corn (Esquites) Recipe

Mexican street corn in a cup, "esquites" prepared with "elote blanco," Mexican white corn. Personalize with lime juice, mayonnaise, grated cheese, chili powder, butter, and hot sauce. Recreate the experience of going to the "elote" cart in the plaza on a relaxed weekend evening.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: corn, esquites, snack, street food

Servings: servings

Calories: 308kcal

Author: andrés carnalla

Ingredients

To Prepare the Corn

4 ears Mexican white corn elote blanco
1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 epazote leaves
Typical Toppings All are optional. You mix and match to taste.
Lime juice
Mayonnaise
Grated cheese queso fresco
Chili powder
Melted butter
Hot sauce

Instructions

Start by removing the husks and silk from the corn. Cut off the top and base of the cob.
Remove the kernels from the cob. Hold one end of the cob with your hand and place the other end of the cob on the cutting board. Hold the cob at a 45-degree angle. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off and be sure to always cut away from your hands and body.
Place the kernels in a pan. Add 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth and 4 cups water. Add the epazote and salt.
Bring the water to a boil then reduce to medium. Cook until about ⅔ of the liquid has evaporated. If the corn is still too tough for you after the liquid has reduced add 1 cup water and cook until you get the desired texture. Repeat if needed.
Serve your corn warm in a cup and then add the toppings of your choice.

Notes

Storage

The corn will keep 3 days in the refrigerator. Do not store prepared with all the toppings. Reheat in the microwave before serving.

Nutrition

More Mexican Snack Recipes

Tomatillo Chicken

Chicken

Pollo Entomatado

Tomatillo chicken, called pollo entomadado, is prepared with skinless chicken thighs and legs, and white potatoes simmered with tangy tomatillos and chipotle chile in adobo sauce. Chicken doesn’t have to be dull. This dish has layers of flavor. The chicken is lightly browned, and the tomatillos sauteed then all the ingredients are simmered together to create a rich sauce. It’s even healthy as an added bonus.

We like to serve it with Mexican Rice or white rice as a side dish but it’s so good it doesn’t need a side. A stack of warm corn tortillas is always welcome too.

Mexican Tomatillo Chipotle Chicken Recipe

How to Make

Ingredients:

Gather all your ingredients.

4 chicken legs
4 chicken thighs
1 ¼ lb. tomatillos or green tomatoes
2 large white potatoes
¼ large white onion
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs cilantro
½ tsp. oregano
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt + to taste
3 tbsp. olive oil

Ingredients to Make Mexican Tomatillo Chicken

First, remove the skin from the chicken.

Chicken Pieces with Skin Removed on Prep Table

Then, generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prep the potato, tomatillo, onion and other ingredients.

Cut the potato into ½″ cubes. Cut the tomatillo into ½″ pieces. Slice the onion lengthwise into thin strips. Finely chop the cilantro, garlic, and chipotle chile.

Preheat a large frying pan to medium-hot then add 3 tbsp. of olive oil. In the hot oil, lightly brown the chicken pieces on both sides.

Skinless Chicken legs and Thighs in Frying Pan

Chicken Legs and Thighs Browning in Frying Pan

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside while you work with the other ingredients.

Browned Chicken Legs and Thighs Being Removed from Frying Pan

In the same pan that you cooked the chicken, add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute until the onion just starts to turn translucent.

Then add the tomatillo and cook for 5 minutes until it has softened and is changing in color from bright green to pale green.

Add the chopped chipotle and stir. The chipotle adds a little smoky heat. It’s just enough to give the sauce a hint of heat but not make it burn-your-mouth hot.

Chopped Chipotle and Tomatillo in Frying Pan

Add the potatoes and cilantro stir well.

Adding Potato and Cilantro to Tomatillos

Add the chicken broth.

Adding Chicken Broth to Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Add the water.

Adding Water to Tomtillo Chicken Stew Cooking in Pan

Add the oregano and salt and stir.

Adding Oregano to Chicken Tomatillo Stew Cooking in Pan

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Add the chicken pieces. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

The tomatillo sauce reduces and intensifies in flavor.

Serving

Spoon the tomatillo potato mixture on a plate and place 1 thigh and 1 leg on top. Serve with white rice or Mexican rice as a side dish.

This will become one of your favorite chicken dishes. It’s easy to prepare and has depth of flavor.

Provecho!

Print Recipe

4.43 from 33 votes

Tomatillo Chicken Recipe

Tomatillo chicken, called pollo entomadado, prepared with skinless chicken thighs and legs, and white potatoes simmered with tangy tomatillos and chipotle chile in adobo sauce.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: how to make tomatillo chicken, Mexican chicken recipe, tomatillo chicken recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

4 chicken legs
4 chicken thighs
1 ¼ lb. tomatillos or green tomatoes
2 large white potatoes
¼ large white onion
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs cilantro
½ tsp. oregano
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt + to taste
3 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions

First, remove the skin from the chicken.
Then, generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prep the potato, tomatillo, onion and other ingredients.
Remove the papery husk from the tomatillos then rinse under warm water.
Cut the potato into ½″ cubes. Cut the tomatillo into ½″ pieces. Slice the onion lengthwise into thin strips. Finely chop the cilantro, garlic, and chipotle chile.
Preheat a large frying pan to medium-hot then add 3 tbsp. of olive oil. In the hot oil, lightly brown the chicken pieces on both sides.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan that you cooked the chicken, add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute until the onion just starts to turn translucent.
Then add the tomatillo and cook for 5 minutes until it has softened and is changing in color from bright green to pale green.
Add the chopped chipotle and stir. Add the potatoes and cilantro stir well.
Add the chicken broth, water, oregano, and salt then stir well.
Bring the mixture to a boil then add the chicken pieces. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
To serve, spoon the tomatillo potato mixture on a plate and place 1 thigh and 1 leg on top.

Notes

Substitutions

You can leave the skin on the chicken if you prefer. Follow the same steps for browning and cooking.

Storage

It will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Nutrition

More Mexican Chicken Recipes

Horchata

Agua de Horchata

Horchata is Mexico’s famous cinnamon-infused rice water drink. Is it worth it to make homemade? Absolutely! Of course, you can buy horchata concentrate and it’s super easy to use but it doesn’t compare to the real stuff.

We’ll show you how to make traditional horchata from scratch using rice, not rice flour. Sweetened condensed milk gives it its refreshing sweet taste.

How to Make

You will need the following to make horchata. When you prepare it with soaked rice the texture is smooth, not chalky.

Ingredients

1.5 cups rice
1 can (14oz.) sweetened condensed milk (reduce by half for a mildly sweet drink)
1 cup whole milk
5 cups hot water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp.ground cinnamon (add to taste)

Process

In a mixing bowl, add the rice, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon sticks.

Pour hot water into the mixture and stir until the sweetened condensed milk dissolves.

Allow mixture to come to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap then refrigerate the mixture for a minimum of 2 hours.

We recommend refrigerating overnight for a more concentrated flavor.

Mixing Bowl with Horchata Base Covered in Plastic

After refrigerating, uncover the mixture. Remove the cinnamon sticks and discard.

Strain the mixture to separate the rice. Reserve the liquid.

Add the rice and 1.5 cups of the strained liquid to your blender. Blend for 3 minutes until the rice is liquefied.

Strain the blended rice back into the reserved liquid.

Check to make sure that the rice has been completely liquified. There shouldn’t be any bits of rice remaining in the strainer. If there is blend the horchata mixture again.

Serving

Serve over ice with a sprinkle of cinnamon. You can garnish each glass with a cinnamon stick if you like for a posher presentation.

Variations

Boozy Horchata

Turn horchata into a grownup alcoholic beverage by adding half a shot of your favorite rum or vodka to each glass. It’s great with a splash of Kahlua too.

Fruity Horchata

Strawberry horchata – when you are blending the soaked rice add 1 cup of sliced strawberries and prepare as usual.
Mango horchata – when you are blending the soaked rice add 1 cup of sliced mango and prepare as usual.
Apple horchata – when you are blending the soaked rice add 1 cup of sliced peeled apple and prepare as usual.

Dairy-free

You can make it without milk. Substitute 1 cup of unflavored, unsweetened almond milk for the whole milk and prepare as usual.

Glass of Authentic Horchata Topped with Cinnamon

Provecho!

Print Recipe

3.79 from 64 votes

Horchata Recipe

How to make authentic Horchata, Mexico's famous cinnamon-infused rice water drink. It's mild slightly sweet cinnamon infused flavor complements spicy Mexican food. It's one of many delicious aguas frescas prepared in Mexican homes.

Prep Time15

Total Time2 15

Course: Beverage

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Horchata Drink, Horchata Recipe, How to Make Horchata

Servings: 10 oz. cups

Calories: 461kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

1.5 cups rice
1 can 14oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 cup whole milk
5 cups hot water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp.ground cinnamon add to taste

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, add the rice, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon sticks.
Pour hot water into the mixture and stir until the sweetened condensed milk dissolves.
Allow mixture to come to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap then refrigerate the mixture for a minimum of 2 hours. Refrigerate up to 12 hours for a more concentrated flavor.
Uncover the mixture. Remove the cinnamon sticks and discard.
Strain the mixture to separate the rice. Reserve the liquid.
Add the rice and 1.5 cups of the strained liquid to your blender. Blend for 3 minutes until the rice is liquefied.
Strain the blended rice back into the reserved liquid. Blend the horchata mixture again if the mixture is gritty.
Serve over ice with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Notes

Substitutions

For a less sweet drink, reduce the sweetened condensed milk by half.
For a dairy-free horchata, substitute 1 cup of unsweetened, unflavored almond milk for the whole milk.
If it is too thick, add 1 cup cold water and stir well.

Storage

Horchata will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

More Aguas Frescas

Some more of our favorite Mexican drinks.

Pico de Gallo

A Mexican Classic

Pico de gallo is a uncooked salsa known as a salsa fresca, or “fresh salsa,” in Spanish. It is a delicious combination of plum (Roma) tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, serrano peppers and a splash of lime juice.

Authentic Pico de Gallo in White Ceramic Bowl

It one of the best-loved Mexican dishes that you will find it on every Mexican table. Did you know that pico de gallo translates as “rooster’s beak?”

What to Expect from this Recipe

You’ll learn the classic recipe as prepared throughout Mexico. Fresh plum tomatoes, white, onion, fresh cilantro, serrano pepper, lime juice and salt. Nothing more. Nothing Less. A perfectly balanced dish that needs no substitutions or tweaks. It’s the best pico de Gallo recipe.

How to Make Pico de Gallo

Serve this authentic pico de gallo recipe with carne asada, chicken, fish tacos, beef tacos, chicken tacos, molletes, nachos, burritos, and of course chips. You get bonus points if you make your own tortilla chips. Use it as a topping for just about anything. Don’t limit yourself to using it for Mexican food.

Pico de Gallo Salsa on Copper Serving Tray

Choose Ripe Plum Tomatoes and Fresh Ingredients

You want to choose really ripe red plum tomatoes. The riper the better. The flavor is built around the tomatoes and enhanced by the other ingredients.

Unripe tomatoes will make your pico taste like cardboard. Only use slicing tomatoes, like beefsteak tomatoes, if plum tomatoes are not available. Fresh cilantro is important for its bright herbal taste.

Ingredients

4 plum tomatoes (Roma tomatoes)
1 white onion (optional red onion)
12 fresh cilantro sprigs
2 serrano chiles
1 Mexican lime (see notes)
Sea salt to taste (½ to 1 tsp.)

Preparation

Cut the tops off the tomatoes then slice in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard.

With a paring knife, remove the tops of the chiles and then slice in half lengthwise. Use the tip of the paring knife to cut out the seeds and veins.

Seeded Serrano Chile Peppers on Yellow Plate

Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems and discard the stems.

Cilantro with Stems Removed on Yellow Plate

Chop the tomato into ¼″ inch pieces. Finely chop the onion, cilantro, and serrano chile.

Chopped Ingredients to Make Pico de Gallo on Yellow Plate

Put the chopped ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and fresh lime juice.

Preparing Pico de Gallo in Stainless Mixing Bowl

Stir until ingredients are mixed evenly.

Serving

Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature. If you serve it really cold it tastes flat. The subtle flavor of the ingredients doesn’t shine through. If you are not convinced, do a taste test. Eat a batch that is ice cold and then eat batch that is at room temperature. You will see the difference. I guarantee it. Pico de gallo is best when eaten fresh.

Great for parties – It is one of the best Mexican party dishes like guacamole. An easy recipe, quick to prepare, tasty, and loved by everyone. Serve it at your Cinco de Mayo party. You can make it year-round but it is especially delicious during summer when tomatoes are at their peak.

A Healthy Option

Mexican food has a reputation for being heavy and greasy, unjustly deserved in my opinion. This dish is the complete opposite. All vegetables, low calories, and no fat. Totally guilt-free.

Eat with reckless abandon. It is vegetarian and vegan to boot. Kids will eat it too because it is “salsa”, not yucky vegetables and it works just as well with fussy adults who don’t like vegetables.

Print Recipe

3.72 from 32 votes

Pico de Gallo Recipe

This easy to make homemade pico de gallo recipe is a delicious combination of Roma (plum) tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, serrano chile and a splash of lime juice that you will find on every Mexican table. A great vegetarian and vegan option.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Salsa

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: dip, Mexican recipe, salsa

Servings: servings

Calories: 38kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Medium-sized serving bowl

Ingredients

4 plum tomatoes seeded and diced
1 white onion
12 cilantro sprigs
2 serrano chiles
1 Mexican lime see notes
Sea salt to taste ½ to 1 tsp.

Instructions

Seed the tomatoes.
Seed the serrano chiles.
Remove the cilantro leaves and discard the stems.
Chop the tomatoes into ¼" pieces.
Finely chop the onion.
Finey chop the onion, cilantro, and serrano chile.
Add all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Add sea salt to taste.
Sprinkle with the juice of one lime.
Gently mix until the ingredients are evenly dispersed.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Preparation Notes

Pico de gallo is best eaten fresh but will keep for one day in the refrigerator.
Presentation counts. It such a simple dish, so make sure that the ingredients are chopped evenly.
The juice of one lime brightens the flavor of the pico de gallo. If you add too much lime it overpowers the flavor of the other ingredients. You want to maintain a nice balance between the flavors of all of the ingredients.
Choose the Mexican lime, also called the Key lime when making pico de gallo. It is the traditional lime for making Mexican food. Standard lime doesn’t add the same bright flavor. Purdue University has some in-depth information on the Mexican Lime which is quite interesting if you want to geek out on limes.

Substitutions

You can substitute jalapeño peppers for the serranos. The taste will be similar but the salsa won’t be as hot.
Many recipes call for red onion but white onion is traditional.

Nutrition

Utensils Needed

Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Medium-sized serving bowl

More Salsa Recipes

Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa

Chicken, Tacos

Tacos de Pollo con Salsa de Aguacate

Like you, we love tacos and we love easy. Our pan cooked chicken tacos recipe is both. We top lime marinated chicken with creamy avocado salsa and serve it on fresh corn tortillas for authentic flavor. We’ll show you how to make it.

Closeup of Easy Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa

Chicken Taco Topped with Homemade Guacamole Salsa

How to Make

The seasoning for these tacos is super simple, just lime and salt but the results are full of flavor. The meat has a nice citrus tang that is complemented by the mild guacamole salsa.

Ingredients:

Gather the following:

4 chicken breast about 1 ½ lbs.
4 Key limes (Mexican limes)
1 tsp. salt

For an optional extra flavor boost season the chicken with our fajita seasoning and prepare as shown.

Butterfly the chicken breasts so that the meat is an even thickness.

Butterflied Chicken Breast on Cutting Board

Place chicken in a large mixing bowl and squeeze the juice of the limes over the chicken and then sprinkle with salt.

Turn the chicken to coat evenly with lime juice and salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour turning meat once.

Marinating Chicken Breast with Lime Juice and Salt in Mixing Bowl

Preheat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Cook for about 4 minutes until the chicken is nicely browned on one side.

Chicken Breasts Cooking in Skillet for Tacos

Turn and cook for another 4 minutes. Check for doneness and cook for 1 or 2 minutes more if needed.

Pan Cooking Chicken Breasts to Make Chicken Tacos

We cooked the chicken in a skillet but it is great grilled too. Try seasoning the chicken with homemade taco seasoning for a tasty variation.

How to Prepare the Salsa

Gather your ingredients:

4 small avocados (2 large)
1 serrano chile
½ cup Mexican cream
¼ medium white onion
1 plum tomatoes
1 clove garlic
12 sprigs cilantro
½ teaspoon salt

Choose very ripe soft avocados which will give your salsa a smooth creamy texture. The salsa is mild because we only use 1 serrano chile. If you prefer more heat add 1 extra serrano chile. You do not need to remove the seeds and veins from the chiles.

Chop the tomatoes and onion into small pieces. Set the tomato aside you will add it to the salsa after all of the other ingredients have been Blended.

Chopped Roma Tomatoes and White Onion on Wooden Cutting Board

Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth. If you are having difficulty blending because the salsa is too thick add 2 tablespoons of water at a time until you are able to get the consistency that you want.

Blending Ingredients for the Guacamole Salsa

Pour the salsa into a serving bowl. Gently mix the chopped tomatoes in. The salsa should be nice and creamy.

How to Serve

Slice the chicken into ½″ strips. Preheat the corn tortillas and cover with a clean dish towel to keep warm. Place 3 chicken strips on each tortilla and top chicken with 1 or 2 tablespoons of avocado salsa. Serve with lime wedges on the side. These tacos are great served with classic guacamole too.

Optional Toppings

Pico de gallo
Finely shredded lettuce or cabbage
Thinly sliced radishes
Crumbled queso fresco
Shredded jack cheese
Extra cream, sour or Mexican
Your favorite salsa

Chicken Tacos Prepared from Mexican Food Journal Recipe

Lime Marinaded Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa Served on Clay Plate

Print Recipe

4.50 from 4 votes

Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa Recipe

Chicken tacos with authentic flavor – lime marinated chicken with creamy avocado salsa served on fresh corn tortillas. Customize easily by adding your favorite toppings like pico de gallo, finely shredded lettuce, or crumbled queso fresco. You only need 20 minutes of hands-on prep time and an hour to marinate the chicken.

Prep Time20

Total Time1 20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: avocado salsa, chicken, tacos

Servings: tacos

Calories: 330kcal

Author: andrés carnalla

Ingredients

Avocado Salsa

4 small very ripe avocados or 2 large
1 serrano chile
½ cup Mexican cream crema
¼ medium white onion
1 plum tomatoes
1 clove garlic
10 sprigs cilantro
½ tsp. salt

Chicken

4 chicken breasts about 1 ½ lbs.
4 Key limes Mexican limes
1 tsp. salt

Other

12 corn or flour tortillas
4 Key limes Mexican limes for serving as a garnish.

Instructions

Chicken

Butterfly the chicken breasts so that the meat is an even thickness. Place chicken in a large mixing bowl and squeeze the juice of the limes over the chicken and then sprinkle with salt. Turn the chicken to coat evenly with lime juice and salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour turning meat once.
Preheat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Cook for about 4 minutes until the chicken is nicely browned on one side.
Turn and cook for another 4 minutes. Check for doneness and cook for 1 or 2 minutes more if needed.

Salsa

Chop the tomatoes and onion into small pieces. Set the tomato aside you will add it too the salsa after all of the other ingredients have been Blended.
Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth. If you are having difficulty blending because the salsa is too thick add 2 tablespoons of water at a time until you are able to get the consistency that you want.
Pour the salsa into a serving bowl. Gently mix in the chopped tomatoes.

Serving

Slice the chicken into ½" strips. Preheat the corn tortillas and cover with a clean dish towel to keep warm. Place 3 chicken strips on each tortilla and top chicken with 1 or 2 tablespoons of avocado salsa. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Substitutions

Use sour cream if Mexican cream is unavailable.
Serve with flour tortillas.
Add an extra serrano chile for a hotter salsa.

Nutrition

More Mexican Chicken Recipes

Hotdogs a la Mexicana

Tacos

Salchichas a la Mexicana

Need dinner fast? We put the fancy pants on some basic hotdogs in a dish that you can have ready in 15 minutes. Sauteed sliced hotdogs, onion, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro served as tacos on corn tortillas.

Looks great. Tastes great. Easy to make. The dish is known as salchichas a la Mexicana or salchichas guisadas.

How to Make Step-by-Step

Gather your ingredients. You will need the following:

6 hot dogs
1 ¼ cup cherry tomatoes or any type of tomatoes chopped
¼ medium white onion
6 sprigs cilantro
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
12 small taco size corn tortillas

Preparation is so easy. Start by chopping the onion and cilantro.

Chopped Onion and Cilantro in Small Clay Bowls

Then cut the hot dogs into ½″ pieces.

Preheat 2 tablespoons cooking oil to medium-hot then add the chopped onions and fry for 2 minutes until the onions are just starting to turn translucent.

Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes.

Sauteeing Cherry Tomatoes Onion in Frying Pan

Add the sliced hot dogs stir and cook for 2 more minutes.

Mix in the cilantro and cook for 1 more minute.

Adding Cilantro to Hot Dogs Frying in Pan

Sprinkle the oregano on the hot dogs before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving

Make tacos or serve as a main course with white rice on the side. Top with your favorite salsa or guacamole. Be sure to warm the tortillas before serving.

Hot Dogs a la Mexicana Tacos on Mexican Pottery Plate

Print Recipe

4 from 5 votes

Hot Dogs a la Mexicana Recipe

Mexican style sliced hotdogs sauteed with onion, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro served as tacos on corn tortillas. Looks great. Tastes great. Easy to make. The dish is known as salchichas a la Mexicana or salchichas guisadas. Less than 15 minutes start to finish.

Prep Time5

Cook Time6

Total Time11

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Easy, hotdogs, salchichas

Servings: servings

Calories: 348kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

6 hot dogs
1 ¼ cup cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
¼ medium white onion
6 sprigs cilantro
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
12 corn tortillas

Instructions

Chop the onion and cilantro.
Cut the hot dogs into ½" pieces.
Preheat 2 tablespoons cooking oil to medium-hot then add the chopped onions and fry for 2 minutes until the onions are just starting to turn translucent.
Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the sliced hot dogs stir and cook for 2 more minutes.
Mix in the cilantro and cook for 1 more minute.
Sprinkle the oregano on the hot dogs before serving.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Warm the tortillas before serving.

Notes

Substitutions

You can use any type of tomato. Just cut them into ½″ chunks.
Flour tortillas.

Storage

The dish will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Nutrition

More Easy Mexican Recipes

Shrimp Ceviche Acapulco

Fish & Seafood

Ceviche de Camarón Estilo Acapulco

If our photographer Andrés invites you to his house and serves you ceviche, this is what you’ll eat, an Acapulco style shrimp ceviche prepared with whole shrimp, lime juice, orange juice, and avocado.

Ceviche is one of the most loved seafood dishes in Mexico and this is one of the infinite delicious variations.

Shrimp Ceviche Served in White Ceramic Bowl

What makes this dish so easy to prepare is that you use precooked shrimp. I know if you are a traditionalist this may ruffle your feathers. To prepare real ceviche you use uncooked shrimp or fish and you use the acidic lime juice to “cook” them but Andrés is from Cuernavaca, Morelos which is not on the coast and where it is more common to use pre-cooked shrimp.

This is the safer option too. Lime juice doesn’t fully kill all of the potentially stomach distressing bacteria that may be on raw seafood.

How to Make Step-by-Step

Start by gathering your ingredients. Get the ripest reddest tomatoes you can. You’ll need the following:

2 ¼ lb. small shrimp
1 medium white onion
Juice of 6 limes
Juice of 4 oranges
4 medium plum (Roma) tomatoes
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
12 sprigs cilantro which will make approximately 1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1 cup catsup
1 avocado
1 package saltine crackers

Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl and then squeeze the juice of 4 limes on the shrimp.

Do the same with the oranges.

Squeezing Orange on Shrimp in Mixing Bowl

The shrimp should be nearly covered in citrus juice.

Marinating Shrimp with Lime and Orange Juice

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to marinate and “cook” the shrimp. The acid from the citrus juice softens the texture of the shrimp.

Marinated Shrimp Covered in Plastic Wrap

While the shrimp is marinating you need to prep the tomato, onion, and cilantro. Start by removing the pulp and seeds from the tomato.

The easy way to do this is to slice the stem end off the tomato then slice the tomato in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and flesh and discard.

Chop the tomato into ⅜ inch pieces, the onion into ¼ pieces, and chop the cilantro finely.

Chopped Tomatoes Onions Cilantro to Make Shrimp Ceviche

Remove the shrimp from the fridge and then add all of the remaining ingredients except the avocado. You will add the avocado just before serving so that it maintains its bright green color and shape.

Prepped Shrimp Ceviche Ingredients in Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl

Mix all of the ingredients together gently so that the tomato maintains its shape.

Preparing Shrimp Ceviche with a Wooden Spoon in a Stainless Mixing Bowl

How to Serve

Just before serving very gently add the sliced avocado to your ceviche.

Don’t forget the saltine crackers

Seafood in Mexico is always served with saltine crackers. It’s almost unthinkable to serve it without them. In fact, my wife refuses to eat seafood without them because the food doesn’t taste right.

Think of the combinations of peanut butter and jelly, baseball and apple pie, or Penn and Teller. They’re just better together, the same as seafood and saltines.

Or the hot sauce

Mexicans like to add a dash of hot sauce to their ceviche for a little extra heat and flavor. Try one of these popular Mexican hot sauce brands; Valentina, Tapatío, Cholula, and El Yucateco.

If you can’t find them in your supermarket, they are easy to order online. We always keep a variety of hot sauces in our kitchen because you can never have too much, never.

Shrimp Ceviche Acapulco Served with Avocado and Crackers

Ceviche is also great served on a tostada.

Provecho!

Print Recipe

3.75 from 4 votes

Shrimp Ceviche Acapulco Recipe

Acapulco style shrimp ceviche, a type of Mexican shrimp cocktail, prepared with whole shrimp, lime juice, orange juice, and avocado. An easy to prepare Mexican seafood dish great for large groups. Mix it up by substituting cucumber, mango, or pineapple for the tomato.

Prep Time15

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Lunch

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: acapulco, ceviche, Easy, seafood, shrimp

Servings: generous servings

Calories: 392kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

2 ¼ lb. small shrimp
1 medium white onion
juice of 6 limes
juice of 4 oranges
4 medium Plum Roma tomatoes
2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
12 sprigs cilantro which will make approximately 1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1 cup catsup
1 avocado
1 lg. package saltine crackers

Instructions

Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl and then squeeze the juice of the 4 limes and 4 oranges over the shrimp.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
While the shrimp is marinating prep the tomato, onion, and cilantro.
Remove the pulp and seeds from the tomato.
Chop the tomato into ⅜ inch pieces, the onion into ¼ pieces, and chop the cilantro finely.
Remove the shrimp from the fridge and then add all of the remaining ingredients except the avocado.
Mix all of the ingredients together gently so that the tomato maintains its shape.
Just before serving add the avocado to the ceviche and mix very gently to incorporate.
Serve in an attractive bowl with saltine crackers on the side.

Notes

Substitutions

If you like your ceviche spicy, add 1 very finely chopped serrano chile. Remove the seeds and veins before chopping.
1 cup of chopped cucumber, mango or pineapple is a nice addition but don’t add all at the same time. That’s flavor overload.
You can prepare it without cilantro if you prefer. Not everybody likes the taste of cilantro.
Ceviche is also great served on a tostada.

Storage

It will last for one day in the fridge but is best eaten immediately.

Nutrition

More Mexican Seafood Recipes

Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Antojitos

All you need for a great party

Here are our recommendations for our favorite Mexican dishes to prepare when you get together with family and friends on Cinco de Mayo. You are gonna eat really well. Provecho!

A little background on Cinco de Mayo

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday to celebrate the Battle of Puebla where the Mexican army defeated the French army in the city of Puebla on May 5, 1862, during the Second French intervention in Mexico.

It was a war that France eventually won. Surprisingly, Cinco de Mayo isn’t a huge party day to drink tequila and Corona like it is in the U.S. and it isn’t Mexico’s Independence Day as many think.

On the other hand in the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is a big party day to drink tequila and celebrate all things Mexican and we are all for celebrating Mexican food. This year, Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday which means there is time to fire up the grill and have a cookout.

Dips, Chips & Salsas

Classic Guacamole Learn how to make guacamole in a molcajete, the mortar, and pestle made from volcanic stone that is used for grinding ingredients.
Pico de Gallo The classic Mexican table salsa prepared with tomatoes, onion, serrano chile, cilantro, and lime juice.
Spicy Avocado Dip Easy five-minute spicy dip great served with corn chips, on crackers, toast, or a topping for nachos. Habanero hot sauce adds the spicy kick.
Queso con Carne Texas queso dip from Mary The Cake Chica – Velveeta cheese with chorizo, onion, tomato, cilantro, and jalapeño peppers.
Strawberry Chipotle Cream Cheese Dip Everybody loves cream cheese dip. This one has the added kick of chipotle peppers in adobo added to the sweetness of the strawberry jam. Ready in under 5 minutes.
Homemade Tortilla Chips Try making your own tortilla chips! It’s not as hard as you may think and the effort is worth it. They are called totopos in Spanish and are best for preparing chilaquiles or nachos and also to dip in guacamole, queso con carne, a great salsa, or use in any dish that calls for chips.
Restaurant Salsa Authentic Mexican restaurant salsa prepared with fresh plum tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, and serrano peppers. A great salsa for dipping.
Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Verde An uncooked salsa for those of you who like it hot.
Esquites – Mexican Street Corn White corn personalized with lime juice, mayonnaise, grated cheese, chili powder, butter, and hot sauce.

On the Grill

Carne Asada with Salsa, Onions and Lime — Mexican Style Carne Asada (Grilled Skirt Steak)

Carne Asada with a Garlic Lime Marinade Grilled steak, arrachera, or skirt, which has been marinated with lime and garlic and then quickly cooked over high heat served with a stack of hot tortillas and a bold salsa.
Picaña de Res a las Brasas Salt encrusted sirloin cap roast grilled directly on hot coals. Sometimes the simplest dish is the best. If you love carne asada, you’ll love this dish too.
Grilled Tomato Salsa The rich smokey flavor is the perfect accompaniment for carne asada or grilled quesadillas or even just chips.
Grilled Quesadillas Melty, cheesy and smokey. Make any time you are grilling. Serve as an accompaniment to carne asada.

Tacos

Ribeye Tacos with Habanero Salsa Ribeye tacos paired with a fruity, spicy red onion habanero salsa served with warm fresh corn tortillas. This is the salsa if you like your tacos hot.
Garlic Shrimp Tacos Buttery, garlicky shrimp served on a bed of tangy vinegar slaw topped with a sharp arból chile salsa with a touch of Mexican oregano.
Asadero Cheese Tacos with Salsa Verde Easy to prepare taco filling made with chunks of asadero cheese softened in a spicy roasted green tomato salsa served on warm corn tortillas.
Shredded Beef Tacos Taquería style on corn tortillas garnished with finely chopped onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salsa verde or your favorite homemade salsa.
Arrachera (Skirt Steak Tacos) In Northern Mexico, beef is king and one of the most popular cuts is arrachera. It’s a beefy tasting cut best cooked quickly over high heat.
Fish Tacos Pan-fried fish tacos with pico de gallo salsa. They are similar to Baja style fish tacos except the fish is lightly floured and pan-fried instead of battered and deep-fried and the taste of the fish is more delicate.

Cold Drinks / Aguas Frescas

Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea) Super refreshing iced tea made from dried hibiscus.
Tamarind Water A delicious, tart, sour, and sweet agua fresca rich in vitamins and minerals served throughout Mexico.
Guava Water An agua fresca prepared with fresh guava.
Watermelon Water Fresh sweet watermelon pineapple blended with water and a touch of sugar.
Pineapple Water Ripe pineapple blended with water and a touch of sugar.

Good for a Crowd

Mexican Lasagna Layered casserole with corn tortillas, ground beef, green chiles, beans, salsa, and cheese.
Pinto Bean Salad Pinto beans, corn, onion, and avocado.
Flan Cake A twist on traditional flan.

More Mexican Recipe Roundups

Salsa Verde Dishes

Ribeye Tacos with Habanero Salsa

Beef, Tacos

A lot is going on in a great taco. The filling contrasts with the salsa and the corn tortilla complements them both. When all parts are working harmoniously, you get a spectacular taco and these ribeye steak tacos are spectacular.

The fruity flavor and acidity of the salsa counterbalance the weighty beefy flavor and fattiness of the meat. The corn tortilla adds a complementary earthiness that ties the flavors together.

Rib Eye Taco with Red Onion Habanero Salsa on Corn Tortilla

How to Make the Habanero Red Onion Salsa

Habaneros chiles are sneaky, but in a good way. Their flavor is light and delicate at first and then gradually the heat starts to build and the flavor pops.

You want to prepare the salsa at least 1 hour in advance which allows time for the lime juice and salt to soften the onion and chile and for the flavors to come together.

Salsa Ingredients:

2 habanero chiles
½ large red onion
juice of 2 limes
½ tsp. salt

Thinly slice the habanero chiles. Habanero chiles are very hot and will leave a residue on your hands that may burn your eyes. Wear gloves to protect your hands if prefer.

Thinly slice the red onion.

Put the chile, onion, and salt into a jar or a mixing bowl.

Squeeze the juice of the limes into the jar then stir to mix ingredients.

Taco Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. ribeye steak
12 small corn tortillas
1 tsp. salt

Ribeye is one of my favorite cuts of meat and it makes a great taco.

Tortillas are an important component of any taco. Always try to buy freshly made tortillas or make your own. They are preferable to the prepackaged tortillas on that you find on the supermarket shelf.

Salt both sides of the meat and allow to come to room temperature before cooking.

We chose to pan grill the steaks. Cooking them on a gas or wood-fired grill will excellent results too. If you are pan cooking, preheat your pan to medium-high. Cook for 4 minutes.

Flip the steak and cook for 4 more minutes. The steak will be done to medium. Reduce the cooking time by 1 minute per side if you prefer the medium-rare.

Allow the steaks to rest for 3 minutes then slice into ½″ strips.

How to Serve

Warm the tortillas on a griddle or comal for 30 seconds per side. Wrap the tortillas in a clean dish towel to keep them warm. Tortillas should always be served warm.

Place 3 or 4 strips of beef on each taco and top with the red onion habanero salsa. Serve 3 tacos per person.

This an easy weeknight recipe that you will want to add to your dinner rotation. The prep work is minimal as is the cook time and the results and delicious.

Provecho!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Ribeye Tacos with Habanero Salsa

Ribeye steak tacos paired with a fruity, spicy red onion habanero salsa served with warm fresh corn tortillas. The light fruity flavor and acidity of the salsa counterbalance the weighty beefy flavor and fattiness of the meat.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time1 20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beef, habanero, ribeye, tacos

Servings: tacos

Calories: 411kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

Salsa

2 habanero chiles
½ large red onion
juice of 2 limes
½ tsp. salt

Tacos

1 ½ lbs. ribeye steaks
12 small corn tortillas
1 tsp. salt

Instructions

Salsa

Thinly slice the habanero chiles and onion.
Put the chile, onion, and salt into a jar or a mixing bowl. Squeeze the juice of the limes into the jar then stir to mix ingredients.

Tacos

Salt both sides of the meat and allow to come to room temperature before cooking.
Preheat your pan or grill to medium-high and cook steaks for 4 minutes per side.
Allow the steaks to rest for 3 minutes then slice into ½″ strips.

Serving

Warm the tortillas on a griddle or comal for 30 seconds per side.
Place 3 or 4 strips of beef on each taco and top with the red onion habanero salsa.

Notes

Substitutions

You can substitute any cut of meat that grills well.
Ribeye pairs well with any boldly flavored salsa.
Flour tortillas work really well too.

Nutrition

More Mexican Taco Recipes

Pan-Fried Meatballs

Beef

Croquetas de Carne de Res

Mexican style pan-fried meatballs stuffed with onion and cilantro, a simple dish that is easy to adapt to your tastes. Add some serrano chile, a touch of garlic, some crumbled queso fresco, or even some chopped chipotle peppers. Preparation is less than 30 minutes from start-to-finish to clean up.

These meatballs differ from the classic albóndigas as that rice isn’t mixed in with the ground beef and that each meatball doesn’t have a bit of hard-boiled egg in the center.

How to Make

Gather your ingredients first. You will need the following:

2 lbs. ground beef (We prefer standard ground beef to low-fat ground beef because it makes a juicier meatball.)
½ white onion
12 sprigs cilantro
½ tsp. black pepper
1 teaspoon salt.
5 tbsp. cooking oil

Steps

Remove the stems from the cilantro then finely chop the onion and cilantro. Reserve 1 teaspoon of cilantro to use to garnish the meatballs when served.

Finely Chopped Onion and Cilantro in Prep Bowls

Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Thoroughly mix the ingredients with your hands. Gently compact the meat while mixing.

Mixed Meatball Ingredients in Stainless Mixing Bowl

Divide the mixture into 12 evenly sized balls. Use your hands to shape each ball into a slightly flattened egg-shaped pattie.

Refrigerate the meatballs for 30 minutes to one hour. This step helps keep the meatballs together during cooking and allows the flavor from the onion and cilantro permeate the meat.

Preheat 5 tablespoons of oil your frying pan to medium-hot then place the meatballs in the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until nicely browned.

Turn the meatballs and cook for 5 more minutes.

How to Serve

Serve the meatballs with a side of rice or refried beans and your favorite salsa if you wish. Decorate the meatballs with a few bits of the reserved cilantro.

Variations

Here are a few variations on the meatballs that we like. The recipe is very adaptable. Mix and match add-ins to your tastes. Try these:

Spicy – Very finely chop ½ serrano pepper and mix with the other ingredients.
Garlicky – Very finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and mix with the other ingredients.
Cheesy – Crumble 3 ounces of queso fresco and mix well with the other ingredients.
Smoky – Chop two canned chipotle peppers in adobo and mix well with the other ingredients.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Pan-fried Meatballs

Mexican style pan-fried meatballs stuffed with onion and cilantro, a simple dish that is easy to adapt to your tastes. Add some serrano chile, a touch of garlic, or some crumbled queso fresco. Preparation is less than 30 minutes from start-to-finish to clean up.

Prep Time8

Cook Time15

Total Time23

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: ground beef, meatballs

Servings: meatballs

Calories: 657kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground beef
½ white onion
12 sprigs cilantro
½ tsp. black pepper
1 teaspoon salt.
5 tbsp. cooking oil

Instructions

Remove the stems from the cilantro then finely chop the onion and cilantro. Reserve 1 tsp. of cilantro to use to garnish the meatballs when served.
Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Thoroughly mix the ingredients with your hands. Gently compact the meat while mixing.
Divide the mixture into 12 evenly sized balls. Use your hands to shape each ball into a slightly flattened egg-shaped pattie.
Refrigerate the meatballs for 30 minutes to one hour.
Preheat 5 tablespoons of oil your frying pan to medium-hot then place the meatballs in the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until nicely browned.
Turn the meatballs and cook for 5 more minutes.

Notes

We prefer standard ground beef to low-fat ground beef because it makes a juicier meatball.

Variations

Spicy – Very finely chop ½ serrano pepper and mix with the other ingredients.
Garlicky – Very finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and mix with the other ingredients.
Cheesy – Crumble 3 ounces of queso fresco and mix well with the other ingredients.
Smoky – Chop two canned chipotle peppers in adobo and mix well with the other ingredients.

Serving

Serve the meatballs with a side of rice or refried beans and your favorite salsa if you wish. Decorate the meatballs with a few bits of the reserved cilantro.

Nutrition

More Mexican Beef Recipes

Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette

Salads

Colorful Crave-Worthy Salad

Have an aversion to beets? This is the cold beet salad recipe that will make you crave them. Cooked beetroots lightly dressed with a tart citrus-balsamic vinaigrette and topped with crumbled feta cheese and chopped cilantro. It’s an everyday salad disguised as a date-night or dinner party salad.

Mexican Beet Salad with Bottle of Citrus Vinaigrette

A beautiful salad in the colors of the Mexican flag, green, white, and red. If you have never prepared beets before it is far simpler than you may think.

Beet Salad Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

How to Make Beet Salad

First, gather your ingredients.

Ingredients to Make Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

You will need:

For the Salad

4 medium red beets or golden beets
¾ cup feta cheese
2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

For the Vinaigrette

Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
½ tbsp. dijon mustard
½ tsp. salt + plus as needed to taste
1 clove garlic

How to Choose Beets

When you are at the market buying beets look for ones that are deep in color and firm with few or no blemishes. Small to medium sized beets are more flavorful and tender. If the beets have a lot of soft spots and blemishes they are past their prime and you should avoid them.

Cooking the Beets

Cut the green tops off the beets. Cooking note: Save the beet greens for later if you would like because they are edible and delicious. Lightly boiled or sautéed are good ways to prepare them.

Place the beets in a large pot and cover with 2″ of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and cook for 45 minutes until they are fork tender.

Set the beets aside and allow to cool.

Peel the beets once they are cool to the touch.

Cut the beets into 1″ pieces.

Making the Beet Salad Dressing (Vinaigrette)

Make the vinaigrette while the beets are cooking. This gives the flavors of the dressing time to blend.

In a small mixing bowl add the orange juice, lime juice, balsamic, vinegar, honey, and dijon mustard.
Whisk the ingredients briskly while slowly pouring in the olive oil.
Whisk vigorously until the ingredients have combined.
Add the chopped garlic and salt. Whisk in incorporate.
Taste the dressing and add salt to taste if needed.
Set Aside.

Salad dressing tip: When we are adjusting the salt level in a salad dressing we tend to make it a little on the salty side because when you add the dressing to your salad the saltiness will even out.

Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette in Stainless Mixing Bowl

Serving the Salad

Divide the beets into 4 small salad bowls.
Top with crumbled feta cheese and chopped cilantro.
Lightly drizzle each salad with vinaigrette. (Shake well before dressing.)
Serve lightly chilled.

Looking for the best beet salad? This may be it. Provecho!

Print Recipe

3.38 from 129 votes

Beet Salad Recipe with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette

Crave-worthy cold beet salad with a citrus balsamic vinaigrette topped with crumbled feta cheese and cilantro. Thought you didn't like beets? It will totally change your mind. It's a delicious, easy healthy salad.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beets, citrus dressing, feta cheese, salad

Servings: servings

Calories: 168kcal

Author: Andrés carnalla

Ingredients

Salad

4 medium beets red or golden
¾ cup feta cheese
2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

Vinaigrette

Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
½ tbsp. dijon mustard
½ tsp. salt
1 clove garlic

Instructions

Beets

Cut the tops off the beets. Place the beets in a large pot and cover with 2″ of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and cook for 45 minutes.
Set the beets aside and allow to cool.
Peel the beets once they are cool to the touch.
Cut the beets into 1″ pieces.

Vinaigrette

In a small mixing bowl add the orange juice, lime juice, balsamic, vinager, honey, and dijon mustard.
Whisk the ingredients briskly while slowly pouring in the olive oil.
Whisk vigorously until the ingredients have combined.
Add the chopped garlic and salt. Whisk in incorporate.
Taste the dressing and add salt to taste if needed.
Set Aside.

Serving

Divide the beets in 4 small salad bowls.
Top with crumbled feta cheese and chopped cilantro.
Lightly dress with vinaigrette dressing.
Serve lightly chilled.

Notes

Subsitutions

You can substitute goat cheese or ranchero cheese for the feta cheese. The goat cheese will give the salad a sharper taste and the ranchero cheese will give it a milder taste.
You can substitute 1 tbsp. lemon juice for the lime juice.

Additions

A tsp. of diced red onion in each bowl adds a little kick.

Nutrition

More Mexican Salads

Mexico has many great salads. Here are a few of our favorites. They go far beyond the bagged salad mixes.

Mexican Picadillo

Beef

Mexican Style Ground Beef Dish

Looking for a new twist on typical ground beef dinners? Try making Picadillo, a flavorful but not hot Mexican ground beef dish prepared with potatoes, carrots, raisins, and tomato sauce. Every Mexican family makes a variation of this dish.

Picadillo is enjoyed Latin America in addition to Mexico. Each country has its own preferred way of preparing it. It’s particularly popular in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Cuban style is prepared with bell peppers, white wine, and capers. Puerto Rican style is uses a sofrito as its base.

How to Make Picadillo

2 lbs low-fat ground beef
2 medium white potatoes
2 medium carrots
1 cup green peas (preferably frozen peas not canned)
½ cup raisins
1 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

First Steps

Peel the carrots and potatoes first.

Peeled Carrots and Potatoes on Cutting Board

Chop the potatoes and carrots. We like the potatoes and carrots on the chunky side especially when we serve the picadillo over rice. If you plan on making tacos de picadillo chop the potatoes and carrots into smaller pieces.

Cooking

Add the ground beef to a large preheated frying pan with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
Gently break up the meat so that it browns evenly.

Lightly brown the ground beef. Try not to over-brown the meat because it will be on the dry side. Use this picture as a guide.
Don’t drain the liquid that the meat gives off. It incorporates into the dish and enriches the flavor.
Add the potatoes and carrots to the ground beef and cook for about 6 minutes.

Add the raisins and green peas to the mixture.
Mix until all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed.

Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Seasoning Picadillo with Salt and Pepper

Add the tomato sauce. You can add ¼ cup beef broth for extra flavor when cooking.

Mix in the tomato sauce until it is fully incorporated.

Cook the picadillo over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the potatoes and carrots are fully cooked and have softened.
Taste and add salt if necessary.

Cook the picadillo over medium-low heat for 20 minutes until fully cooked. — Your picadillo is ready to serve.

How to Serve Picadillo

Serve over white rice, on a tostada, or as a taco or burrito filling or even by itself.

Picadillo Served on Rice — We like it served on tostadas.

Substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground meat.
You can add ½ cup chopped white onion if you like. Add the onion at the same time you add the potatoes and carrots.
If you want your picadillo to be spicy, add 1 or 2 very finely chopped serrano peppers or jalapeño peppers when you add the potato and carrots.
For extra seasoning try adding a pinch of cumin, or Mexican oregano, or chili powder, or paprika.

Print Recipe

4 from 21 votes

Mexican Picadillo Recipe

Mexican style ground beef with carrots, potatoes, green peas, raisins, and tomato sauce. Great as a taco filling, over white rice, or on a tostada. One of our favorite ground beef recipes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Easy, ground beef, picadillo

Servings: servings

Calories: 528kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Equipment

Cutting board
Kitchen knife
3 or 4 small bowls
Large frying pan or skillet

Ingredients

2 lbs. low-fat ground beef
2 medium white potatoes
2 medium carrots
1 cup green peas preferably use frozen peas not canned
½ cup raisins
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. ground cumin optional
2 bay leaves optional (remove before serving)
2 tbsp. cooking or olive oil

Instructions

Peel the carrots and potatoes first.
Chop the potatoes and carrots.
Preheat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef to the frying pan and lightly brown the ground beef. (about 5 minutes)
Add the potatoes and carrots, stir and cook for 6 minutes.
Add the raisins and peas and stir.
Add the tomato sauce, salt and black pepper and stir.
Reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the potatoes and carrots have softened.
Taste and add salt if necessary.

Notes

Preparation

Picadillo should be moist but not wet when served.
If it is starting to get dry before the potatoes and carrots are cooked add 2 tablespoons of water as needed so that it remains moist.
Chop the potatoes coarsely if you are going to serve it over rice or on a tostada. Chop them finer if you are going to serve it in tacos.
If you are making tacos, it goes well with both corn and flour tortillas.
If you use canned peas, rinse them well to remove excess salt.

Substitutions

If you don’t have any tomato sauce, use 3 Roma tomatoes that have been smoothly blended as a substitute. Tomato paste works too using smaller quantities.

Optional Ingredients

You can add ½ cup chopped white onion if you like. Add the onion at the same time you add the potatoes and carrots.
If you want your picadillo to be spicy, add 1 or 2 very finely chopped serrano peppers or jalapeño peppers when you add the potato and carrots.

Storage

Picadillo will keep well refrigerated for 3 day in an airtight storage container.
It will keep well in the freezer for 3 monthsin an airtight storage container.

Nutrition

More Mexican Beef Recipes

Apple, Beet, Carrot Smoothie

It’s as easy as A, B, C

We call this the A, B, C smoothie. Why? because of the ingredients, apple, beet, and carrot. Plus, it’s as easy as A, B, C to prepare. Beet gives it an earthy, rich, naturally sweet flavor.

Ingredients

This smoothie is prepared with pure fruit no filler.

1 medium beet (about 10 ozs.)
1 medium carrot (about 2.5 ozs.)
1 medium red or green apple (about 8 ozs.)
1 tbsp. honey
1 cup water

How to Make

Wash the apple, beet, and carrot well.
Peel the beet and carrot. Peel the apple if you prefer.
Chop the apple, beet, and carrot into smallish pieces which ensures a smooth texture when you blend.
Place all of the ingredients into your blender and blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add ¼ cup water if your smoothie is too thick.
If you like your smoothie chilled, blend with 4 ice cubes.

The Finished Drink

Serve immediately and enjoy. Think of it as a super tasty nutrition bomb packed with nutrients and fiber. Although, we drink it because it tastes good. If you have kids who don’t like to eat fruits and vegetables this a great way to sneak some into their diet.

Mexican Apple Beet Carrot Smoothie in Ball Jar

Smoothie Into Juice

Sometimes you are just not in the mood for a smoothie you would prefer juice. So, to turn your smoothie into juice just blend with 2 cups of water then strain through a fine strainer. With the back of a spoon press on the pulp in the strainer to squeeze out all of the flavor and nutrients.

Print Recipe

3.32 from 19 votes

Apple, Beet, Carrot Smoothie Recipe

Easy, healthy, raw apple, beet, carrot smoothie with a touch of honey. Enjoy its earthy, rich, naturally sweet flavor. A tasty, healthy kid-friendly drink option.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Drink

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Apple Beet Carrot Smoothie, How to Make Apple Beet Carrot Smoothie

Servings: 10 oz. glasses

Calories: 110kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

1 medium beet about 10 ozs.
1 medium carrot about 2.5 ozs.
1 medium red or green apple about 8 ozs.
1 tbsp. honey
1 cup water

Instructions

Wash the apple, carrot, and beet well.
Peel the carrot and beet. Peel the apple is desired.
Chop all into small pieces.
Place chopped ingredients in blender with water and honey.
Blend on high until very smooth. 1 to 2 minutes depending on the power of your blender.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Adjustments

If your smoothie is too thick for your liking, blend with an additional ¼ water.
Blend with 4 ice cubes for a chilled smoothie.

Optional Add-ins

To make a creamy drink add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened yogurt.
For extra nutrition add 1 tbsp. of presoaked chia seeds.

Notes

This smoothie is best enjoyed immediately. It doesn’t keep well in the refrigerator because the fruits and veggies tend to separate

Nutrition

More Mexican Fruit Drinks and Aguas Frescas

Mexico has a great variety of natural drinks that are great alternatives to sodas.

Natalia’s Food Truck, San Miguel de Allende

Cocina con Corazón

There is no point to cooking, if you don’t cook from the heart.

Chef and owner Karl Tostado learned this lesson from his mother which he puts into practice in the food truck he owns with his wife Paulina Galindo in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.

Exterior Natalia's Food Truck, San Miguel de Allende

Chef Karl’s love for food was instilled by his mother and grandmother in Culiacán, Sinaloa, where he grew up. He loved watching his grandmother sing to the food as she prepared it and discovered her secret ingredient, the use of old-fashioned measurements, the most important being, “what fits in the palm of your hand, son.“

Natalia's Food Truck, San Miguel de Allende

A Taste of the Menu

To whet your appetite, here are a few of the great dishes that they serve.

Natalia’s Salad: Mixed greens, red onion, pear, cucumber, cranberries, goat, cheese, sweet hibiscus dressing.
Chihuahua Style Shrimp Burrito: Flour tortilla stuffed with, shrimp, lettuce, carrot, rice, and avocado.
Carne Asada Taco or Quesadilla: Grilled beef or asadero cheese with white onion, red cabbage, and guacamole.
Arrachera Stuffed Potato: Prime arrachera (skirt steak), asadero cheese, poblano chile, and cream.

Ingredient are high quality. They say they will only serve food that they would serve to their children.

Natalia’s is a casual place to go with your friends and family and it is pet-friendly. Often, on the weekends they have a DJ or live music in the evenings.

Around the truck, they have created a beautiful courtyard with lots of seating.

Chef Karl preparing their famous, papa rellena, or stuffed potato.

Preparing Papa Rellena Natalia's Food Truck

The arrachera stuffed potato looks fantastic.

Stuffed Potato Specialty Natalia's Food Truck

Address: Salida a Celaya No. 32, Colonia Allende, CP 37700, San Miguel de Allende, GTO

Hours: Monday to Thursday 1:00pm to 9:00, Fridays and Saturdays 1:00 to 10:00pm

Phone: 415-154-4646

Cell: 322-779-8353

Website: nataliasfoodtruck.mx

More Places to Visit in San Miguel de Allende

Mexican Street Food

Pan Fried Bananas with Lechera

Desserts

Platano con Lechera

A popular Mexican dessert is cinnamon-dusted bananas or plantains pan-fried in butter then drizzled with sweetened condensed milk called Platanos con Lechera.

A Dessert Full of Memories

This dish holds many memories for our photographer Andrés from when he was growing up in Cuernavaca.

I remember when I was a kid. Every day around 5:00pm we heard a whistle in the distance and we knew the banana and sweet potato cart was coming. The smell was unmistakeable, steam, wood burning fire, and banana.

Like it was for the tamale cart in the morning, the afternoon was for the banana man with his three wheeled silver cart which to us looked like a locomotive passing down the street announcing it’s arrival.

We only needed a piece of brown paper and a few pesos to take this dessert home to enjoy.

Our mother’s also used to make them for us regularly because it was so easy to prepare.

At Mauricio’s, one of our favorite restaurants in Puerto Vallarta, this dessert is always served at the end of your meal. Could be one of the reasons we like the place so much :)

Ingredients

4 large bananas or 4 plantains (about 2 ½ lbs.)
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
6 ounces sweetened condensed milk (Lechera)
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

How to Make

Peel the bananas. Cut the banana in half then cut each piece in half lengthwise.

Sprinkle the bananas with ground cinnamon.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Place the cinnamon-dusted bananas in the pan cinnamon side up.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until the bananas are golden brown.

To Serve

Place 4 slices of banana on a dessert plate then drizzle with the sweetened condensed milk. Serve warm.

Fried Bananas with Sweetened Condensed Milk

Print Recipe

3.80 from 10 votes

Pan Fried Bananas with Lechera Recipe

Cinnamon dusted bananas or plantains pan-fried in butter then drizzled with sweetened condensed milk called Platanos con Lechera. A popular easy to make Mexican dessert.

Prep Time10

Cook Time6

Total Time16

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: bananas, dessert, Easy, Lechera

Servings: servings

Calories: 462kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

4 large bananas or 4 plantains about 2 ½ lbs.
2 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter
6 ozs. sweetened condensed milk Lechera
2 tbsp. sugar optional

Instructions

Preparation

Peel the bananas. Cut the banana in half then cut each piece in half lengthwise.
Sprinkle the bananas with ground cinnamon.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Placed the cinnamon-dusted bananas in the pan cinnamon side up.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until the bananas are golden brown.

Serving

Place 4 slices of banana on a dessert plate then drizzle with the sweetened condensed milk. Serve warm.
The most important step is to enjoy :)

Notes

Substitutions

In addition to the cinnamon, you can dust the bananas with 2 tablespoons of sugar for a sweeter dessert.

Storage

Eat immediately. This dish doesn’t keep well.

Nutrition

More Banana Recipes

Mexican Dessert Recipes

Asadero Cheese Tacos with Salsa Verde

Cheese Recipes, Tacos

Expand Your Taco Horizons

You like cheese. You like salsa. And, you like tacos. This is your dish. Chunks of asadero cheese softened in a spicy roasted green salsa served on warm corn tortillas.

Asadero cheese is a melting cheese commonly used to make quesadillas. It’s very popular in the states of Durango, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, and Guanajuato.

Having a Taco Party?

Make a double or triple batch of these tacos for your next taco party, called a taquiza. On your serving table, place a large bowl with the cheese and salsa and a stack of warm corn tortillas on the side and your guests can easily make their own tacos.

How to Make

Ingredients

1 ¼ lb. asadero, Oaxaca, or panela cheese (In a pinch, you can use mozzarella too.)
1 lb. green tomatoes
4 serrano chiles
¼ medium white onion
1 clove garlic
¼ teaspoon whole cumin
3 fresh epazote leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
½ cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
12 corn tortillas
1 teaspoon salt

Preparing the Salsa

Blacken the green tomatoes, onion, serrano chiles, and garlic in a dry medium-hot pan. Leave the skin on the garlic. You will remove it after charring.

Charring Green Tomatoes and Serrano Peppers

Cook until the vegetables have blackened. This step adds a deep rich smoky flavor to the salsa.

Charred Green Tomatoes and Serrano Chiles

Let the garlic cool to the touch and then remove the papery skin. Chop the garlic very finely. Leaving the skin on keeps the garlic from becoming bitter.

Removing Stems from Roasted Serrano Peppers

Cut the tops off of the chiles. If you prefer a milder salsa, you can also remove the seeds and stems. We chose not to remove the seeds because we like a salsa with some heat. A fair warning, this salsa is quite hot.

Put the charred vegetables in your blender with ½ cup water. Blend for 1 minute until evenly blended but still has some texture. Don’t over blend.

In the same pan you used to blacken the green tomatoes, preheat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over high heat then pour the blended salsa into the hot oil. This step is called “seasoning” and it is important to fully develop the flavor of the salsa.

Bring the salsa to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, add the finely chopped garlic, whole cumin seeds, and salt.

Add the fresh epazote leaves. You can substitute 1 teaspoon dried epazote.

Finely chop the cilantro leaves.

Serving the Tacos

Chop the cheese into bite-sized chunks. Pour the hot salsa into a serving bowl and then add the cheese. A stone molcajete makes a great serving dish.

Stir to cover the cheese with salsa and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Let rest for 10 minutes to soften the cheese.

Asadero Cheese Salsa Verde and Cilantro in Molcajete

Be sure to warm the tortillas. Place them on hot comal or griddle for about 30 seconds per side. For each taco, spoon 2 or 3 chunks of cheese and salsa on each tortilla. Serve immediately. We like these tacos with an icy cold Mexican beer.

Provecho!

Print Recipe

3.45 from 9 votes

Asadero Cheese Tacos with Salsa Verde Recipe

An easy to prepare taco filling made with chunks of asadero cheese softened in a spicy roasted green tomato salsa served on warm corn tortillas. Garlic, cumin, and epazote add a deep herbal flavor to the salsa.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Tacos

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Cheese Tacos Recipe, How to Make Cheese Tacos, salsa verde

Servings: tacos

Calories: 752kcal

Author: Andrés Carnalla

Ingredients

1 ¼ lb. asadero Oaxaca, or panela cheese
1 lb. green tomatoes about 8 medium size
4 serrano chiles
¼ medium white onion about 2 ounces
1 clove garlic
¼ teaspoon whole cumin
3 fresh epazote leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
6 sprigs fresh cilantro makes about 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons cooking oil
½ cup water
1 teaspoon salt
12 corn tortillas

Instructions

Making the Salsa Verde

In a dry medium-hot pan blacken the green tomatoes, onion, serrano chiles, and garlic. Leave the skin on the garlic. You will remove it after charring.
Cook until the vegetables have blackened.
Let the garlic cool to the touch and then remove the papery skin. Chop the garlic very finely.
Cut the tops off of the chiles. If you prefer a milder salsa, you can also remove the seeds and stems.
Put the charred vegetables in your blender with ½ cup water. Blend for 1 minute.
Preheat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over high heat. Pour the blended salsa into the hot oil.
In the same pan you used to blacken the green tomatoes, preheat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over high heat then pour the blended salsa into the hot oil.
After cooking for ten minutes, add the finely chopped garlic, whole cumin seeds, and salt.
Stir and then add the epazote leaves.

Serving the Tacos

Chop the cheese into bite-sized chunks. Pour the hot salsa into a serving bowl and then add the cheese.
Stir to cover the cheese with salsa and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Let rest for 10 minutes to soften the cheese.
While the cheese and salsa are resting, heat the corn tortillas 30 seconds per side on your comal or griddle.
For each taco, spoon 2 or 3 chunks of cheese and salsa on each tortilla. Serve immediately.

Notes

Adjusting the Heat

A word of warning. This salsa is very spicy. If you prefer a milder salsa, you can reduce the number of chiles from 4 to 2. To reduce the heat even more but still retain flavor, remove the seeds and veins from the chiles.

Substitutions

You can use jalapeño peppers instead of the serrano pepper for a milder salsa. The flavor won’t be as bright but it will still be delicious.
You can substitute flour tortillas for the corn tortillas.
Any of the following cheeses will give you good results: queso asadero, queso Chihuahua, queso Oaxaca, or queso panela. In a pinch, you can even substitute mozzarella or provolone.

Serving Tips

These tacos are served warm not piping hot.

Storage

This dish keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To serve, reheat in the microwave until the salsa is hot and the cheese has softened. (About 1 to 2 minutes depending on your microwave.) Don’t allow the cheese to melt.

Nutrition

More Mexican Cheese Recipes

Chilaquiles Verdes with Chicken

Chicken

A Quick and Easy Breakfast

Chilaquiles is an all-time favorite Mexican breakfast dish. It’s a mixture of corn tortilla chips and shredded chicken bathed in green salsa and topped with salty ranchero cheese, Mexican cream, and thinly sliced red onion.

A few simple ingredients come together to make an authentic and very satisfying dish. I jokingly refer to chilaquiles as “breakfast nachos.” They are also a close cousin of migas.

Mexican cooks rarely waste food. Making chilaquiles allows you to use up stale tortillas by preparing something delicious.

Check your fridge, you probably have all of the ingredients on hand to make them right now.

You should be getting hungry, right?

Ingredients for Chilaquiles

Ingredients to Make Chilaquiles Verde Chicken

5 cups corn tortilla chips (totopos)
3 cups salsa verde or salsa roja
1 ⅓ cups shredded chicken
½ cup Mexican cream or sour cream
½ small red onion
4 ounces ranchero cheese or queso fresco
Salt to taste

Homemade Tortilla Chips Make the Best Chilaquiles

Take the time to make your own tortilla chips. It’s not that difficult and the results are well worth the extra effort. The chips are lighter and crunchier than store-bought chips.

Go here for the full homemade tortilla chips tutorial with step-by-step pictures. If you don’t want to prepare tortilla chips from scratch, feel free to use store-bought. The results will still be delicious.

Homemade Salsa Does Too

You will need salsa verde. Homemade is best but bottled is tasty too. Go here for the full salsa verde tutorial with step-by-step pictures. We don’t always feel like making our own salsa so we used bottled too.

Shredded Chicken

To prepare the shredded chicken, place one chicken breast in a small saucepan, and cover with water. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the chicken breast for 15 minutes or until fully cooked.

Remove the chicken breast from the cooking water and allow to cool. As soon as it is cool to the touch use your fingers to pull the chicken apart into thin 1″ long pieces.

How to Make Chilaquiles

Now it is time for the good part. In a large wide pan, bring the salsa to a boil then immediately reduce the heat to low.

Add the tortilla chips.

Tortillas Chips Simmering in Salsa Verde

Stir the tortilla chips to coat with salsa.

Corn Tortilla Chips Simmering in Salsa Verde

Add the shredded chicken.

Shredded Chicken Added to Chilaquiles Verdes

Stir to coat with salsa. Serve quickly. If the chips sit in the salsa too long they become soggy. You want the chips to retain a little crunch.

Shredded Chicken Simmering with Chilaquiles in Salsa Verde

To Serve

Divide the chilaquiles into four portions. To serve, top each serving with 2 tablespoons of Mexican cream or sour cream, 1 ounce of crumbled ranchero cheese and 3 thinly sliced onion rings. Serve immediately.

Provecho!

Print Recipe

3.34 from 6 votes

Chilaquiles with Chicken in Salsa Verde Recipe

Traditional Mexican Chilaquiles is an all-time favorite breakfast dish. It's a mixture of corn tortilla chips and shredded chicken bathed in green salsa and topped with Mexican cream, ranchero cheese, and thinly sliced red onion.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: authentic, chicken, Easy, Eggs, Tortillas

Servings: servings

Calories: 554kcal

Author: Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

5 cups corn tortilla chips totopos
3 cups salsa verde or salsa roja
1 ⅓ cups shredded chicken
½ cup Mexican cream or sour cream
½ small red onion
4 ounces ranchero cheese or queso fresco

Instructions

Preparing the Shredded Chicken

Place one chicken breast in a small saucepan and cover with water. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the chicken breast for 15 minutes or until fully cooked.
Remove the chicken breast from the cooking water and allow to cool.
As soon as it is cool to the touch use your fingers to pull the chicken apart into thin 1" long pieces.

Preparing the Chilaquiles

In a large wide pan, bring the salsa to a boil then immediately reduce the heat to low.
Add the tortilla chips and stir to coat with salsa.
Add the shredded chicken and stir to coat with salsa.
Serve immediately.
Serving
Divide the chilaquiles into four portions.
Top each serving with 2 tablespoons of Mexican cream or sour cream, 1 ounce of crumbled ranchero cheese, and 3 thinly sliced onion rings.
Serve immediately. Don’t let the chilaquiles sit or the will get soggy.

Notes

Preparation Notes

If you buy corn chips to make chilaquiles look for the unsalted ones. They are the better choice. You can use salted chips if the unsalted ones are unavailable. You can find them in the Hispanic section of the supermarket. Look for “totopos.”

Variations

You can also prepare chilaquiles topped with scrambled eggs or fried eggs.
It is common to serve chilaquiles with refried beans on the side.

Storage

We don’t recommend that you save chilaquiles for later. There’s a good chance that you won’t have any left because they are so tasty. When you store them in the fridge they get soggy and mushy and the texture is kind of unappealing.

Nutrition

More Mexican Breakfast Dishes

Sor Juana, Poet, Nun and Kitchen Philosopher