Side and Appetizer Recipes

Quesadillas, salads, side dishes, and more for your fiesta.

Mexican

Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)

The off-the-cob version of Mexican grilled corn.
Soups and Stews

Frijoles Charros (Mexican Pinto Beans With Bacon and Chilies)

Bring these beans to your next potluck and wait for the compliments to roll in.
Grilling, Smoking, and Barbecue

Elote (Grilled Mexican Street Corn)

Creamy, spicy, rich, and sweet.
Tex-Mex

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas

Shredded chicken, kicked up with jalapeño and pepper Jack, makes a hearty filling for flaky quesadillas.
Mexican

Perfect Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)

A master recipe for beautiful refried beans.
Soups and Stews

Sopa de Lima (Yucatán-Style Lime Soup)

A Yucatecan twist on classic Mexican tortilla soup.
The Food Lab

Pozole Verde de Pollo (Green Mexican Hominy and Chicken Soup)

Green pozole with chicken and hominy, streamlined for maximum flavor in minimum time.
Vegetarian

Microwave Nachos for One

The microwave is a highly underrated tool for nacho construction.
Mexican

Cheese-Free Sweet Potato "Quesadillas"

Sweet potatoes star in these crisp-tender vegan quesadillas.
Tex-Mex

Spinach, Black Bean, and Chipotle Quesadillas

Fresh spinach, black beans, and smoky chipotles combine with Swiss cheese in these crispy, golden-brown quesadillas.
Sides

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel de Camarones)

The most refreshing seafood snack.
Snacks

Classic Shrimp Aguachile With Lime, Cucumber, and Red Onion

If you love ceviche, then aguachile is for you.
Tex-Mex

The Ultimate Fully Loaded Nachos

At first glance, this over-the-top combo may seem like overkill, but there's a method to this madness.
Corn

Corn and Zucchini Quesadillas

Lightly browned corn and zucchini mixed with melted cheese in a crispy, puffy, flaky crust.
The Nasty Bits

Chicharrones Guisados (Stewed Fried Pork Rinds)

Deep fried pork rinds get simmered in a tomatillo and tomato-based sauce.
Snacks

The Ultimate Fully Loaded Vegan Nachos

They may be vegan, but with our huge cast of ingredients, they definitely don't pull any punches.
Grilling

Grilled Queso Panela With Roasted Tomatillo and Poblano Salsa

Cheese meets grill.
One-Pot Wonders

Quick Tortilla Soup With Chicken and Avocado

A one-pot, 20-minute version of classic tortilla soup.
Appetizers and Hors d'Oeuvres

Smoky Potato and Caper Empanadas With Cilantro Sauce

Pastry pockets filled with potatoes and capers, a touch of chipotle, and a dash of curry powder.
Tex-Mex

Real Texas Nachos

Individually topping each chip ensures maximum flavor in every bite.
Cheese

Quesadilla Fritas (Fried Quesadillas) With Pickled Jalapeños, Cilantro, ...

Crisp, crackly, and altogether flavorful golden-brown crunch.
Roasting

Oysters Oaxacafeller

Oysters Rockefeller get a Mexican-inflected makeover.
Appetizers and Hors d'Oeuvres

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Crisp, sturdy chips, perfect for your next plate of nachos.
Mexican

Chorizo Quesadillas With Radish and Fennel Salsa

An easy weeknight dinner that's fully loaded with flavor.
Chicken

Chicken Tinga Nachos

These individual nachos are loaded with smoky chicken tinga, melted cheese, and guac.
Latin American

Arctic Char Aguachile With Habanero, Jicama, and Lime

Fresh arctic char with lime juice, habaneros, jicama, coriander seed, and onion.
Snacks

Scallop Aguachile With Jalapeño, Cucumber, and Avocado

Sweet raw scallops with lime juice, jalapeños, and onion, served with tostadas and avocado (and if you like, beer or tequila).
Salads

Charred Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad With Zucchini and Radishes

An easy salad that combines all the flavors of summer.
Vegetarian

Vegan Sopes With Refried Beans and Salsa Verde

Crispy homemade sope shells stuffed with refried beans.
Gluten-Free

Grilled Mexican Chorizo With Spicy Tomato-Caper Sauce

Better sausages start in a bath.
Chicken Dinners

Tomatillo Chicken Quesadillas

A fun and fast weeknight dinner.
Turkey

Roast Turkey and Black Bean Quesadillas

Crispy fried quesadillas made with leftover roast turkey or chicken and canned black beans.
Avocado

Avocado Toast With Chipotle Mayo, Cotija Cheese, Cilantro, and Lime

This Mexican-inspired take on avocado toast gets a dash of creamy heat from homemade chipotle mayo.
Mexican

Quick Chicken and Zucchini Quesadillas

Quick quesadillas with a little smoky chipotle.
Mexican

Summer Nachos With Tomatoes, Corn, Chicken, and Cheese

Bringing nachos out of the barroom and into the sun.