20 Mexican Dinner Ideas

Enchiladas are a favorite Mexican dinner idea around here! They can take a while to prep for a weeknight, so here’s a recipe we designed to work in 30 minutes flat: these easy Vegetarian Enchiladas! The filling takes no time to whip up: it’s just spiced pinto beans and spices. Roll ’em up, bake until golden and cheesy, and load with all your favorite toppings.

Here’s an incredible Mexican dinner idea that’s impressive every time: these Black Bean Green Enchiladas! Tender sweet potatoes are the perfect contrast to savory black beans and tangy salsa verde. Top it off with Colby cheese, it’s the best gooey comfort food around. This one will please everyone: we guarantee it. 

Enmoladas are a typical Mexican dinner: a corn tortilla filled with beans, chicken, cheese, meat, or plantain is bathed with a flavorful mole sauce. This version from Brown Sugar and Vanilla is filled with plantains and covered in a flavorful sauce made with mole paste. Enmoladas are typically finished with sesame seeds, sliced onion, Mexican crema, and queso fresco!

Enchiladas Suizas, or Swiss-style enchiladas, are chicken enchiladas topped with a tomatillo cream sauce. Classic Enchiladas suizas use crema Mexicana in the sauce and melted cheese inside and on top of the enchiladas. Via Isabel Eats

Tacos are a fan favorite when it comes to Mexican dinner ideas. Try these baked fish tacos! The white fish is baked until it’s flaky with a zingy dry rub of spices, then topped with a tangy slaw and a creamy fish taco sauce! It’s a spin on Mexican Baja tacos using the flavors and style of this cuisine. They’re tasty, easy to make, and ideal for weeknights or dinner parties.

Another classic Mexican dinner: Shrimp Tacos! These are quick and easy to whip up on a weeknight. The shrimp is juicy and savory, spiced with Old Bay and cumin, the cabbage is crunchy and tangy, and the creamy cilantro sauce brings it all together.

Here’s a quick and easy Mexican dinner idea for weeknights: try these Mushroom Tacos! Portobello mushrooms have enormous savory flavor: throw them in a skillet with some punchy seasonings and they make plant-based magic. This recipe is for when you have just a few minutes to throw together a meal: combine those portobellos with creamy refried beans and the quickest slaw, and you’ve got dinner!

Meet our new favorite Mexican dinner idea: these easy Black Bean Tacos! This recipe is customizable based on your diet and available time. It stars these 5 minute black beans, a quick taco filling idea that’s bursting with flavor in just a few minutes. Top it with all the best taco toppings: corn, avocado, pickled onions: and a sprinkling of feta cheese or queso fresco.

Chicken tinga is a Mexican dish from Puebla made from shredded chicken cooked in a smoky and slightly spicy tomato-based sauce. It can be served in tacos or quesadillas. This recipe from Isabel Eats features shredded chicken in a smoky chipotle sauce and is ready in only 30 minutes.

Tacos de birria come from the state of Jalisco in Mexico. They're usually made with goat meat, lamb meat, or a mixture of beef and lamb. This version via Brown Sugar and Vanilla is vegan and made with oyster mushrooms!

These 20-minute Salmon Tacos are tasty and and easy to make! They're made with chili-rubbed pan-seared salmon and topped with a fish taco slaw on warm corn or flour tortillas. via Isabel Eats

Looking for a Mexican dinner idea in soup form? Meet this Vegetarian Tortilla Soup! Ready in a little over 30 minutes, it’s full of flavor featuring black beans and smoky adobo sauce. Top it with crunchy tortilla strips for a satisfying meal.

Sopes are a traditional Mexican dinner idea: a thick tortilla with upturned edges, topped with meat, beans, and sauces. Here's how to make homemade Mexican sopes: top them with refried beans and other toppings for a hearty meal!

Want to make quesadillas for a crowd, but don’t want to hover over the stove while making them to order? Enter: baked quesadillas! This recipe makes the humble solo meal into a delicious dinner, resulting in a big batch all at once on a sheet pan. All the quesadillas are done at the same time, and they come out with a beautifully crispy exterior.

Here's another classic Mexican dinner idea: the burrito! This black bean burrito is packed with flavor from Spanish rice, seasoned black beans, peppers and onions, and mashed avocado. Even better, step it up with a zingy vegan sauce.

Tamales are a delicious Mexican dinner idea! You can find some great frozen brands at the store: or make your own! Try these Chicken Tamales from Isabel Eats: they're made from an easy masa tamale dough and stuffed with tender pieces of chicken and green chile verde sauce.

Pozole is a traditional Mexican dinner idea: a Mexican stew traditionally made with pork and hominy covered in a flavorful chile broth. There are lots of variations, but pozole always includes hominy: a type of corn that’s soaked and treated with lime. It's easy to find canned at your local grocery store. Try this traditional Pozole Verde from Isabel Eats.

Another traditional type of Pozole is Pozole Rojo or red Pozole! This vegan version is authentic, easy, and healthy. Just imagine a spoonful of homemade chili broth filled with hominy corn and delicious crunchy toppings. via Brown Sugar and Vanilla

A taquito is another Mexican dinner idea: a corn tortilla that’s stuffed with filling (usually beans, cheese or meat), rolled up tightly, and baked or fried Traditionally, taquitos are made with corn tortillas. Those made with flour tortillas are called flautas. Try these Chicken Taquitos from Isabel Eats, or our Vegetarian Baked Flautas.

Last up in our Mexican dinner ideas: Tostadas! A tostada is like a taco, but the fillings are placed on top of a flat tortilla that is baked or fried. This version from Isabel Eats features a topping of refried beans and Mexican street corn (elote).