Cinco de Mayo Recipes

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we've compiled a collection of our ten favorite Mexican-inspired recipes. From Broiled Fish Tostadas to Tortilla Soup, each one is easy to make and loaded with fresh ingredients and vibrant flavors.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for the fifth of May) is a holiday honoring Mexico's defeat over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

By 1863, the first Cinco De Mayo holiday was celebrated in the United States by Mexicans who had moved north into California and Nevada for the Gold Rush.

The foods shared during Cinco De Mayo celebrations have a history that dates back to pre-Columbian food vendors who sold their fare to people gathering for worship.

Once Mexico was colonized by Spain, Mexican street food was integrated with Spanish culinary traditions, creating many of the signature dishes known throughout Mexico today.

Two of the best-known authentic Mexican dishes are Mole Poblano and Tamales.

Mole Poblano is Mexico's national food and has origins dating as far back as the 16th century. This delectable dish can contain as many as 100 ingredients, but most versions today consist of 20 to 30.

Tamales, which are flavorful combinations of meat and spices wrapped in masa dough and then steamed in a corn husk, is one of the oldest known foods in all of Latin America.

As with most authentic ethnic foods passed down through generations of family cooks, these dishes tend to be labor-intensive, so Americans generally celebrate Cinco de Mayo with somewhat simpler, Mexican-inspired fare.

Popular Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Our Cinco de Mayo recipes incorporate many of the flavors found in authentic Mexican foods by using easy-to-find, grocery store ingredients like tomatillos, queso fresco, fresh cilantro, and shredded meats.

The dishes are flavorful and easy to prepare, so regardless of your heritage, there's nothing to stop you from celebrating the rich culinary traditions of Mexico on Cinco de Mayo and throughout the year.