Throw a fiesta at home with these mouth-watering healthy Tex Mex and Mexican recipes for Cinco de Mayo! From Mexican cocktails (hello, skinny margaritas!) to appetizers, to regular and vegetarian main dishes, you'll love these better-for-you Cinco de Mayo recipes.
Every good Texan knows that Cinco de Mayo is widely celebrated across Texas! Not that we need an excuse to celebrate with some margaritas and tacos, but Cinco de Mayo is a food holiday in its own right. With so much Mexican heritage, nobody does Tex-Mex better than Texans. Since celebrating at home is so much more fun and less stressful than crowded restaurants, throw a Cinco de Mayo fiesta at home with these healthy, delicious, Mexican-inspired recipes made with real, fresh ingredients.
The BEST Healthy Recipes for Cinco de Mayo
Healthy Mexican-Inspired Breakfast Recipes
Because Cinco de Mayo celebrations start in the AM, try a Mexican inspired breakfast casserole or taco!
- Healthy Huevos Rancheros Tostadas With easy crispy baked tortillas, easy mashed black beans, enchilada sauce, and fried eggs, these tostadas are perfect for a festive breakfast if you have a little more time!
- Green Chile Mexican Breakfast Casserole This delicious baked Mexican breakfast casserole with beans, corn and green chiles is easy to make ahead.
- Sweet Potato Bacon Breakfast Tacos - I love these breakfast tacos for Cinco de Mayo or any other morning!
- Migas Breakfast Bowl This tasty bowl has everything you love about the classic Mexican breakfast!
Fresh Mexican-Inspired Cocktails
Let's be honest, we all know you came for the margaritas! I highly recommend my classic (skinny) margaritas, but if that's not your jam, try something else, like a smoky paloma!
- Classic Skinny Margaritas This is my most popular margarita recipe and for good reason! With only a few simple ingredients, these margs are easy, perfectly tart and so refreshing!
- Blood Orange Margaritas These delicious margaritas have a gorgeous hue and natural sweetness from fresh squeezed blood orange juice.
- Cilantro Lemongrass Margaritas For something a little different, these margaritas are super fresh with lemongrass syrup and herby cilantro.
- Hatch Chile Margaritas A little spicy, and so delicious!
- Smoky Mezcal Paloma If you love a palomas, try this smoky and spicy version with mezcal and jalapeño.
- White Wine Mojitos For a drink sans tequila, try these minty white wine mojitos!
- Apple Cider Margaritas Happen to have apple cider around? Use it to sweeten sweet and citrusy margaritas!
- Honey Broiled Grapefruit Palomas An elevated spin on the classic grapefruit and tequila Mexican cocktail.
- Tequila Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate A cinnamon-y, spicy, and spiked dessert cocktail!
Healthy Mexican Dips and Starters
A delicious Mexican inspired dip with warm tortillas chips is a must for Cinco de Mayo! But who are we kidding, you definitely need guacamole, too. Here are my favorite healthy salsas and dips:
- The Best Grilled Salsa Fire grilled smoky veggies make this salsa over-the-top delicious!
- Easy Guacamole A must-have dip or appetizer for every Mexican food meal.
- Caramelized Onion Guacamole Take your guacamole up a notch with luxurious caramelized onions.
- Easy Homemade Fresh Salsa Filled with garden-fresh garlic, onion, jalapeño and cilantro, this is an easy, zippy and refreshing salsa!
- Salsa Verde For lovers of green salsa!
- Roasted Poblano Skillet Queso Blanco White queso with real ingredients, including smoky roasted poblano peppers!
- Grilled Pineapple Black Bean Jicama Salsa This sweet and crunchy salsa is perfect for dipping chips, or as a side dish!
- Slow Cooker Green Chile Corn Dip Cheesy, spicy, and easy to keep warm in the slow cooker!
- Mexican Ceviche This authentic Mexican dish of citrus-marinated fish and crunchy veggies is light, refreshing and make-ahead friendly.
- Roasted Poblano Goat Cheese Sweet Potato Cakes Baked sweet potato fritters get a Mexican flair with roasted poblanos and goat cheese.
Healthy Taco Recipes
Venture way beyond ground beef with taco seasoning and try one of these delicious, healthier taco recipes instead!
- Skillet Chicken Fajitas What would Cinco de Mayo be without fajitas? These fire-grilled chicken fajitas are a classic go-to.
- Healthy Coconut Crusted Fish Tacos With Mango Salsa My favorite healthy, crunchy fish taco recipe with sweet and spicy mango salsa!
- Charred Zucchini Black Bean Tacos Vegetarian-friendly tacos that are still hearty and protein-rich!
- Blackened Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa Another delicious fish taco recipe, this time with easy blackened salmon.
- Easy Chipotle Shrimp Tacos Filled with super simple 4-ingredient chipotle shrimp, these tacos are a breeze to make!
- Slow Cooker Quail Street Tacos Got quail? Throw them in the slow cooker for easy and flavorful street style tacos!
- Grilled Fish Tacos with Strawberry Salsa Sweet strawberry salsa kicks these grilled white fish tacos up a notch.
- Healthy Crock Pot Carnitas Easy carnitas made in the crock pot are the perfect filling if you're making tacos for a crowd!
- Easy Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Another easy crowd favorite, this barbacoa beef recipe comes together quickly thanks to the Instant Pot!
Other Healthier Mexican Main Dishes
If you're looking for something other than tacos for Cinco de Mayo, try one of these Mexican-inspired mains, from enchiladas to soup to grilled favorites:
- Carne Asada with Avocado Chimichurri Tender grilled flank steak with creamy and flavorful avocado chimichurri.
- Chipotle Flank Steak with Pineapple Salsa A sweet and spicy salsa makes this grilled steak irresistible.
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas Sweet, smoky, and vegetarian friendly!
- Easy Margarita Chicken You'll love this easy grilled chicken topped with pic de gallo and cheese.
- Mole Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers If you've got some time, you can't go wrong with chicken-stuffed poblano peppers smothered with homemade mole sauce.
- Instant Pot Mexican Black Bean Soup This black bean soup makes an easy and healthy vegetarian main or starter.
- Veggie Loaded Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Simply the best slow cooker tortilla soup, loaded with fresh vegetables!
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas My favorite chicken enchiladas with homemade green sauce.
- Grilled Chicken Chile Rellenos Instead of frying, these chile rellenos are grilled for a a healthier, smoky spin.
- Spinach Mushroom Hummus Quesadillas Easy and veggie-filled!
- Easy Baked Tortilla Crusted Tilapia HEalthy and simple to make with only a few simple ingredients.
- Green Chile Grilled Chicken Flavorful grilled chicken topped with roasted green chiles and cheese.
- Creamy Roasted Poblano Corn Soup A delicious smoky and creamy corn soup.
- One Dish Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Casserole All the flavors of enchiladas you love in a healthy quinoa casserole!
Healthy Mexican Inspired Side Dishes & Essential Sauces
Homemade sauces and sides make your Cinco de Mayo feast so much more delicious! If you're an enchilada fan, try my easy homemade enchilada sauce. Got some time? Make a pot of pinto beans! Need a quick fix? The refried black beans are fast and flavorful!
- Homemade Corn Tortillas Corn tortillas are super easy to make at home!
- The Easiest Refried Black Beans Canned black beans make incredibly easy refried beans - just add spices!
- The Best Easy Pinto Beans A classic side to go with any Mexican dinner.
- Cilantro Lime Quinoa Less traditional, but high in protein, fiber and flavor!
- Green Apple Jicama Slaw with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Fresh, crunchy and veggie-filled!
- Walnut Mole Sauce Homemade mole is worth the effort!
- Red Enchilada Sauce A must-have for homemade enchiladas, this red sauce is made easy using frozen chile puree.
- Green Enchilada Sauce My go-to green sauce made with fresh veggies and green chiles.
- Easy Pickled Onions Delicious for topping bowls, tacos, and more!
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