21 Festive Recipes for Mexican Food on Christmas

These classic and modern recipes will help you enjoy a Mexican Christmas dinner.

Try these delicious Mexican Christmas dinner recipes for your holiday hosting this year! Try our recipes for tamales, churros, and more. Each recipe is perfect for creating a traditional or non-traditional Mexican Christmas dinner. We've also got Tex-Mex takes on your favorites like nachos, tacos, and more.

Chunky Guacamole

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Appetizer

For a guacamole recipe you can't get enough of, turn to our simple blend of tomatoes and avocados flavored with garlic, lime, and onion. The traditional Mexican side dish is the perfect addition to any crowd-worthy dinner.

Mini Tamales

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Appetizer

Tamales just might be the most important part of creating a traditional Mexican Christmas dinner. Because tamales take a little extra kitchen energy, they're generally saved for special occasions, such as the holidays. Pick from four fillings—cheese, pork, chicken, or shrimp—to make our version of the cornmeal dumplings.

Chicken Nachos with Wasabi Guacamole

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Appetizer

This take on nachos is anything but traditional! Use a rotisserie chicken as the main topping followed by radishes, green onion, and a homemade wasabi guacamole. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to finish.

Salsa Picante

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Appetizer

Finely chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro make up this classic salsa picante. Note: You'll need a blender or food processor to get everything ready.

Tetelas

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Appetizer

Recipe developer Mely Martinez shares that these bean-filled snacks are often sold as street food in Oaxaca. Make your own at home using masa harina, refried black beans, and queso fresco. Serve them with crema and red salsa.

Refried Beans

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Side dish

To complete your meal, look no further. It's just not a Mexican dinner without homemade refried beans. Ours come together in your Dutch oven with just five ingredients.

Mexican Red Rice

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Side dish

No Mexican menu, Christmas or not, is complete without this classic red rice side dish. The topping of fresh cilantro plays up the classic Christmas color combo of red and green to add even more festivity to your Christmas dinner menu.

Black-Eyed Pea & Quinoa Salad

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Side dish

Get a leg up on your Mexican Christmas menu with a make-ahead holiday salad. Assemble everything the night before, and add the avocado just before serving to prevent browning.

Pork Ribs in Mole Verde

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Entree

There's no Christmas dinner without a wow-worthy main-dish affair, and our pork ribs are no exception. Traditional mole verde covers every inch of our juicy, tender pork.

Slow-Cooked Beef Pozole

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Entree

Pozole is a hominy soup made with meat and seasoned with chiles and garlic. The hearty big-batch meal is made hands-off in your slow cooker, making it perfect for feeding hungry holiday crowds.

Pork Tenderloin with Red Mole

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Entree

Sink your teeth into this succulent Mexican meat entree. It's all about the homemade mole. After all, a special Christmas menu calls for a special sauce.

Puebla Shrimp Rellenos Casserole

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Entree

Represent traditional Mexican chiles Rellenos in our hearty casserole. Tender shrimp and chopped poblano peppers combine with cheddar cheese and fresh tomatoes to make this delicious Christmas recipe.

:Side Dishes to Complete Your Holiday Meal

Lamb Birria with Barley and Dried Plums

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Entree

Originally from Jalisco, Mexico, birria is a spicy stew typically served with tortillas, onions, and limes. Our take on the Mexican Christmas recipe features lamb, ancho chile pepper, and sweet dried plums.

Chipotle, Jackfruit, and Arugula Tacos

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Entree

If you're hosting vegan or vegetarian guests, this taco recipe is a great choice. Filled with spiced jackfruit, onion, and chipotle, each taco is topped with peppery arugula and pico de gallo for fresh flavor.

Mely's Enchiladas Suizas

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Entree

A fresh green tomatillo salsa is the base of this enchilada bake. To assemble the dish, stuff corn tortillas with chicken and smother with the salsa and Oaxaca cheese. Top with fresh cilantro and thinly sliced red onions.

Canela Bunuelos with Anise Syrup

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Dessert

Canela, meaning "cinnamon" in Spanish, is the perfect way to describe these Mexican treats. The light and crispy fried cookies are traditionally sprinkled in sugar or doused in syrup—ours feature both.

Chocolate Icebox Cookies with Dulce de Leche

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Dessert

Stop your search for a Mexican dessert right here! Trust us, you'll do no better than this just slightly spiced chocolate cookie sandwich oozing with salty-sweet dulce de leche. It's a dream Mexican Christmas dessert.

Anise Churros with Chocolate Sauce

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Dessert

Try our street-fare-inspired homemade churros to finish off your Mexican Christmas dinner. Don't forget to dunk them in a creamy bowl of coffee-infused chocolate.

Spiced Hot Chocolate

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Drink or dessert

Finish off your Christmas dinner with a warm, cozy mug of rich cinnamon hot chocolate, also known as champurrado. Our version adds a hint of sophistication thanks to the cinnamon we've added into the mix.

Caramel Flans

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Dessert

Elegant, sophisticated flan is a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth dessert that originated in Mexican culture. Our sweet individual custards are topped with a tasty caramel sauce.

Stuffed Churro Puffs

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Mexican Christmas Menu: Dessert

This new take on cream puffs is stuffed with homemade whipped cream and dulce de leche. As one BHG home cook raves, "5-star delicious and guests loved them! I served with custard and whipped cream. I also made the puffs a bit smaller so there'd be more to go around, and got 20."