Easy Mexican-Style Recipes for Bold Flavors in 30 Minutes or Less

Classic Nachos

No one can say no to nachos! That's especially true for these classic nachos smothered in beef, beans, salsa, and cheese. This easy Mexican food can easily tide everyone over until dinner as an appetizer, satisfy party guests, or even take center stage as the main entrée for the night.

Queso Fundido Pizzas

What's Mexican night without avocado? We don't even want to think about it! This south-of-the-border pizza is piled high with sausage, cheese, salsa, beans, cilantro, and, of course, avocado for the ultimate Mexican pizza. These pizzas make easy Mexican meals (almost like taco night!) because they're quick to toss together, and everyone can customize their own toppings.

Picadillo-Style Chicken Taco Salad

Our favorite Mexican salad recipe? Taco salad, hands down. We piled these greens high with picadillo, a classic sweet-and-savory Latin American meat hash, then topped it off with crunchy crushed tostada shells and cheese.

Fish Tostadas with Chili Lime Cream

We look forward to taco night all week long, but this easy Mexican dish might inspire you to swap tacos for tostadas. You can top your tostadas just like tacos. For this recipe, we piled on spiced tilapia, shredded cabbage, tomato, and avocado—but since you don't fold it in half to eat, a tostada can handle even more toppings than a regular taco. Top with only your favorite ingredients for family-friendly Mexican made easy.

Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad with Jalapeño Dressing

Grab all your favorite veggies, because the more you add to this easy Mexican salad recipe, the better it gets. Don't be afraid to toss fruit in, too—alongside a rainbow of veggies, we added sliced mango to this simple chopped salad. Adding queso fresco and pumpkin seeds at the end is optional, but if you ask us, both are a must for more Mexican flavors.

Grilled Chicken-Finger Fajitas with Peppers & Onions

Here's a tip for your quick and easy Mexican recipes, especially homemade fajitas—rather than slicing a chicken breast, start with chicken strips to make your prep simpler. Chicken fingers seasoned in a marinade of fajita seasoning, lime juice, and hot sauce take on bold, delicious flavor. Served in a tortilla with veggies charred on the grill, these chicken fajitas are perfect for a party.

Mexican Skillet Dinner

Say hola to a weeknight-perfect one-pan meal of browned chorizo, seasoned rice, corn, and pinto beans under melty Mexican-blend cheeses. With the melted cheese on top, this dish reminds us of an easy Mexican casserole recipe, but it's cooked in your skillet and not baked. And it only takes 25 minutes to toss together.

Spiced Pork Chops with Zucchini & Onion

Yep, you can include pork chops in your repertoire of easy Mexican meals. To give this simple dinner south-of-the-border flavors, stir together a spice blend with ground New Mexico chile pepper, cocoa powder, and cayenne pepper. Then you can brighten your succulent spiced pork with queso fresco, fresh cilantro, and onion.

Mega Beef Tacos with Soft & Crunchy Shells

Having trouble deciding if you want crunchy or soft-shell tacos? Have it both ways with these double-shell tacos loaded with family-friendly fillings. Doubling up on shells is also a great way to keep all your toppings inside the taco, so you don't drop a single bite of this easy Mexican recipe.

Tilapia Veracruz

Bring the flavors of coastal Mexico to your kitchen with this easy, authentic Mexican recipe. Featuring quick-cooking tilapia fillets, mushrooms, and olives in a spicy tomato sauce, this fish skillet comes together in just 25 minutes.

Tamale Pies

Want an easy Mexican casserole recipe that's ready to eat in 30 minutes? The best way is to make it mini! By making four small casseroles instead of one large one, you can prep and bake a delicious Mexican dinner in less time. And trust us, you'll want to eat this beef casserole topped with fluffy cornbread as soon as possible.

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Fish Tacos with Lime Sauce

Make restaurant-quality fish tacos at home! Featuring flaky breaded fish, crunchy cabbage and carrots, and a creamy three-ingredient citrus sauce kicked up with chili powder, this beloved Mexican recipe is ready in 30 minutes. Even if you mix up a homemade margarita on the side to enjoy with this easy Mexican meal, you can still have everything ready quicker than going out to eat.

Tortas de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Subs)

An Italian favorite meets easy Mexican food in this hearty sandwich recipe. Each sub is packed with flavor and spice from several Mexican ingredients such as chipotle, cilantro, and cumin. The chile heat is balanced by cooling avocado and fresh slaw.

Black Bean Cakes with Salsa

Take a peek in your fridge and pantry, and you'll probably see everything you need to make this vegetarian Mexican recipe already on hand. Curious what holds these spicy patties together? Three words: Corn. Muffin. Mix. It's handy for an easy Mexican cornbread recipe and even handier for keeping your black bean patties intact.