Spice Up Your Holiday Menu with Mexican Thanksgiving Recipes

Your go-to Mexican recipes and your favorite Thanksgiving dishes have combined to create a one-of-a-kind, totally tasty Thanksgiving dinner. Starting with Roasted-Pumpkin Guacamole and finishing with Chipotle-Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie, this Mexican Thanksgiving menu offers the best of both worlds. Ditch your green bean casserole for the year and turn to Mexican side dishes, turkey, and desserts instead! Who knows? Your Mexican Thanksgiving meal might be the start of a new tradition.

Mexican Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

Get started on your Thanksgiving fiesta by serving up these Mexican recipes:

• Appetizer: Roasted-Pumpkin Guacamole
• Main dish: Cilantro-Lime Rubbed Turkey
• Side dish: Slow Cooker Taco Salad
• Side dish: Sweet Potato and Rice Casserole
• Dessert: Chipotle-Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie

Appetizer: Roasted Pumpkin Guacamole

Homemade guac is always a winner. Make your guacamole extra fitting for fall by adding roasted pumpkin. Adding pumpkin seeds, cilantro, cumin seed, lime juice, and more ups the seasonal flavors. Add a little kick with a jalapeño pepper, then dig in with your tortilla chips. This delicious dip makes the case for including guacamole in your Mexican Thanksgiving traditions.

Get the recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Guacamole

Salad: Slow Cooker Taco Salad

Turn this traditional main dish into a Mexican Thanksgiving appetizer. This taco salad comes together quickly in a 4-Quart Slow Cooker ($25, Target) and is easily one of our favorite Mexican Thanksgiving dishes. Of course, there are plenty of good-for-you greens to balance out the richer cuisine to come. Plus, you can use a Disposable Slow Cooker Liner, ($3, Target) for super-fast clean-up so you have fewer dishes to clean at the end of the night.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Taco Salad

Vegetable Side Dish: Sweet Potato and Rice Casserole

Say adios to boring vegetables and stuffing a turkey. Instead, stuff a rice bowl with ingredients that capture the best flavors of the season with a hint of Mexican flair. Sweet potato, black beans, green chile peppers, and Monterey jack cheese make an appearance in this Mexican Thanksgiving side dish. This dish looks fancy but is simple to make and takes only 25 minutes of hands-on time. Not only is it one of our favorite Mexican Thanksgiving dishes, but it's one of the quickest, too.

Get the recipe: Sweet Potato and Rice Casserole

Potato Side Dish: Baked Sweet Potatoes (Camote)

The best Mexican recipes to serve at your Thanksgiving meal will have a combo of sweet and spicy. Skip the sweet on sweet (like the traditional marshmallows on top of sweet potatoes) in favor of spicy on sweet by topping baked sweet potatoes with jalapeño peppers, crumbled queso fresco, and/or kosher salt. Worried that the sweetness of the potatoes will be lost amidst these flavors? Don't worry. There's also honey, Canela (Mexican cinnamon), and nutmeg for a good balance of sweet to spicy. Even if your meal won't be entirely Mexican Thanksgiving foods, this sweet potato recipe is still a super-tasty addition to a more traditional Thanksgiving menu.

Fun fact: Camote is the Spanish word for sweet potato.

Entrée: Cilantro-Lime Rubbed Turkey

Think beyond salsa for using cilantro. This roast turkey recipe includes a half cup of the fresh citrusy herb. Add some parsley, lime zest, honey, and other seasonings, and your bird will be tastier than ever. In addition to instructions for this delectable Mexican turkey, we're also sharing our tips to make a Cilantro-Lime Gravy. (Save some to drizzle over the Baked Sweet Potatoes.) A succulent herb-infused turkey paired with a rich gravy is a winning Thanksgiving combo your guests will definitely appreciate, especially as part of a Mexican Thanksgiving dinner.

Dessert: Chipotle-Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie

What do you get when you combine cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and chipotle pepper? This incredibly sweet and spicy Mexican pumpkin pie! It's an unexpected and original recipe that will disappear from your dessert table in a flash. Cover a crust with a layer of cream cheese and vanilla and cranberry sauce. Next, pour on a pumpkin mixture that has a fiery chipotle pepper. Bake and plate with a dusting of cinnamon and powdered sugar, if desired.

Get the recipe: Chipotle-Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie

Bonus: Add a Cocktail (or Mocktail)

Instead of wine, this Mexican Thanksgiving menu is begging to be paired with a mixed drink, punch, or fresh juice. Might we suggest:

• Mexican Hot Chocolate. The holidays are all about indulging, and this warm, creamy drink was made for that. With plenty of sweetness and a hint of spice, this drink could easily be dessert.