Cinco de Mayo is always a fun time to get together with friends and family. A margarita or two never hurt anyone, but more importantly, Cinco de Mayo is another great day to indulge in tasty Latin foods. Whether you love going to Chipotle or your local Taqueria, know that making fresh Mexican Inspired Hispanic dishes is pretty simple. All you need are fresh ingredients and a hungry tummy. See below for 10 Easy to Make Cinco de Mayo Celebration Dishes that will quickly become your favorites!
1. Platano Nachos
Now the name says it all! Yes, nachos made with green plantains! This dish combines classic Hispanic flavors and transforms them into a fun party dish. In fact, this recipe is great for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, Game Day, or even as an app whenever you have friends or family coming over. The great thing about this dish– as well as many others on this list– is that you can freestyle it however you like! Feel free to make your Platano Nachos with grilled chicken or ground beef. Feeling festive? Add black beans and cheese to the mix for an explosion of flavor.
2. Cilantro Lime Chicken
Sometimes less is more especially when you’re working with simple yet bold fresh flavors like fresh limes and fresh cilantro. You’ll quickly learn that these two ingredients are a match made in heaven since they compliment each other beautifully. Simply marinate the Cilantro Lime Chicken and grill whenever you’re ready to eat. This chicken is a great meal-prep option since it pairs great with so many side dishes. Feel free to jazz it up with spicy peppers or sweeten it with a dash of honey. The options are endless!
3. Tostones Rellenos with Garlic Shrimp
Mmm… Now we’re getting the party started! Tostones Rellenos with Garlic Shrimp are as fun to eat as they are to make! All you need to do is fry green plantains, mash them into mini cups, and fill with your favorite filling! In this recipe, I opted for Garlic Shrimp… because, hello– I LOVE GARLIC! Nonetheless, you can make tostones rellenos with chicken, beef, or ground turkey if you want to keep things light. Remember, the options are always endless and free-styling is encouraged!
4. Homemade Guacamole
What’s a Cinco de Mayo celebration without some good Homemade Guacamole. Honestly, the hardest part about making this delight is waiting for your avocados to ripen. **sigh** Let’s face it, we all know how it feels to want avocados but having to wait until they’re ready! Anywho, if you have fresh avocados ready to go, gather up fresh onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and limes and get to mashing! Just remember– are you team chunky guac or smooth guac? The choice is yours.
5. Carne Asada
Newbie and seasoned cooks rejoice– Carne Asada is here and deceivingly easy to make! As with many Hispanic dishes, the key is in the freshness of the ingredients. Carne Asada is no different. It comes together in no time and instantly impresses your guests! Who doesn’t love a grilled steak? Feel free to pair Carne Asada with your favorite rice or have it in a taco… because yes, tacos are life! Keep in mind, that you can cook Carne Asada a variety of different ways. Don’t have an outdoor grill? An indoor grill will do just the trick!
6. Cilantro Lime Rice
Speaking of rice, who doesn’t love the Cilantro Lime Rice from Chipotle? Let’s face it, it’s half the reason we all go there (and yes, the guac is the other reason!) Cilantro Lime Rice is festive, colorful and has a beautiful freshness that you just don’t get from regular white rice. In fact, Cilantro Lime Rice is my #1 go to recipe whenever I want to spruce up white rice and leftovers. On a diet and getting ready for summer? No worries, feel free to swap out the white rice for brown rice or even cauliflower rice! Hello summer!
7. Shrimp Avocado Ceviche
Cinco de Mayo officially kicks off ceviche season for me and that’s because I use any excuse to indulge in this fresh delight! Now Shrimp Avocado Ceviche comes in many different ways, but I like to keep things neat and simple. All you need is a ton of fresh limes, fresh shrimp, and fresh veggies to get this ceviche going. Just make sure you have a ton of crispy tortilla chips or plantain chips because once you start it’s hard to stop!
8. Spanish Style Yellow Rice
If you’re like me, and you love rice then Spanish Style Yellow Rice is super inviting mainly because of its rich saffron color and bold flavor. And just like Cilantro Lime Rice, Spanish Style Yellow Rice is a great way of jazzing up white rice. Suddenly something plain becomes festive and fun to eat. If you like some heat, sprinkle a little cayenne pepper when you’re boiling the water or when you’re sautéing the onions and peppers. This will infuse a subtle heat into the rice that pairs beautifully with the Cilantro Lime Chicken and Carne Asada mentioned earlier. Are you hungry, yet?
9. Cilantro Garlic Grilled Corn- Elote Asado
You can’t have a Cinco de Mayo feast without some sort of grilled corn or as I like to call it– Elote Asado. Traditionally you can make this with cheese and cayenne pepper and it’s to die for! However, you can also switch things up and add all-star ingredients like garlic, parmesan cheese… and you guessed it, cilantro and lime. These flavor combinations are heavy hitters for a reason!
10. Mini Tres Leches
Alas, every good celebration should end with something sweet and what better way to end your Cinco de Mayo celebration than with Mini Tres Leches? Now listen up, I’m known for my Mini Tres Leches! The sweet treats are instant fan favorites mainly because they’re bite size and delicious. You can offer these as a to-go snack or party favor. You can also ditch the mini aspect and make one big tres leches. In the end, it will all taste like a bite of heaven. Just remember to make these ahead of time. The longer they sit in the fridge, the more those flavors come together.
Cinco de Mayo is a fun day to show off your cooking skills while sipping on margaritas! Let me know which one of these were your favorite and remember to visit my YouTube Channel: Chef Zee Cooks and blog for more tasty recipes! Buen Provecho.