Mexican food has been popular in the U.S. for a long time, and this delicious and unique cuisine has started to make its way around the world. There are traditional and well-known dishes such as tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. And there are the more modern Tex-Mex dishes such as fajitas.
And when it comes to Mexican food sides, you’ve got an entire universe of possibilities, some traditional, others more contemporary.
Mexican cuisine offers a rich and diverse world of flavors, textures, and aromas, and one of the key elements in this culinary tradition are the side dishes. Mexican side dishes can range from simple accompaniments like refreshing salsas and dips, to more complex and hearty options like beans, rice, and corn-based dishes. These accompaniments not only add depth of flavor to the main dishes but also showcase the stunning variety and versatility of Mexican ingredients and cooking techniques.
As you explore the variety of Mexican side dishes, you’ll discover a passion for fresh, local ingredients and a focus on contrast. Be it bold spices, tangy salsas, or creamy cheese dishes, each side dish contributes to the overall symphony of flavors in a Mexican meal. Whether you’re looking for a cooling complement to a spicy dish, a hearty bean or rice dish, or the perfect salsa to serve alongside tacos or grilled meats, there’s a Mexican side dish for every occasion and taste preference.
Key Takeaways
Mexican side dishes add depth and variety to meals with their rich flavors and diverse ingredients
Options range from salsas and dips to hearty beans, rice, and corn-based dishes
Perfect for summer gatherings or complementing spicy meals, Mexican side dishes offer something for everyone
This is why we gathered up several delicious Mexican side dish recipes like Mexican corn pudding and chicken tortilla soup to help you find the perfect sides for your feast.
Below, you’ll find 19 of the best Mexican side dishes sure to make your next Mexican meal a delicious success.
There are easy Mexican side dishes, and then there’s guacamole, a side dish that you can probably make in your sleep.
However, this recipe makes some of the most deliciously creamy and flavorful guacamole you’ll ever taste.
Now, of course, the main ingredient is your avocados, which you’ll need to pick carefully. They can’t be too firm, and there’s almost no such thing as “too ripe.” You want soft avocados you can almost pinch right through to the pit.
Once you have your avocados, just cut them open and mix them with your ingredients and seasonings.
This simple and easy side is a must-have for parties and complements nearly any Mexican dish.
What happens when you blend the concept of a savory taco salad with creamy, delicious coleslaw?
You get this amazing recipe for Mexican coleslaw!
This dish is perfect for cookouts and is absolutely loaded with delicious ingredients, like coleslaw-chopped mixed veggies, red pepper, black beans, grilled corn, fresh cilantro, jalapeno, mayo, sour cream, taco seasoning, and lime juice.
This recipe for Mexican sweet potatoes is hands down one of our favorite baked potato recipes.
Millions of folks have discovered the health benefits of eating more sweet potatoes over the years and the fact that it can even beat white potatoes in the flavor department.
This recipe is the perfect example of how sweet potatoes can really add something special, as you’ve got onion, garlic, red bell pepper, mushrooms, corn, black beans, and avocado all blended together with seasonings to create the perfect spicy, savory, compliment to the sweet potato’s naturally sweet flavor.
This is by far one of those Mexican sides folks love to debate over while eating. You see, some folks say it’s a dessert. Others say it’s not.
On the one hand, you’ve got flavors such as spicy cayenne, green chilies, and cheddar cheese. On the other hand, you’ve got the sweet flavors of the Mexican street corn and custard-like mix.
The only winners in this debate will be your taste buds as you enjoy spoonful after spoonful of this sweet, savory, spicy pudding!
Potato salad has been a long staple of many BBQ dinners and parties. While many traditional potato salad recipes are less than inspiring, this recipe for Mexican potato salad is sure to make your guests take notice.
The recipe has ingredients like baby gold potatoes, black beans, sweet corn, your favorite salsa, grated sharp cheddar cheese, and the option of adding fresh cilantro or green onions.
Whipping this recipe together is as easy as throwing it into a large mixing bowl and stirring.
Another one of our favorite Mexican BBQ sides is this recipe for Mexican street corn salad, which has a smoky and creamy flavor with just the right amount of kick and zest.
While this isn’t an authentic traditional recipe, it is a fun and tasty variation that adds new and delicious flavors, colors, and textures to the dish.
The recipe has sweet corn, black beans, fresh cilantro, diced red bell peppers, diced jalapenos, onion, garlic, and a creamy, spicy Mexican dressing.
Of course, it can also stand alone as a main course as it’s pretty hearty with savory, spicy flavors.
The Ingredients for this recipe are yellow onion, jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, frozen corn, shredded rotisserie chicken, black beans, freshly chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
For your topping, you can add things like a few corn tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or Mexican cheese, diced avocado, and sour cream.
Many folks can get pretty sensitive when it comes to “messing” with their traditional cornbread recipes.
However, even the staunchest cornbread traditionalist will fall in love with this recipe for spicy, sweet, and cheesy Mexican cornbread.
Now, we usually have some reservations about putting whole kernels of corn in our cornbread, but this recipe more than makes it work!
You’ve got ingredients like Mexican corn, Jalapenos, cheese, and green onions that really make this cornbread come alive. At the same time, the buttermilk, butter, and honey give your cornbread its sweet and creamy texture.
One of my biggest new weaknesses (yes, I have quite a few already) is this deep-fried Mexican corn fritters recipe.
These may remind you of hushpuppies, but aside from the size and appearance, that’s where all comparisons end.
These golden-fried little fritters are jam-packed with amazing flavors, such as corn, diced onion, minced serrano pepper (or jalapeno), dried epazote leaves, salt, crumbled cotija, and minced fresh cilantro.
The creamy, simple batter includes esquites which should be refrigerated overnight and returned to room temperature before adding to your fritter mix.
Spanish Rice is right up there with the greats when it comes to traditional side dishes for Mexican food.
And while there are like a gazillion recipes out there for this dish, we’ve found this Spanish rice recipe to be the best we’ve tested so far.
The dish includes seasoned ground beef, red, green, yellow, and orange bell pepper, yellow onion, chili powder, paprika, diced tomatoes, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, salt, bay leaf, two cups of Rice, and V8 vegetable juice.
Keeping it simple, we’ve got this delicious recipe for Mexican black beans that really transforms these simple beans into something magical.
You may want to do with this recipe to use the water from the canned black beans when you cook them. This will thicken things up without having to add other thickeners like corn starch.
The spices you’ll use to make your beans shine are cumin, oregano, onion powder, taco seasoning mix, and salt, with a bit of lime juice and fresh cilantro for garnish.
Fluffy, tender, and bursting with fresh, zesty flavor, this recipe for cilantro lime rice is something to behold.
It’s usually hard to get excited about white rice. Sure, you can appreciate fluffy rice that’s not too sticky, but as far as taste goes, Rice’s only job is usually to support the flavors of whatever dish you put on it.
But, cilantro lime rice refuses to take a back seat to any dish and definitely commands your taste buds’ attention while complimenting any Mexican dish.
Of course, you want to rinse your rice to remove starches and prevent sticking. It’s best to pour water over your rice until it starts running clear. We also used vegetable broth for a little additional flavoring while boiling instead of water.
Don’t get us wrong, there are a lot of great store-bought salsas out there, but making salsa at home is just too easy and usually tastes worlds better than store-bought.
This recipe mixes only a few simple ingredients to create a salsa that’s the perfect blend of spicy and savory with a heavy tomato flavor.
Another great soup that makes for an excellent Mexican side dish is Mexican Red Pozole soup with pork.
This recipe has a rich, boldly spiced broth with tender, seasoned pork and veggies like tomatoes, garlic, onions, and hominy for a seriously delicious soup!
If you’ve ever been to any Mexican fairs or festivals, it’s almost impossible not to smell the aroma of Mexican street corn (Elote) wafting through the air.
This famous street food takes roasted corn to a whole new level with spices and cheeses that make each bite a tasty landmine of delicious flavors.
Mexican street corn is usually chargrilled or boiled before being slathered in a tangy, creamy sauce and dusted with cotija cheese and chili powder.
Most folks eat canned refried beans, which resembles dog food when it slides out of the can.
This recipe shows you how to make your own retired bean dip that looks nothing like the stuff you feed to Fido and tastes way better than the heavily preserved canned fair you find collecting dust on grocery shelves.
You’ll love this cheesy black beans and rice skillet recipe for a hot, savory, and cheesy casserole Mexican side dish.
The recipe combines all of our favorites: rice, tomatoes, black beans, herbs, and spices, along with melty cheese and jalapenos for a fantastic tasting side dish that’s super-easy to make.
Folks, it’s hard to put into words just how amazing this Skillet Nacho dip tastes.
As you can see from the above picture, it’s simply perfection.
Seasoned ground beef, onion, pickled jalapenos, salsa, fire-roasted tomatoes, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese, and green onions make this side dish a force to be reckoned with!
Also, you can find more amazing Mexican side dish recipes in the video below.
Our 20+ BEST Tasty Mexican Side Dishes (+Classic Guacamole Recipe)
These recipes are sure to please. So, gather your family and friends and enjoy. Let us know your thoughts!
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
