Easy Mexican Food for Christmas Dinner

ByTiffany Dahle Published:
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A colorful holiday table set for a festive twist on tradition, Mexican food for Christmas dinner is a delicious way to celebrate! Everything from carnitas, enchiladas, rice, and bright street corn sides, get ready to set out those bowls of salsa for dipping and pour yourself a cranberry margarita.

The photo collage shows a cranberry margarita next to 3 Mexican food dishes to serve for Christmas

If you're looking to shake things up this holiday season, why not skip the ham and bring bolder flavor to the table with a Mexican-inspired Christmas dinner?

These recipes are all about joyful, family-style dishes that are fun to serve, full of love, and are sure to have everyone at the table cheering "Feliz Navidad!"

While my recipes are not fully authentic Mexican dishes, they are easy for American home cooks to prep with commonly found ingredients found in our grocery stores. This is a playful way to celebrate the season with a nod to the beauty of Mexican Christmas traditions.

If you don't want to change up your Christmas Eve plans, these recipes would be perfect for planning a family dinner in honor of Las Posadas celebrations in the days leading up to Christmas. Grab a copy of The Night of Las Posadas for a family read-aloud story time after dinner!

Carnitas

Slow-cooked and crispy perfect, carnitas are juicy, flavorful and perfect for serving family-style with tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Mexican Pulled Pork Carnitas
Slow roast this tender Mexican pulled pork carnitas recipe and then shred the meat for the most delicious street tacos you've ever had. This large roast makes a generous amount of meat that you can serve for a party or freeze in smaller portions for easy family dinners.
5 from 4 votes
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The shredded pork has been added to street taco tortilla shells. Green onions are sprinkled over the top and wedges of limes are on the side.

Mojo Pork

With zesty citrus and garlic, mojo pork brings a bright and tangy twist to the table. This is an excellent alternative to your usual holiday roast.

Mojo Pork
Mojo Cuban pork has a tangy citrus-based sauce that tastes amazing wrapped in a taco, over a salad, or on top of a spicy rice bowl. Make a batch and freeze half for an easy dinner another night.
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A bowl of shredded pork shoulder is in a white bowl surrounded by toppings to make nachos.

Chicken Enchiladas

Easy to make a head, these cheesy chicken enchiladas add a bright pop of red and green to your holiday table and are perfect for feeding a crowd.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken enchiladas are always a hit with kids who love Mexican food but they usually take a lot of time to prepare. This fast and easy recipe comes together quickly with several busy-parent shortcuts.
4.72 from 7 votes
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A baking pan filled with tomato sauce covered chicken enchiladas.

Pork Tenderloin Tacos

Tender, juicy pork tenderloin tacos are perfect for a smaller family to enjoy as a laid-back holiday feast. With just two individual pork tenderloins you'll have enough taco meat for 6 - 8 people.

Pork Tenderloin Tacos
Easy pork tenderloin tacos are quick weeknight dinner featuring juicy marinated pork, zesty lime, and smoky spices. Top them with chunky corn salsa and sour cream, they’re perfect for taco night! This recipe is freezer friendly which makes it an excellent meal prep dinner, too.
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A pork taco with corn salsa on a blue plate, there are lime wedges on the side.

Baked Taquitos

Crispy on the outside, melty on the inside, my baked taquitos are fun to eat, easy to make, and perfect for snacking on around the Christmas tree!

Baked Turkey Taquitos
These baked turkey taquitos are a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Light ground turkey seasoned with taco spices is rolled up with diced tomatoes, peppers, and shredded cheese. Baked to a crisp in minutes in the oven or air fryer, they are perfect for dunking in sour cream and salsa.
5 from 6 votes
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A platter of rolled-up turkey taquitos sits next to a bowl of sour cream and a bowl of salsa.

Mexican Rice

This classic side dish is flavorful and full of tomatoes and spice. Mexican rice is an essential addition to any Mexican-inspired holiday spread.

Homemade Mexican Corn Rice
Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice (also known as Spanish Rice), filled with sweet corn and other kid-friendly vegetables that give it extra texture. So easy to make and tastes like it came straight from your favorite Mexican restaurant. This is the best side dish for tacos or any Mexican entree.
4.63 from 8 votes
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A white baking dish is filled with baked Mexican Rice. The tomato sauce base gave the rice a yellow-orange color. Hot sauce is drizzled over the top and fresh green onions are sprinkled for garnish.

Chimichurri Rice

Chimichurri rice adds an herby, zesty punch to your plate and pairs beautifully with roasted meats and veggies.

Chimichurri Rice
Serve herby chimichurri rice as an easy side dish for sliced steak or chicken, or as the base for a veggie rice bowl with roasted green beans, broccoli, and tomatoes.
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A bowl of chimichurri rice has green onions sprinkled over the top.

Mexican Street Corn Casserole

This Mexican street corn casserole is creamy, cheesy, and has just the right amount of spice. It's a cozy twist on a classic street food.

Mexican Street Corn Casserole
This easy Mexican street corn casserole is a fun side dish for taco night. Creamy and filled with queso fresco and a hint of lime, it's the refreshing veggie you need for your spicy meal.
4.67 from 3 votes
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A blue baking dish with yellow Mexican Street Corn casserole has crumbled cheese and fresh green onions sprinkled over the top.

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Bold, bright, and full of texture, this Mexican street corn pasta salad is an excellent chilled side dish to add to a large buffet table.

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
This easy Mexican street corn pasta salad tosses tender pasta with a creamy lime dressing and charred sweet corn for a flavorful twist on the classic street festival dish. This crowd-pleaser is perfect for BBQ parties, potlucks, or even serving as a chilled weeknight dinner.
5 from 2 votes
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A blue and white bowl is filled with a creamy sweet corn pasta salad.

Homemade Salsa

No holiday fiesta is complete without freshly homemade salsa. My zippy recipe makes a huge batch in minutes because it starts with big cans of tomatoes.

Easy Homemade Salsa
Homemade salsa is easy to make using canned tomatoes for convenience and fresh vegetables to add flavor and texture. Leftover salsa can be frozen for later.
5 from 1 vote
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A bowl of homemade salsa has a spoon on the right and a pile of restaurant style tortilla chips on the plate around it.

Tres Leches Cake

Creamy and sweet, tres leches cake is a perfect make-ahead dessert for Christmas with that sprinkle of warm cinnamon over the top.

Tres Leches Cake
Tres leches cake, a classic Latin American dessert, can be made from scratch or from a boxed cake mix. Soak the vanilla cake in the traditional three milks sauce and frost with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
5 from 5 votes
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A square slice of tres leches cake is on a plate with a fork. You can see the three milks drizzling down the side of the vanilla cake and cinnamon is sprinkled on top of the whipped cream frosting.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

My personal favorite, these easy Mexican hot chocolate cookies are laced with cinnamon and a kick of cayenne and are the perfect spicy finish to the fiesta.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
These sweet and spicy cookies are an awesome addition to your holiday cookie tray. The kicked-up cayenne powder adds a spicy touch to your sweets.
4.80 from 10 votes
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A platter of chocolate crinkle cookies show the Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie recipe finished.

More Mexican Recipes for Christmas

If you'd like more options for your Mexican food dinner menu, there are so many delicious recipes that would be a perfect fit.

Here are a few more lovely options from Mexican cooking experts:

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Tamales

A very classic Christmas tradition, homemade tamales are on many Mexican holiday tables.

Red Pozole

Red pozole is a hearty Mexican soup that is often served at celebrations. Featuring hominy and succulent pork in a red chile-infused broth, you can top each bowl with a variety of toppings.

Birria

Birria is a tender beef recipe that can be used in soups or tacos, this is a great option for cooking a large roast on a budget.

Refried Beans

Refried beans are an excellent side dish to add to your menu because they are filling, delicious, and so easy to make.

Queso Fundido with Chorizo

Looking for a delicious appetizer to serve before dinner or to add to the holiday buffet table? Don't miss this queso fundido with chorizo and a big bowl of tortilla chips for scooping.

Buñuelos

Fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar is pure magic at Christmas. These easy buñuelos are a must-have for your dessert table.

Churros

These tubes of fried dough are so popular they've spread far beyond Mexico. Make a batch of churros and serve with melted chocolate or warm caramel for dipping.

Ponche Navideño

Ponche Navideño is a traditional hot Christmas punch made from fresh and dried fruits including tamarind, prunes, hibiscus, sugar, and cinnamon.

Horchata

Horchata is a popular Mexican drink made from ground rice, milk, and cinnamon.

Cranberry Margaritas

Bright red and filled with Christmas flavor, these fresh cranberry margaritas are the perfect holiday cocktail.

Champurrado

If you want a warmer option, check out this champurrado recipe: a warm, thick drink made with Mexican chocolate, masa, cinnamon, piloncillo, and milk.

More Christmas Dinner Ideas

Looking for a fun new meal plan for the holiday? I love sampling beloved Christmas traditions from other countries!

Here are a few more great Christmas dinner ideas:

The photo collage shows 4 easy Mexican food recipes to serve for Christmas.

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