Quick & Easy Mexican Recipes

Find healthy, delicious quick and easy Mexican recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Rating: 4.8 stars
7
Usually made by layering creamy chicken and tortillas (lasagna-style), this classic Tex-Mex chicken casserole gets speedier for an easy weeknight dinner when we mix everything together in a skillet, then pop the whole pan under the broiler to make the cheese topping gooey.
By Julia Levy

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
3
A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
By Hilary Meyer

Grilled Blackened Shrimp Tacos

Rating: 5 stars
4
Give juicy shrimp tacos a Cajun flavor spin with spices and a quick sear on a hot grill. An easy avocado mash adds creaminess to cool off the spicy kick.
By Carolyn Casner

Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Rating: 3.86 stars
4
This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.
By Katie Webster

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos with Tomato & Avocado Salsa

Rating: 4.5 stars
9
Lovers of fried fish get the taste without all the calories, and the salsa adds a fresh, clean note. To complete the Baja theme, serve with black beans, some diced mango and a bit of light sour cream.
By Stacy Fraser

Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

Rating: 4.9 stars
25
This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.
By Breana Killeen

Pineapple Margaritas with No Added Sugar

Rating: 5 stars
1
Pineapple juice adds plenty of sweetness to this no-sugar-added margarita recipe.
By Devon O'Brien

Pasta Salad with Black Beans & Avocado Dressing

Rating: 4.44 stars
7
Everyone will love this pasta salad recipe that's packed with tomatoes, corn and black beans. We lighten up the creamy dressing with avocado for a healthier version of a picnic favorite.
By Breana Killeen

Stuffed Potatoes with Salsa & Beans

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
Taco night meets baked potato night with this simple recipe for loaded baked potatoes with salsa, beans and avocado. This easy, healthy family dinner comes together with just 10 minutes of active time, so you can make it on even the busiest of weeknights. This recipe is just as delicious with sweet potatoes in place of russets.
By Devon O'Brien

Guacamole Chopped Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
All of the delicious guacamole flavors you love in a healthy veggie-packed salad. Want to pump up the protein? Add leftover roast chicken or sautéed shrimp. Serve with tortilla chips on the side (or crumbled over the top) to take it up a notch.
By Carolyn Casner

Beefless Vegan Tacos

Rating: 5 stars
2
Take taco night in a new direction with these healthy vegan tacos. We've swapped crumbled tofu for the ground beef, without sacrificing any of the savory seasonings you expect in a taco. You can also use the filling in burritos, bowls, taco salads and to top nachos.
By Breana Killeen

Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos

Rating: 4.67 stars
3
These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.
By Sylvia Fountaine
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Inspiration and Ideas

Steak Burritos

Steak Burritos
Rating: Unrated
7
Here's a burrito inspired by San Francisco's super burritos that come packed with meat, beans, rice, cheese, guacamole and salsa. We've kept this home-style version a bit simpler to make and a whole lot healthier with brown rice, whole-wheat tortillas and a more reasonable serving size. We recommend wrapping it in foil--the traditional way to serve it--so you can pick the burrito up and eat it without it falling apart, peeling back the foil as you go. Serve with a cold beer and vinegar-dressed slaw.
Chicken & Kale Taco Salad with Jalapeño-Avocado Ranch

Chicken & Kale Taco Salad with Jalapeño-Avocado Ranch
Rating: Unrated
3
This healthy, super-fast salad recipe swaps out romaine for kale, giving you more than 10 times the vitamin C. Easy flavor hacks like store-bought ranch and pickled jalapeños help make a creamy, tangy and spicy dressing you'll want to drizzle on everything from salad to sliced veggies and shredded poached chicken.
Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas

Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas
Rating: Unrated
8
Vegan Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Vegan Freezer Breakfast Burritos
Rating: Unrated
1
Red Beans and Rice with Chicken

Red Beans and Rice with Chicken
Baked Fish Tacos with Avocado

Baked Fish Tacos with Avocado
Rating: Unrated
2

Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice

Rating: 5 stars
2

These meal-prep vegan burrito bowls are healthier and more flavorful than takeout. Make them early in the week for grab-and-go meals when days are busy. We use frozen cauliflower rice, a low-carb substitute for white or brown rice, to cut down on prep time.

All Quick & Easy Mexican Recipes

Avocado-Yogurt Dip

Rating: 5 stars
3
Update your guacamole recipe by adding protein-packed yogurt to make a healthy dip recipe. For an extra kick, add minced jalapeño or your favorite hot sauce for some zing! Serve this healthy dip recipe with crunchy vegetables, pita chips or pretzels, or use as a sandwich spread.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Nonalcoholic Strawberry Margaritas

A frozen virgin strawberry margarita is a refreshing way to cool down on warm days. This margarita mocktail, which calls for only five ingredients, uses a bit of agave nectar to blunt the tartness of lime juice and fresh strawberries.
By Ivy Odom

Southwest Breakfast Quesadilla

Pico de gallo and cheesy eggs make this quick breakfast flavorful and satisfying.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw

Rating: 4.75 stars
4
This zippy, creamy slaw is so good you might find yourself making it for other sandwiches. Still, it pairs beautifully with the tangy pulled chicken for an incredibly quick dinner you can make even on your busiest nights. To save even more time, use a preshredded coleslaw blend.
By Sarah Epperson

Greek Salad Nachos

Rating: 5 stars
2
This vegetarian nacho recipe is a fun combination of two favorites--nachos and Greek salad. It uses whole-grain pita chips instead of the tortilla chips used in traditional nacho recipes, and it's loaded with the classic fresh vegetables in Greek salad as well as creamy hummus and salty feta cheese. And it doesn't even need the oven! Easily doubled, this makes a great appetizer or light dinner.
By Carolyn Casner

Classic Margarita

This skinny margarita recipe saves 150 calories compared to traditional margarita recipes made with syrupy-sweet margarita mix and gets back to the basics--fresh lime juice, tequila and Triple Sec are all you need. Adding lime zest to the salt rim gives great flavor and cuts the salt in half.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Rating: 4.35 stars
4
Orange juice and cilantro yield a tangy dressing that you'll want to have on hand.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Frozen Pineapple Margaritas

Rating: 4 stars
2
These frosty pineapple margaritas taste just like restaurant-style frozen margaritas, but without all the sugar, for a skinny cocktail you can easily whip up at home.
By Carolyn Casner

Quick Steak Carne Asada Tacos

The key to making the easiest tacos ever? Using prepared carne asada. We make this healthy dinner with just three ingredients--thanks to the help of convenience items like frozen meals--and then freshen it up with sliced avocado.
By Lauren Grant

Virgin Layered Strawberry-Mango Margaritas

Rating: 5 stars
1
This frozen mocktail is so delicious and beautiful! Layers of blended strawberries and mango with a touch of zesty citrus flavor combine for a fun nonalcoholic drink without all the extra calories and sugar of a traditional restaurant margarita.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Taco Lettuce Wraps

Rating: 5 stars
1
Don't limit yourself to lettuce for this low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wrap recipe--any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cheese Quesadillas with Peppers & Onions

Rating: 4 stars
1
These 15-minute quesadillas are a notch above basic with the addition of sautéed peppers and onions. Let the kiddos load them up with the toppings at the table.
By Katie Webster

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Rating: 4 stars
1
This easy fresh tomato salsa recipe yields about 5 cups of salsa—plenty to serve a crowd. If you like spicy salsa, use the full amount of jalapeños and add more cayenne pepper. Serve with chips, tacos and more.
By Stacy Fraser

Mango Margaritas

Rating: 5 stars
1
Mango adds plenty of fruity sweetness to this vibrant drink, so you can cut back on the added sugars a bit for a skinnier margarita. Add a slice of fresh mango to each glass to take this tropical cocktail to the next level.
By Devon O'Brien

Tex-Mex Black Bean & Quinoa Bowl

Rating: 4.5 stars
4
Skip the tortillas and layer your taco fillings onto protein-rich quinoa in this healthy vegetarian bowl dinner recipe. Top with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream and a splash of your favorite hot sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Bean & Veggie Taco Bowl

Rating: 5 stars
2
Simple brown rice and black beans serve as the backdrop for sautéed veggies and taco toppings!
By Katie Webster

Camping Chicken Quesadillas

These make-ahead quesadillas are a genius campfire dinner solution. Assemble and wrap in foil at home, then once you get to camp, just throw over hot coals for a quick campsite meal.
By Hilary Meyer

Vegetarian Spinach Enchiladas

Rating: 3.56 stars
5
This vegetarian enchilada recipe is weeknight-fast when you skip the step of filling and rolling the enchiladas and make a stacked enchilada casserole instead. Just layer the tortillas, sauce and cheesy spinach filling the way you would lasagna and have the casserole in the oven in 20 minutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Tofu & Vegetable Scramble

Feel free to customize this speedy tofu and vegetable scramble with your favorite combination of vegetables and spice. Try to use veggies that will all cook at the same rate, like peppers, green beans and sugar snap peas.
By Katie Webster

Freezer Bean & Cheese Burritos

Rating: 4.86 stars
6
This copycat version of store-bought frozen burritos is perfect for meal prepping. Make a big batch to store in the freezer for healthy packable lunches or a quick campsite meal.
By Carolyn Casner

Carne Asada Tacos

Rating: 4.33 stars
7
These flank-steak soft tacos are so tasty and easy, they should be in everyone's repertoire. Plus they're made with fresh corn tortillas (not fried) and topped with a quick homemade salsa made with avocado, tomato, onion and a bright squeeze of lime.
By Carolyn Casner

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

Rating: 4.84 stars
21
For a satisfying last-minute supper, it's hard to beat a sweet potato zapped in the microwave. The fragrant filling of beans and tomatoes adds protein. Be sure to eat the skin, which is full of fiber, as well.
By Susan Herr

Toaster-Oven Tostadas

Rating: 5 stars
1
Would you believe us if we said you can have restaurant-style tostadas at home in just 15 minutes? It's no problem! Simply layer black beans and Cheddar onto corn tortillas and toast in the toaster oven.
By Katie Webster

Chipotle-Cheddar Broiled Avocado Halves

Rating: 4.5 stars
4
In this avocado side-dish recipe, zesty avocado halves are topped with melted Cheddar cheese and broiled until golden brown. You can serve these healthy avocado halves as a side dish with grilled chicken or steak.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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