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Healthy Latin American Recipes

Find healthy, delicious Latin American recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas

Rating: 5 stars
13
One sheet pan is all you'll need to whip up these zesty chicken fajitas. They're quick and easy to make and cleanup is even faster!
By Carolyn Casner

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

Chilaquiles Casserole

Rating: 4.78 stars
55
Our version of this enchilada-style chilaquiles casserole is packed with nutritious beans and vegetables. Canned prepared enchilada sauce has great flavor and keeps the prep time quick. It can vary in heat level so find one that suits your taste. If you want to eliminate the heat altogether, try a green enchilada sauce (which is often milder than red) or substitute two 8-ounce cans of plain tomato sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

25-Minute Chicken & Veggie Enchiladas

Rating: 5 stars
2
These chicken enchiladas are great for using up any veggies you have lingering in your fridge. Our chicken enchilada recipe calls for zucchini, squash and onion, but you could easily swap in spinach, onions or potatoes.
By Cooking Light

Firehouse Enchiladas

Rating: 4 stars
1
Our take on this popular Mexican dish certainly does not disappoint. Packed with protein and easy to make, this recipe is the perfect dinner solution.
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

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

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Rating: 5 stars
7
Avocado cuts some of the sour cream in our quick crema loaded with cilantro, for a healthier taco sauce that takes these shrimp tacos to the next level. Shrimp cook up super-fast, making them the ultimate taco filling for a fast weeknight dinner that's also impressive and delicious enough for a weekend dinner party.
By Carolyn Casner

3-Ingredient Refried Bean & Pico de Gallo Tostadas

Making your own tostadas is easy. Use store-bought corn tortillas, brush them with olive oil and bake to crunchy perfection! Here we topped the tostada with refried beans and fresh pico de gallo for an easy 3-ingredient meal.
By Sara Haas, RDN

Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Rating: 4 stars
1
An easy-to-make slaw served on the side of these salmon tacos makes for a filling and fast weeknight dinner. If you prefer more heat in these fish tacos, simply add a pinch or two of chipotle chile powder or cayenne with the chili powder.
By Katie Webster

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

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.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.
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Inspiration and Ideas

13 Easy Enchilada Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight

13 Easy Enchilada Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight
Need an easy and healthy dinner idea? Try one of these enchilada recipes for a flavorful and filling meal.
29 Healthy Mexican-Inspired Recipes for Weeknights

29 Healthy Mexican-Inspired Recipes for Weeknights
These recipes use ingredients typically found in Mexican cuisine including beans, rice, salsa and avocado to create a flavorful and mouth-watering spread.
23 Healthy Taco Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less

23 Healthy Taco Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less
20 Mexican-Inspired Recipes That Are Made in a Slow Cooker

20 Mexican-Inspired Recipes That Are Made in a Slow Cooker
26 Healthy Mexican-Inspired Recipes for Kids

26 Healthy Mexican-Inspired Recipes for Kids
20 Mexican-Inspired Recipes That Can Help Boost Your Metabolism

20 Mexican-Inspired Recipes That Can Help Boost Your Metabolism

Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Rating: 3.93 stars
16

Intense, earthy and absolutely addictive, New Mexico's cheese enchiladas showcase red chile sauce at its most elemental, thickly blanketing tortillas and melted Cheddar. We've added some extra creaminess and body with locally popular pinto beans, to cut down on the classic's load of saturated fat. Top with shredded lettuce and minced onion.

All Healthy Latin American Recipes

Fish Tacos with Avocado-Lime Crema

Rating: 5 stars
1
If battering and frying fish sounds messy, frozen fish sticks are your fish taco savior in this healthy dinner recipe. Use them for a quick, kid-friendly dinner or try popcorn shrimp. Serve with your favorite salsa and black beans on the side.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Vegetarian Spinach Enchiladas

Rating: 3.63 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

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

Cornbread-Topped Chili Casserole

Rating: 3.2 stars
4
In this healthy casserole recipe--sometimes called tamale pie--the cornbread gets crusty at the edges, thanks to a cast-iron skillet. For the best texture, use yellow cornmeal with a medium grind. Serve with lime wedges for a little extra tang.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

You can often find presliced and ready-to-cook fresh vegetables in your grocer's produce section. Use these to your advantage to cut down on dinnertime prep. Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. Plus, this recipe requires just three ingredients, not including basics like salt, pepper and oil. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping.
By Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

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

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Rating: 4.63 stars
23
Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spicy Jerk Shrimp

Rating: 5 stars
5
Here's a shrimp sheet pan supper that's roasted and caramelized to perfection! The pineapple in this recipe makes a sweet sauce that balances the heat of the Jamaican jerk seasoning.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

These easy Mexican enchiladas are filled with flavorful, shredded slow-cooked shredded chicken. Placed on a bed of fresh lettuce, this delicious recipe is sure to be the hit of any dinner occasion.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

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

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Tostadas

Rating: 4.91 stars
10
The butternut squash-and-black bean base in these healthy vegetarian tostadas has a mild, sweet-spicy flavor thanks to ancho chile powder. If you can't find ancho chile powder, other mildly spicy chili powder can be used. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Rating: 4.94 stars
1
Blackened salmon is great in a sandwich with a spread of mashed avocado and low-fat mayonnaise plus peppery arugula leaves, cool tomato slices and zesty red onion. We grill our Cajun-style salmon so there is no need for any added cooking oil. Catfish makes an excellent stand-in for the salmon but you'll want to use a grill basket if you have one to keep the fish from breaking apart.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Potato Enchiladas

Rating: 3 stars
1
Frozen potatoes, often labeled diced hash brown potatoes, make these healthy enchiladas come together quickly. Feel free to sub in sweet potatoes for an added boost of vitamin A, if desired.
By Breana Killeen

Layered Strawberry-Mango Margaritas

Rating: 5 stars
1
Swirl layers of red strawberry margarita with yellow mango margarita in this skinny frozen cocktail for a festive party drink that will wow your guests. It tastes just as good as a restaurant frozen margarita, without all the sugar!
By Carolyn Casner

Pineapple Smoothie

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
A touch of pineapple-orange juice concentrate adds even more pineapple flavor to this refreshing smoothie.
By Patsy Jamieson

Slow-Cooker Arroz con Pollo (Chicken & Rice)

Rating: 5 stars
1
This one-pot chicken dinner, inspired by the traditional dish of Spain and Latin America, comes together easily in the crock pot. The instant brown rice is added near the end, to keep it from overcooking.
By Laura Walsh

Apple Turkey Picadillo

Rating: 4.41 stars
10
This twist on the Latin American staple is made healthier with lean ground turkey and crisp apples. It doubles well. Try tucking it into whole-wheat tortillas or serve over instant brown rice for a quick and healthy supper.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chipotle Tofu Tacos

Here, we tear the tofu instead of cutting it. That might sound odd, but it’s the best way to get crisp, crumbly edges reminiscent of fish tacos. Coating with a flavorful cornstarch mixture helps maximize the crunch.
By Joy Howard

Pineapple & Avocado Salad

Rating: 5 stars
5
This refreshing, simple Cuban salad recipe captures the flavors of the tropics. Serve alongside spiced chicken or pork, with rice and beans.
By Darra Goldstein

Crispy Oven-Fried Fish Tacos

Fish tacos make a satisfying meal the entire family will love. Many restaurant versions are deep-fried, but our technique includes coating the fish in a seasoned whole-grain breading and spritzing it lightly with cooking spray before baking on a rack until golden brown. The result is a crispy exterior with moist and flaky fish inside.
By Carolyn Casner

Taco Bowls

Rating: 4.33 stars
2
In this homemade taco bowl recipe, we show you how to make a taco bowl with a corn tortilla using the underside of a muffin tin as a mold and then baking it to create cute little taco serving bowls.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Puerto Rican Fish Stew (Bacalao)

Rating: 4.78 stars
5
Bacalao, salted dried codfish, is the defining ingredient in traditional Puerto Rican fish stew, but salt cod requires overnight soaking and several rinses in cool water before it can be used, so we opt for fresh fish in this quick version. Serve with crusty rolls to soak up the juices.
By Scott Rosenbaum

Jerk Chicken & Pineapple Slaw

Rating: 5 stars
1
Ready in under 30 minutes, this spicy chicken dish with sweet pineapple slaw is perfect for any night of the week.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken with Quick Mole Sauce

Rating: 4.73 stars
10
Rich, dark and delicious, mole is a signature sauce in Mexican cooking. There are many variations, but the basic ingredients include plenty of chiles and nuts along with a touch of chocolate to tame the heat of the chiles. Traditional recipes can take several hours to prepare--this quick version takes a few shortcuts by using chili powder, nut butter and chocolate chips. Serve with rice and a medley of sautéed zucchini, pepper and onion.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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