13 Great Mexican Side Dishes
Tailor your feast with guacamole, salsa, red rice, refried beans, chipotle grilled corn, and more.
So your Cinco de Mayo plans are coming along. You’ve got your heavy apps set, or a casserole for a crowd, and your cocktail menu is on point. What’s missing? Maybe one of these sides. Any one of these can add variety and spark to a party spread. These recipes can mostly be prepared well ahead of time, don’t take all day, and best of all, go with just about anything.
Whip up a big batch of Mexican red rice—it makes a delicious bed for appetizers and soaks up delicious sauces. Guacamole is just about mandatory at, well at any Western party, really, but especially on Cinco de Mayo, and we’ve got one of the most delicious versions ever. Salsa, of course, has to be part of the spread, and we’ve got a trio for you—one red, one green, and one unusual fruit/tomato hybrid version.
If you’re feeling a little more ambitious, don’t go anywhere; we’ve got a few more involved options, like grilled oysters (which are not actually hard, but your guests might think they are), or deviled shrimp. (The shrimp, incidentally, pair well with that Mexican rice.)
And if you feel like vegetables might be missing, corn counts in our book, at least at a party. For honest to goodness verduras, try this lime-spiked tomato salad, or a bowl of avocados and poblano chiles. Another lighter option is this fruit cocktail, which comes with a holiday-appropriate tequila-flavored dressing. It’s sure to make you feel better about all the agave-based cocktails you’re undoubtedly about to imbibe.
Great Mexican Sides
Salsa Ranchera (Country Sauce)
Once you realize how easy it is to make a great cooked salsa that you can make as mild or as hot as you like, you may never go back to store-bought.
Recipe: Salsa Ranchera (Country Sauce)
Fire and Fruit Yellow Tomato Salsa
The combination of mango and tomato may seem surprising, but the pickling ingredients bring them together in an enticing way.
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Classic Salsa Verde
Tomatillos and fresh chiles give this salsa a bright, “green” flavor, and toasting the ingredients contributes a smoky element (plus it loosens the chiles’ skins).
Recipe: Classic Salsa Verde
Roasted Tomato and Three-Chile Salsa
The layers of deep flavor come from roasted vegetables and pan-toasted chiles.
Gabriel’s Guacamole
This is the hands-down best guacamole that we at Sunset have ever tasted. It’s made right in a stone mortar, which gives it performance appeal; make it in front of your guests at your next party and watch them dip those chips before you’re even finished.
Recipe: Gabriel’s Guacamole
Deviled Shrimp (Camarones a la Diabla)
Augusín Gaytán, a San Francisco chef and culinary tour leader to Mexico, gave us this flavorful and super-simple grilled shrimp recipe.
Grilled Oysters with Chipotle Glaze
Pop a few dozen plump Pacific oysters on the grill and then top with this creamy, spicy glaze, courtesy of chef Dory Ford of California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium. What a way to kick off a party!
Recipe: Grilled Oysters with Chipotle Glaze
Video: How to grill oysters
Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo)
Moist, steamy, tomato-flavored rice―with hints of well-cooked onion and garlic―is comfort itself, especially mounded next to a main course like huevos rancheros or enchiladas.
Recipe: Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo)
Chorizo Refried Beans
Quickly sauté some spicy Mexican chorizo, add to canned refried beans, and you’ll have the perfect rich and savory side dish for huevos rancheros―and just about anything else Mexican.
Recipe: Chorizo Refried Beans
Honey-Chipotle Grilled Corn
Fresh, sweet ears of summer corn, slathered with a mix of honey and chipotle chiles. Couldn’t be simpler―or more sensational.
Recipe: Honey-Chipotle Grilled Corn
Tomato Salad with Chile and Lime
A gorgeous combo of tomatoes drizzled with spicy-sour flavors, this salad looks like a Mediterranean dish but tastes like Mexico.
Recipe: Tomato Salad with Chile and Lime
Spicy Avocado Poblano Salad
A dynamic first-course dish of crunch, spice, and color, starring silky ripe avocados.
Recipe: Spicy Avocado Poblano Salad
