Dishes to taco ‘bout


In the mood for Mexican food? Check out these fresh and vibrant recipes like nachos, tacos, enchiladas, barbacoa, chili con carne and margaritas. Some of the dishes are more traditional and others are inspired by the cuisine’s flavors, but they’re all easy to make and utterly delicious.




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Fish tacos

Made with a beer batter, these Baja-inspired fish tacos are seriously light and crunchy. Keep the first batch of fried fish warm in the oven while you’re cooking the second. Also make sure you have all of your toppings – creamy chipotle sauce, chopped red onion, shredded cabbage and shredded lettuce – ready to go in bowls so everyone can assemble their own.

Get the recipe for fish tacos here




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Chicken fajitas

We’ll admit that a plate of hot, spicy chicken fajitas is more Tex-Mex than Mexican, but it’s still a favorite. Halve the quantity of red and green chilies in the recipe for a less spicy version and avoid adding the seeds unless you want it really hot. A dollop of sour cream and avocado slices also temper the heat.

Get the recipe for chicken fajitas here




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Chili con carne

An incredibly versatile dish, chili con carne is the perfect match for many things from rice and quinoa to baked potatoes and tortilla chips. We suggest cooking a big batch and storing it in the freezer so you have speedy meals on standby for the rest of the month.

Get the recipe for chili con carne here




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Smoky bean and mushroom quesadillas





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Steak nachos

Who doesn’t love crunchy nachos topped with melted Cheddar, jalapeños, guacamole and shredded steak? Here silverside is marinated in paprika, cumin and chili, before being slow-cooked in ale for four to five hours to make it beautifully tender.

Get the recipe for steak nachos here




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Tacos al pastor

There’s no end to the combination of fillings that you can stuff in a soft tortilla but tacos al pastor – tacos filled with marinated and grilled pork – is famously good. In this recipe the aromatic and punchy meat is served with chopped pineapple, and a jalapeño, garlic, avocado and onion salsa.

Get the recipe for tacos al pastor here




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Black bean and chipotle soup

Loved for its smokiness and thick texture, black bean soup gets its distinct flavor from chipotle paste so don’t swap this ingredient out. Also, before you purée the ingredients, reserve half to mash with a fork so that it maintains a chunky texture.

Get the recipe for black bean and chipotle soup here




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Huevos rancheros

Fried eggs served on corn tortillas with cooked tomatoes and refried beans – this is a hearty breakfast dish you won’t want to reserve just for the morning. Crumbled feta, sliced avocado and hot sauce are also essential, so don’t leave them out.

Get the recipe for huevos rancheros here




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Spicy beef chili

A guaranteed crowd-pleaser, spicy slow-cooked beef chili is a great dish to feed a large family. This recipe requires braising steak, beef stock, kidney beans and smoky chipotle paste. Serve with homemade guacamole, sour cream, tortilla chips and rice.

Get the recipe for spicy beef chili here




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Beef barbacoa

Barbacoa is slow-cooked, seasoned meat and it’s often shredded and served in tacos. It takes eight hours in the oven or slow cooker but is entirely worth the wait. We serve ours with a squeeze of lime, chopped red onion, cilantro and fresh green chili.

Get the recipe for beef barbacoa here




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Confit duck tacos

The meat from confit duck legs just falls apart and makes the perfect taco filling. It sounds fancy but you can buy the duck ready-made. All you’ll have to do is reheat the meat and make a quick chili and lime yogurt and sweetcorn salsa to go on top.

Get the recipe for confit duck tacos here




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Chunky guacamole

What is a chip and dip selection without chunky guacamole? All you need is ripe avocados, chopped tomato, red onion, chili, cilantro and lime – and hold the garlic.

Get the recipe for chunky guacamole here




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Margarita

Having a good margarita recipe up your sleeve is essential for any cocktail-lover, and we really like this one. Tequila is shaken with sugar syrup, sharp lime juice, orange liqueur and ice, then strained into a glass. If you’re feeling brave, try making chili salt to line the rim.

Get the recipe for a classic margarita here




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Scallop aguachile

Like ceviche? You’ll love aguachile which is fresh seafood tossed in chili-spiked lime juice and served immediately. We love this punchy version with scallops, chili, lime, cucumber and tequila.

Get the recipe for scallop aguachile here




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Chicken and black bean burrito





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Bloody mary shrimp tacos

Spicy, bloody mary-inspired tomato sauce works well with tender, sweet shrimps. Celeriac slaw provides the crunch you’re looking for, plus lots of acidity thanks to the lime dressing. You’ll also want to add a little mayo or sour cream to each of these.

Get the recipe for bloody mary shrimp tacos here




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Tuna and avocado tostadas

Hard tacos and crunchy tostadas work really well with sashimi-grade fish. We love soy and orange juice-marinated tuna, avocado, chipotle mayo and a garnish. To make cheat’s tostadas, simply cut circles from a tortilla and toast them.

Get the recipe for tuna and avocado tostadas here




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Spicy plantain and tofu burritos

If you’ve never tried plantain, they’re large, savory cooking fruits from the same family as bananas – and they’re amazing when fried, becoming caramelized and crisp around the edges. In this burrito they’re paired with spicy tofu and homemade pico de gallo (a simple tomato, red onion and cilantro salsa).

Get the recipe for spicy plantain and tofu burritos here




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Black and kidney bean chili

This black and kidney bean chili makes clever use of pantry staples: red and black kidney beans, passata, tomato purée, garlic, jalapeños and chili flakes. Then it only takes 10 minutes to put together. Double up quantities and stash in the freezer.

Get the recipe for black and kidney bean chili here




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Avocado and zucchini tostadas

These little tostadas are wonderfully light. Diced avocado, zucchini, lime, chili, basil and maple syrup makes the sweet and fragrant topping. The recipe also shows you how to make a zingy gin and grapefruit cocktail called a paloma.

Get the recipe for avocado and zucchini tostadas here




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Margarita sea bass

Why reserve tequila for cocktails when it makes the perfect accompaniment to sea bass fillets? This luxurious margarita-inspired sea bass dish is made with Cointreau (orange liqueur), white or gold tequila and fresh lime.

Get the recipe for margarita sea bass here




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Mexican-inspired potato wedges





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Shrimp ceviche

Making fresh and spicy shrimp ceviche couldn’t be easier. Once marinated and cured, combine the shrimps with avocado, red onion and tomato. Serve on top of a tostada with sour cream and crispy pork crackling or even just a little shredded lettuce.

Get the recipe for shrimp ceviche here




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Jackfruit tacos

A tropical fruit with green spiky skin, jackfruit has become more popular in the West in recent years, especially in vegetarian cooking, thanks to its meaty texture. Conveniently, you can buy it ready-prepared in a tin. For a tasty taco filling, fry it in smoky adobo sauce (a rich, earthy sauce made from dried chilies) and pair it with sweetcorn salsa.

Get the recipe for jackfruit tacos here




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Breakfast hash tacos

Who doesn’t want to start the day with tacos for breakfast? There’s so many different flavors and textures in this recipe, with fried potato cubes, chopped vegan sausage, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and avocado. You’ll also learn how to make a quick and easy red onion pickle.

Get the recipe for breakfast hash tacos here




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Chicken quesadillas

The great thing about quesadillas is you can chop and change the filling depending on what you have to hand. This recipe uses chicken or turkey, plus guacamole, apple, chopped cherry tomatoes and sweetcorn. The flavor combination works surprisingly well.

Get the recipe for chicken quesadillas here




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Pulled pork tacos

The trick to getting really succulent, aromatic pork is to marinate it overnight in the refrigerator, before slow cooking it in white wine and chicken stock. Once shredded, the pork is dressed in a sticky, spicy sauce. Chopped red onion, lime and fresh cilantro cut through its richness.

Get the recipe for pulled pork tacos here




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Enchiladas

What we love about enchiladas is they don’t require last-minute attention, so once they’re in the oven you can put your feet up. These ones are filled with a rich beef chili and topped with chipotle and grated Cheddar, but you could also use chicken or ground turkey.

Get the recipe for enchiladas here




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30/30 SLIDES