This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
From our family to yours, enjoy this collection of favorite Mexican Christmas recipes, including sides, entrees, and desserts!
We Love a Mexican Christmas Dinner!
In our home, and many Hispanic households, Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) is when the largest Christmas feast is eaten!! Our feast ALWAYS includes Mexican food!
As far back as we can remember, our Luna family gathers on Christmas Eve and enjoys a spread of our favorite Mexican dishes – everything from Enchiladas, tamales, and Tacos, to our TOP-RATED Spanish Rice. With a few sides, salsas, and main dishes you’re set to enjoy all the best food, perfect for a Christmas feast!
PRO TIP: Pin or bookmark this list so you’re ready with the best recipes to make your Mexican Christmas dinner festive, flavorful, and unforgettable.
Top 10 Most Loved Mexican Christmas Food
Celebrate the season with our top 10 Mexican recipes that bring bold flavors and festive warmth to your Christmas dinner table.
1 Cheese Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas
Total Time: 50 minutes
These authentic red cheese enchiladas are a family-favorite recipe—deliciously cheesy, saucy, and loved by all!
Get the recipe
2 Carne Asada Recipe
Carne Asada Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Make an authentic carne asada recipe right at home! Easily create perfect Mexican-flavored meat to add to tacos, burritos, and more.
Get the recipe
3 Beef Empanadas Recipe
Beef Empanadas Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Beef empanadas are crispy, airy tacos made from dough and filled with shredded beef. They are a favorite Mexican dish!
Get the recipe
4 Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
Total Time: 40 minutes
Our famous green chili chicken enchiladas are prepped in 20 minutes and packed with flavor – perfect for busy nights AND freezer-friendly!
Get the recipe
5 Chicken Tacos
Chicken Tacos
Total Time: 25 minutes
Skip the wait and cost – whip up restaurant-quality chicken tacos at home in under 30 minutes for a satisfying crunch and explosion of flavor!
Get the recipe
6 Tostada
Tostada
Total Time: 20 minutes
An crunchy open-face tostada is topped with all of your favorite Mexican ingredients and on the table in 20 minutes!
Get the recipe
7 Chicken Flautas
Chicken Flautas
Total Time: 25 minutes
Deliciously cheesy, filled chicken flautas can be fried, air-fried, or even baked for the perfect appetizer or dinner at your next fiesta.
Get the recipe
8 Chicken Quesadilla
Chicken Quesadilla
Total Time: 12 minutes
Our easy homemade chicken quesadilla recipe is cheesy, crispy, and packed with flavor—perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight meal!
Get the recipe
9 Chicken Chimichangas
Chicken Chimichangas
Total Time: 35 minutes
This crispy chicken chimichanga recipe is a burrito fried to golden perfection. It's an Arizona original and a family favorite!
Get the recipe
10 Mexican Lasagna
Mexican Lasagna
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ditch the noodles, embrace the spice! Quick prep Mexican lasagna layers tortillas and enchilada sauce for a cheesy south-of-the-border twist.
Get the recipe
Party Appetizers and Dips
Kick off with some classic Mexican appetizers while dinner finishes in the oven.
11 Mexican Bean Dip
Mexican Bean Dip
Total Time: 30 minutes
Hot Mexican bean dip is a quick and easy appetizer or side dish that packs a flavorful punch and is ready in only 30 minutes!
Get the recipe
12 7 Layer Bean Dip
7 Layer Bean Dip
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
This 10-minute 7 layer bean dip is a must-have at every function! It has loads of flavor and all your favorite dip ingredients!
Get the recipe
13 Homemade Salsa
Homemade Salsa
Total Time: 10 minutes
Our homemade salsa recipe is fresh, flavorful, and easy to make—perfect for chips, tacos, and all your favorite Mexican dishes!
Get the recipe
14 Queso Blanco Recipe
Queso Blanco Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
Our favorite queso blanco recipe is quick, simple, and extra cheesy – add tortilla chips for the perfect addition to your next party!
Get the recipe
15 Mexican Wontons Recipe
Mexican Wontons Recipe
Total Time: 18 minutes
Mexican Wontons are a zingy twist on a classic appetizer. They are crispy with a perfectly spiced, creamy center!
Get the recipe
16 Mexican Pinwheels
Mexican Pinwheels
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Mexican pinwheels are bite-size tortilla rolls filled with a spiced cream cheese mixture. They are a party in your mouth!
Get the recipe
17 Salsa Verde Recipe
Salsa Verde Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
Sweet Salsa Verde – a delicious salsa recipe that is sweet and takes just minutes to make. Ingredients include tomatillos, jalapenos, sugar, & cilantro.
Get the recipe
Main Dishes for a Crowd
Scroll for more of our favorite Mexican Christmas dinner main dishes that are hearty, festive, and sure to impress.
18 Ground Beef Enchiladas Recipe
Ground Beef Enchiladas Recipe
Total Time: 55 minutes
Cheesy ground beef enchiladas start with a flavorful homemade sauce. They are simple and delicious, a family favorite!
Get the recipe
19 Albondigas Soup Recipe
Albondigas Soup Recipe
Total Time: 55 minutes
Handed down for generations, there's nothing better than Great Grandma's famous albondigas soup!
Get the recipe
20 Carnitas Recipe
Carnitas Recipe
Total Time: 9 hours 10 minutes
This carnitas recipe takes minutes to prep and is great in tacos, bean burritos, quesadillas, chimichangas, and more!
Get the recipe
21 Cream Cheese Enchiladas
Cream Cheese Enchiladas
Total Time: 40 minutes
Cream cheese chicken enchiladas are thick and creamy with a touch of spice. They prep in minutes for a favorite weeknight dish!
Get the recipe
22 Cilantro Lime Chicken
Cilantro Lime Chicken
Total Time: 55 minutes
Cilantro lime chicken is marinated with fresh lime and herbs, bursting with zesty flavor for an easy weeknight meal.
Get the recipe
23 Baked Chicken Chimichanga Recipe
Baked Chicken Chimichanga Recipe
Total Time: 25 minutes
Baked Chicken Chimichangas are like a crispy burrito, stuffed with chicken + cheese. Everyone will love this simple restaurant-style recipe!
Get the recipe
24 Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prepped in minutes, these honey lime chicken enchiladas are packed with bold citrus flavors and the perfect amount of spice.
Get the recipe
Essential Sides
The plate-fillers everyone expects with a Mexican feast!
25 Spanish Rice Recipe
Spanish Rice Recipe
Total Time: 45 minutes
Restaurant-Style Spanish Rice (aka Mexican Rice), that is easy to make and tastes like it came straight from the restaurant, and is the best side dish to any Mexican entree.
Get the recipe
26 Mexican Cornbread Recipe
Mexican Cornbread Recipe
Total Time: 50 minutes
This Mexican cornbread is soft, cheesy, and packed with flavor—perfect as a side for chili, tacos, or any fiesta night!
Get the recipe
27 Mexican Street Corn Recipe
Mexican Street Corn Recipe
Total Time: 13 minutes
Made in under 20 minutes, this deliciously cheesy Mexican street corn recipe is a perfectly spiced complement to any Mexican dinner.
Get the recipe
28 Flour Tortilla Recipe
Flour Tortilla Recipe
Total Time: 45 minutes
Great Grandma Bean Burro's soft and easy FAMOUS flour tortilla recipe is whipped up with only 5 Ingredients!
Get the recipe
29 Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
Our homemade cilantro lime rice is fresh, zesty, and the perfect side dish for tacos, burritos, and more! And it's made in 30 minutes!
Get the recipe
30 Calabacitas
Calabacitas
Total Time: 25 minutes
Cheesy calabacitas is a quick Mexican side dish made with zucchini, squash, corn, and melty cheese, fresh, flavorful, and perfect for taco night!
Get the recipe
31 Mexican Bean Salad
Mexican Bean Salad
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
This veggie-packed Mexican bean salad is seasoned to perfection and prepped in minutes for a tasty, filling side!
Get the recipe
Classic Mexican Desserts
No traditional Christmas dinner would be complete without something sweet. These are some of our favorite Mexican treats and desserts!
32 Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Total Time: 5 hours
This tres leches cake recipe is a cool treat made from a tasty sponge cake, a creamy 3 milk mixture, and a homemade whipped topping.
Get the recipe
33 How to Make Mexican Wedding Cookies
How to Make Mexican Wedding Cookies
Total Time: 1 hour 26 minutes
Mexican wedding cookies are soft and buttery with almonds in every bite! These powdered sugar-covered cookies are crumbly and delicious.
Get the recipe
34 Sopapilla Recipe
Sopapilla Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes
A puffy and pillowy sopapilla is fried to perfection and topped with honey for a simple and delicious Mexican dessert.
Get the recipe
35 Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Chocolate tres leches cake is a chocolate twist on a classic Mexican dessert. This chilled treat is rich and decadent!
Get the recipe
36 How to Make Flan
How to Make Flan
Total Time: 9 hours 10 minutes
Easily learn how to make flan – a creamy Latin-inspired custard dessert topped with an irresistible caramel coating.
Get the recipe
37 Churro Cheesecake Bars
Churro Cheesecake Bars
Total Time: 35 minutes
Pairing two dessert favorites in one, our churro cheesecake bars use a simple shortcut for a 30-minute twist on a Mexican treat!
Get the recipe
38 Mexican Fried Ice Cream Recipe
Mexican Fried Ice Cream Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 17 minutes
Crunchy on the outside, and smooth and creamy on the inside, Mexican fried ice cream is a flavor bomb in your mouth and a go-to Mexican dessert!
Get the recipe
39 Arroz con Leche
Arroz con Leche
Total Time: 45 minutes
Classic arroz con leche is a Mexican variation of rice pudding that is sweetened with condensed milk and topped with cinnamon.
Get the recipe
35+ Mexican Christmas Food Recipes
From our family to yours, enjoy this collection of favorite Mexican Christmas recipes, including sides, entrees, and desserts!
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, or Mexican blend cheese, divided
- 1 (4-ounce) can can chopped green chiles
- garlic salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can Las Palmas green chile enchilada sauce
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine chicken, 1 cup cheese, chiles, salt, and pepper.
- In a small skillet, bring enchilada sauce to a boil, then lower temperature and bring to a simmer.
- Dip each tortilla into heated sauce for a few seconds to soften.
- Place a tortilla in a 9×11 inch baking dish and spoon ⅓ cup of chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons sour cream down the center. (NOTE: The squeeze sour cream works great.)
- Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour enough sauce to cover the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
Recipe tips.
- Make sure to dip the tortillas in the sauce so they can soften and won’t crack when rolled.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts better than pre-shredded packaged cheese.
- For easy application use sour cream in a squeeze bottle or put the sour cream in a sandwich bag and cut off the bottom tip.
- To bake. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Pour on the extra sauce and add the cheese before baking according to the recipe directions.
Nutrition
Calories: 588kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Cholesterol: 122mg, Sodium: 1700mg, Potassium: 342mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 1810IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 534mg, Iron: 2.7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I used your flautas recipe to make a few chicken and beef flautas for our Christmas Eve dinner. The added salsa to the meat as the perfect bit of flavor.
Mexican food is our Christmas Eve tradition! We make your enchiladas, rice, & empanadas!! It’s all so yummy!
Our most favorite food on the planet! You cant go wrong with any of these dishes. All family approved. You will enjoy these dishes all year round.
I am so looking forward to trying these recipes. Mexican is my favorite food!!
I look forward to you trying them 🙂 Hope you like them!
All of your Mexican dishes our family favoritesnof ours .
Yay! Glad it is! Thank you for letting me know!