Fancy a Mexican Fiesta from the comfort of your own home? Prepare for Cinco de Mayo! This famous Mexican celebration is a great excuse for a stay-at-home party, and Gran Luchito will show you how to do it. Here we’ve rounded up our recommendations on what to serve up for your friends and family on the day.
5 de Mayo is the commemoration of the battle of Puebla and contrary to what people believe it’s not Mexican Independence Day! Cinco de Mayo fiestas are not widely celebrated in my home country of Mexico, and perhaps only in the state of Puebla where some parades go on.
The celebration has become very popular in the United States within the Mexican-American communities as a day to celebrate their heritage and identity. It has also become very much loved in other countries outside Mexico and the USA.
Having said all this, something that is very Mexican is to find any excuse to have a celebration! Even today whenever I go back home there’s always some sort of party being organised.
Scroll down for my recommended Cinco de Mayo meal plan of starters, mains and sides. In the spirit of Mexican warmth and culture, we hope you have fun if you choose to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
Here are our favourite go to Mexican starters, a fresh and flavouful guacamole, indulgent queso and some smoky Chipotle margaritas guaranteed to get your Cinco de Mayo fiesta started!
No Cinco de Mayo celebration would be complete without Tortilla Chips and Guacamole. Here’s our recipe which uses our Tomatillo Salsa for a flavourful and fresh tasting Guacamole. See full recipe
Queso Fundido is the perfect starter for bringing people together. Who doesn't love melted cheese cooked with chorizo, onions, and Gran Luchito Crunchy Salsa Macha. Serve with warmed Soft Taco Wraps to scoop up the melty goodness. See full recipe
Chipotle Margaritas with the signature smoky flavour of Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste definitely take the classic margarita up a notch! See full recipe
When catering for a crowd, we recommend having one showstopper, crowd-pleasing dish that can be prepared in a big batch and shared and that definitely has to be irresistible Carnitas! If you are catering for people on a plant-based diet, then be sure to check out our selection of vegan and vegetarian recipes for more inspiration.
Carnitas is one of the most epic, celebratory dishes you find in Mexico! Tender and flavourful slow cooker pork carnitas gets crisped up. Perfect for wrapping up in Soft Taco Wraps. See full recipe
Refried Beans are a classic side dish for crispy pork Carnitas and with Gran Luchito's Chipotle Refried Beans it's easy to make a really flavourful side dish with little time and effort so you can enjoy time with your guests! Serve with Gran Luchito Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips for dipping and salsas See full recipe
Make crunchy beef tacos at home for a quick and tasty Tex Mex fiesta! Easy to follow with simple ingredients and delivers a delicious combination of flavours and textures. See full recipe
Gran Luchito has everything you need to make these delicious Cinco de Mayo party food ideas!
You will definitely need some of our small Soft Taco Wraps for most of these Mexican main dishes. They are the perfect base for carne asada tacos, pork belly tacos, chicken enchiladas, and so on!
Some of our Chipotle Tortilla Chips would make an amazing spicy base for nachos, but also just for dipping into guacamole as a starter or snack before your main meal. For a milder version, our Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips are literally the bees knees, and everyone agrees!
You will also need something to marinate your chosen meat or veg, and make it Mexican! Other than Gran Luchito Chipotle Paste or Smoky Chipotle Fajita & Taco Mix (as shown in the image on the left), you could go for one of our Mexican sauces. Our Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce is amazing in chicken enchiladas, or try our Red Fajita Simmer Sauce in your steak fajitas.
in the Mexican SectionPopular & Fun
A super fresh and easy to make at home guacamole recipe made with mild tomatillos, jalapeños and creamy avocados that tastes delicious - you should try it!... See full recipe
Tacos you will crave! What could be better than crispy and succulent pork belly tucked into tacos?! Lovingly cooked in beer and spices and coated in our divine Chipotle Paste.... See full recipe
A warm tortilla wrap filled with thinly sliced grilled steak, onions, guacamole, and our Chipotle Salsa. There is so much to love about this Carne Asada Tacos recipe. ... See full recipe
Authentic, caramelised pork cooked low and slow and then crisped up - yum! The carnitas are then served over warm tortillas with finely chopped raw onion, coriander and salsa.... See full recipe
We think you'd like to try these tlacoyos at home as the perfect appetizer alongside some refried beans and tomatillo salsa for the perfect Mexican snack! ... See full recipe
The perfect movie night in nacho! Delicious nachos layered with flavourful chipotle chicken thighs, Refried Beans, cheese and a salsa that packs a punch.... See full recipe
Vegan pozole is a traditional Mexican soup crafted without animal products, replacing pork with ingredients like hominy, vegetables, and flavourful spices. It offers a rich, hearty taste, complemented by the essence of herbs and chilli peppers.... See full recipe
Crisp, colourful and packed full of chipotle flavour - this Mexican coleslaw recipe is perfect for topping tacos or as a side dish at your next BBQ... See full recipe
This irresistible, bubbling warm cheese dip with crispy chorizo is perfect for dipping with tortilla chips or tortilla wraps, a delicious snack or starter for you and the family to enjoy!... See full recipe
Authentic, restaurant style Mexican rice is easier than you think to make at home and goes with just about any Mexican meal, ours has a delicious dollop of Chipotle... See full recipe
A sure fire way to get the party started is to whip up a batch of our easy chipotle Chicken Taquitos! These can be made as a starter, party snack or tasty dinner!... See full recipe
Our Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef recipe is yet another reason to love the slow cooker! It cooks beef to perfection, full of flavour and so tender it falls apart.... See full recipe
One of the very best street snacks you’ll find in Mexico! Our delicious Elotes are smothered in creamy chipotle mayo, lime juice, fresh coriander and crumbly cheese.... See full recipe
Part beer, part cocktail, this "beertail" is full of flavour and fun. Like a Bloody Mary, Micheladas are perfect for hangovers, and very refreshing on a hot summer's day.... See full recipe
The margarita is a guaranteed party starter. With a touch of smoky Chipotle Paste, tequila, and balanced with zesty lime and orange liqueur, it's got a zing to get you going.... See full recipe
Gran Luchito Mexican
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is usually marked with parades and celebrations of Mexican culture, culminating with the consumption of lots of Mexican food and margaritas.
Mole Poblano may be the most consumed dish in Puebla for Cinco de Mayo. Other than that, carnitas, tamales, barbacoa, chilaquiles, street corn and elotes, tacos al pastor, tortilla chips and margaritas.
Decorate your house with colour, and wear bright clothing! Especially the colours of the Mexican flag, green, white or red skirts with long sleeves, but you can go with orange, blue and bold prints or patterns. Bring Mexican food to the table. Talk and teach people about Mexican history.
In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo isn't a federal holiday, which means businesses, including banks and stores, are open. In fact, outside the town of Puebla, the day isn't widely celebrated in the country, making this more of an American holiday anyway. In the US Cinco de Mayo is an optional national holiday. In the US, they began to celebrate it because they also wanted to commemorate their acts of resistance during the US-Mexico war, but also holding their own after incorporation.
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