Holiday Crowd Pleasers — 12 Easy Mexican Appetizers

Must Try


Need some munchers for your holiday gatherings?  You’re in the right place!

 

These are the best options for the middle of the appetizer table — just plop ’em down and your friends and family will be smiling until the last bite. 

 

And feel free to double or triple these recipes if you need a big batch for larger groups.  Or even if you just want leftovers for yourself 🙂

 

Click the recipe name and it will take you to a page on this site where you can print out the instructions. 

 

This dish is always the center of attention, no exceptions.  A cheesy, chipotle-infused concoction that will have all the happy faces asking the creator (you) for the recipe.  

 

 

 

Two homemade Salsas and a freshly made Guacamole?  Sold!  This is a great option for a crew of endless munchers.  The Salsas are delicious and if you serve them up with some Guac it will keep your friends and family content for HOURS 🙂

 

Need some munchers for a crew?  Here's the tastiest way to make your own Salsa and Guacamole for 10-20 people. 

 

 

Nachos!  Even though these Nachos are topped with all sorts of goodies, it’s the chipotle-infused black beans that turn them into a keeper for me.   Expert Nacho advice:  I usually make multiple single layer batches so they stay crispy — the double or triple layer batches will turn into a soggy mess before you can finish eating them.

 

It's tough to beat the combo of warm tortilla chips, melted cheese, and spicy black beans. In other words, NACHOS!! These beans have some kick built into them from chipotles in adobo and they are beyond delicious. mexicanplease.com

 

 

And who doesn’t love Queso Dip?!  Flavor your Queso with a tomato-chipotle mixture and it will attract a crowd of ravenous peeps who will keep asking for more, so consider yourself warned!

 

Such an easy Queso recipe! Tons of flavor from the smoky, fiery chipotles but you can always dial back on them for a milder version. mexicanplease.com

 

 

Spread some refried beans and cheese on a roll and top it with freshly made Pico de Gallo….yum!!  Be sure to crisp up the bread before serving as that makes a huge difference in these open-faced sandwiches. 

 

You probably already have all the ingredients you need for these Molletes (Mexican Bean and Cheese Sandwiches). Try them with some freshly made Pico de Gallo -- so good! mexicanplease.com

 

It’s tough to beat fresh cornbread right out of the oven!   Traditional versions use cornmeal as the base, but using Masa Harina will give you a massive bump in flavor and make it more “corny”. 

 

I used Masa Harina instead of cornmeal in this batch of cornbread and it was delicious! I also used chipotles in adobo for some kick 🙂 mexicanplease.com

 

 

Making Guacamole in a Molcajete is a real treat!  When you crush the onion-jalapeno-cilantro mixture in the molcajete it releases some additional flavors that you won’t get from traditional chopping.  A great option to keep the teenagers or young ones occupied for a bit 🙂 

 

We're grinding an onion-jalapeno-cilantro paste in a molcajete for a delicious batch of homemade guacamole. Don't forget a final squeeze of lime, so good! mexicanplease.com

 

 

This the quickest way to spice up the holidays!  It’s still my favorite soup on the site, but consider yourself warned….it packs some heat!  I love dipping crispy bean-n-cheese tortillas in it 🙂

 

The key to this Roasted Poblano Soup is getting creative with the garnish. Crema, cilantro stems, and a dash of acidity will turn it into something otherworldly. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

 

Okay, of all the recipes in the list these Empanadas take the most work because we are building the the pastry dough from scratch.  But when they’re fresh out of the oven they are absolutely delicious.  Warm, crispy, flaky — yum!  I used a spicy ground beef mixture for this batch but you can get creative with the filling.

 

Flaky, tender dough make these empanadas a recipe worth repeating. We're using a delicious spicy beef mixture to kick them up a notch. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

Baking your taquitos is a great alternative to deep-frying them as you can get quite close to the awesomeness of fried taquitos — 15-20 minutes in the oven does the job quite well.   I used a chipotle-infused ground beef for this batch but feel free to improvise on the filling. 

 

It's such a treat to remember you've got some of these Spicy Beef Taquitos in the fridge/freezer for a quick meal! I dipped this batch in some Salsa de Aguacate and they were delicious! mexicanplease.com

 

Stuffed Poblanos are wildly versatile so feel free to get creative with yours!  I stuffed these with a simple beans-and-rice mixture and then loaded them up with Queso Fresco and pickled onions — so good!

 

Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano with all the garnishes

 

 

By now you’ve probably heard me rave about this one.  Most Salsas on the site will use either tomatoes or tomatillos as the base, but when you use both you get something completely unique, and delicious!  This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal for impromptu gatherings 🙂

 

This is a delicious Salsa to add to your repertoire! It uses both tomatoes and tomatillos to create a completely unique flavor. Yum!! mexicanplease.com

 

 

 

Okay, I hope these recipes make for some happy faces over your holiday season.  Let me know if you have questions about any of them.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Still hungry?!

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