Our 29 Cheesiest Cinco De Mayo Recipes

Updated April 24, 2018
Credit: Victor Protasio; Styling: Paige Hicks

If you're looking for something easy and cheesy this Cinco De Mayo, look no further than these irresistible favorites. 

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Roasted Chili Verde Chicken Enchiladas

Roasted Chili Verde Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Skip red enchilada sauce in favor of homemade chili verde in this Mexican classic. The heat level of poblanos can range from mild to spicy. Removing the seeds lessens the kick.

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Taco-Tot Casserole

Credit: Gina DeSimone; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Taco-Tot Casserole Recipe

Tex-Mex meets tater tots in this easy, inexpensive, and all-around comforting one-dish dinner. Our spicy twist on the classic tater tot casserole consists of a succulent ground beef filling—featuring creamy black beans, crisp-sweet corn, cheese, and mild green chiles for a kick—topped with crispy tater tots, and finished with a drizzle of an addictively spicy and tangy sour cream sauce. Top this fiesta of a casserole with fresh garnishes, such as avocado, tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro, and it’s as perfect to serve at your next football feast as it is for a casual weeknight meal. We use 85/15 lean ground beef for this recipe and recommend that you do not go with anything leaner, as the higher fat percentage both contributes to the filling’s rich flavor and keeps it from drying out while baking.

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San Antonio Beef Puffy Tacos

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kay Clark

San Antonio Beef Puffy Tacos Recipe

Original tacos were a little different than the U-shaped tortillas invented by entrepreneur Glen Bell of Taco Bell. The real deal begins with a ball of masa flattened into a thin round that's fried to a golden crispness. The masa puffs up a bit, which is how the moniker "puffy taco" came into play. Stuff with ground taco meat, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese.

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Creamy Chicken Quesadillas

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Creamy Chicken Quesadillas Recipe

A creamy base helps the cheese go further and keeps the chicken moist. For a crisp exterior, coat the filled tortillas with cooking spray instead of coating the pan.

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Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Credit: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Adam Hickman and Briana Riddock

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce Recipe

Are you ready for the best chicken enchiladas of your life? While you could use a rotisserie chicken for this cheesy enchilada recipe, poaching chicken breasts in a delicately flavored liquid both creates succulently tender meat (that won’t dry out as the casserole bakes) and adds another layer of flavor to the dish.

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Quick and Easy Nachos

Credit: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Julia Levy; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson

Quick and Easy Nachos Recipe

This platter of goodness represents the lowest-effort end of the nacho spectrum. That said, “low-effort”—by no stretch of the imagination—means a low YUM-factor here. Although this game day-perfect platter of beefy, cheesy nachos comes together quickly and relies largely on store-bought shortcuts, it delivers the classic meld of flavors and textures that you want from everyone’s favorite appetizer.

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Copycat Doritos Locos Tacos

Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Nicole McLaughlin

Copycat Doritos Locos Tacos Recipe

These cheesy nacho- and ranch-flavored tacos are, dare we say it, even better than the fast-food version. Pro-tip: If you can’t find cheese powder in your local grocery store (not surprising), no worries; you can use the packet of dry cheese mix from a box of macaroni and cheese (such as Kraft brand). You should only need 1 package for the amount of cheese powder called for in the recipe below.

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Chicken Tinga Tacos

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe

These bold and smoky tacos provide the perfect route to reinventing some leftover chicken. Serve them up with a crisp green salad for a light and refreshing weeknight supper.

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Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos

Credit: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos Recipe

From the Kitchen of Julie Hutson, Callahan, Florida. "This is surprisingly yummy to have such simple ingredients."

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Two-Cheese Veggie Nachos

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Two-Cheese Veggie Nachos Recipe

We love the double-cheese contrast here: Shredded cheese melts into a bubbly blanket over the tortillas, while crumbly queso fresco covers the veggies with a salty kick. It's an impressive dish for coffee table dining--it's fun to keep it all on the baking pan and serve as a shared platter.

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Beef and Cheddar Enchiladas

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Beef and Cheddar Enchiladas Recipe

A decadent beef roast fills these mouth-watering enchiladas. This unique Tex-Mex dish is sure to have everyone begging for the recipe.

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Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole Recipe

In a pinch and in need of a quick meal that will please everyone? A one-pan, assemble-and-bake Tex-Mex casserole just might be the answer. It takes just 5 ingredients to make a melty, cheesy, smoky green chile chicken dish. Add rice and black beans for a full on fiesta! Use the breast and leg quarters of a rotisserie chicken and store-bough enchilada sauce for convenience. This super-fast dish is even more delicious served with pico de gallo, guacamole, or even leftover tostadas on top for more crunch. If you can't find tostadas, yellow corn tortilla chips will also work.

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Loaded Chorizo Nachos

Credit: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower

Loaded Chorizo Nachos Recipe

When we say loaded, we mean it. These nachos require a fork for scooping up all the tasty fillings. Building on a foil-lined pan means instant cleanup: Bring the pan right to the table after broiling, and discard the foil after dinner.

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Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas

Credit: Hector Maneul Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas Recipe

Collards pair well with this chile sauce, but you can substitute other hearty greens too, like kale. To easily prep collard greens, simply submerge the leaves in a sink full of cold water, swish them around, then let them soak for a few minutes so the grit falls to the bottom of the sink. If using kale, be sure to remove the tough, fibrous stems before chopping—they're not so good for eating.

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Skillet Nacho Dip

Credit: Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Skillet Nacho Dip Recipe

We combined our favorite elements of cheesy queso dip and loaded beef nachos into one epic skillet dish.

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Shrimp "Ceviche" Tostadas

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Shrimp "Ceviche" Tostadas Recipe

Sunset reader Robin Martinez, of Bend, Oregon, gave us this recipe for a cheater's version of ceviche, made by mixing cooked shrimp with a lime dressing. She serves it on tostada shells, but it would also work as a dip, with chips served on the side.

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Shrimp and Bacon Quesadillas

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Shrimp and Bacon Quesadillas Recipe

Pile crisp bacon, bright shrimp, and gooey cheese to create the most perfect quesadilla. Serve with avocado, salsa, and sour cream and it will be photo-ready in no time.

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Elote-Style Corn with Cotija and Spicy Cilantro Cream

Credit: Stephen Devries; Food Styling: Erin Merhar

Elote-Style Corn with Cotija and Spicy Cilantro Cream Recipe

The mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, chile powder, and cumin makes for a flavorful spread over the corn. Sprinkle with a blend of Cotija cheese, cilantro, chives, and amachur powder for an authentic bite.

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Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Sheet Pan Beef and Black Bean Nachos Recipe

Load up the nachos on a baking sheet, then bring straight to the table for easy serving and a great presentation. While we love melted shredded cheese, we found that it makes the nachos a bit unwieldy. Instead, a creamy cheese sauce coats each chip and makes it easier to separate from the pack. Topping potential is endless, but we like sliced avocado and jalapeño.

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Pulled Pork Barbecue Nachos

Credit: Helen Dujardin; Styling: Mindi Shapiro

Pulled Pork Barbecue Nachos Recipe

Brighten up your evening with fresh and colorful layered nachos made with our famous pulled pork.

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Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas Recipe

Chipotles can be a touch spicy, but you can use only half of what's called for to decrease heat and still get great smoky flavor.

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Esquites (Creamy Corn Salad)

Credit: Christopher Testani; Styling: Paige Hicks

Esquites (Creamy Corn Salad) Recipe

Esquites is a cousin to elote--that street food favorite of creamy cheese-coated corn cobs. You can also find this off-the-cob version with Mexican street food vendors. It's great on its own or served as a side dish with grilled meats.

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

These enchiladas are a cinch to assemble and easy to freeze--just cover one of the pans with foil. If you plan to serve a crowd, bake in one (13 x 9-inch) baking dish. The chicken stays moist throughout baking and reheating, thanks to a gentle poach and a creamy verde sauce. Fresh cilantro stems have tons of flavor; make sure to include them in the sauce.

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Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Trade the traditional enchilada sauce for a creamy, cheesy topping on this Mexican chicken casserole recipe. Your family will never know they're enjoying a lightened meal.

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20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Quick tip: While the sauce cooks, shred the chicken. For a spicy kick, top with chopped jalapeños.

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Roasted Poblano Queso

Credit: Stephen Karlisch

Roasted Poblano Queso Recipe

Roasting the jalapeño and poblano chiles makes for an authentic flavor you'll love.

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Chicken-and-Black Bean Chimichangas

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Chicken-and-Black Bean Chimichangas Recipe

Upgrade your burritos by crisping them in a skillet.

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Beef and Bean Taco Salad

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Beef and Bean Taco Salad Recipe

To help keep the tortillas in the shape of a bowl, keep the ramekins on the pan when you flip the tortillas over, and use them as supports to help prop up the tortilla bowls.

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Cheesy Chicken Fajitas 

Credit: Victor Protasio; Styling: Paige Hicks

Cheesy Chicken Fajitas  Recipe

Chicken taco meets 7-layer dip in this fiesta of a skillet supper. You can swap in black beans or kidney beans for the pintos. For extra zest, serve with cilantro and lime wedges. Savor all the flavors of Taco Tuesday without any of the guilt. You can easily make vegetarian fajitas by removing the chicken and adding sliced zucchini, diced carrots and potatoes. Convert taco night into a buffet taco bar and let everyone build their own fajita.

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