40+ Cinco de Mayo Appetizers to Get the Party Started

Restaurant-Style Salsa Recipe

Just like the dip at your favorite Mexican restaurant—only better! This fresh and spicy homemade salsa makes a big batch, but trust us, it won't last long. 

Tamale Bites Recipe

Making homemade tamales is quite an undertaking. These little bites give you that same combination of soft, steamy masa dough and rich filling. To shave off even more time, use cooked chorizo instead of making a pork filling.

Quick and Easy Nachos Recipe

This platter of goodness represents the lowest-effort end of the homemade nachos spectrum. That said, "low-effort"—by no stretch of the imagination—means a low YUM-factor here. This Cinco de Mayo-perfect platter of beefy, cheesy nachos comes together quickly and relies largely on store-bought shortcuts.

Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas Recipe

Everyone loves enchiladas but all that rolling and filling can be a little labor-intensive on a busy weeknight. So we figured out a way to bake up a pan of delicious mini enchiladas in three easy steps! First, tuck small flour tortillas into two muffin pans and bake until browned to make crispy shells.

Skillet Nacho Dip Recipe

We took our favorite elements of cheesy queso dip and loaded beef nachos and combined the two into one epic skillet nacho dip, a one-pan main that couldn't be more fun to eat.

Air-Fried Empanadas Recipe

Traditional meat-filled empanadas can be a double-whammy of fat and calories due to ground beef and a trip to the deep fryer; This air fryer twist is even healthier thanks to the addition of mushrooms, which lighten the filling while keeping it nice and moist.

Queso-Filled Mini Peppers Recipe

Tortilla chips usually go hand-in-hand with queso, but mini sweet peppers make a tasty and colorful bite-sized vessel for the rich cheese dip. Don't worry if the queso looks a little broken when the cheese melts in the evaporated milk, the cream cheese will make it smooth again. Pickled jalapeños add a tangy note to the dip, but if you like your queso extra spicy, use finely chopped fresh jalapeños instead.

Basic Cheese Dip Recipe

Say hello to our best-ever basic cheese dip. So creamy, decadently cheesy, and perfectly easy to whip up at a moment's notice, this simple cheese dip recipe is the one to keep on hand to address any and every queso craving.

Citrus-Cilantro Salsa Recipe

Salsa gets a kick thanks to the addition of red grapefruit, navel oranges, and pomegranate anrils. Cilantro doesn't always appear in salsa, but here, paired with the tart fruits, it creates an explosive flavor that's equally good as a dip and a garnish. Lime juice, red onion and chopped jalapeño bring everything together. 

Jalapeño Popper Dip Recipe

Creamy cheese, crisp bacon, and spicy jalapeño. What more could you want in a dip?

Pineapple-Chile Salsa Recipe

Sweet and spicy, this tropical treat is a perfect topping for tacos and grilled pork. If you don't want to fuss with a whole pineapple, pick up pre-cubed or cored pineapple in your grocery's produce section. Be sure to serve this salsa at room temperature for the most flavor. If making ahead, stir in cilantro just before serving.

Simply the Best Guacamole Recipe

Always remember: The best guacamole is the simplest guacamole. 

Fresh Peach Salsa Recipe

If you need to use up a bunch of fresh peaches, this simple and delicious peach salsa recipe has you covered. The blend of sweet peaches, jalapeños, cilantro, and red onion makes for a summery twist on traditional tomato-based salsas.

Roasted Poblano Queso Recipe

Ever gotten your same old queso from the grocery store as a quick fix and find yourself wishing you had the warm, melty goodness of a homemade, authentic queso? Here's your new go-to recipe for a roasted poblano queso that gives the perfect balance of gooey cheese and Latin flavors.

Beef Taquitos Recipe

These easy Beef Taquitos are super crunchy, salty, and tasty—basically everything you want in an appetizer. They're great to serve the kids and their friends after school, or with a cold beer on the patio on a weekend. If you don't care for beef, feel free to use ground turkey or pork instead. Warming the tortilla before wrapping helps it keep its structure and prevents ripping. Dip an extra tortilla in the oil before frying your first batch, and make sure the tortilla immediately sizzles to ensure that the temperature is high enough. Serve with salsa, guac, sour cream, and Mexican beer.

Yellow Corn Salsa Recipe

A simple and sunny combination of sweet summer corn, yellow squash, onion, and jalapeño make a delicious earthy-sweet salsa, perfect for topping tacos, adding to burrito bowls, and creating the yellow band of our vibrant "Rainbow" Salsa. 

Spicy Grilled Corn Salad Recipe

Elote, Mexican-style street corn, inspired this tangy, smoky, slightly creamy side dish. Three jalapeños give this salad a real kick; make it milder by substituting mini sweet peppers. Serve this salad by itself at a cookout or alongside grilled flank steak and warm tortillas for an easy taco night.

Chile con Queso Recipe

Back in 1939, Sunset published a dip recipe from reader M.K.C. of Elk Grove, California, for La Salsa con Queso--"a lively dish from Mexico," it was described, made with canned tomatoes, diced American cheese, and a whisper of fresh chile.

Zucchini Empanadas Recipe

You can roast and peel the poblano chile up to 1 week before you make this filling. Letting the filling chill before assembling the empanadas congeals the liquids--an essential step to ensuring the pies are properly formed.

Watermelon Salsa Recipe

Packed with subtle sweetness and heat, this watermelon salsa is a perfect accessory for grilled steak, chicken, or pork. Watermelon and jalapeños may seem like an odd combination, but both flavors complement each other spectacularly. Additional ingredients like nectarine, lime juice, and cilantro keep this mixture from tasting too much like watermelon. If you have more time, make sure the cilantro is chopped thinly and that the watermelon cubes are small enough so nothing will get stuck in anyone's teeth or dampen the presentation.Try it with something salty, like chicken marinated in soy sauce or flank steak. 

Sheet Pan Nachos with Chorizo and Refried Beans Recipe

Messy? Maybe. Worth it? Yes. The secret to fully loaded nachos that won't fall apart in your lap? A mixture of salsa and refried beans acts like the "glue" to help the toppings stick to the tortilla chips.

Mexican Corn Salad Recipe

Mexican street corn morphs into an epic salad in this dish. Beautiful to behold, this salad shines thanks to the combination of colors and textures—crisp golden corn, juicy cherry tomatoes, peppery radishes, and creamy nuggets of cheese.

Mexican Street Corn with Crema Recipe

If you're in the market for a new favorite easy summer side dish, Mexican Street Corn is everything you've been waiting for. As if grilled corn on the cob isn't delicious enough in its purest form, this flavor packed recipe balances the naturally sweet corn smoky chili powder and brightness from fresh cilantro.

7-Layer Mexican Dip Recipe

This is one of the most popular appetizer recipes for a reason! The fiesta will never end with this 7-Layer Mexican Dip. Your Cinco de Mayo guests will thank you.

Chili-Chorizo Nachos Recipe

Our version of this bar food favorite has half the sat fat, 450mg less sodium, and double the fiber compared to the classic. Notorious for being a calorie-and-sodium bomb, I gave these nachos a virtuous spin, slashing both calories and sodium by 40% without sacrificing their indulgent nature.

Super Crispy Chicken-Skin Nachos Recipe

For a show-stopping appetizer, these unlikely nachos are just what you need. If you have a local market that butchers their own meat, they will likely be able to sell you chicken skins for cheap. You can use either the thigh skins or the breast skins here, both will work great.

Street Corn Salad Recipe

Mexican street corn salad, also known as esquites, combines the fresh flavors of summer in a bright, citrusy and irresistible dish. This summery side gets a pop of sweetness from the fresh corn kernels and a creamy, salty component from the crumbled cotija cheese. With just a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, the flavorful ingredients come together in one balanced bowl. This simple salad is easy to whip up for a last-minute cookout, and it can easily lighten up any heavy summer meal. 

Spicy Chorizo Monkey Bread Recipe

Slightly spicy, cheesy and rich, this savory twist on monkey bread is tender on the inside and crispy on top. Fresh chorizo can be found at the grocery store or Mexican market, and the drippings are a perfect binding agent in the bread. 

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites Recipe

In my hometown, you'll find a local twist on sausage balls, the ubiquitous Southern nibble. Sweet potato farmers' wives often mix a bit of roasted sweet potato into the dough. I've switched out breakfast sausage for peppery Mexican-style chorizo.

Black Bean Dip Recipe

Use leftover dip as a spread for sandwiches or burritos, or stir into a bean soup or chili for added body.

Southwest Black-Eyed Pea Dip Recipe

This cheesy appetizer will be the talk of any game day gathering. We took the ingredients in Texas caviar (a classic chilled Southern dip made with black-eyed peas) and turned them into a warm and gooey multi-layered dip topped with diced tomatoes, zesty cilantro, and spicy jalapeños.

Elote Corn Pudding Recipe

This creamy side is inspired by the iconic Mexican street corn snack. It gets lots of flavor from salty Cotija cheese; look for it with other Mexican cheeses in your grocery store. Or you can substitute queso fresco or feta cheese or grated Romano cheese.

Easy Chili-Bean Dip Recipe

Get your dip on with this super easy, 7-ingredient Tex-Mex dip. Just combine your ingredients and heat them together on the stove. Then top the creamy dip with any cheese – we love sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or queso fresco – along with black olives, green onion, and anything else that strikes your fancy. If you can't find canned pico, you can use Rotel diced tomatoes, instead.

Goat Cheese Queso Dip with Vegetable Chips Recipe

This warm, tangy twist on fundido is perfect with sparkling wine; the bubbles help cut through the richness. We pair with veggie chips, but you can also serve with crudités for a fresher take.

Strawberry-Shallot Salsa Recipe

Sweet strawberries mingle with lime and nutty coriander in this fresh take on salsa. Try this vibrant sauce spooned over pan-seared halibut or sprinkled with feta over grilled pork-and-zucchini kabobs.

Air-Fried Jalapeño Poppers Recipe

The air-fryer jalapeño poppers allow you to enjoy everything you love about crispy pepper poppers without all of the not-so-lovable mess that comes with deep-frying.

Flamin' Hot Cheetos Stuffed Jalapeños Recipe

What do you get when you cross the most virally popular snack on the chip aisle with one of the most beloved appetizers of all time? Obviously, the hottest snacketizer around. 

Cheesy Taco Jalapeño Poppers with Cilantro-Lime Crema Recipe

Beefy, cheesy, taco-tasting poppers that are deep-fried and delicious... what more could you ask for in an appetizer? Cilantro-Lime Crema adds the perfect amount of balancing brightness, making these poppers something to remember.

Everything Cream Cheese Jalapeño Poppers Recipe

We all know that the addictiveness of the savory everything spice blend is amplified when paired with smooth cream cheese. Each popper is bursting with flavor and a variety of optional toppings keeps each bite interesting (and makes for a gorgeous platter).

Sheet Pan Beefy Nachos Recipe

If you have young kids serving themselves, lift the nachos off the pan with the parchment paper (and remove the hot pan from the table). For the creamiest nacho sauce, start with a block of cheese and shred it yourself.

Bulgur-Stuffed Mini Peppers Recipe

In the heat of summer, you'll be thankful for this raw, fresh, crunchy appetizer you can easily make ahead for guests. To keep things raw, we "cooked" the bulgur with a simple soak, where the grain is covered with warm tap water and sits for 30 minutes.

Easiest Baked Taquitos Recipe

There's just something so good about this simple, satisfying lunch. It's cheesy, chewy, meaty, and indulgent enough to make kids and parents alike excited about lunchtime. They're just as satisfying as the fried version, and they're even good cold.