13 Best Side Dishes for Mexican Food
If you're in the mood for Mexican cuisine but don't know exactly what you want to pair with succulent skirt steak or your homemade tamales, we've got just the list for you. From queso to elote, we've got a diverse roundup of Mexican side dishes to add to your Rolodex of recipes.
Now, here are the 13 best side dishes for when you want to make Mexican food.
Stuffed Jalapeños
Do you know what would pair beautifully with your chicken tacos with salsa verde? Stuffed jalapeños! These aren't just any stuffed peppers, though, as these poppers are filled with cream cheese and Mexican-style chorizo, and then blanketed with melted Monterey Jack cheese.
Get our recipe for Cheese and Chorizo Stuffed Jalapeños.
Grilled Mexican-Style Corn
Also known as elote or Mexican street corn, this is a Mexican side dish you can easily make right at home. In our recipe, grilled corn is dressed in just mayo—as opposed to a combination of mayo and butter—and topped with chili powder and finely grated parmesan cheese in place of cotija.
Get our recipe for Grilled Mexican-Style Corn.
Queso Fundido
What is more perfect than a bowl of piping hot cheese with minced vegetables soaking it all in? Grab a bag of your favorite tortilla chips and get scooping with this side!
Get our recipe for Queso Fundido.
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
This light chicken tortilla soup makes for a delicious Mexican side dish! Maybe for dinner tonight you can whip up crispy quesadillas with guacamole and then pour a small bowl of this warming soup on the side? That sounds delicious to us!
Get our recipe for Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Guacamole
Guacamole pairs well with just about anything, which makes it the most compatible Mexican side dish for a wide variety of foods. In addition to using it as a dip or side, you can also use it as a spread on burgers, too! For dessert, try our recipes for three different Mexican Paletas, which are creamy, fruit-packed popsicles!
Get our recipe for Best-Ever Guacamole.
7-Layer Dip
While not necessarily authentic, 7-layer dip does include some popular ingredients in Mexican cuisine such as black beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, and chili powder.
Get our recipe for 7-Layer Dip.
Steak Nachos
Whether you eat this Mexican-inspired dish on the side or as an appetizer, one thing is for certain: it's typically very high in calories and fat. Thankfully, our recipe veers on the side of healthy, which means there is less cheese, no sour cream, and more fresh vegetables.
Get our recipe for Mouthwatering Steak Nachos.
Pico De Gallo
What true Mexican dish is complete without some cilantro-laden pico de gallo offered on the side?
Get our recipe for Pico de Gallo.
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Any salad with quinoa in it is chock-full of protein, and this one makes for an excellent side dish to our healthy Mexican hot dogs recipe. In our recipe, we add in chicken to boost the protein if you're going to eat it for a lunch or dinner meal, but you could easily take out the chicken and make it vegetarian to keep it as a healthy side dish instead!
Get our recipe for Mexican Quinoa Salad.
Rice and Beans
This savory plate of rice and beans will no doubt pair well with your pork chile verde main dish.
Get the recipe from Live Eat Learn.
Mexican Salad
Say you're indulging in something a bit heavier such as our red chile chicken enchiladas and feel the need to pair it with something that's low in carbs and vibrant in greens on the side. This salad is no doubt your best bet.
Get the recipe from Gimme Some Oven.
Avocado and Black Bean Salad
Pair this avocado and bean salad with our authentic chicken mole enchiladas for a delicious, high protein dinner. The secret to this side dish's distinctive flavor? Lime-cumin vinaigrette.
Get the recipe from Averie Cooks.
Mexican Pasta Salad
Black beans, sweet corn, red bell pepper, and cilantro—how much more refreshing can this pasta salad get? Because this side is higher in carbs, you'll want to pair it with a lower-in-carb main dish such as our Mexican steak salad.
Get the recipe from Show Me The Yummy.
