50 Vegan Mexican Recipes

Introduction

Mexican cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in the United States. However, many "Mexican" dishes are either native to the Southwestern United States or are Tex-Mex foods.

Here are 50 vegan Mexican recipes that range from traditional Mexican recipes to dishes focused on Mexican ingredients, including but not limited to the following.

1. Vegan Burritos
2. Rice and Beans
3. Chiles Rellenos
4. Vegan Tamales
5. Jalapeño Poppers

For authentic vegan Mexican recipes, I recommend checking out Dora's Table.

1. Vegan Burritos

Let’s start with some burritos. Here is a vegan refried bean burrito recipe from The Stingy Vegan.

2. Rice and Beans

Who likes a bean and rice combo with your tacos? Try some vegan rice and beans from Nora Cooks.

3. Chiles Rellenos

Chiles rellenos translates to mean stuffed chiles in English. Here are some vegan stuffed chiles from Dora’s Table.

4. Vegan Tamales

I’m pretty amazed by how tamales are made because who would have thought of putting corn husks on top to make them cook better? Have some vegan tamales thanks to Plant-Based on a Budget.

5. Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeños are a significant food staple in Mexico. Enjoy some jalapeño poppers from Minimalist Baker.

6. Mexican Street Corn

Like Iowan cuisine, Mexican cuisine has a lot of corn. Try some vegan Mexican street corn from The Edgy Veg.

7. Menudo

Menudo is a type of Mexican soup. Have some vegan menudo from Eat Figs, Not Pigs.

You may like these soup recipes.

8. Buñuelos

Buñuelos are Mexican fritters. Try some vegan buñuelos from Broke Bank Vegan.

9. Mushroom Carnitas

If you’re a fan of pork, you should try carnitas, aka Mexican version of shredded, roasted pork. Here are some vegan carnitas from Vegan Richa.

10. Vegan Queso

Even though queso is cheese in English, when somebody requests some queso, they’re usually referring to a spicy cheese dip that’s served at a lot of Mexican restaurants. Here is a vegan queso dip recipe from Cookie and Kate.

11. Tequila Lime Chickpea Soup

Who wants some tequila? I won’t notice if you put some extra tequila in some vegan Mexican chickpea soup from Veggies Don’t Bite.

12. Jackfruit Tinga Quesadillas or Tacos

Which do you prefer: quesadillas or tacos? Why not have both with these jackfruit tinga quesadilla and taco recipes from hot for food?

If you want some more tacos, check out my blog post about vegan taco recipes.

13. Taquitos

Despite taquitos meaning “mini tacos,” taquitos are rolled up while the tacos I know are either in hard shells or are just folded. Have some vegan taquitos from The Curious Chickpea.

14. Black Bean Empanadas

I first had empanadas in Spanish class. These pastries are famous across Mexico, Spain, and a good chunk of Latin America. Here are some vegan black bean empanadas from Connoisseurus Veg.

15. Stuffed Avocados

An avocado is a Mexican fruit that is commonly used as a recipe topper. In other words, I’m not so familiar with recipes that focus on the wonders of avocados.

Fortunately, I found this vegan stuffed avocado recipe from The Simple Veganista.

16. Watermelon Agua Fresca

I stayed at a Mexican resort when I was a freshman in high school, and the one thing that captivated me was the endless assortment of fruit juices. If you’re a juice fan, you may like this vegan non-alcoholic watermelon agua fresca from Mexican Made Meatless.

For more watermelon recipes, here’s my blog post about vegan watermelon recipes.

17. Bean and Cheese Chimichangas

Basically, chimichangas are deep-fried burritos. For some inspiration, make this vegan bean and cheese chimichanga recipe from Bohemian Vegan Kitchen.

18. Guacamole

Even though guacamole is technically a sauce, it’s pretty much an avocado dip because so many people eat it with tortilla chips, especially in the USA. Try making vegan guacamole with the help of Loving It Vegan.

19. Refried Beans

Be careful if you’re buying any canned refried beans because they tend to be made with lard, meaning they’re neither vegan nor vegetarian. In other words, only buy store-bought refried beans that are labeled vegetarian, or else they probably aren’t vegan.

If you would rather make some homemade vegan refried beans, try these refried beans from Cookie and Kate.

20. Street Corn Nachos

Who’s in the mood for some nachos? Here are some vegan street corn nachos from Rabbit and Wolves.

If you like corn, check out my vegan corn blog post.

21. Huevos a la Mexicana

Here is a Mexican breakfast recipe for you. Make some vegan huevos a la mexicana (Mexican scrambled eggs) from Broke Bank Vegan.

Make some brunch at home thanks to my blog post on vegan breakfast recipes.

22. Black Bean, Potato, and Corn Enchiladas

If you like enchiladas as much as I do, here’s a go-to enchilada recipe for you. Try these vegan enchiladas from Plantifully Based.

23. Taco Dip

Even though 7-layer taco dip is a Tex-Mex appetizer, not a Mexican one, this recipe demonstrates the influence of Mexican cuisine on other cultures and countries. Make this vegan 7-layer taco dip from Minimalist Baker.

In addition to Cinco de Mayo, 7-layer taco dip is a great idea to have at graduation parties, as seen in my blog post about vegan graduation party recipes.

24. Chorizo

Chorizo is a type of sausage that was invented in Spain and brought to Mexico after it became a Spanish colony. Try some vegan Mexican chorizo from Dora’s Table.

25. Mexican Nacho Burger

The idea of a nacho burger fascinated me so much that I had to include it in this blog post. Here’s a vegan Mexican nacho burger from Veggies Don’t Bite.

For more burger ideas, read my blog post about plant-based burger recipes.

26. Michelada

Who wants a Bloody Mary ahora mismo? A spicier alternative is a vegan Michelada from Vegan in the Freezer.

27. Tortilla Soup

Another Mexican soup is tortilla soup. Try this vegan tortilla soup from Running on Real Food.

28. Mexican Wedding Cookies

Mexican wedding cookies look a lot like snowballs. Here are some vegan Mexican wedding cookies from Mindful Avocado.

If you’re a cookie lover, you may also like my blog post on vegan cookie recipes.

29. Tortillas

If you haven’t noticed yet, tons of Mexican dishes revolve around tortilla shells, so I recommend taking the time to find one flour tortilla recipe and a corn tortilla recipe that you make over buying store-bought tortilla shells.

For example, here’s a vegan flour tortilla shell recipe from Make It Dairy Free.

30. Black Bean Dip

Black beans are very popular in Mexico and the rest of Latin America. Try this vegan black bean dip from I Heart Vegetables.

31. Churros

Churros are not only famous in Mexico but also are well-known throughout Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Philippines. Here are some vegan churros from The Big Man’s World.

32. Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

There are so many great ways to have stuffed potatoes. One is having vegan Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes from Nora Cooks.

33. Tres Leches Cake

Who likes cake? Here’s some vegan tres leches cake made with three types of milk from Carrots & Flowers.

If you want some more cake, then check out my blog post about vegan cake recipes.

34. Horchata

One of my siblings requested having a horchata recipe in this blog post. Here’s a vegan Mexican horchata recipe from Simple Vegan Blog.

35. Salsa Roja

Two common Mexican salsas are salsa roja and salsa verde. The main difference is salsa roja is red because it’s made with tomatoes while salsa verde is green due to its tomatillos.

Try some vegan salsa roja from Broke Bank Vegan.

36. Barbacoa

Did you know that American barbecue (BBQ) came from one of Mexico’s ways of cooking meat called barbacoa? Here is some vegan barbacoa from Minimalist Baker.

37. Mexican Crema

Even though crema means cream in English, Mexican crema is completely different from sour cream and whipped cream. Try some vegan Mexican crema from Mexican Made Meatless.

38. Tortilla Chips

I don’t get where my life would be today without all the times I’ve had tortilla chips. Here is a homemade tortilla chip recipe from Shane & Simple.

39. Pico de Gallo

Pico de gallo is a Mexican salsa that’s also known as salsa fresca. Try some vegan pico de gallo from Love and Lemons.

40. Pozole

I have one more traditional Mexican soup to share with you. Have some vegan pozole from The Simple Veganista.

Pozole is also popular in the United States, as seen in my blog post on vegan American recipes.

41. Green Chili Enchilada Soup

If you’re into soup and enchiladas, here’s an idea. Try some green chili enchilada soup from Vegan Richa.

42. Tequila Mule

A tequila mule is a Mexican variation of the Moscow mule. Here’s a vegan tequila mule recipe from Crowded Kitchen.

43. Mole Sauce

I have one more Mexican sauce recipe for you. Make some vegan mole sauce from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken.

44. Queso Fundido Mac and Cheese

The queso dip that’s famous in the USA is actually a part of Tex-Mex cuisine. The melted cheese sauce that’s really from Mexico is called queso fundido.

Here’s a vegan queso fundido mac and cheese recipe from Rabbit and Wolves, and if you want some more mac and cheese, here’s my blog post about vegan mac and cheese recipes.

45. Tlayudas

Tlayudas are kind of like pizza. Try some vegan tlayudas from Feasting at Home.

If you’re in the mood for some pizza, check out my blog post concerning vegan pizza recipes.

46. Huevos Rancheros

If huevos a la mexicana sounded good, you may also like huevos rancheros. Here are some vegan huevos rancheros from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken.

47. Enchiladas de Suelo

If you’re interested in making as authentic of vegan Mexican recipes as possible, I recommend checking out Dora’s Table. This blogger not only focuses on making traditional vegan Mexican recipes but also was born and raised in Mexico.

For instance, try her Sinaloa style enchiladas.

48. Mexican Hot Chocolate

I love hot chocolate. If you do too, try this vegan Mexican hot chocolate recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.

Who wants more hot cocoa?

49. Fajitas

If you like carnitas, fajitas may be for you. Here are some vegan fajitas from Mexican Made Meatless.

50. Churro “Unfried” Ice Cream

The last vegan Mexican recipe I have for you is also my favorite dish that I tried in high school Spanish: fried ice cream. Even though ice cream was invented elsewhere, fried ice cream became associated with Mexican cuisine because of Chi-Chi’s, a Mexican restaurant chain that’s now closed.

Make some vegan fried ice cream from Veggies Don’t Bite. Then, have more ice cream.

Bonus: 5 Ways to Get More Immersed in Mexican Culture

1. Support your local Mexican restaurant(s).
2. Shop at Mexican grocery stores.
3. Watch Mexican telenovelas. (I highly recommend La casa de las flores and ¿Quién mató a Sara? on Netflix.)
4. Travel to Mexico.
5. Learn Spanish.

Conclusion

Eating Mexican cuisine is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the tremendous influence that Mexico has on the United States, as well as the rest of the world. Food is a great way to build bridges and recognize how wonderful diversity is.

Mexican cuisine is one of my favorites because of being spicy and its variety. Even though my spice tolerance is pretty pathetic, I can always count on the wonders of tortilla chips with salsa if I make a Mexican dish that’s too spicy for me. ¡Nos vemos!