I don’t know about you, but I believe one of the most exciting and flavorful cuisines out there is authentic Mexican. What’s more, nearly every family member finds some part of this cultural food enjoyable. So, it only makes sense that every home cook arm themselves with at least one good Mexican cookbook.
Here are 10 delightful and varied Mexican cookbooks that just might deserve a spot in your kitchen.
Mexican Everydayby Rick Bayless
Number of Recipes: 90Best For: Anyone wanting delicious Mexican cuisine in under 30 minutes.Purchase via: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books
If you crave authentic Mexican cuisine but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen, Rick Bayless’ Mexican Everyday is the best Mexican cookbook for you! It contains 90 delicious, nutritionally-balanced recipes that require 30 minutes or less to make. Bayless carefully crafted this highly accessible book to feature easy-to-find ingredients, streamlined preparation, and step-by-step recipes. Even the most novice cooks in the kitchen can successfully create Mexican masterpieces with this cookbook.
Mexican Everyday covers staples like tacos and enchiladas as well as more ambitious dishes like Grilled Red Chile Steak with Sweet Plantains. It even includes recipes for a variety of salsas and guacamole.
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Simple Food, Big Flavorby Aaron Sanchez
Number of Recipes: 75Best For: Any novice cook looking to explore Mexican food in their home kitchen.
Food Network star Aarón Sánchez’s passion and creativity have earned him a spot among the world’s top contemporary chefs. With Simple Food, Big Flavor, Sanchez brings his skills into your own kitchen in a fun and flavorful way. Unlike some cookbooks that overwhelm you with complicated dishes, Sanchez keeps things simple. These 75 fun and flavorful recipes are easily accessible to anyone in their home kitchen.
Once you start implementing these recipes into your weekly menu, your kitchen will most definitely be en fuego (in a good way)!
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Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchenby Gonzalo Guzman & Adimando
Number of Recipes: 100Best For: Someone who desires truly authentic recipes.Purchase via: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books
Convincing someone to try new cultural cuisine might be a fairly easy task, but teaching people how to cook it is an entirely different beast. However, chef and restaurant owner Gonzalo Guzmán takes you thoughtfully through his family-style recipes in this delightful cookbook. You’ll enjoy every single recipe in this one, not to mention the delightful pictures. Each recipe is listed in its traditional Spanish name and the English translation, and the sections work their way from smaller to larger entrees, beverages, desserts, and finally a massive chapter on salsas.
This book includes many fundamental techniques required for preparing authentic Mexican cuisine and great insights into Mexican food and culture. If you pride yourself on authentic preparation, this is the cookbook for you.
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Mexican Slow Cooker Cookbookby Marye Audet
Number of Recipes: 80
Marye Audet helps you bring Mexican flavors to the table without hours in the kitchen with her in Mexican Slow Cooker Cookbook. This is the best Mexican slow cooker cookbook for everything from cheese dip to tamales. Audet also includes hearty soups, tender meat meals, and flavorful casseroles. My family has devoured every dish I’ve made from this cookbook!
Mexican Slow Cooker Cookbook also tells you the best way to fill your pantry for Mexican cooking and helpful hints for working with chiles!
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My Sweet Mexicoby Fany Gerson
Number of Recipes: 100Best For: Anyone craving authentic Mexican pastries and other treats.Purchase via: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books
After years of traveling and sampling sweets throughout Mexico, Fany Gerson compiled a delightful collection of signature desserts from her homeland. Gerson enthusiastically explains the significance of indigenous ingredients and the wonderful results of combining these items with Spanish troves like wheat, cinnamon, cow’s milk, and sugar cane. From churros to paletas, Gerson covers it all. There’s even an extensive section on Mexican breads!
The best part of this particular cookbook is the way in which Gerson fuses scholarly research with her personal love of Mexican food. Many hail My Sweet Mexico as a potential saving grace of Mexican pastries, which see less and less love as our world industrializes.
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Mexico: The Cookbookby Margarita Carillo Arronte
Number of Recipes: 700Best For: Someone looking for an extensive collection that spans the entire country of Mexico.Purchase via: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Mexico: The Cookbook is the first truly comprehensive collection of authentic Mexican home cooking that showcases the diversity of Mexican cuisine and spans the entire country. Margarita Carillo Arronte invested over 30 years into research and preparation for this 700-recipe best Mexican cookbook. From snacks and street foods to meats and accompaniments, this book has it all. Recipes are arranged by food type, and the cookbook also contains an extensive introduction to the history of Mexican cuisine with beautiful pictures.
One of the most impressive parts of this book is the “Chef Menu” section. It contains inspirational recipes by some of the world’s most notable Mexican chefs. Mexico: The Cookbook is truly the Mexican cookbook bible.
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Viva Vegan!by Terry Hope Romero
Number of Recipes: 200Best For: Any vegans craving Mexican cuisine.Purchase via: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books
Terry Hope Romero is somewhat of a legend in the vegan cooking world, so it’s no surprise that she’s whipped up one of the best Mexican cookbooks on the market! With an incredible collection of 200 recipes, this cookbook contains a variety of meals for people at any skill level on the cooking spectrum. If you feel like a novice, try her rice-and-bean or cultural salads. If you feel more comfortable in your culinary abilities, try rolling some homemade empanada dough.
The best part about this cookbook is all of Romero’s masterful methods to help us create those familiar textures and tastes with only plant-based items. This is a must-have for any vegan or vegetarian out there!
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The Essential Mexican Instant Pot Cookbookby Deborah Schneider
Number of Recipes: 75Best For: Anyone who loves using an Instant Pot to save time.Purchase via: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books
This amazing instant pot cookbook by Deborah Schneider will have you serving up the exciting flavors of Mexico in minutes! The Essential Mexican Instant Pot Cookbook includes delicious, straightforward recipes for Mexican favorites like hearty posole soup, flan, stuffed tamales, and much more! Also, there’s an entire section dedicated to sauces and salsas!
If you’re a fan of Mexican cuisine but lack the time to sweat over enchiladas, The Essential Mexican Instant Pot Cookbook will save you time while still providing delicious dinners.
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Fiestas: Tidbits, Margaritas & Moreby Marcela Valladolid
Number of Recipes: 75Best For: Anyone who loves whipping up delightful foreign fare and entertaining guests.Purchase via: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books
Marcela Valladolid captures the spirit of her Mexican-American upbringing, her love of celebration, and mouthwatering recipes in Fiestas: Tidbits, Margaritas & More. She begins with party-planning tips like tone setting, serving family-style, and having fun. The book also covers all the essentials for a perfect party: drinks, nibbles, and sweets. Marcela keeps the recipes simple, easy, festive, and fresh. She even includes great options for people looking to serve healthier fare.
Some of the must-try recipes in this best Mexican cookbook include: Picadillo Lettuce Cups, Spicy Chimichurri, Chickpea Ceviche Tostadas, and of course Strawberry Basil Cardamom Margaritas.
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Turnip Greens & Tortillasby Eddie Hernández
Best For: Anyone who enjoys fusion food!Purchase via: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books
Fast-casual food expert Eddie Hernandez delightfully combines southern comfort with Mexican flair in this fusion cookbook, Turnip Greens & Tortillas. It’s no surprise that this book makes our list of best Mexican cookbooks as Hernandez serves as the executive chef of the famous Taqueria del Sol in Atlanta. This book stays true to the thought that “in Mexico, [people] eat what [they] like and don’t worry about what is authentic to this cuisine or that.” This book begins with explanations of all the equipment, produce, and other ingredients you need for these flavorful dishes, then dives into the dishes themselves.
With dishes like Memphis barbecue pork tacos, chicken pot pie served in a puffed tortilla, turnip greens spiked with spicy chiles, or the refreshing “Eddie Palmer,” this cookbook will definitely tickle your tastebuds in all the right ways!
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What are the Best Mexican Cookbooks for Your Kitchen?
Whether you’re looking for quick, easy-to-prepare meals or fun and flavorful fusion dishes, this list of Mexican cookbooks contains something for everyone. Furthermore, each of these cookbooks are available in both hard copy and digital formats from multiple retailers. Who wants Mexican for dinner tonight?
Photo by Rosalind Chang on Unsplash