3 Authentic Mexican Dishes You Have to Try

Hankering after some authentic, spicy, and damn right delicious Mexican dishes? You’ve come to the right place. New to cooking the classics or looking to mix up your usual recipes? These are all worth your time and will soon be regular features in your cooking repertoire.

Caldo de Res (Mexican Beef Soup)

Classic Mexican flavors boiled down into a broth with a deepness and warmth you’ll be demanding whenever you feel like you need warming up. In fact, you’ll be after a bowl whenever you get the chance. From the Spanish for broth (caldo) and beef (res), this beef broth is quite unlike any of your usual tinned or carton soup.

Ingredients

There are three core ingredients to this Caldo de Res recipe, beef, bone broth, and vegetables. You’ve got a lot of flexibility on the vegetables, but if you’re going traditional, you’ll want to include chopped potatoes and corn on the cob.

Instructions

• Start off by boiling the beef in a large stock pot alongside garlic, bay leaves, and salt. This not only cooks the beef but also begins the base of your soup.
• Once the beef is cooked, remove the aromatics, add bouillon (if required), and then the vegetables.
• Add in mint, jalapeno, and cilantro for authentic flavoring.
• Make sure to season to taste, and then serve with herbs to garnish, tortillas, and lime juice.

Caldo de Res Recipe Tips

You’ll likely need to tend to the soup regularly, skimming off foam and also removing any bones if you’re using cuts of beef with the bone still in. We’d recommend doing so as even with the extra work; the bones impart a deep, unctuous flavor you just won’t get with lean meat.

Albondigas (Meatball Soup)

A favorite in both Mexico and mainland Spanish tapas. Albondigas can be served in a high-liquid soup or with a thicker sauce (think marinara).

The important part here is to season the meat with the proper selection of herbs and spices, don’t skimp, or you’ll end up with a lackluster bowl. Remember, Mexican food is meant to pack a punch.

Ingredients

In this instance, we’re assuming you’re going for the traditional Mexican soup style.

For the meatballs themselves, you’ll need ground meat (either pork or beef), long grain rice, mint, a paste made from eggs, onions, garlic, seasoning, and finally, chicharron. The broth is made from a base of tomato, onion, and garlic, a chicken or beef broth, and then filled with vegetables. Authentic herbs cilantro, oregano, and mint are added as aromatics alongside jalapenos.

Instructions

Meatballs

• Blend everything into a paste (except the meat).
• Mix it all together.
• Shape into balls.

Broth

• Blend up the tomatoes, garlic, and onion into a paste and fry.
• Add in the broth and vegetables and simmer.

Soup

• Add in the meatballs and herbs for about 20 minutes.

Albondigas Recipe Tips

You might not be used to cooking meat in a broth, especially ground meat; if that’s the case, invest in a probe thermometer and look for an internal temperature of 165°F for individual meatballs.

Beef Empanadas

A classic Mexican dish that you’ve likely tried before, but crafting your own delivers a sense of gratification and taste that you simply won’t get from eating someone else’s. Yes, they take a bit of work but consider it a labor of love, and one which you, your friends, and your family will thank you for.

Ingredients

You’ll need empanada for this recipe (unsurprisingly); it’s entirely your choice if you’re feeling confident enough to make your own or use store-bought.

There’s no shame in using store-bought; it’s delicious and saves time. The real flavor comes from the beef, which you’ll get from a tri-tip cut slow-cooked with onions and covered in a salsa verde. If you want to add a level of decadence, add in some sharp cheddar when making the parcels.

Instructions

• Slow-cook the beef in an instant pot or in a slow cooker. Pressure cookers will reduce cooking time.
• Shred or roughly chop the beef.
• Don’t overfill your empanada parcels with 1-3 tablespoons of beef.
• Make sure to coat the rims with an egg wash so they stick together, and then fold in half, crimp with a fork to seal, and egg wash all over.
• 20-25 minutes will be enough for a good bake or look for a golden brown color.
• Serve with chimichurri or salsa.

Beef Empanadas Recipe Tips

The quality of the beef really is key here. Try and get the best that you can. Treat it as you would a good steak and look to lock in flavor during the cooking process. Tri-tip roast is going to be a great option with a nice balance of marbling. It’s a really tough cut, not really suitable for a typical roast cook, but is perfect for slow cooking.

Key Takeaways

This is a mere toe-dip into the ocean of incredible authentic Mexican dishes. They are, however, a great starting point and ones that I’d highly recommend you try. If you’re looking for more inspiration consider Mexican Rice or Enchiladas Suiza.

• Don’t hold back on seasoning and spices, these really are the hallmarks of Mexican cuisine.
• Always be open to serving with salsas, tortillas, cheese, and chillies.