22 Copycat Mexican Restaurant Recipes (2024)

How to make your favorite easy Mexican food recipes inspired by your favorite restaurants

By: Adam Kaplan, Editor, AllFreeCopycatRecipes.com

From queso and guac to fajitas and churros, these 22 Copycat Mexican Restaurant Recipes are out of this world! There's nothing better than getting in a spicy mood with a little Mexican food. And there's so much more than just tacos to try, too.

Give one of these authentic Mexican restaurant recipes a try for dinner this week, and your whole family will be asking you to make it again and again! They're real crowd-pleasers. There's so much more to try besides Taco Bell and Chipotle.

Of course, we've included some of those Tex-Mex and fast-casual style recipes as well. Whatever food mood you're in, keep scrolling and you'll find what you're looking for!

Get more free copycat recipes!

Watch and Learn: Chipotle is famous for its guacamole. Watch the video below to learn how to make it at home!

Table of Contents

  • Copycat Mexican Restaurant Appetizers
  • Fast Food Mexican Copycat Recipes
  • Mexican Restaurant Main Dishes
  • Mexican Restaurant Dessert Recipes

Copycat Mexican Restaurant Appetizers

It would not be a Mexican meal without guacamole or salsa! The appetizers and starters really set the tone for the rest of the meal. And how could you turn down any of these amazing, zesty dishes?!

Chili's Salsa Recipe Copycat

Everybody can agree that a goodsalsa recipecan make for the perfect appetizer!

Get This Recipe

Chipotle Guacamole Copycat

It is surprisingly simple to make guacamole yourself, so try it next time you see avocados for sale at your local grocery store

Get This Recipe

Authentic Easy Mexican Rice

Perfectly flavored, this Mexican-style rice is the light side dish that you have been craving.

Get This Recipe

The Pioneer Woman's Restaurant Salsa Copycat

Fiesta-Inspired Seven Layer Bean Dip

You will love this seven layer dip recipe so much that you will want to make it again and again.

Get This Recipe

Chorizo Cornbread Balls with Chipotle Cream Sauce

Recipes with chorizo are great for adding a little spice to your life. What makes this recipe truly special, however, is the tasty chipotle sauce.

Get This Recipe

Qdoba Copycat Queso

This copycat queso is the ultimate cheese for all your chip dipping needs.

Get This Recipe

Fast Food Mexican Copycat Recipes

From Taco Bell to Chipotle, some of the fastest, most convenient ways to enjoy your favorite Mexican dishes are with fast food and casual dining. These recipes are the best of the best when it comes to copycat Mexican fast food recipes.

Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Copycat

Next time you're tempted to make a Taco Bell run, try making it in your own kitchen instead.

Get This Recipe

Chipotle Burrito Bowls

The combination of chicken, corn salsa, guacamole, lettuce, and sour cream is just sensational.

Get This Recipe

Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme

Inspired by one of our very favorite Taco Bell drive thru classics!

Get This Recipe

Chick-fil-A Copycat Chicken Tortilla Soup

The fresh taste of this homemade soup recipe will leave you wondering why you ever spent big bucks on a lesser version.

Get This Recipe

Mexican Restaurant Main Dishes

These recipes are the stars of the show. Whether you're in the mood for something hot and spicy or a dish that's full of subtle, complex flavors, there's a recipe here for you. One bite, and we know you'll be coming back for seconds!

Copycat Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken Taco Recipe

Recipes with shredded chicken are packed with extra flavor, and this delicious taco is no exception.

Get This Recipe

Copycat Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

If they ever take it off the menu, you won't have to worry. This copycat recipe can be made any time you want!

Get This Recipe

Applebee's Chicken Quesadillas Grande Knockoff

The Applebee's recipe is loaded with gooey cheese, juicy chicken, a Mexican-style salsa, and it even has bacon.

Get This Recipe

Homemade Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Enchiladas

Make the perfect enchilada that tastes like it came from your favorite Mexican restaurant.

Get This Recipe

Homemade Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

This delicious Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad is just like the restaurant favorite!

Get This Recipe

Restaurant-Style Albondigas Soup

Perfect for those cold days when you feel like a nice and toasty warm soup recipe to lift your spirits.

Get This Recipe

Qdoba Steak Marinade Copycat Recipe

If you’re craving something with a uniquely delicious burst of flavor for dinner tonight, give this copycat a try!

Get This Recipe

Mexican Restaurant Dessert Recipes

As good as all of these copycat recipes are, it's hard to be satisfied after a meal without a dessert course! Top your favorite Mexican meals off with one of these delicious Mexican restaurant style dessert recipes, and we know you'll be craving more.

Copycat Churro Bites

Justlike your favorite Mexican-inspired dessert, only snack size.

Get This Recipe

Copycat Taco Bell Caramel Apple Empanada

Once you take a bite of one of your freshly baked dessert empanadas, you will be hooked.

Get This Recipe

Homemade Churros

This sugary sweet treat is an easy dessert recipe you can make with the kids.

Get This Recipe

Up Next:

34 Copycat Food Court Favorite Recipes
Did we miss anything? Tell us your go-to homemade Mexican recipe below!

22 Copycat Mexican Restaurant Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the #1 order to never make at a Mexican restaurant according to chefs? ›

Skip the restaurant fajitas and make them at home instead.

"I would never order fajitas at a restaurant. They're really nothing more than sautéed onions and peppers with a protein. Nothing exciting," said Montiel.

What to get at a Mexican restaurant when trying to lose weight? ›

Other healthier options at a Mexican restaurant could include Tamales, Gazpacho ( a tomato-based soup traditionally served cold), grilled seafood-based dishes, salsa and Picante sauce, soft tacos with chicken or beef, fish tacos, or chile con carne (minus cheese and chips).

What are the four ingredients that feature in many Mexican dishes? ›

Ingredients Used in Mexican Cuisine
  • Chile Peppers. One of the first things that may come to mind when you think of Mexican food are chiles, which makes sense considering chiles are indigenous to Mexico and have been part of the cuisine for thousands of years. ...
  • Beans. ...
  • Avocado. ...
  • Fats. ...
  • Tomatoes. ...
  • Cheese.
Jan 18, 2023

What is the most unhealthy Mexican food? ›

Worst: Chimichanga

This is code for “deep-fried burrito.” Think that sounds unhealthy? You're right. The dish has more than 1,500 calories and 93 grams of fat. Factor in toppings like guacamole and sour cream, and you'll get most of your day's calories and sodium in one meal.

What is the healthiest thing to order from a Mexican restaurant? ›

With a few simple switches and modifications, you can find nutritious food on just about every Mexican menu without skimping on taste and flavor. In general, more nutritious options include fajitas, bean burritos, grilled chicken dishes, and soft tacos.

Can you eat Mexican food and still lose weight? ›

Mexican food, with its focus on lots of lettuce, black beans and vegetables can be very healthy and low in calories, so long as you pay attention to what your order. Visit a Matitto's near you to enjoy our delicious – and not fattening, when served correctly – Tex Mex meals!

What is the most important meal for Mexicans? ›

Some say this is the most important meal of the day, that is certainly true for most of us Mexicans. An average household would usually have 3 big meals a day, desayuno, comida y cena; breakfast being the heartiest one, takes place first thing in the morning, anytime between 7 -10 am.

What is the most important food in the Mexican diet? ›

At the heart of the cuisine of this beautiful country are three very important crops: corn, beans, and chilies. These native foods are cheap and widely available.

What oil do Mexican restaurants use? ›

In Mexico, traditional food is commonly made with “manteca” or lard. It comes in tubs and is made from pork. For home cooking, by far the most commonly used oil for cooking is vegetable oil. Corn, canola and soy are the most common.

What is Mexico's national dish? ›

Mole poblano is perhaps the best known of all mole varieties. An ancient dish native to the state of Puebla, it has been called the national dish of Mexico, and ranked first as the most typical of Mexican dishes.

What is the tastiest Mexican dish? ›

Top 20 Mexican foods to try
  • Tacos al pastor. These tacos are made with marinated pork that is cooked on a spit and then sliced thin. ...
  • Enchiladas. These rolled tortillas are filled with meat or cheese and topped with a flavourful sauce. ...
  • Tamales. ...
  • Chiles rellenos. ...
  • Pozole. ...
  • Guacamole. ...
  • Sopaipillas. ...
  • Tortas.
Jan 29, 2023

What is the best dish at a Mexican restaurant? ›

Greatest All-Time Mexican Classic Dishes to Try
  • Chilaquiles. This should be on top of your list of authentic Mexican dishes you will order the next time you enter an authentic Mexican restaurant. ...
  • Pozole. Guess what the top Mexican dishes include? ...
  • Tamales. ...
  • Cochinita Pibil. ...
  • Mole Poblano. ...
  • Tacos. ...
  • Elote.

What to avoid in Mexican restaurants? ›

Try to avoid deep fried dishes like chalupas, taquitos and chimichangas. Opt for healthier items like grilled chicken or shrimp and chicken or veggie fajitas. If you're in the mood for a taco salad, order it without the deep-fried taco bowl. It's basically one, big, fried tortilla chip!

What are the rules for Mexican dining? ›

Dining Etiquette:

Mexicans do not switch knives and forks. The knife remains in the right hand, and the for remains in the left. When the meal is finished, the knife and fork are laid parallel to each other across the right side of the plate.

What is the best thing to order at Mexican restaurant? ›

To help you out, here are six of the most popular Mexican dishes you should try out!
  • Burrito. Burritos are a signature dish in any Mexican restaurant. ...
  • Tacos. ...
  • Quesadillas. ...
  • Nachos. ...
  • Tamales. ...
  • Fajitas. ...
  • Try Our Mexican Menu! ...
  • FAQ.
Dec 22, 2021

What is the Mexican food etiquette? ›

If eating street food, one usually consumes what they have bought in front of the stand where it was purchased. If seated at a table, keep both hands visible above the tabletop. Mexicans may eat certain traditional foods with their hands instead of utensils. For example, it is common to use tortillas to scoop food.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Ouida Strosin DO

Last Updated:

Views: 6343

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Ouida Strosin DO

Birthday: 1995-04-27

Address: Suite 927 930 Kilback Radial, Candidaville, TN 87795

Phone: +8561498978366

Job: Legacy Manufacturing Specialist

Hobby: Singing, Mountain biking, Water sports, Water sports, Taxidermy, Polo, Pet

Introduction: My name is Ouida Strosin DO, I am a precious, combative, spotless, modern, spotless, beautiful, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.