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The Best 33 Mexican Appetizers for a Party

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This collection of all the best Mexican appetizers is the perfect answer to what to serve for any Cinco de Mayo celebration, Taco Tuesday, or anytime the craving strikes for spicy flavors. These easy appetizers are a great way to kick off a Mexican food dinner party or choose a bunch and serve them up for a finger food extravaganza!

mexican corn, chicken rollups, nachos with shrimp, nacho cheese, mexican meatballs
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​​If you are planning a gathering for a smaller group you might prefer a sit-down dinner. Find all my favorite recommendations for what to serve at a Mexican dinner party here and discover fun ways to decorate for a Mexican party theme.

Two must-have delicious Mexican appetizers that I always serve up with Mexican foods are chips and salsa! Another fun dipper to serve is air fryer taquitos. I'm positive everyone will love them.

If you're making tacos, ditch the store-bought seasoning and make your own taco seasoning. It's fresher and a great way to use up spices you have on hand.

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❓ FAQ

What should I bring to a Mexican-themed party?

Refried bean dip, guacamole, taquitos, chips and salsa, fruit or traditional pico de gallo, mini tacos, quesadillas, and margaritas are all some easy-to-make dishes that will transport well for a Mexican-themed party.

What are some popular Mexican foods?

Tacos, enchiladas, burritos, tostadas, elote (Mexican street corn), ceviche, and guacamole are some of the most popular Mexican foods that are commonly found in many Mexican restaurants.

💭 Tips for Creating an Appetizer Menu

  • Aim for easy to pick up and eat foods.
  • Not everyone enjoys spicy so consider offering dishes with a variety of spiciness.
  • Don’t forget the adult beverages or lime-flavored mocktails!
  • Make sure your menu includes some foods you can make ahead. This will make your life so much easier on party day.
  • Ask your guest to bring something! This strategy is a great way to share the expense but also to take some of the work off your plate.
chips, corn, nachos on a table with star fruit

😋 What to Serve with Mexican Appetizers

Once you've got your full menu figured out, think about some additional ingredients you can add to the table that will fill up the table and allow your guests to add to their plates as toppings or additions to tacos, quesadillas, and more!

  • Shredded lettuce
  • Sour cream
  • Mexican crema
  • Shredded cheese
  • Cotija cheese or queso fresco
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Diced red onions
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Lime squeezes
  • Diced jalapeno peppers
  • Soft flour tortillas or corn tortillas
  • Margaritas

Mini Mexican Appetizers

Every party needs small, easy-to-eat appetizers for guests to pick up with their fingers or eat in just a couple of bites.  They make the perfect item to have out as guests start to arrive and go great with cocktails.  

Even if dinner is on the menu for the night, these delicious appetizers work perfectly to get everyone in the mood for a fiesta.  

Mini Green Chile Chicken Quesadillas
This mini quesadilla recipes makes a handheld appetizer that's sure to be the rage at your next party event. Their small size make them the perfect finger food for parties and the chicken green chile filling delivers maximum flavor.
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Pile of mini chicken quesadilla on the table.
Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
Cheesy refried beans stuffed jalapeno poppers stuffed in bacon are air fried until crispy. They are sure to be a hit for your next party or gathering.
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Bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers on a tray.
Mexican Tortilla Baskets
Baked mini tortilla baskets filled with a spiced ground meat flavoring and fresh avocado make a tasty treat that are an easy appetizer finger food for parties.
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Mini taco cups with avocado on a tray.
Mexican Stuffed Mushrooms
A blend of lean chorizo and ground turkey make the savory filling for stuffed mushrooms creating a mini appetizer your guests are sure to love.
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Mexican stuffed mushrooms on a tray.
Mexican Pinwheels
Creamy yogurt and seasoned black beans are wrapped up in tortillas, sliced and topped with melted cheese. A simple party appetizer that’s easy to make for groups of all sizes.
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Tortilla pinwheels on a platter.

Simple Mexican Appetizers

Make your life easier by choosing a handful of easy Mexican appetizers to add to your menu.  Simple appetizers include large batch appetizers that make a lot very easily or snacks you can make in advance. 

Both of these considerations means the day of your party will be easier and allow you to relax and enjoy the time with friends and family.

Homemade Frozen Taquitos In The Air Fryer
Homemade chicken taquitos cook up crispy and delicious for a warm snack, finger food for football parties and more! Easy to make ahead to store in the freezer so you can make a few at a time or a whole batch for friends!
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Taquitos in the air fryer are served up on the table with sauces.
Black Bean Sweet Potato Nachos
Change up boring old nachos by swapping out the tortilla chips with sweet potatoes and potatoes. Thin and crispy potatoes are topped with everyone’s favorite toppings and baked until the cheese is melted.
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Potato nachos in a bowl topped with avocado and salsa.
Chicken Fajita Egg Rolls
Tender chicken, bell peppers and Mexican seasonings make the filing for these crispy egg roll appetizers. Cooked in the air fryer for a healthier option and served with a creamy ranch dipping sauce. The combination will make your taste buds sing!
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Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
Mexican street corn is the quintessential street food in Mexico that works perfectly cut into smaller pieces and served up on a skewer for appetizer parties. Juicy, sweet corn is grilled with a creamy, cheesy, herb butter for a tasty treat your guests are going to love.
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Mexican appetizers elote on a grill.
Mexican Meatballs
Tender meatballs cooked up in an Adobo-flavored tomato sauce with the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and smoky and a touch of heat. Easy to make in large batches for parties of all sizes.
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Pot of mexican meatballs on the table.

Cold Mexican Appetizers

Every party needs some cold appetizers too!  Not only do these add a contrast to the other foods you are serving, but they are a great choice to make in advance and don’t require any additional equipment to keep warm during the party.  

Shrimp Pico De Gallo
Shrimp Pico De Gallo is full of zesty lime flavor, sweet onion, cilantro and yummy spicy shrimp that packs a punch to all your Mexican dishes.
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Shrimp Pico De Gallo in small bowl
Mexican Caviar Recipe
The perfect Mexican appetizer dip or salad, Mexican Caviar is quick and easy to make. It's a healthy choice made with a variety of beans, tomatoes, chilies, fresh onions, cilantro, garlic then seasoned with cumin and lime.
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Mexican Caviar Recipe in a blue bowl with taco chips by it.
Mexican Coleslaw Salad
A little bit of spice and a touch of sweetness makes this Mexican Coleslaw a perfect side salad for your next Mexican meal.
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Mexican Coleslaw Salad | I little bit of spice and a touch of sweetness makes this Mexican Coleslaw a perfect side salad for your next Mexican meal.
Black Bean Taco Cups
Crispy layers of phyllo dough are baked into cups and filled with seasoned black beans, tomatoes, cheese and guacamole. They’re served up chilled or room temperature and can easily be prepped up ahead of time.
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Mini taco phyllo cups on a plate.
Radish Cucumber Salad
Crisp cucumbers and crunchy radishes explode with earthy flavor in this easy salad that’s a simple recipe you can prepare ahead of time. Everyone will love this unique, lightly seasoned dish with the flavors of chile, fresh lime juice and cilantro.
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Cucumber radish salsa on a platter with tortilla chips.

Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly

I like to choose a few meatless options for gatherings. Everyone always seems to enjoy them even though they don't contain meat and they make my guests who eat vegetarian and vegan happy that I remembered to plan for them.

Vegan Nacho Cheese
Incredibly cheesy vegan nacho cheese sauce is easy to make. It's full of healthy ingredients so you can indulge, smothering your nachos, or having a big bowl vegan queso with your chips.
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VEGAN NACHO CHEESE ON TACO
Cauliflower Ceviche
Chopped cooked cauliflower fills in for fish in this easy recipe vegetable ceviche with lots of freshly squeezed lime juice. An easy and healthy option you can make in advance that will be a hit at your party.
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Bowl of cauliflower ceviche with tortilla chips.
Poblano Black Bean Quesadillas
Poblano, black beans and cheese are melted into perfection in these easy vegetarian quesadillas. Make them vegan by eliminating the cheese or choosing your favorite vegan cheese alternative.
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Quesadillas cut into triangles on parchment.
Vegan Birria Tacos with Jackfruit
A flavorful taco made without meat that is sure to impress your meat eating guests. In this delicious appetizer, jackfruit simmers with authentic Mexican chiles infusing it with amazing flavor.
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Vegan birria on the table with tortillas
Vegetarian Bell Pepper Nachos
Little bite size bell pepper nachos are an excellent choice for a delicious, healthy vegetarian appetizer. Easy to make and easy to eat make them the perfect addition to your Mexican appetizer spread.
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Individual mexican appetizer bell pepper nachos.

Mexican Dip and Chips

No taco bar, fiesta, Cinco de Mayo party or Taco Tuesday event is complete with everyone’s favorite crispy tortilla chips and delicious salsas and dips!  I love to pick out a variety of dips to offer guests and make my own homemade tortilla chips in the oven or air fryer.  

This popular party food is another one that’s easy to make ahead of time which makes the hours just before the party much easier for you. Salsa verde and red salsa are popular choices but I also like to add in some more interesting options for a variety of color, textures and flavor.

Spicy Pico De Gallo
It’s quick and easy to learn how to make this Spicy Pico de Gallo using simple fresh ingredients. Pico De Gallo is a low-calorie condiment that adds a punch of authentic Mexican flavor to just about any Mexican meal.
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Green Tomato Salsa Verde
This green salsa recipe without tomatillos is an easy recipe made with fresh ingredients such as tart green tomatoes, onions, chilis, garlic, and lime. This green sauce is perfect for all Mexican food types, such as tortilla chips or tacos. You will never want to buy salsa Verda in your grocery store again.
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green tomato salsa without tomatillos in bowl with chips and peppers by it
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Homemade tortilla chips cook up in the air fryer for a healthy alternative for crunchy chips fried in oil. Making your own chips is way better than anything you can buy in the store and pretty easy to do.
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Oven fryer tortilla chips on the counter.
Cream Cheese Taco Dip
This hot dip is layers of spicy cream cheese, taco sauce and ground beef baked in the oven. Serve it up with crispy tortilla chips for a dip that your guests will eat up in a flash.
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Tortilla chip dipping into taco dip in a bowl.
Mexican Shredded Chicken Dip
This baked dip is the perfect blend of creaminess and spicy flavors. Shredded chicken, cream cheese, green chiles and cheddar cheese bake up into creamy delicious flavors everyone will love.
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Hand taking a dip of chicken dip.

Party Taco Bar

Everyone loves tacos right? A taco bar is an easy to create party spread that your guests will absolutely love.  It gives them lots of options and they can make them just how they like them.  It’s also an easy option to prepare when dealing with a large group and a variety of dietary needs.

How Much Taco Meat Per Person Recipe For A Party
If you are hosting a Mexican dinner party, this is the taco meat recipe you will need to know how much taco meat per person to serve. Blend in the authentic homemade taco seasoning with quality beef, and your tacos are sure to be a hit with everyone.
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taco meat in a bowl and taco seasoning in a bowl
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast Recipe
Make perfect shredded chicken quickly and easily in the Instant Pot with this easy recipe. Once it's ready you can season it and use it for tacos, quesadillas and many other Mexican food party faves.
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Shredded instant pot chicken recipe with forks to pull it apart on the table.
Canned Cowboy Candy; pickled jalapenos
Canned Cowboy Candy is the perfect way to preserve a bunch of jalapenos in an addictive sweet and spicy sauce. Perfect on burgers, Mexican foods, in dips, and pimento cheese spread.
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cowboy candy pickled jalapenos in a canning jar
How To Make Taco Bell Red Sauce (Authentic Copycat Recipe)
It is quick and easy to learn how to make Taco Bell red sauce at home. This authentic copycat recipe is just like the red sauce packets you get at the restaurants, mild with a hint of sweet chili seasoning. However, when you make your own, there are no additives that commercial products put in their food.
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taco bell red sauce in a bowl with napkin and chips by it
How To Make Taco Bell Baja Sauce (Authentic Copycat Recipe)
It's quick and easy to learn how to make Taco Bell Baja sauce at home. This creamy, slightly spicy sauce only takes 5 minutes to make and is a great condiment for Mexican seafood, chicken, and veggies dishes.
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cream orange looking taco bell baja sauce in a small bowl with fresh lime zest on top
Homemade Guacamole
Homemade guacamole is way better than anything you can buy at the store and this recipe is so easy. All you need are four simple ingredients and about 10 minutes to make!
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Bowl of guacamole with tortilla chips.
Mango Pico de Gallo
Sweet and spicy is a winning combination in this fruit pico de gallo recipe. It’s a fun option to jazz things up and a tasty taco topping everyone will love.
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Mango salsa on a plate with chips.
Mexican Black Beans
A simple preparation of black beans in the Instant Pot requires no soaking and one hour to make and works perfectly for a protein option for a taco bar.
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Black beans in a bowl.

More Party Roundup Ideas

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I appreciate your shares! xox

About Gina Dickson

Hey y'all, I am here to help you build community and nurture faith around your table. You will find fun party ideas and delicious recipes for easy-to-make meals and party food. I want to help you create a table where people come together, enjoy a meal and linger with good conversation.

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