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The countdown is on for Day of the Dead in Mexico! This collection of delicious Day of the Dead food recipes is sure to inspire you to host your own Día de Los Muertos gathering for family and friends.
Taking place on November 1 and 2nd each year, Day of the Dead is a special time in Mexico and is rich with important cultural traditions.Most of all, it’s a celebration of life honouring deceased loved ones.
It features altars decorated with flowers, candles, sugar skulls, pan de muerto bread and other traditional Day of the Dead food and drink.
25 Best Day of the Dead Recipes
To help you plan your own Day of the Dead celebration, we've gathered the very best food ideas in one handy guide.
This collection of easy and delicious Day of the Dead food recipes is sure to inspire you to host your own Día de Los Muertos party for family and friends.
1
Classic Margaritas
Photo Credit:www.atastefortravel.ca
First up for any Día de Los Muertos party is a festive drink. A classic margarita is a popular Day of the Dead co*cktail as it features tequila and lime in sweet and tart perfection. It’s sure to be a crowd pleaser!
2
The Marigold Muerte co*cktail
Photo Credit:tikkido.com
Another drink that’s perfect for Día de Los Muertos is the Marigold Muerte co*cktail. It features fresh citrus flavours that complement the bright flavour of the marigold flower and is an especially bewitching drink recipe to try for Day of the Dead.
3
Horchata
Photo Credit:www.budget101.com
For a classic and refreshing Mexican drink that’s also very popular for Día de Los Muertos, you can’t go wrong with a chilled glass of horchata.
Traditional and wonderfully milky, it’s made with rice and almonds and lightly sweetened with sugar. The sweet scents of cinnamon and vanilla make horchata especially magical.
4
Day of the Dead Moscow Mule
Photo Credit:www.majhofftakesawife.com
Another festive Day of the Dead drink is this pretty co*cktail that features all the ingredients of a Moscow Mule — lime, vodka, and ginger beer — but has an extra twist. It’s got cilantro and lime!
5
Salsa Verde (Green Tomatillo Salsa)
Photo Credit:www.atastefortravel.ca
This easy recipe for salsa verde or green tomatillo salsa has a fabulous fresh flavour that’s perfect for dipping tortilla chips or fresh veggies at your Day of the Dead party.
6
Easy Guacamole
Photo Credit:www.atastefortravel.ca
This is definitely one of the easiest Day of the Dead food recipes to make. It literally takes just five minutes!
Enjoy guacamole as a topping for enchiladas or tacos or enjoy it on its own as an appetizer. Guacamole is a must for any Día de Los Muertos party menu.
7
Mango Pico de Gallo
Photo Credit:thecookwaregeek.com
For a tropical twist to traditional pico de gallo, give this mango salsa a try! This refreshing and sweet mango pico de gallo is the perfect (and easiest) nacho dip or topping for tacos.
It also adds a boost of bright colour to your Day of the Dead buffet table.
8
Dairy-Free Queso Dip (Vegan Queso)
Photo Credit:www.crumbtopbaking.com
Another popular Day of the Dead appetizer is a queso (cheese) dip. This Dairy-Free Queso Dip is thick and creamy with a hint of spicy chilis and lots of smokey flavour.
You can devour it as a straight-up chip dip or pour it over your favourite nachos. And thanks to the cashews and nutritional yeast, you’d never guess this ‘cheesy’ dip is vegan!
9
Mexican Corn Salad with Chilies, Lime, and Parmesan
Photo Credit:www.allwaysdelicious.com
Casual yet elegant as a starter, Mexican Corn Salad contains all the flavours of street stall corn on the cob. Sweet corn is roasted in the husk and then tossed with rich, creamy butter, freshly squeezed lime juice, diced jalapeño chiles and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Watch it disappear!
10
Delicious Authentic Mexican Pozole Recipe
Photo Credit:conservamome.com
Hearty main dishes that feed a crowd are a must for any Day of the Dead party. This delicious Authentic Mexican Pozole is a winner as it’s a traditional Día de Los Muertos recipe featuring pork and hominy in a delicious red sauce. This wonderful Mexican family recipe has been passed down through generations and is super popular for guests of all ages.
11
Chicken Pozole Recipe In The Slow Cooker
Photo Credit:www.savingyoudinero.com
Featuring just four main ingredients, this recipe for slow cooker chipotle carnitas is a classic “dump and start” slow cooker Mexican pulled pork recipe. Serve your slow cooker chipotle carnitas alongside warm tortillas for easy-to-eat tacos.
12
Day of the Dead Focaccia Style Cheese Bread
Photo Credit:www.mamalatinatips.com
A fun twist on the traditional Day of the Dead bread generally placed on altars. This scrumptious bread is filled in with Mexican cheeses and decorated as a sugar skull.
13
Slow Cooker Chipotle Carnitas
Photo Credit:www.recipethis.com
Featuring just four main ingredients, this recipe for slow cooker chipotle carnitas is a classic “dump and start” slow cooker Mexican pulled pork recipe. Serve your slow cooker chipotle carnitas alongside warm tortillas for easy-to-eat tacos.
14
The BEST Carne Asada Recipe
Photo Credit:grandbaby-cakes.com
For throwing a stress-free Day of the Dead party, this grilling recipe for Carne Asada couldn’t be easier. It features a carne asada marinade which adds wonderful flavour. Then, after a quick grill, the delicious skirt steak is ready for your guests’ enjoyment.
15
The Best White Chicken Enchiladas
Photo Credit:www.playpartyplan.com
This easy recipe for white chicken enchiladas will be a hit at your Day of the Dead party thanks to its creamy sauce, flavourful shredded chicken filling and baked cheesy topping! A dollop of sour cream and some salsa makes it irresistible.
16
Favorite Beef Burritos (ground beef)
Photo Credit:www.spendwithpennies.com
Another popular main dish for Dia de Muertos, these Easy Beef Burritos are perfect for getting food on the table fast. They can be enjoyed as soon as they’re made or individually frozen for quick and easy entertaining.
17
The Best Homemade Chicken Enchiladas
Photo Credit:www.allwaysdelicious.com
Featuring black beans and chicken in a satisfyingly rich, red sauce, these chicken enchiladas are the perfect dish for entertaining any time. They’re also the ideal Day of the Dead main course as they can be made in advance and heated up to crispy perfection just before serving. Delicious!
18
Instant Pot Drunken Beans (Frijoles Borrachos)
Photo Credit:www.simplyhappyfoodie.com
This dish is a savoury blend of pinto beans, bacon, spices, cilantro, and yes, a little beer! Make these pressure cooker Drunken Beans (Frijoles Borrachos) from dry pinto beans in about an hour and a half.
19
Mexican Air Fryer Corn On The Cob + Grill
Photo Credit:recipesfromapantry.com
This Mexican Air Fryer Corn On the Cob is juicy and cooked to tender charred perfection in just 10 mins. Don’t have an air fryer? You can also make this corn charred on the grill!
20
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
Photo Credit:recipesfromapantry.com
This Day of the Dead food recipe for chicken fajitas uses an instant pot for the ultimate in convenience. Making Chicken Fajitas in the Instant Pot takes no time at all and is a healthy entertaining option that everyone will appreciate!
21
Gluten-Free 'Pastel de Elote' Sweet Mexican Corn Cake
Photo Credit:strengthandsunshine.com
No Day of the Dead party would be complete without dessert and this traditional Mexican corn cake is moist and dense with a pudding like texture. It also happens to be gluten-free and vegan! Baked in a bundt pan, with fresh corn, and topped with a light glaze, this treat will be gone in a flash!
22
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Photo Credit:veganinthefreezer.com
The simplicity of these Mexican Wedding Cookies makes them irresistible to everyone – right out of the oven. They’re fresh, lightly crunchy and ready to pop in your mouth.
23
Creamy Low-Carb Keto Flan
Photo Credit:lowcarbyum.com
Another popular Day of the Dead dessert is flan. This version of traditional Mexican flan with caramel syrup is low carb and delicious. The rich custard is baked with caramelized sweetener at the bottom of the baking dish for the ultimate dessert treat.
24
Pabassinas: Raisin Nut Cookies for Day of the Dead/ Dia de los Muertos
Photo Credit:themondaybox.com
You can’t go wrong with cookies for dessert! This recipe for pabassinas — iced raisin-nut cookies with anise and orange flavours — are a sweet part of many Dia de los Muertos celebrations for a good reason. They are absolutely delicious and pretty too!
25
Dia de los Muertos Sugar Cookies
Photo Credit:themondaybox.com
One of the most popular foods for Day of the Dead is festive cookies. The swirls of colourful dots on these Dia de los Muertos Sugar Cookies are inspired by the festive, cut-paper banners that decorate the holiday alters in Mexico. You can even wrap some up for guests to take home as party favours!
26
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Soup
For this easy Day of the Dead party recipe, you simply combine the ingredients in the slow cooker and go about your day. In a few hours you shred the chicken and then set it out like a DIY chicken tortilla soup bar where people customize the toppings to their likely. No mess, no fuss!
In Mexico, Day of the Dead also features other amazing Día de Los Muertos traditions such as processions, face-painting and music.
In addition to your Day of the Dead food recipes, here are some traditions to consider for your Day of the Dead party:
Other Day of the Dead Traditions
Decorations
When planning a Day of the Dead theme party, creating a festive atmosphere makes all the difference. There are so many fun colours, centerpieces and decorations you can create to pull it all together.
Popular ideas for Día de Los Muertos Party Decorations include elements such as Papel picado banners (lacy paper cut-outs), sugar skulls and fresh or paper marigold flowers and other traditional Día de Muertos decorations.
Sugar Skulls
In Mexico, one of the most popular decorative traditions for Day of the Dead is the calavera a representation of the human skull in sugar.
Families display sugar skulls on their loved ones’ofrendas and throughout their homes. You can also see calaveras displayed in public spaces such as markets and plazas in Mexico.
Skull Tableware and Decor
With its shimmering rainbow finish and skull-shaped bottle, Crystal Skull Vodka (founded by actor Dan Aykroyd) does double-duty as a Day of the Dead calavera table decoration.
Just add a mixer or try one of the fun Crystal co*cktail recipes here and you’re good to go!
Pan de Muerto
One of the most important foods for Day of the Dead is pan de muerto. This sweet bread, fragrant with anise and orange, is popular throughout Mexico in the days leading up to Day of the Dead and is also an important part of home altars. Serve pan de muerto with hot chocolate sprinkled with cinnamon or with steaming café de olla(coffee served in an earthenware clay urn).
Pan de muerto lasts for several days without refrigeration so, in my opinion, is much easier to buy than make it yourself.
Day of the Dead Music
Music adds life to any party and a Day of the Dead party calls for mariachi music. When I was in Oaxaca City for Dia de Muertos, I was surprised to see groups of musicians playing lively music right in the cemeteries and beside the gravestones.
Families who were participating in all-night gravesite vigils would order songs from the roving musicians and even sing along with certain well-known tunes.
Get our Playlist of the Best Mariachi Songs for the top traditional songs for Day of the Dead.
Day of the Dead Face Paint
Another popular tradition for Día de Los Muertos is face-painting. By far, the most popular motif is the calavera or human skull.
You can see some samples of face paint from Mexico in our post on the Unforgettable Faces of Day of the Dead in Mexico for some inspiration.
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(Note: This is a collection of recipes from other fantastic food bloggers. All photography has been provided courtesy of the recipe owner.)
Michele Peterson
Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.
Read more about Michele Peterson.
