25 Easy Day of the Dead Recipes

First up for any Día de Los Muertos party is a festive drink. A classic margarita is a popular Day of the Dead cocktail as it features tequila and lime in sweet and tart perfection. It’s sure to be a crowd pleaser!  

Another drink that’s perfect for Día de Los Muertos is the Marigold Muerte cocktail. 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.  

For a refreshing non-alcoholic drink that's popular with all ages for Día de los Muertos, nothing beats a chilled glass of horchata. This creamy rice-based drink features the warm, sweet aromas of cinnamon and vanilla—it's a magical sip with every glass!

Easy to drink, festive, and rooted in Mexican heritage, the Mezcal Paloma adds a modern twist to the traditional offerings, perfect for toasting loved ones during this meaningful celebration.

Another festive Day of the Dead drink is this pretty cocktail 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! 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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!

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!

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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! 

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.

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!

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!

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! 

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.

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.

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! 

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! 

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!