Mexican Buffet Menu Food Ideas

Mexican buffet menu party ideas with food recipes for barbacoa, lime cilantro rice, avocado dip, beans, corn and tomato salsa. Free printable Mexican table tents!

This post was originally compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CreateYourBowl #CollectiveBias.

Whether you are throwing a Mexican party or Cinco de Mayo feast you can find all recipes, ideas and free printables here without looking somewhere else. You have a complete menu buffet ideas with lots of food recipes made from scratch for barbacoa that is cooked in slow cooker, homemade tomato salsa or avocado dip for chips.

Mexican Buffet Ideas

• Decorations: decide how you will decorate your table, choose Mexican inspired tablecloth in multiple colors, buy colorful napkins, pick your plates (white or colorful). Add some fresh flowers or cactus, these real Kalanchoe flowers added a nice touch to the table.
• Set Up: decide if the party will be inside or outside, for instance on the backyard. Prepare plates and bowls to be used for servings, glasses, cutlery and slow cooker for barbacoa meat to keep it warm all the time.
• Recipes: prepare a grocery list and decide which recipes you will make, in here we have barbacoa, lime cilantro rice, corn, salsa, guacamole and few toppings.
• Drinks: horchata, margarita, atole, michelada, paloma, water, juices, soda or other drinks, for instance non-alcoholic mojito or orange lime refresher.

Check all printables that you can easily print in your home for free and use it for celebration including invitations, tags and chocolate wrappers for different occasions. For Mexican menu these free printable table tents perfectly match the Mexican buffet party: Rice, Salsa, Dip and Meat labels.

if you are a subscriber click here to get—->>> All Printables

I served this Mexican party with OLD EL PASO Mini Tortilla Bowls that I purchased in Loblaws. You can also find an original OLD EL PASO Tortilla Bowls that are bigger. When I found OLD EL PASO Tortilla Bowls I wanted to try them. They are so convenient and sturdy, but they are soft. The mini bowls are so easy to keep in one hand, they keep all food neatly. You don’t have to worry about spilling your food all over the place because OLD EL PASO Tortilla Bowls keep everything nicely.

Mexican Feast

Mexican feast buffet is very convenient for a host and as well for guests, nicely set up with Mexican food recipes and decorations. The host will set up a table with drinks and food, then every guest can choose their own food. Each dish is prepared and served separately, so every guest can make their own bowl. If some of your guests don’t eat meat, they can omit that. Also, some guests might not like beans, so they can choose another toppings.

The best part about Mexican food is that each guest can come over to the Mexican buffet and prepare their own bowl. There is no need for the party host to serve food to each guest. You can spend this time with your friends interacting instead of spending time in the kitchen. This Mexican Buffet brings everybody closer, everyone will share their memories and talk about delicious food.

Are you looking for more party ideas? Don’t forget to check Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup Party, Picnic Food Party Ideas or learn how you can throw a perfect party from beginning to the end by reading Event Planning Party Ideas.

Party Mexican Food Menu

What to serve for Cinco de Mayo or Mexican inspired parties?

• Barbacoa: cooked in slow cooker with spices like cumin, oregano, sweet paprika and lime juice for many hours.
• Lime Cilantro Rice: made with lime juice and freshly chopped cilantro.
• Salsa: prepared from scratch with tomatoes, red onion and cilantro.
• Corn Salsa: made with diced red onion, corn and cilantro.
• Avocado Dip: made with mashed avocado, tomatoes, cilantro and green onion.
• Beans: black, pinto or red kidney beans.
• Toppings: sour cream or plain greek yogurt, shredded cheese, lettuce and chips.
• Dessert: vanilla ice cream.

Party Mexican Food Menu Tips

• This menu is suggested for 12 people but it is approximately, it can be served to more than 12 people.
• If you would like barbacoa to be more spicy, add few more chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, also increase salt if needed.
• Start by preparing barbacoa in a slow cooker, since it will take the most time, the meat can be kept in slow cooker all the time on warm and guests can take how much meat they want straight from crockpot.
• Next prepare your tomato and corn salsa, avocado dip and prep your toppings, store them easily in the refrigerator until the party.
• Just before the party cook rice and warm up beans.
• Print your Free Printable food labels.

Mexican Buffet Ideas Faq’s

What is on a Mexican buffet? Corn or flour tortilla, rice, carnitas, barabacoa, chicken, salsa, guacamole, beans, sour cream, shredded cheese, enchilada etc. Mostly, Mexican inspired food recipes is served.

What should I bring to a Mexican potluck? These are few examples: refried beans, queso dip, homemade tortilla chips, nachos, mango salsa mini cups, pineapple salsa, tex-mex salad, Mexican snacks, any desserts or something to drink.

Mexican Recipes

• Black Bean Mexican Soup
• Beef Crockpot Chili
• Mexican Salad with Avocado Dressing
• Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
• Easy Fish Tacos

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Mexican Buffet Menu Food Ideas

Mexican buffet menu recipes with barbacoa, rice, salsa and avocado dip.

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time5 hrs 30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: mexican buffet, mexican food

Servings: 12

Calories: 1547kcal

Author: Ilona

Ingredients

• 24 flour tortilla or 4- 5 pckgs. of original or OLD EL PASO Mini Tortilla Bowls

Barbacoa

• 6 lb. beef roast
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 3 Tbsp cumin ground
• 2 Tbsp. oregano
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 7 garlic cloves pressed or shredded
• 5 chipotles in adobo cut into small pieces
• 2 onions sliced
• 2 bay leaves

Lime Cilantro Rice

• 3 1/4 cups water
• 1 1/5 cup long-grain rice
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 limes
• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped

Corn

• 2 cups corn frozen and cooked
• 1/4 cup red onion chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Salsa

• 7 tomatoes medium-sized, diced
• 1 red onion small, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Avocado Dip

• 3 avocados
• 2 tomatoes medium-sized, diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 1/4 cup green onion chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Extras

• 2 28 oz. kidney beans cans, heat up
• 2 cups cheese shredded
• 1 cup sour cream
• 5 cups lettuce chopped
• 5 cups tortilla chips
• 8 cups vanilla ice cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Barbacoa

• Cut beef into cubes about 1 inch by 1 inch, add to slow cooker.
• Add chicken broth, lime juice, cumin, oregano, oil, salt, sweet paprika, garlic, chipotles in adobo sauce, onions and bay leaves.
• Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
• Remove the meat from slow cooker and cut into small pieces by knife or you can use fork to shred the meat.
• Put back into the slow cooker, cook on low for 3 hours or high for 1,5 hours. When the meat is ready and soft turn off. You can also add more salt if you need it.

Lime Cilantro Rice

• In a medium saucepan combine water, rice, butter, salt, butter, lemon juice and squeezed lime juice from 1 lime.
• Bring to boil, lower the heat, cook on low-medium heat for 20 minutes. Add squeezed lime juice from remaining limes, add cilantro, mix well.

Corn

• In a medium bowl combine corn, red onion and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Combine well.

Salsa

• In a medium bowl mix tomatoes, red onion and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Combine well.

Avocado Dip

• In a medium bowl mash avocados with fork, add tomatoes, cilantro and green onion. Season with salt and pepper. Combine well.

Mexican Bowl

• Put rice on the bottom, then meat, beans, corn, salsa, avocado dip, sour cream, cheese, lettuce.
• Serve vanilla ice cream in bowls.

Video

Notes

• This menu is suggested for 12 people but it is approximately, it can be enough for more than 12 people.
• If you would like barbacoa to be more spicy, add more few more chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, also increase salt if needed.
• Start by preparing barbacoa in slow cooker, since it will take the most time, the meat can be kept in slow cooker all the time on warm and guests can take how much meat they want straight from crockpot.
• Next prepare your tomato and corn salsa, avocado dip and prep your toppings, store them easily in the refrigerator until the party.
• Just before the party cook rice and warm up beans. 
• Print your Free Printable food labels.

Nutrition

Serving: 8gCalories: 1547kcalCarbohydrates: 153gProtein: 77gFat: 73gSaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 226mgSodium: 1891mgPotassium: 2472mgFiber: 23gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 2624IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 594mgIron: 15mg

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Update Notes: The recipe was originally posted in 2016, it was updated with new video and tips in July, 2020.