5 Inexpensive Mexican Recipes Your Family Will Crave

When our kids were teens, we needed to cook lots of food, make it delicious, and make it inexpensive. Thank goodness for cheap Mexican recipes. These inexpensive meals meet the brief for being plentiful, affordable, and so darn good that the whole family will love them. Sure, taco night is a great place to start with affordable Mexican meals, but these recipes are just as tasty. 

Diablo Tequila Corn Chowder

I'm a huge fan of the idea of cooking once and eating twice. Leftovers are both budget-friendly and great for busy weeknight meals. And soup is always a winner at our house. I make a huge pot and feed everyone two nights in a row.  

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, put through a garlic press
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ¼ cup tequila (optional)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 (11-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes and peppers
• 2 (11-ounce cans) crisp summer corn, drained (or 2-3 cups frozen or fresh corn)
• 1 pound red potatoes, cubed
• ¼ teaspoon dried chipotle powder
• ½ teaspoon dried cumin
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved into 3 tablespoons broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Add onions, jalapeño, carrot, and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and start to brown, about four to five minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it loses its raw flour scent, about three minutes.
5. Add tequila and lime juice, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of your pot with the side of the spoon.
6. Add chicken stock, Rotel, corn, potatoes, chipotle, and cumin.
7. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
8. Simmer soup until the potatoes soften, 15-20 minutes.
9. Stir in the heavy cream.
10. Dissolve cornstarch in chicken stock or water.
11. Add to the soup and turn heat up to medium-high. Stir constantly until the soup thickens.
12. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pozole

Did I mention we love soup? This is another one that makes enough for leftovers while still filling bellies with delicious, nourishing food. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 4 cloves garlic, through a press
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans of enchilada sauce
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans of white hominy, drained
• 2 cans (4.5-ounces each) chopped chilies, undrained
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, add pork and cook until it is browned on all sides, about three minutes per side.
3. Remove the pork from the fat with a slotted spoon and place it in a slow cooker.
4. Add onion to the hot oil and cook until it softens, about three to four minutes.
5. Add garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Put the garlic and onions in slow cooker with the meat. Add the remaining ingredients except cilantro and stir to combine well.
7. Cover and set the slow cooker to high. Cook, covered, for six to seven hours, until the meat is soft.
8. Stir in the cilantro just before serving.

Migas

My kids always thought breakfast for dinner was a HUGE treat, and I loved it because it was easy to make and usually saved money since eggs served as the main protein. 

Ingredients

• ¼ to ½ cup oil
• 5 corn tortillas
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 8 eggs, beaten well
• Salt and pepper
• Toppings of your choice (we like chopped avocado, sliced green onions, and crumbled cotija cheese)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Working one or two tortillas at a time, depending on what will fit, fry tortillas until they are crispy. Add more oil as needed.
3. Set the tortillas aside on a paper towel to drain, and then cut them into bite sized strips.
4. Remove all but two tablespoons of oil from the pan.
5. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan. Cook until they soften and begin to brown, about four to five minutes.
6. Add garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Stir in tomatoes, eggs, and tortilla strips.
8. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are cooked and scrambled.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Serve topped any way you like.

Chicken Tostadas

Cheap and easy is a winning combo when it comes to making dinner. This recipe not only uses inexpensive ingredients like corn tortillas and canned refried beans, but it is also easy because you use a whole roasted deli chicken.

Ingredients

• 8 corn tortillas
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14-ounce) jar of prepared salsa
• 3 cups shredded cooked rotisserie chicken
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• ½ cup shredded Jack cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. 
2. Spray tortillas with nonstick cooking spray on both sides. Place on cookie sheets and bake until they are crispy and lightly browned, about five minutes per side.
3. Meanwhile, in skillet heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
4. Add onion slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened, about four minutes.
5. Add garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Add salsa and chicken and cook until chicken and salsa warm through.
7. To assemble the toastada, place two tortillas on each plate. Top each tortilla with chicken mixture, ¼ cup shredded lettuce, a sprinkle cup cheese, dollop of sour cream, and sliced avocados.

Huevos Rancheros With Chorizo

More breakfast for dinner! We promise you'll love it. 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons oil, divided
• 8 ounces chorizo, removed from casing
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• ½ cup green pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 4 corn tortillas
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

1. Heat one tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Add the chorizo, breaking it up with the spoon as it cooks. Cook until the chorizo browns, about five to six minutes.
3. Remove the chorizo from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the onions and peppers to the pan and cook until they soften and begin to brown, about five minutes.
5. Add garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Add tomatoes and the black beans and return the chorizo to the pan.
7. Stir in the cumin.
8. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low. Continue to simmer while you prepare the rest of the dish.
9. In another frying pan, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
10. Add corn tortillas and cook until they soften slightly. Remove from heat and wrap in a towel to keep warm.
11. Add one more tablespoon of oil to the pan until it shimmers.
12. Crack the eggs carefully into the pan and cook until whites set and yolks are slightly runny, about three to four minutes. For over-easy eggs, flip each egg carefully after the yolk sets and remove pan from heat. Allow to sit for about one minute.
13. To serve, place tortillas on a plate. Spoon sauce over the top and then top with the fried egg. Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.

Enjoy Inexpensive Mexican Food Tonight

These spicy, delicious meals can add variety to the foods you serve, but they won't cost you an arm and a leg. With inexpensive but flavorful ingredients, these are recipes your entire family is going to love.