The 26 recipes below cover a little bit of everything you might need on Cinco de Mayo: appetizers, sides, entrees, dessert and even an adult beverage. Plus, my favorite slather-on-all-Mexican-food sauce. I hope this vegan and gluten-free round-up provides you with inspiration as you think about your what you want to make to celebrate.
26 Vegan and Gluten-Free Cinco de Mayo Recipes
I love any excuse for Mexican night! Mexican food is just so flavorful, fun, colorful and satisfying. With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner I rounded up my 26 favorite vegan and gluten-free Mexican recipes so you can start planning all the deliciousness now!
All of these recipes are dairy-free, egg-free, meat-free, soy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free and peanut-free. Many are also nut-free. If you make any of these recipes, please snap a pic and tag #eatingbyelaine and @eatingbyelaine on Instagram,TwitterorFacebook so I can see your creations. Enjoy, and I can't wait to see what you make!
Loaded Sheet Pan Vegan Nachos
This easy Sheet Pan Vegan Nachos recipe is loaded with colorful and nutritious fixings. Hot creamy mashed black beans, vegan taco meat and vegan nacho cheese are smothered overtop crispy salty chips. Everything is topped off with your favorite crisp and cold toppings: red onions, jalapeno, radishes, green onion, tomato, cilantro and lime. Altogether this sheet pan dish is loaded with so much flavor and texture. It really couldn't be easier to make! Serve it as a hearty appetizer to a large crowd or enjoy as an entree for a smaller gathering.
Creamy Vegan Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce
You are going to fall in love with this silky smooth and perfectly flavored lime, cilantro, garlic sauce. It is quick and easy to make and goes great with veggies, bowls, wraps or tacos.
Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce (grain-free)
This easy homemade enchilada sauce recipe is made from simple pantry ingredients that are quickly whisked together on the stovetop. Together they make a flavorful and authentic enchilada sauce that will immediately shine in any Mexican dish. Once you learn how to make enchilada sauce from scratch you will never want to go back to bottled or canned. This recipe is gluten-free and grain-free and it doesn’t contain any refined sugars or artificial ingredients.
Vegan Enchilada Stuffed Bell Peppers
These vegan enchilada stuffed bell peppers are bursting with flavor and texture. They are stuffed with a satisfying plant-based mixture of quinoa, black beans, diced veggies and cilantro. Plus, a homemade enchilada sauce that boasts bold flavor in this dish. This Mexican-inspired spin on stuffed bell peppers is a nutritious crowd-pleaser and very filling.
Homemade Vegan Walnut Taco Meat
This vegan walnut taco meat has the best texture and flavor. It is seasoned to perfection and full of nutrients from the walnuts. This easy dish is great for taco night, nachos, or anytime you need a plant-based, pantry-friendly version of taco meat.
Garlic Cilantro Lime No Mayo Coleslaw
This no-mayo coleslaw withcreamy garlic cilantro lime sauce is a fresh spin on classic coleslaw but with much more flavor. I love to put this coleslaw in my tacos or on tostadas.
Easy Vegan Mexican Quinoa Salad
This Easy Vegan Mexican Quinoa Salad is full of delicious flavor and a variety of textures while offering nutritious ingredients. It is simple to prepare and uses mostly pantry ingredients you likely have on hand like dry quinoa and canned black beans. It has a Southwestern flavored dressing that makes this quinoa salad so addictive. This quinoa salad holds up well in the refrigerator making it an excellent meal prep option.
Easy Homemade Vegan Sour Cream
This ultra-creamy homemade Vegan Sour Cream is so quick and easy to make and has the perfect amount of tang. All you need is cashews, water, lemon, apple cider vinegar and salt. Everything goes straight in your blender and out comes homemade sour cream that you wouldn’t believe is completely dairy-free. Add it to your tacos, chili or nachos!
Mushroom-Walnut Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa
These Mushroom-Walnut Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa are made with a homemade plant-based taco meat that is so similar to the real deal in terms of texture, smell, taste and even how it looks. The vegan taco meat is stuffed in gluten-free tortillas and then topped with a refreshing and slightly sweet mango avocado salsa! These tacos are perfect for a quick weeknight meal and great to feed a crowd too!
Creamy Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Tostadas
These plant-based Creamy Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Tostadas have it all: a salty, crunchy gluten free flour tortilla topped with creamy refried black beans, crispy seasoned roasted sweet potatoes, crunchy and flavorful red cabbage slaw, cool and creamy avocado, fresh cilantro, green onions and zesty lime juice. Altogether this wholesome vegan dish is flavor-packed and so easy to make.
Strawberry Salsa with Avocado
This fresh, nutritious and surprisingly filling appetizer is quick and easy to make. It only requires six ingredients that are simply mixed together before serving with your favorite chip. Get the recipe here.
Mango-Avocado Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pepitas
Juicy sweet mango, buttery avocado, fluffy quinoa, crunchy pungent red onion, herby cilantro and salty toasted pepita seeds come together for an amazing salad. This one is a real crowd pleaser. It’s got lots of flavor, lots of color and lots of texture.This colorful and nutritious salad offers plant-based protein, healthy fats and fiber. Get the recipe here.
Creamy Cilantro Jalapeno Lime Sauce
This creamy, dairy-free sauce will liven up any dish. It is packed with fresh flavor and has a little spicy kick from the jalapeno. I love to pair this with roasted veggies, salads, quinoa or rice. It also makes a great taco topping. It comes together quickly and easily with just a mini food processor to puree everything together. Click here for the recipe.
Mexican Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Avocado
This one is perfectfor Cinco de Mayo since it is loaded with avocado, cilantro, jalapenoand lime juice.It isperfectly light and a total crowd pleaser. The black beans and quinoa provide plant-based protein and fiber. It is incredibly simple tothrow and thereis no oil or dressing needed for this recipe. Click here for the recipe.
Creamy Black Bean Dip
This zesty dip is perfect for serving with raw veggies or chips. It can even be used as a healthy spread in place of mayo or meat fora sandwich or wrap. Click here for the recipe.
Southwestern Jicama Slaw with Lime-Agave Creamy Tahini Dressing
This raw, vegan and gluten-free side salad is full of veggies. It is fresh and crispy and dressed with a sweet and tangy dressing that is creamy but mayo-free. Black beans provide plant-based protein making this side dish an entree as well. This dish has amazing Southwestern flavors. Think fresh lime juice, cilantro, cumin, garlic and agave. You can even substitute red poblano pepper for the red bell pepper in the recipe for some added heat. Get the recipe here.
Strawberry Salsa
For those of you who sort of cringe at the thought of raw tomatoes, then this is the recipe for you. And even if you love traditional salsa, this is a fun (and sweet) twist that will impress everyone. The strawberries keep the salsa juicy and naturally sweet. The jalapeno, cilantro, lime, garlic and shallot transform this popular fruit into salsa. Click here for the recipe.
Vegan Queso
A guilt-free cheesy dip that your friends will not believe is dairy-free and oil-free. I find it to be luxurious, slightly spicy and totally addictive. It isa must forCinco de Mayo! Click here for the recipe.
Spicy Chipotle Guacamole
This six-ingredient, simple recipe tastes exactly like the Chipotle guacamole we all know and love. Click here for the recipe.
Watermelon Mint Lime Slushie Margaritas
Turn these slushies into margaritas with a splash of tequila! The sugar sweet watermelon flavor combined with zesty, tangy lime juice and fresh, sweet, herby mint are so good.This recipe is super simple and only requiresa couple ingredients pureed in a blender. Get the recipe here.
Creamy Spiralized Red Cabbage and Green Apple Slaw with Cilantro and Lime
Fresh, delicious slaw with acreamy, zesty dressing! This slaw is readyfast and perfect for adding to tacos or tostadas. I love to pair it with black beans, roasted sweet potatoes and avocado in a tortilla wrap. Get the recipe here.
One-Pan Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans
This one-pan vegan meal is quick to pull together, uses mostly pantry ingredients and keeps clean-up a total breeze. It is loaded with Mexican flavor from the jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and red onion. It is filling and yet completely gluten-free, grain-free and plant-based. I love that it sneaks in three vegetables (tomato, orange bell pepper and yellow bell pepper) and plant-based protein from quinoa and black beans. I like to serve mine with heaps of fresh cilantro, green onion and freshly squeezed lime juice. Click here for the full recipe.
Mexican Veggie Burrito Bowls
This easy plant-based and gluten-free entree will simplify your life in the most delicious way! The warm brown rice, beans and sautéed onions and peppers pair beautifully with the chilled and refreshing pico de gallo and creamy avocado. These burrito bowls are full of good-for-you ingredients that will fill you up without making you feel stuffed. Mexican night is on! Get the recipe here.
Brown Rice Black Bean Salad with Mango and Avocado
This salad features bold and zesty flavor from the cilantro, red onion and lime juice. The chunks of mango make it slightly sweet and thediced avocado adds a smooth and creamy texture to each bite. Get the recipe here.
Black-Eyed Pea and Avocado Salsa
Black-eyed peas are earthy and have a similar texture to black beans. In this recipe I paired them with creamy avocado chunks, juicy sweet cherry tomatoes, pungent crispy red onions, tangy lime and fresh herby cilantro. You can add diced jalapeno for some heat too. I love how simple the ingredients are yet they offer so much flavor and bright color to the dip.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
This spicy and luxurious drink will satisfy your chocolate craving. It is made from scratch using the perfect blend of spices for a spectacular sweet and spicy decadent combo.Click here for the recipe.
Happy Cinco de Mayo, amigos!
- Cinco de Mayo
- Gluten-Free
- Nut-Free
- Vegan
- No-Bake
- Easy
- Quick
