15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (2024)

Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sept. 15. In honor, here are some of our favorite recipes to try throughout the month.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (1)

Luke Beard

Each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. The month is marked with parades, festivals, demonstrations, and, of course, lots of food. As noted by the National Parks Service, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates people from Spain, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, among other nations from Latin America and Iberia.

With dishes like carnitas and al pastor from Mexico, to pupusas and tamales originating in El Salvador, some of our favorite things to eat in the West are to be celebrated this month.

First dubbed a federal event as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, the celebration was amended two decades later to include an entire month. Why does it begin in the middle of September, you ask? That’s in part due to other holidays in the 31-day period. Sept. 15 marks the independence of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala from Spain. Mexico’s Independence Day falls on Sept. 16, and Chile’s is on Sept. 18.

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With so many holidays back to back, it’s time to get up and get into the kitchen! We’ve gathered recipes from across the region to help guide your taste buds through Hispanic Heritage Month. Get some friends together and whip up some boozy beverages to get the gathering going, and keep an eye out for special events and celebrations going on throughout the month.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (2)

1 of 15Dave Lauridsen

Bean-Dipped Tortillas (Enfrijoladas)

In many parts of Mexico, enfrijoladas are often fresh tortillas dipped in a bean sauce and folded over. Lupe Romero Vidal and her friend Chabela Cortés García of Hidalgo filled theirs with chorizo or leftover barbecued chicken and served them for brunch when we visited, but just about any leftover meat would be delicious—or even scrambled eggs. You’ll have leftover bean sauce, which happens to make an excellent dip for tortilla chips.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (3)

2 of 15Thomas J. Story

Corn Tortillas

A visit to the Santa Fe School of Cooking reminded us how amazing—and easy—homemade tortillas can be (try them with ourSpicy Lamb Tacos).

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (4)

3 of 15Thomas J. Story

Blackened Guajillo Chile Mushroom Tacos

These unusual, wonderful tacos are the creation of chef Donnie Masterton at Taco Lab by Tacolicious, inSan Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Rich, savory, and pleasantly chewy, they hit the spot even for meat lovers.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (5)

4 of 15Iain Bagwell

Pineapple Al Pastor Pico de Gallo

Masterson’s recipe focuses on just the pineapple, first slathered with al pastor paste and then roasted. He then chops it up and blends it with ordinary pico de gallo to create something extraordinary. Use the extra spice paste to slather on meaty mushrooms like maitake before roasting, or on pork shoulder before braising.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (6)

5 of 15Thomas J. Story

Basic Tamale Method

This general recipe can work with infinite fillings. Dream big!

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (7)

6 of 15Victor Protasio

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Tip: If you have leftover pork, add it to eggs for a hearty brunch or freeze as a future gift to yourself. Best eaten with a Mexican Coke!

7 of 15Thomas J. Story

Pork and Red Chile Tamale Filling

Cookbook author Marcela Valladolid showed us how to put on a tamalada—a tamale-making party—at her house near San Diego; this was one of the several tamales that day. Dried guajillo chiles have a rich, fruity flavor and mild heat. Look for chiles as supple as soft leather—they are fresher and better-tasting than dried-out crackly ones.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (9)

8 of 15Shani Jones-Taye

Fried Plantains

Perfectly cooked plantains require ripe fruit. If these starchy cooking bananas stand until they have plenty of black spots and are moderately soft, they’ll fry up nice and sweet and caramelize outside as they brown.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (10)

9 of 15Thomas J. Story

Carne Asade with Nopales

Vidal Mozqueda, a backyard griller in San Francisco who works as a busser in the city’s Acquerello restaurant, buys a thinly sliced skirt steak at a carnicería. He grills it over a searing mesquite lump-charcoal fire.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (11)

10 of 15Ren Fuller

Packable Pozole

Take this hearty, smoky, pozole rojo on the go. If you want to skip the added time and effort of cooking dried hominy, feel free to use canned (we won’t tell!).

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (12)

11 of 15Thomas J. Story

Chicken and Green Tomatillo Tamale Filling

Valladolid shows how to make these tangy green tomatillo tamales. Use fewer jalapeños and/or seed them if you want a mild filling.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (13)

12 of 15China Poblano

Mole de Pollo Maria Cruz

Unlike most traditional moles that use chocolate to sweeten the dish, this one is bright red and is full of both flavor and extra spice because of the variety of chiles and spices added to the dish. This recipe comes to us from Carlos Cruz-Santos of China Poblano restaurant in Las Vegas and is inspired by his mother.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (14)

13 of 15La Cocina

Black Bean Tamale

Alicia Villanueva, owner of Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas, writes about this filling recipe saying, “The best thing about selling in the street was getting to know the people. More than anything they had an interest in Mexican culture, and they loved the tamales. You have this imagination about what the world is like, but then you come here, and there are so many different people. It’s something beautiful to me to see so many cultures. They wanted more vegetarian food! And I just wanted everyone to try it.”

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (15)

14 of 15Alex Farnum

Quick Pickled Tomatillos

Pickled tomatillos are fantastic in a Bloody Mary or with charcuterie for a unique bite.

15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (16)

15 of 15

Mexican Cheese Crisps (Chicharrónes de Queso)

Blocks from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood location of ¡Lotería! Grill, wow guests withchicharrón de quesoshaped into a golden pyramid. Executive chef Jimmy Shaw and team cook the Mexico City-style treats on a giant griddle; for guaranteed success at home, we baked smaller versions on parchment. Shaw says to think of them like a huge version of the toasted cheese you get when your grilled cheese sandwich or quesadilla spills onto the griddle.You can break it off to use as a chip, crumble it into a tortilla, or add it to a salad.

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15 Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (2024)

FAQs

What foods are eaten during Hispanic Heritage Month? ›

What are some of the most popular dishes served during Hispanic Heritage Month? Some of the most popular dishes served during Hispanic Heritage Month are traditional favorites like tacos, enchiladas, tamales, arroz con pollo and flan.

What is Hispanic Heritage Month answer? ›

“Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Why do we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on the 15th? ›

About National Hispanic Heritage Month

It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

What are 5 traditional hispanic foods that are eaten to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? ›

National Hispanic Heritage Month: 5 countries, 5 dishes, 1...
  • Enchiladas de Pollo (Mexico)
  • Ropa Vieja (Cuba)
  • Baleadas (Honduras)
  • Ceviche de Camarones (Ecuador)
  • Lomo Saltado (Peru)

How do we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? ›

Events & Celebrations

Many of these can also be viewed virtually. You should also check out events happening in your local city. During Hispanic Heritage Month, many cities will host concerts, parades, runs, festivals, art exhibits, and more in celebration.

Why do we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? ›

During Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the countless contributions that Hispanic Americans have made to our nation, and especially to New York City, over the years. We also take this time to recognize the trailblazing individuals who fought for progress and equity for their communities.

What are two facts about Hispanic Heritage Month? ›

National Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins in the United States each year on Sept. 15, celebrates U.S. Latinos, their culture and their history. Started in 1968 by Congress as Hispanic Heritage Week, it was expanded to a month in 1988.

What are 5 facts about Hispanic Heritage Month? ›

  • Hispanic Heritage Month Was Once a Week-Long Celebration. ...
  • Hispanic Heritage Week Expanded to a Month in 1988. ...
  • Hispanic Heritage Month Embraces a New Theme Every Year. ...
  • Why Hispanic Celebration Month Begins on September 15. ...
  • Hispanic Heritage Month Represents the Culture and Interests of Both Hispanic and Latino/a People.
Aug 7, 2023

Are Mexicans Hispanic or Latino? ›

The short answers to these questions are “yes,” and “it's complicated.” Hispanic refers to a person with ancestry from a country whose primary language is Spanish. Latino and its variations refer to a person with origins from anywhere in Latin America (Mexico, South and Central America) and the Caribbean.

What state has lowest Hispanic population? ›

Vermont had the nation's smallest Latino population (15,000) in 2022, followed by Maine (29,000), West Virginia and North Dakota (34,000 each), and South Dakota (42,000). In New Mexico, Hispanics have been a majority of the population since 2021 and the state's largest racial or ethnic group since the early 2000s.

What is Hispanic Heritage Month for kids? ›

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the cultures and histories of people with heritage from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It's also a way to honor the many achievements and contributions by Hispanic people in the United States and around the world.

Where do most Mexican live in USA? ›

Most Mexican Americans reside in the Southwest, with over 60% of Mexican Americans living in the states of California and Texas. Most Mexican Americans have varying degrees of Indigenous and European ancestry, with the latter being mostly Spanish origins.

Who started Hispanic Heritage Month? ›

This celebratory month actually began as a week-long celebration when it was first introduced in June of 1968 by California Congressman George E. Brown.

What are typical foods served in the Hispanic culture? ›

20 Popular and Traditional Hispanic Foods to Try Now
  • Enchiladas Verdes. Mike Garten. ...
  • Steak Chimichurri. Mike Garten. ...
  • Migas. Mike Garten. ...
  • Shrimp Ceviche. Mike Garten. ...
  • Chicken Mole. Mike Garten. ...
  • Cinnamon Churros. Mike Garten. ...
  • Easy Red Salsa. Mike Garten. ...
  • Easy Seafood Paella. Mike Garten.
Sep 7, 2021

What is a traditional Hispanic meal? ›

The ingredients in traditional Hispanic foods are fresh and vibrant. Ingredients such as beans, cheese, onion, tomatoes, limes, and garlic are layered together to create deeply flavorful dishes including empanadas, arepas, tacos, maduros, ceviche, and paella.

What are the most popular Hispanic foods? ›

filters
  • 2 Burritos80%
  • 3 Fajitas79%
  • 4 Salsa79%
  • 5 Quesadilla79%
  • 6 Guacamole68%
  • 7 Chili con Carne66%
  • 8 Chimichangas65%
  • 9 Huevos Rancheros55%

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