Best Dairy-Free Recipes for Cinco de Mayo
Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Annie
Make this Cinco de Mayo a delicious and dairy-free event! With appetizers, snacks, dinner, and more you will be able to easily find dairy-free recipes perfect for your fiesta!
Traditionally a dairy-loaded category, Tex-Mex and Mexican-Inspired recipes often come served with shredded cheese, melted queso, fresh sour cream, cojita cheese, or cooked in butter making Cinco de Mayo a day of decadent dairy indulgence.
But, it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m sharing some of my favorite recipes that will make your Cinco de Mayo a day you can truly enjoy without having to worry about dairy getting in the way of your celebrations.
Appetizers + Dips
Let’s kick this celebration off with some snacks that are great to have out and ready when people arrive. These are dips that pair perfectly with a large bowl of tortilla chips, they can also double-dip as toppings for some of your other dishes you are serving later in the evening. Each of these dips are vegan and can easily be made a day or two in advance.
- Pico de Gallo– Gluten and dairy-free and perfect for making ahead. Save some for snacking at the beginning and some for serving up with tacos and nachos at dinner.
- Texas Caviar– I would make this in advance and hold off on adding the avocado until the day of.
- Guacamole– I would probably save this to be a day of recipe, since the avocados tend to turn after a day.
- Black Bean Dip– Great for making ahead and best served cold.
- Mexican Street Corn Dip– Vegan and great for adding on top of nachos!
- Mom’s Blender Salsa– A simple salsa recipe you can whip up in 5 minutes in the blender. Great for making in advance and having out when people arrive.
- Vegan Avocado Cilantro Lime Crema– Great for adding to tacos or serving with a quesadilla!
Warm Snacks
In addition to a million and a half dips, you can serve some small snacks that are best served warm. These can be made in advance and re-heated on the day of your Cinco de Mayo celebration.
- Taco Cups– These can be made days in advance and reheated in the oven before serving. You’ll want to have pico de gallo and guacamole to top these with nearby.
- Vegan Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas- Cut into wedges for an easy grab-and-go snack.
- Air Fryer Quesadillas– Great for making in minutes, these simple quesadillas are a delicious and adaptable recipe perfect for everyone!
Main Dishes
If you are planning to have people over for a Cinco de Mayo dinner here are a few dishes perfect for a variety of diets.
- Crispy Sweet Potato Tacos– A great vegan and gluten-free option.
- Turkey Enchiladas– Easy to make ahead!
- Vegan Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
- Loaded Nachos– Best for a smaller crowd or double the recipe for nachos all around.
- Turkey Taco Sweet Potato Skillet– Hearty, healthy, and loaded with veggies!
Taco Bar
If you are thinking about having a self-serve taco bar, instead of a sit-down meal, here are some ideas for meats, fillings, and toppings to include. You can also give the option to make taco bowls or taco salads!
Meats
- Turkey Taco Meat– Can easily be made with ground beef or turkey.
- Southwest Chicken– Shredded or diced into small bite-sized pieces.
- Shrimp Tacos– Serve the shrimp part and let everyone top their tacos however they like.
- Fish Tacos- Whip up the oven-baked fish bites that people can add to their tacos
Fillings and Toppings
- Refried beans
- Avocado or guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Jalapeño
- Chopped cilantro
- Fresh green or red onion
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded cheese- such as Violife
- Salsa
Store-Bought Items
While I am all for making everything from scratch, there is only so much time you have in a day and if you don’t want to spend it all prepping for a fiesta you can easily pick up some dairy-free items at the store to serve alongside some of these homemade options.
- Taquitos- Pop to the frozen foods aisle and pick up some frozen taquitos like José Olé Beef Taquitos. They are dairy-free and make a perfect snack for dipping in guac or queso!
- Queso- YOU READ THAT RIGHT! Thanks to Siete Foods you can serve up some Spicy Blaco Queso or Mild Nacho queso for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations. I would suggest having a bowl for dipping as well as for drizzling over nachos, tamales, tacos, and more!
- Tamales- Texas Tamale Co serves up beef, chicken, and black bean tamales that are all dairy-free. You can find their products at Walmart, HEB, The Fresh Market, and more!
I hope this helps give you some inspiration to take on a dairy-free Cinco de Mayo! If you try any of these recipes I would love to hear how they went! Leave a comment below or snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can share your life after dairy adventures!
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