April 24, 2021

Best Dairy-Free Recipes for Cinco de Mayo

Last Updated on April 23, 2023 by Annie

Three pictures at the top with the words Dairy-Free Recipes for Cinco de Mayo at the bottom.

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.

Bowl of Pico de Gallo with a chip holding Pico de Gallo. — Pico de Gallo

A bowl of Mexican street corn dip with a spoon and a small bowl of tortilla chips and a lime on a wooden cutting board. — Pico de Gallo

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.

From the side, a blue plate with 7 taco cups topped with pico de gallo. — Taco Cups

A hand with a wedge of quesadilla dipped in guacamole with a white bowl of guacamole on the wooden cutting board. — Taco Cups

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.

Loaded nachos on a sheet pan topped with lime wedges. — Loaded Nachos

A small blue plate with two turkey enchiladas, a fork, and a pyrex of enchiladas in the back on a white and blue striped dish towel. — Loaded Nachos

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

Three shrimp tacos on a wooden cutting board with a dark gray plate.

The final step in the assembly of the Taco Lunch Bowls.

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!

A bowl of queso with a yellow rim on a white and blue striped dish towel with a bowl of tortilla chips in the back and a jar of Siete Foods queso in the back left.

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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