5 Authentic Mexican Food For Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you might be wondering if you could bring some authentic Mexican food to the family table. Mexican dishes can be hearty additions to your Thanksgiving banquet. Mexican recipes, which have been staples for Mexican-American families during the holidays, have been given a rebirth for the Thanksgiving table. Here are 5 Authentic Mexican Foods For Thanksgiving.

Turkey Tamales Put The Authentic In Mexican Food

Mexican-American families all over North America love turkey tamales around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Making turkey tamales is not particularly difficult, but it can take some time, so some families choose to wait until after Thanksgiving to make them using leftover turkey. Masa mix and corn husks for tamales can easily be found in markets that sell Mexican ingredients. However, make sure you get masa specifically for tamales, perhaps the Maseca brand, instead of tortilla masa harina. Masa harina is too dry for tamales. A side of sour cream and Spanish rice might be complimentary for turkey tamales.

Cranberry Sauce with Chiles

Chiles might sound like a strange choice for Thanksgiving, but cooks use chiles in all kinds of dishes, from Hatch turkey rubs to jalapeno jellies and mashed potatoes. Hot and spicy food is a staple of Southwestern cooking, and it does not get much spicier than fresh, juicy chiles. An Arizona chef named Gina Buskirk invented Cranberry sauce with chiles. This dish features spicy chiltepin chiles, which are small, round and hot chiles native to northern Mexico and Arizona. Cranberry sauce with chiltepin chiles goes great with turkey and bread stuffing, especially the corn bread stuffing.

Chorizo Queso Bread Stuffing

This recipe was originally invented by the author of Just Tacos, Shelley Wiseman. She originally came up with this Mexican-style recipe to avoid having to dry corn bread in the oven, making this dish just as practical as it is delicious. After all, when Thanksgiving is right around the corner, every minute saved in the kitchen is one spent with family. Shelley Wiseman enlivens the corn bread with the spice and flavor of chorizo with the sweetness of corn kernels and fresh onions. Because the bread is not dry, you can skip the old process of covering the stuffing, which softens the bread with steam. You can bake this dish uncovered to brown the top while keeping the interior nice and moist.

Prickly Pear Pie

Everyone knows pumpkin is a staple of Thanksgiving dinner, but not everyone knows the prickly pear as a fun and creative addition to the table. It can be used in any way pumpkin is used, but the most popular way to use prickly pear is in a pie. No one knows who invented prickly pear pie, but whoever came up with it was a true pioneer. It goes great with all the usual Thanksgiving staples like turkey and cornbread.

Ancho and Apple Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin has a long history as a Mexican food staple and is commonly paired with ancho in soups, pies and mole. This soup is easy and quick to make as long as you have access to a store that sells authentic Mexican ingredients (link). It tastes especially great alongside the cornbread stuffing mentioned on this list.

With a varied menu and 20 years of service, you’ll see why Benito’s is a best Fort Worth Mexican restaurant for the holidays. For more authentic Mexican food inspiration and orders, call Benito’s Authentic Mexican Food today at (817) 332-8633 and stop by for a visit.