Latin American

This refried beans recipe comes from cookbook author Rick Martinez’s dad, who uses salt pork and bacon drippings for deeply savory beans.

Shrimp cocktail meets hangover helper in this spicy, tangy, refreshing take on a Venezuelan seafood cocktail from Ensenada in NYC.

On a blazing summer day, nothing hits quite like a sweet, sour, and lightly salty paloma cocktail that comes together in just a moment.

This bright and creamy dip is RSVP’ing yes to your next cookout.

This pico de gallo recipe is the best fresh salsa you can make—use it to top our favorite Tex-Mex enchiladas or spoon it over a layered queso.

Our best carne asada tacos are made with grill-friendly flank or skirt steak and get punchy flavor from a citrusy marinade with cilantro and garlic.

For these baked empanadas, Gaby Melian says the addition of green olives and raisins in the filling is essential. 

This colorful chimichurri recipe doubles as a marinade and works as an accompaniment to all cuts of beef—or anything else you want to gussy up.

Take your time to cook down the flavor base, which is enriched with ají amarillo and beer, and you’ll be rewarded with a thick, homey Peruvian duck stew.

These crunchy, cheesy fried rice balls are the perfect snack for any time of day, and they come together in less than half an hour.

Bright, fresh, colorful, and easy to eat with one hand, this take on the classic Peruvian mussels dish is a great cocktail snack.

If you can spread peanut butter on bread, you can make these homemade tamales filled with pork slathered in a bright red chile purée. 

This streamlined approach to making mole cuts down on ingredients without sacrificing flavor for a rich, velvety sauce that’s layered under crispy-gooey cheese.

Everything you could possibly want in a tostada (and then some): shredded chicken smothered with a smoky, spicy tomato salsa, bacony refried beans, and a smattering of cilantro and cheese.

Eating your veggies has never tasted as good as when they’re beer-battered and fried until crispy. Sub the zucchini for any veg—from broccolini to mixed mushrooms.

Try eating just one of these picarones, doughnut-like Peruvian confections that are drenched in a fig-flavored syrup.

Once you taste this classic Salvadoran dish, you’ll definitely want to experiment with the fillings.

The longer this cabbage relish ferments, the better it’s going to taste.

This easy guacamole recipe is best made in a Mexican mortar and pestle called a molcajete, but a bowl and a fork works fine. Just don’t rush to get it on the table. It takes a while for the avocado to absorb all the flavors you add to it. 

Bryant Terry’s luscious jackfruit tamales are not only a fascinating look at the crossover between Mexican and African American foodways, but proof that truly great tamales don’t require meat.