Most of us enjoy a bit of a bite when we have certain dinners and Mexican food is one of those, there are so many flavors in one dish and each bite tastes better than the last.
While not all Mexican meals are too hot to handle and simply offer their delicious flavor profiles without the sting (and yet still so good), you have to try these Mexican Crock Pot Recipes to bring some spice to lunchtime and any leftovers for a pre-dinner snack.
They are quick and easy to put together and taste like hours have been spent in the kitchen, lunchtime is now one less thing to worry about.
#1. Enchilada Bake
The colors in this dish alone will make you want to dish a double portion, packed with vibrant hues these are the kinds of Mexican slow cooker recipes you want in your collection for the summer season.
You can pick and choose the vegetables you add and it is a great way to use any leftover or off-cut veggies in the fridge before they turn bad.
Give the ground minced beef a good sear in a hot pan (I like to fry it with garlic-infused olive oil) and add to the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients. Turn it to low and leave to simmer gently for a few hours, ready for the kids when they come home from school at lunchtime.
If you have kids as I do then you will know all too well that anything that is smothered in melted, gooey cheese is a winner, and this dish does just that.
Crockpot Mexican recipes have always been a family favorite and I put it down to simple food made great, and with good quality ingredients, you can’t go wrong.
This is a one-pot wonder that does all the work for you and you only need to dish it up. We like to have a bowl of crunchy tortilla chips on the side to sprinkle on top for added texture or the kids like to use them as scoops to eat.
I love slow cooker Mexican recipes like these because they are so incredibly versatile.
The tender beef cooks slowly in the juices absorbing the flavors and becoming even softer as the hours go by, once it’s cooked you can shred the meat and put it back into that rich goodness to soak up the liquid even more.
This makes a lot and can easily be doubled to save half and freeze it for a later date. We use it inside tacos shells topped with fresh salsa, in a brioche bun with homemade coleslaw, and especially on sandwiches for lunch boxes for the family with caramelized onion. The options are endless.
If you are looking for a meal that is filling but worried about the calories of those fatty cuts of meat then look no further.
Now you can enjoy your favorite comfort foods with the lean meat that you know and love and have a second helping at lunch too if you like (we have yet to have a one-serving meal).
This is so quick and easy and all you need to do is put everything into the crockpot and leave it to work its magic.
Serve with some homemade sourdough bread with thick butter, or a side salad for a lighter midday meal.
When I find Mexican crock pot recipes that have bacon in them I am all for it, bacon just makes everything taste a hundred times better.
And, beans are a great source of protein without breaking the bank on expensive cuts of meat. Win-win.
Give the bacon a good sauté in the pan, we like it as crispy as possible and then we put some aside for serving which is perfect against the soft beans and thick sauce.
You can eat it as is or with a portion of fluffy rice, but be aware this dish is quite filling, perfect for chilly winter evenings in front of the fireplace.
Finding the perfect crock pot Mexican recipes sounds tricky but with a creative twist on traditional dishes, you could make your own.
This recipe in particular is a great way to fill hungry tummies for lunch when the kids come home after their morning sports matches and is light enough to carry them through till dinner.
A fresh squeeze of lime or lemon (both taste equally delicious) to liven up the ingredients and a sprinkle of fresh coriander and you are all set.
Leaving the meat to become fork-tender throughout the morning as you go about the chores while the house is quiet means one less thing to worry about, and it essentially cooks itself. What is not to love about simple dishes like these?
Winter mornings are nobody’s favorite, especially if it means that errands need to be run and family members need to be dropped off at school and work.
And then on top of that finding the time to think of something, not to mention prepare a meal, for lunch only adds to the stress.
So when I discovered this quick soup, that does all the work and I don’t have to supervise it, I jumped for joy. It has all the rich and filling components you want in a meal while still offering a substantial dish because we all know sometimes soup can be a little thin.
Not this one.
Meat, vegetables, and a heart-warming sauce make this soup a quick-to-serve lunch option.
Slow cooker Mexican recipes have featured a lot on our family dinner menu of late, and for good reason too.
This dish offers options for all the family members and is easily doubled for extra for dinner, or to take to the in-laws later whilst still having some for home.
It can be added to cooked pasta which has been highly successful around the table in the garden during lunchtimes but can be put between two slices of seeded bread for a meal in itself crammed with flavor and tasty ingredients.
If you have been wanting to try your hand at Mexican food but were worried it might be too spicy or the family would run for the hills then this is a great starter recipe. Just the pops of color alone will make the family want to give it a try.
I can eat a rich, beefy stew any day of the week, and this has had me buying more beef than usual, but it tastes so good.
It has a dark rich color that oozes flavor and goodness, paired with fluffy rice and coriander, and pineapple salsa it screams Mexico, but from the comfort of your own home.
The vibrant colors jump at you on the plate, and it tastes equally fantastic rolled into a wrap with avocado slices for an on-the-go meal when the lunch hour is just not long enough.
Left to cook for several hours the beef is fork-tender and essentially sacrifices itself for you to enjoy, this is the type of meal to impress your guests with, and it works every time.
There is nothing as fun to eat (or messy) as Mexican slow cooker recipes that require either mountain of serviettes to wipe away the juices from your hand, or a generous portion of chunky bread pieces to soak up the flavors as you devour this dish.
And you will.
This is a mouthwatering dish highly and often requested in our house and if it means the kids have clean plates after lunch then who am I to say no.
It is so quick and simple to put together, requires minimal effort on your part, and before you know it that crockpot full of ingredients you turned on in the morning is now wafting an aroma through the house so good you have to leave to resist it.
An elegant dish with a dollop of sour cream on top is the ideal dish at lunchtime this season.
Rubbing meat with spices I think shows the sign of someone who is not a beginner cook. They have the understanding that not only do the spices marinade the meat to a certain extent and help break down the fibers for a more tender texture, but they soak into the skin for an impactful flavor profile.
And if that’s what you have been looking for then these Mexican crock pot recipes are here to save the day.
I could eat meat every day of the week, lean, fatty, different cuts you name it. And having discovered how well they cook in the slow cooker my family has been my guinea pigs in all my new recipe experiments.
Thankfully, we have had no complaints as yet (a few ‘suggestions’ were however laid on the table), but isn’t that the beauty of having a family? I wouldn’t have it any other way around the dining table because they tell you it like it is. The honest truth.
This dish has gone down a treat so we can tick it off the list.
Comfort food at its best, and who knew it was a Mexican-inspired dish.
So simple to make with only a handful of steps, and once you added the cooked and shredded chicken back into the sauce that has been simmering for several hours throughout the morning, you will be itching to get stuck in.
Lean meat and thick cream make this a great healthier alternative to the generic chicken soups with heavy frying in oil beforehand, opt for butter and an olive oil combination to both cook and add extra flavor when sealing the chicken.
Packed with tasty, tender carrots this meal is one for keeps. And the veg can easily be substituted for whatever you have on hand and need to use up.
This recipe has the ingredients and desire for being Mexican but is more of a nod to the cuisine, but still tastes as delicious.
Any form of citrus in dishes brings out the essence of the flavor profile, it helps to elevate the meal to something more than its original form and with this chicken version, it does not disappoint.
I love making this dish during the summer, lunches (and dinners) are dined outdoors with the warm evening air blowing across the deck, and this requires no effort at all. Simply pop the chicken into the cooker with the remaining ingredients on top and leave to cook for a few hours.
The chicken is moist and tender and is fantastic tossed in a salad, at the end of a quick stir fry, and as a lunch meal with rice and sauce. There is something for everyone from this humble recipe.
My husband loves chili on his meals, it can be dried, freshly chopped, or even infused as long as he feels some bite when enjoying his food, and I don’t blame him.
These Mexican crock pot recipes taste better than they look, and they deserve so much more credit. They are filled with a thick sauce that coats and envelopes all the ingredients that have been simmering for hours and the flavors intensified.
Pork is an easy meat to come by but sometimes the loin can end up dry if you don’t keep an eye on it when cooking, but with the slow cooker the risk is taken out of the equation and you have a perfectly tender piece of meat every time.
This is a winning dish in our house, and you can add or omit the chili as you see fit depending on who you are serving it to, my husband doesn’t mind the fresh chilies added to his plate only when the kids are dining with.
We have always eaten a similar version of this dish coming from the Balkans where this is the norm in homes and on restaurant menus alike, but never had I tried (or considered to be honest) a Mexican version, but I am so glad that I did.
You can add smoky, hot, or mild spices to the mix, dried chili flakes work great if making for the adults, and sautéed with the rest of the ingredients the mix is then stuffed into the peppers and left to cook through till the peppers are soft, but still standing.
Top with cheese for the last 15 minutes till it melts and smothers the top of the pepper and all its goodness inside.
If you have a blow torch handy a quick scorch on top for that golden burned effect is a nice finish to your creation.
Whether it be football season and every weekend seemingly filled with matches and post or pre-match gatherings you can be sure there will be a group of lads constantly hungry.
This dip is the perfect starter to curb the hunger rumbling inside them till something more substantial becomes available that you have simmering away in the slow cooker just in time to be ready for lunch and halftime.
A big bowl of homemade dip without all-natural ingredients and no preservatives like the store-bought options, it goes perfectly with tortilla chips, crudité veg, or simply grilled cheese finger sandwiches.
The guys love a moment where they can dip into a bowl of cheesy dip and you can be sure you will be getting requests to make it every game day or for a copy of the recipe, either way, it is a winner.
#17. Healthy Crock Pot Vegetarian Mexican Quinoa Bake
Who said that Mexican slow cooker recipes only had to have meat, now as a vegetarian or even simply to try something new and to go meatless, this is a recipe that delivers on ease and taste.
Toss everything together in the crock pot, leave it to cook on low throughout the morning while you do the laundry, and tidy the house which is a never-ending job, am I right?
And before you know it the smell will be calling to you from downstairs to come and try it, and a sneaky small taster bowl before lunch won’t hurt either.
You can add as much or as few vegetables as you like, I prefer to add everything left behind in the fridge and then some favorites I picked up while at the grocery store.
The name may be a mouthful but so is the meal and you will be glad you gave it a chance.
It requires only a handful of ingredients and is the perfect addition to a celebrated meal with family and friends.
You can double the yield and make a big portion with no more effort than the original amount, but there are sure to be a few requests for second helpings.
It goes well with rice and fresh salsa (and a generous squeeze of lime), inside taco shells that although they almost always break and crack as you eat, they are the guest’s first choice at the buffet table.
A quick dish packed with flavors and the best lunchtime feast.
If you love traditional lasagna then this is the recipe for you.
The layers, much like lasagna, are a beautiful array of ingredients all nestled on top of each other and each influencing the next item’s flavor and aroma for a harmonious result.
You can choose how you want them to be assembled so that when you dish the colors are complementary and you have a dish that tastes brilliant and looks like a work of art. Win-win.
I enjoy a dish that seems complicated, and to others who have not seen the preparation method thinking so too, but knowing that other than the 10 minutes you needed at the beginning the rest sorted itself out.
Now, if only all dishes could be this tasty and easy.
You will be so impressed with yourself when you see the final dish.
It is as elegantly made as to the meals you would order in the restaurant but made with minimal effort sweat, or tears in the comfort of your home.
And we love this recipe because it is easy enough to make for even the most novice of culinary enthusiasts.
Serve with fresh coriander on top for a vibrant pop of color, and while this recipe is vegetarian you could easily add in a few chicken breasts for a healthier rice option.
If not, serve on the side of some BBQ meat for the perfect combination.
You may think that this is just your ordinary dip but you would be sorely mistaken.
This dip is a meal in itself I came to discover while thinking I’ll make a generous portion for the hubbies football friends that were coming around that afternoon for lunch and to watch the game.
But it is quite rich. Thankfully these are grown men who don’t look like they have skipped a meal yet and it made it through.
I like to use smoked paprika in the mix to give a twist to the dish, but your favorite spices will work great too, and a bit of heat would not be dismissed I can safely say.
The perfect accompaniment to entrees being served before the sit-down meal, and be sure to serve with sturdy crouton slices of tortilla chips that can hold their own.
We are all trying to somehow live a healthier lifestyle, whether it be going to the gym, walking to fetch the kids from school rather than driving, or eating more nutritiously sound.
Well, you are in luck.
This recipe ticks so many boxes that it is almost too good to be true, but once you try it I know you will make room for it in your top 5 must-have recipes in your collection.
Not only does it use lean chicken meat, but it is also low carb, and perfect for those following a keto or low-fat eating plan.
The best way to start a meal, this soup sets the tone for the day and will be a crowd-pleaser amongst the family and with friends.
Opt for this when someone close to you is under the weather rather than the generic chicken noodle soup, this will get them right as rain in no time.
There are no limitations when it comes to Mexican crock pot recipes to bring some spice to lunchtime and with this collection under your belt, and many more if you head to our blog, your culinary repertoire will soon precede you.
Recipes that are easy to make, take no time at all, and won’t break the bank are firm favorites in our home.
Leave the stresses of lunch meals for another day and try one of these recipes to see just how easy work in the kitchen can be.
And you can get on with your daily schedules and routines with the knowledge that there will be a meal ready and waiting for you in just a few short hours.
Born and raised in South Africa and being immersed in the rich culture, Candace soon found a passion for all things food related. Exploring and experiencing new flavors and taste profiles she pursued her career as a qualified chef in silver service specialized in fine dining.
