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9 Traditional Mexican Christmas foods you’ll want to try this year!

Looking for some global holiday food inspiration this festive season? From tamales to buñuelos, here are 9 traditional Mexican Christmas foods that deliver a taste of Navidad Mexicana!

In Mexico, Christmas isn’t just about the food; it’s about coming together.

The main celebration happens on Christmas Eve night, known as Nochebuena, when families gather for a long, elaborate feast.

Here, festive tables overflow with vibrant colors and rich aromas, from the iconic Tamales and Bacalao (salted cod) to soul-warming stews, sweet fritters, and spiced holiday drinks.

If you’re looking for global holiday food inspiration this Christmas, read on to discover the dishes that make Navidad Mexicana so unforgettable.

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9 traditional Mexican Christmas foods to try

Here are nine traditional Mexican Christmas foods that could bring a special touch to your dining table, or even inspire you to take a festive trip to Mexico!

1. Tamales

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Tamales are a beloved traditional Mexican Christmas food, central to Nochebuena feasts and New Year gatherings. Families often have their own secret recipes, which are prepared communally, bringing loved ones together for hours of cooking and conversation.

Recipe: Corn dough (masa) is filled with meat (shredded pork or chicken), cheese, and chiles, then steamed in corn husks or banana leaves.

2. Bacalao a la Vizcaína

Bacalao a la Vizcaína is a salted cod dish that takes time and love to prepare. This, along with its savory, tangy flavor, embodies the warmth and family spirit of the Mexican holiday season.

Recipe: Salted cod is simmered in a rich, red tomato sauce with onions, garlic, olives, capers, and sometimes potatoes or bell peppers.

3. Romeritos con mole

Romeritos con mole is a traditional Mexican Christmas food that combines the earthy flavors of seepweed with a spicy, festive sauce and other ingredients. It’s served alongside bacalao during the Nochebuena feast.

Recipe: Wild seepweed is cooked with potatoes, nopales (cactus paddles), and shrimp cakes. This is all then smothered in a chocolate-spiced mole sauce, made with nuts, fruits, dried chili peppers, and various spices.

4. Pozole

Pozole is a hearty Mexican stew that dates back to the pre-Columbian era. There are three variations: Pozole Rojo (with red chillies), Pozole Verde (with green chillies), and Pozole Blanco (without chilies), allowing families to choose the level of heat they want.

Recipe: Hominy (a specific large white corn kernel) is cooked with pork shoulder or chicken. It’s then seasoned with garlic, onions, and chiles, and garnished with shredded cabbage, radishes, lime, and oregano.

5. Ensalada de Nochebuena

Ensalada de Nochebuena is a colorful, festive salad. It’s served as a flavorful side dish for Nochebuena, complementing the hearty mains of tamales, bacalao, and romeritos. Combining fruits and vegetables, Ensalada de Nochebuena adds a touch of sweetness to the Mexican Christmas table.

Recipe: Ingredients vary, but it typically starts with a base of crunchy romaine lettuce. It’s then topped with a mix of shredded beets, jicama (Mexican turnip), carrots, apples, and pineapple. Finally, it’s tossed with pecans and raisins, and served with a sweet dressing made of citrus juices and crema.

6. Menudo

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Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made with beef tripe (cow’s stomach) and a rich, flavorful broth. It’s typically eaten as a festive breakfast (as it’s well-known as a hangover cure) or as a late-night dish after a festive party.

Recipe: Slow-simmered beef tripe is combined with hominy, garlic, onions, and red chiles, then served with lime, chopped onions, oregano, and crushed chili flakes for added flavor.

7. Roast Turkey (Pavo)

One traditional Mexican Christmas food that Mexicans have adopted from Americans is roasted turkey (Pavo). However, the Mexican version has a spicy twist!

Recipe: Turkey is stuffed with nuts, dried fruits, and chiles, then glazed with a sweet or savory sauce, such as adobo marinade or mole sauce, before being roasted in the oven.

8. Buñuelos

Buñuelos are sweet, crispy fritters, often served as a dessert during Nochebuena or as a snack during holiday gatherings. They are flat and thin, giving them a delicious crunch and a sugary coating. Enjoy them with a hot chocolate or warm festive drink.

Recipe: The dough is made of butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, and milk. It’s fried, then sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or drizzled with piloncillo syrup. They are often round but can also be crafted into snowflake shapes for a festive look.

9. Rosca de Reyes

Rosca de Reyes is a sweet, festive bread that Mexicans eat on Día de los Reyes on the 6th January. With colorful decoration and a hidden figurine, this sweet bread embodies the joy, surprise, and family spirit of the holidays.

Recipe: The dough is made with flour, sugar, eggs, butter, milk, and yeast, and flavored with orange blossom or citrus zest, before being shaped into a ring. It’s then decorated with candied fruits and baked with a small baby Jesus figurine hidden inside.

Traditional Mexican drinks to end the night

In Mexican Christmas traditions, alcoholic drinks flow throughout the evening. Then, many people like to end the night with a festive hot drink like:

Champurrado: A thick hot chocolate made with corn flour and cinnamon. It has a velvety, porridge-like texture.
Atole: A corn-based drink made with water or milk and spiced with cinnamon and vanilla.
Ponche Navideño: A warm non-alcoholic punch made with fresh and dried fruits and spices, like tamarind, cinnamon, and clove.
Café de olla: Mexican coffee brewed in a clay pot with cinnamon and sweetened with piloncillo (cane sugar).
Rompope: Mexican eggnog made with eggs, milk, vanilla, and rum.

Mexican Christmas dining traditions and etiquette

Heading to Mexico this Christmas? If you get invited to a Nochebuena feast, bring a contribution, such as a homemade dessert or ponche (Mexican punch).

As traditional Mexican Christmas food is served in large communal dishes for family-style dining, you dish up your own plate, choosing what you want and how much.

But before you start eating, wait for everyone to be seated, as it’s customary to say ‘Feliz Navidad!’ before taking the first bite.

Festivals in Mexico are always a lively event filled with dancing, singing, and socializing, and the holidays are no different. As soon as Christmas dinner finishes, the party starts with breaking piñatas (the classic Christmas piñata is the star-shaped one with seven spikes), then the singing and dancing begin.

Christmas traditions in Mexico are a little different from those in other parts of the world, like the US, Canada, or the UK. Mexicans focus more on socializing and eating together rather than buying gifts.

That being said, many people do give small gifts on Christmas Eve. Typical Christmas gifts include spirits (especially tequila or mezcal) or handcrafted items like pottery or embroidered textiles, which are also among the most common Mexico souvenirs.