Mexican food for parties: a complete menu for 20 people

The taquiza: the best way to celebrate the Mexican way

In Mexico, parties are celebrated with food. And when it comes to party food, the king of formats is the taquiza: a taco bar where guests help themselves as they please. It is democratic, fun, delicious and, with good planning, surprisingly easy to pull off for 20 people.

This guide takes you from planning to execution, with exact quantities, prep times and tips to make your Mexican party unforgettable.

The battle plan: timeline

3 days before

• Buy non-perishable ingredients: dried chillies, spices, frozen tortillas, beers
• Prepare salsas (they keep perfectly for 3-4 days in the fridge)
• Marinate the pork al pastor

1 day before

• Prepare refried beans
• Prepare red rice
• Chop vegetables for toppings: onion, coriander, radishes
• Prepare horchata

The day of the party

• Morning: prepare guacamole (no more than 3 hours before serving)
• 2 hours before: cook the meats
• 1 hour before: warm the tortillas, set up the bar
• 30 minutes before: prepare the micheladas

The complete menu for 20 people

Starter: guacamole with totopos

Guacamole is the perfect starter because it is eaten with the hands, sparks conversation and opens the appetite without filling people up.

Quantities for 20 people:

• 10 ripe avocados
• 3 medium tomatoes
• 1 white onion
• 3-4 serrano chillies (or jalapeños)
• 1 large bunch of coriander
• The juice of 4 limes
• Salt
• 3 large bags of totopos (or tortilla chips)

Main course: taco bar (3 proteins)

The golden rule of a taquiza is to offer at least 3 protein options. Reckon on 4-5 tacos per person. Here is the ideal menu:

Option 1: Pork al pastor (for 20 people)

• 3 kg of pork leg in thin slices
• Adobo: 6 guajillo chillies, 4 ancho chillies, achiote, pineapple, spices
• 1 pineapple to serve

Marinate the pork from the day before. Cook in the oven at 200°C for 25-30 minutes, or in a large pan in batches. Serve with grilled pineapple and onion. It is Mexico's favourite taco and will be the star of your party.

Option 2: Chicken tinga

• 2.5 kg of chicken breast
• 6 tomatoes
• 3-4 chipotle chillies in adobo (tinned)
• 1 large onion
• 3 garlic cloves

Cook the chicken, shred it and stew it in the tomato-and-chipotle salsa. It is a dish you can make entirely the day before and reheat.

Option 3: Nopales with cheese (vegetarian option)

• 1.5 kg of nopales in strips (or roasted peppers as an alternative)
• 500 g of fresh cheese
• Onion, coriander, serrano chilli

Sauté the nopales with onion, add the crumbled cheese. It is the vegetarian option that everyone, even the carnivores, will enjoy.

Accompaniments

• Mexican red rice: 1.5 kg of rice, 6 tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken stock
• Refried beans: 1 kg of dried black or pinto beans (cooked and refried with lard)
• Tortillas: 100-120 corn tortillas (reckon on 5-6 per person)

The toppings bar

This is the part that makes a taquiza shine. Put out in separate bowls:

• Finely chopped white onion
• Chopped fresh coriander
• Sliced radishes
• Limes in quarters
• Salsa verde (1 litre)
• Salsa roja (1 litre)
• Pico de gallo (500 g)
• Sliced avocado

Salsas (make them in advance)

The salsas are the soul of the taquiza. Prepare at least 3 types with different heat levels:

1. Mild salsa verde: tomatillo, coriander, avocado, serrano chilli (just one)
2. Medium salsa roja: roasted tomato, chile de árbol (4-5), roasted garlic
3. Spicy salsa macha: chile de árbol and morita fried in oil with garlic and sesame seeds

Drinks

• Horchata: 4 litres (rice, cinnamon, milk, sugar, vanilla)
• Agua de jamaica: 4 litres (hibiscus flowers, sugar, lime)
• Micheladas: prepare the base (lime, sauces, spices) and have cold beers ready
• Beers: reckon on 2-3 per person (40-60 beers)

Pudding

• Churros with chocolate: buy frozen churros and make a Mexican chocolate sauce with cinnamon
• Fruit with chilli: mango, pineapple and cucumber with Tajín and lime

Estimated budget (UK)

That is roughly £7-9 per person, which makes the taquiza one of the most economical options for large parties.

Setting-up tips

1. Use a long table: put the meats at one end, the toppings in the centre and the drinks at the other
2. Keep the tortillas warm: wrap them in tea towels and put them in a basket. Warm batches every 15-20 minutes
3. Put up signs: label each salsa with its heat level so guests know what to expect
4. The music matters: a playlist of cumbia, norteñas and Mexican reggaeton will set the mood perfectly
5. Decoration: papel picado, cactuses, sombreros and the colours of the Mexican flag (green, white, red)

For the more adventurous guests

If you want to add an extra touch of authenticity, consider:

• Habanero salsa: for the brave. Put up a warning label
• Chapulines: toasted insects as a snack. Available in some Mexican shops
• Mezcal for shots: with orange and worm salt

A well-executed Mexican party is an experience your guests will remember for years. With this guide, you have everything you need to organise one. Find more inspiration in our Mexican recipes and on our food blog.