5 Savory Ways to Add Mexican Food Spices to Your Meal

What makes a signature Mexican dish? Rich, earthy flavors in Mexican cuisine create the intense and vibrant meals of Mexico. Can these flavors be part of the savory ways to add Mexican flavors to your meal?

There is nothing to be afraid of when you want to try to toss in a blend of spices to make your meal taste more Mexican. Whether or not you are obsessed with the bold, spicy and satisfying flavors of Mexican cuisine, you can always whip up something to blend in the appeal of Mexico into your favorite dish.

What’s the big secret in traditional Mexican cooking?

Spices.

They can transform simple and cheap plant-based ingredients such as rice and beans into flavorful, main course-worthy dishes. Add a little chili powder to your scrambled eggs for a spicy kick.

Here are 5 savory ways to spice up your ordinary meal with Mexican herbs and spices :

1. Chili Powder

   If you plan to kick your meal up a notch with authentic Mexican flavor, you should not miss adding chili powder. As one of the common Mexican spices, child powder is a combination of chili peppers and other seasonings such as garlic powder, oregano, and other traditional Mexican spices.

   Much like curry powder, there is no single recipe but a traditional Mexican chili powder would have cumin, garlic, and oregano.

   The McCormick brand of hot Mexican-style chili powder has a blend of herbs and spices that turns simple ingredients like ground beef and beans into a flavorful dish that you will not stop craving. The chili powder has the right blend of chili peppers, cumin, oregano, garlic, and salt.

   Related: Common Spices Used in Mexican Food

   Use the chili powder for Mexican, Tex-Mex, and southwestern dishes. You can also add it to flavor your rubs, marinades, vegetable salads, cornbread, and more. Add that rich, herby Mexican aroma that sets your nose tingling.

   Related: 15 Signs You’re Eating Tex Mex

   Try these traditional chili powder variants as well—more ways to add Mexican flavors to your meal:

   • Ancho chile powder

     This wonderful Mexican flavor has an almost sweet and rich dried fruit flavor. It is unusually used to add a unique spice to the rich, sweet authentic Mexican hot chocolate drink. It has a moderate heat level with fruity undertones that makes spice rubs and mole sauce more delicious.

     Ancho powder is ground ancho (poblano) chile peppers. It’s a dark and smoky chili with a deep rich flavor and is a staple in red chili and tamales.

     Sprinkle it on pasta, baked potatoes, vegetables, soups, pizza, and popcorn. Use it to season chicken, stews, potatoes, and vegetables.

   • Chipotle

     For a distinctive flavor for your sauces and salsas, or a primary flavor for your rubs and marinades, add in some chipotle. It’s a commonly used Mexican chili powder made from jalapeño that has been dried and smoked.

2. Cumin

   Planning on an earthy and nutty Mexican flavor to your dish? Cumin and chili powder is a match made in heaven for a perfect Mexican flavoring to your meal.

   It’s one spice that brings a lot to the signature Mexican flavor. It’s simply a certain flavor in Mexican dishes that cannot be replaced.

   Try to add cumin in a Mexican-spiced tofu scramble and see the difference! Make tacos with ground beef, shredded lettuce, and salsa with a dash of cumin as you cook the ground beef. You can also make Mexican rice by adding diced tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano leaves, and chicken broth to white rice.

   Cumin’s earthy flavor enriches everything from guacamole to taco seasonings to vegetables and meat. It’s one good way to incorporate Mexican flavor into a simple favorite dish of yours.

3. Refried Beans

   Why are they called refried beans? When you make traditional Mexican refried beans to serve as a side dish, a dip, or to fill burritos and quesadillas, you mean they have been fried twice?

   The word refried beans comes from the Spanish name for the dish—frijoles refritos. In Spanish, “refritos” means “well-fried”. It’s typically a dish of cooked and mashed beans and is a traditional staple of Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine.

   If you want traditional Mexican flavor refried beans, use pinto beans and black beans which are the two favorites in Mexican cooking. Add refried beans to your traditional soups and salsas, or simply top hot dog buns with refried beans and grated cheese to make a healthier snack.

4. Black Beans With Corn Kernels

   For vegetarians, a simple mix of black beans with corn kernels in order to make vegetarian burritos filled with vegetables like peppers or mushrooms can be the best meal of the day.

   Related: Must-Try Vegan Mexican Food

   Traditional Mexican cuisine would serve a dish called Frijoles con elote. It gets a flavor boost from a mixture called a sofrito that’s made of chiles, onion, and garlic—dry, roasted, sautéed, then blended together. It’s graciously topped with cheese and pumpkin seeds to make a fantastic side dish.

   Create a colorful vegetarian meal of your own while getting plenty of protein from black beans and a big boost of flavor from chili powder and cumin, with the sweetness of corn kernels. Or you can simply add black beans and corn kernels to a rotisserie chicken for a complete meal.

5. Cocoa

   Think about making a unique Mexican flavor to your dishes. Cocoa is used in several dishes to add a very rich, warm flavor to traditional Mexican cooking. You might want to try them on your favorite dishes as well.

   Take, for example, mole, an authentic Mexican dish, made with a small amount of cocoa and peanut butter combined with spices. It makes a flavorful thick sauce that is often served over chicken. So the next time you roast your chicken you might want to add Mexican flavor with a sauce made from cocoa and some spices.

Add a Mexican Touch to Your Drinks, Too!

Mexican cuisine cannot be complete with traditional Mexican drinks.

You can add a Mexican touch to your favorite drink by tossing pineapple chunks into the blender along with fresh orange juice for a refreshing drink that tastes just like piña coladas!

Contact us today and check out our list of must-try tequilas and margaritas!

More from El Rincon Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar

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El Rincon Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar or known as El Rincon among the locals around the restaurant serves Mexican food and drink made from the freshest ingredients.

Besides serving food for our customers in Carrollton and Addison we’re also active in communities across Texas.