2 Easy Vegan Cinco de Mayo Menu Ideas

ByNancy Lopez Posted on Updated on

Planning a vegan Cinco de Mayo menu can feel like a lot, especially if you’re trying to decide what to cook for a full Mexican-inspired meal.

A hand dips a birria taco into consommé on a blue and white patterned table. On the right, Vegan Cinco de Mayo Menu foods are featured: jamaica agua fresca, refried beans, and polvorones or powdered sugar-covered cookies.

That’s exactly why I created these two plant-based Mexican menu plans. Each one gives you a complete lineup of appetizers, tacos, sides, drinks, and desserts so you don’t have to guess what goes together.

Every recipe is already on my site, so you can click through, prep ahead, and build your fiesta your way.

What Should I Cook for Cinco de Mayo?

Planning a Cinco de Mayo menu doesn’t have to be overwhelming. These two vegan menu ideas include appetizers, tacos, sides, drinks, and desserts—all made with authentic Mexican flavors and easy-to-follow recipes you can mix and match.

A collage of colorful Mexican dishes—perfect food for Cinco de Mayo—inspires, with salsa, tacos, Mexican rice, hibiscus drink, cookies, strawberries with cream, pickled onions, and a skillet of cheesy chorizo dip on vibrant plates.
Classic Vegan Cinco de Mayo Menu

Menu #1: Classic Vegan Cinco de Mayo Menu

This menu is perfect if you want those traditional flavors, think tacos, creamy dips, and refreshing drinks that everyone recognizes and loves.

Appetizers

Prefer a visual? Here are these appetizers with photos so you can easily choose your favorites.

1
Small Batch Guacamole Recipe | How to make authentic #guacamole at home. #vegan #veganmexican #partyfood #tailgatingfood #superbowl #cincodemayo #avocado #traditinalrecipe
Easy Guacamole
A quick and easy recipe for making a small batch of authentic guacamole at home.
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2
Chorizo cheese dip inside a cast iron skillet and drizzled with chopped cilantro.
Easy Mexican Chorizo Cheese Dip Recipe
Choriqueso is a Mexican chorizo cheese dip that’s an incredibly delicious and easy-to-make appetizer. This cheesy treat is perfect for fiestas, game days, or just a casual dinner party with friends. We’re going to make it vegan!
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3
A colorful bowl of chunky salsa called pico de gallo made with chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeños sits on a wooden board. A blue spoon rests inside the bowl. A decorative cloth with strawberry prints is to the side.
How to Make Chunky Salsa (Pico de Gallo Salsa)
You’re going to love this easy, 6 ingredient, chunky tomato salsa. Known as Pico de gallo or salsa fresca or salsa bandera, this Mexican salsa is the easiest one you can make and taste great on everything!
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Main Dish

Prefer a visual? Here are the tacos and onions with photos to get your mouth watering.

4
A blue plate lined with banana leaf and two cochinita pibil tacos topped with pickled onions.
Cochinita Pibil Tacos
Cochinita pibil tacos are a beloved traditional Mexican dish from the Yucatan Peninsula. Made with marinated pork meat in achiote paste, bitter orange and aromatic spices, then wrapped in banana leaves and slow cooked until fork tender. You’re going to love my vegan spin!
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5
A glass full of spicy pickled onions made with red onions and habanero peppers.
Easy & Quick Mexican Pickled Onions (cebollas curtidas)
Mexican pickled onions, or cebollas curtidas, is a tangy condiment that a delicious addition on tacos, tostadas, quesadillas or other Mexican-inspired recipes, these quick-pickled onions can take your meal to the next level. 
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Sides

Prefer a visual? Here are the sides with photos so you can see what fits best with this menu.

6
Homemade Mexican arroz rojo or arroz mexicano in a small bowl.
Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice Recipe)
Arroz rojo or Mexican red rice is one of the basic recipes of Mexican cuisine. It’s easy to master with my fail proof recipe. Let’s learn how to make this delicious Mexican rice for all your favorite meals.
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7
A blue bowl with view from above that is filled with creamy refried black beans.
Refried Frijoles Negros Recipe
Easy peasy creamy refried black beans are a delicious side dish as well as great for dipping corn chips into. My refried frijoles negros recipe is so easy to make that they’ll become one of your staples.
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Drinks

If you’d like to include an adult beverage option, a classic Paloma pairs beautifully with this menu.

Prefer a visual? Here are the drinks with photos so you can see what fits best with this menu.

8
A glass of dark red hibiscus tea garnished with a lime slice is surrounded by dried hibiscus petals, flowers, a lime half, and a colorful ceramic container.
Agua de Jamaica | Ice Cold Hibiscus Tea
A refreshing and healthy drink made with dried hibiscus flowers.
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9
A vibrant agua mineral preparada drink in a glass, topped with lime slices and a tamarind candy stick, is rimmed with chili powder and sits on a wooden tray. A hand holds the candy as bottles of condiments rest nearby.
Agua Mineral Preparada
This Mexican sparkling mineral water drink is the thirst-quencher summer drink Made with sparkling mineral water, fresh lime juice, salt, chamoy sauce, Tajin and plenty of ice cubes.
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Desserts

Prefer a visual? Here are the desserts with photos so you can see what fits best with this menu.

10
Dessert glass full of strawberries and sweet almond cream.
Vegan Fresas con Crema
You are going to love this plant-based, vegan fresas con crema recipe. It’s just as delicious as the vegetarian version and also a dessert that’s always at hit!
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11
A terracotta plate filled with powdered sugar-coated Mexican polvorones, stacked in a pyramid. The top cookie is broken to reveal its crumbly inside. The plate rests on a colorful embroidered cloth.
Polvorones de Nuez (Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies)
Polvorones are crumbly, buttery cookies that melt in your mouth. Also known as besitos de nuez or Mexican wedding cookies, they're easy to make and taste delectable!
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A colorful collage featuring various Mexican dishes—perfect food for Cinco de Mayo—including rice, , refried beans, guacamole, drinks with lime, mango popsicles, tacos, and arroz con leche.
Easy Party Menu

Menu #2: Easy Party Menu

This menu is a little more playful and perfect for a laid-back gathering. It’s packed with bold flavors but still easy enough to pull together without spending all day in the kitchen.

Appetizers

Prefer a visual? Here are the appetizers with photos so you can see what fits best with this menu.

12
A white and blue bowl filled with Mexican chorizo and beans topped with crispy chorizo and chopped cilantro.
Chorizo and Beans Recipe (Chorizo con Frijoles)
This chorizo and beans recipe is made with Mexican chorizo and refried beans. It makes a delicious side dish, appetizer or burrito filling. Just 3 ingredients and ready in about 10 minutes.
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13
A small blue pot filled with tofu cheese and chile pepper flakes.
Mexican Marinated Vegan Cheese and Tofu
This marinated vegan cheese is one of my favorite appetizers and I just know you’re going to love it too. It’s savory, herby, and a tad spicy. If you don’t like vegan cheese don’t worry because you can make it a marinated tofu cheese appetizer instead!
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14
Close up view of a wood spoon filled with tomato salsa called pico de gallo or salsa fresca.
How to Make Chunky Salsa (Pico de Gallo Salsa)
You’re going to love this easy, 6 ingredient, chunky tomato salsa. Known as Pico de gallo or salsa fresca or salsa bandera, this Mexican salsa is the easiest one you can make and taste great on everything!
TRY THIS RECIPE

Main Dish

Prefer a visual? Here is the taco photos so you can see how delicious it looks.

15
Two vegan birria tacos filled with shredded mushrooms and vegan cheese. On the side is a bowl of hearty birria broth and another small plate with chopped fresh cilantro, white onion and two lime wedges.
BEST Vegan Birria Tacos
Filled with meaty oyster mushrooms and creamy vegan cheese and serve with flavorful birria consommé for dipping, these are the BEST vegan birria tacos! You're going to love this authentic vegan birria recipe – Taco Night never looked so yum.
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Sides

Prefer a visual? Here are the sides with photos so you can see what fits best with this menu.

16
Small bow filled with arroz Mexicano which is Mexican red rice but made vegan.
Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice Recipe)
Arroz rojo or Mexican red rice is one of the basic recipes of Mexican cuisine. It’s easy to master with my fail proof recipe. Let’s learn how to make this delicious Mexican rice for all your favorite meals.
TRY THIS RECIPE
17
View from above a table lined with a white tablecloth and on top is a pan filled with refried beans and a spoon mixing them.
Authentic Mexican Refried Beans Recipe (Frijoles Refritos)
This authentic Mexican refried beans or frijoles refritos are creamy, easy to make and budget friendly. You’ll love this homemade recipe that tastes way better than store-bought or restaurant refried beans. This family recipe makes THE best refried beans!
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Drinks

If you’d like to include an adult drink option, an ice-cold Chelada works great with this menu.

Prefer a visual? Here are the drinks with photos so you can see what fits best with this menu.

18
One small glass filled with ice cubes and cucumber agua fresca. The glass is decorated with a slice of lime and cucumber and some mint leaves.
Agua de Pepino con Limón (Cucumber and Lime Agua Fresca)
Agua de pepino, or cucumber agua fresca, is a refreshing Mexican cucumber drink made with just a few ingredients. It’s light, fresh, a little tart, and has just a touch of sweetness, making it the perfect drink to keep you cool all summer long.
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19
Pouring freshly made agua de pina into a tall glass with lots of ice cubes.
Easy Agua de Piña | Mexican Pineapple Agua Fresca
Agua de piña, or Mexican pineapple agua fresca, is a refreshing that needs just 3 ingredients and it’s also sugar free!
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Desserts

Prefer a visual? Here are the desserts with photos so you can see what fits best with this menu.

20
Mexican mango paletas laying on top of ice cubes on a metal tray.
The Best Mango Paletas Recipe (Mexican Popsicles Made Vegan)
Mexican ice pops or paletas are always made with fresh fruit and a great way to beat the heat. You’re going to love this healthier vegan paletas recipe made with mango — you’ll need just 4 ingredients!
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21
Two glasses of creamy vegan arroz con leche topped with cinnamon sticks and sprinkled cinnamon, placed on a colorful embroidered napkin with scattered rice grains on a wooden surface.
Easy Vegan Arroz con Leche Recipe (Mexican Rice Pudding)
This easy vegan arroz con leche recipe, or Mexican rice pudding, is a classic Mexican dessert. It’s creamy, sweet, and can be served chilled or warm. Plus it’s also a budget friendly dessert the whole family will love.
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Can I Mix and Match These Menus?

Absolutely!

Think of these menus as a starting point. You can swap dishes, mix both menus together, or keep things simple and just choose your favorites.

If you’re hosting, I recommend:

  • 2–3 appetizers
  • 1 main dish
  • 2 sides
  • 1 drink
  • 1–2 desserts

That’s more than enough for a full, satisfying spread.

A colorful plate of vegan carne en su jugo topped with onions, cilantro, lime, radish, and crispy bits, served with tortillas on a traditional blue and white patterned table, next to a basket of tortillas and a bowl of salsa.
Carne en su Jugo for Special Ocassions

Want More Options?

While these menus are designed to be simple and complete, you can absolutely mix and match recipes based on what you’re craving or what you already have on hand.

If you want a few extra ideas to round out your Cinco de Mayo spread, here are some additional recipes you can swap in or add:

A recipe page for Cochinita Pibil Tacos features an overhead photo of two tacos garnished with vegetables on a plate. Ingredients, instructions, and cooking details are listed below the image.

Want a Printable Version?

If you’d like a simple, printable version you can keep on hand while cooking, I’ve created printable versions of these menus.

👉 Get the printable Menu Plan #1 here
👉 Get the printable Menu Plan #2 here

They’re perfect if you want everything in one place without scrolling while you cook.

A Simple Vegan Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

Cinco de Mayo doesn’t have to mean spending all day in the kitchen or stressing over what to make.

With a simple plan and a few great recipes, you can create a spread that feels festive, authentic, and completely satisfying but without the overwhelm.

Whether you follow one of these menus exactly or mix and match your favorites, you’re going to end up with something delicious.

📌Pin for Later

Single image poster with bold text reading "Not Sure What to Cook for Cinco de Mayo? Try These 2 Menus" over a vibrant Mexican-inspired food background.
Not Sure What to Cook for Cinco de Mayo? Try These 2 Menus
Nancy Lopez author of Mexican Made Meatless

Gracias

I’m so happy you stopped by. If you have any questions or want to let me know how you liked this recipe, do leave a comment. Muchas gracias, I appreciate you!

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