10 Traditional Recipes for Celebrating Day of the Dead

Celebrate Day of the Dead with Traditional Recipes

Spicy chocolate caliente

Guajillo chiles impart a fruity, earthy and slightly spicy taste in this classic recipe for Mexican hot chocolate.

Recipe by Maura Wall Hernandez of The Other Side of The Tortilla

Sopa Azteca

Sopa Azteca is a chicken soup-based dish that also calls for chiles and crema Mexicana. Don't forget to garnish the soup with avocado, queso fresco and fried or baked tortilla strips.

Recipe by Leslie Limon of La Cocina de Leslie

Enfrijoladas

The perfect dish to make when you have a fresh pot of home-cooked beans? Enfrijoladas, of course! Saute garlic and onion with beans and bean broth from the pot, blend lightly, and dip warm corn tortillas in the bean sauce. Garnish with sliced avocado, salsa, tomato, queso fresco, crema Mexicana or cilantro.

Recipe by Vianney Rodriguez of Sweet Life

Pollo en mixiote

Chicken legs and thighs get dressed up with guajillo chiles, garlic, tomatoes and onion. Cactus paddles, known as nopales, and carrots add to this hearty dish which is cooked inside a banana leaf.

Recipe by Ericka Sanchez of Nibbles and Feasts

Oaxacan tamales

These chicken-stuffed corn masa tamales will keep your family full. Steam in banana leaves and serve drizzled with mole and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Tip: Use store-bought prepared mole for quick and easy prep.

Recipe by Vianney Rodriguez of Sweet Life

Pan de muerto

Pan de muerto is perhaps the most widely known food symbol for Day of the Dead. The egg-based bread is often made with anise or orange blossom water to give the bread its signature scent, and dough is used on the top of the bread to represent bones. Lightly brush the outside of the bread with orange juice once baked and sprinkle granulated sugar on top for a traditional finish.

Recipe by Ericka Sanchez of Nibbles and Feasts