Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is the perfect place for an adventurous family vacation or a romantic getaway with that special someone.

One of our everlasting highlights about Mexico is, without a doubt, the impeccable cuisine. From tacos to tamales, it’s easy to find flavors – and spices – to light up your palette!

Perhaps you’re hoping to dig into some authentic dishes at some of Mexico’s most exciting eateries on your next vacation, or just trying to recreate some of the magic in your own kitchen!

Nevertheless, this week we’re bringing you some of our own favorite dishes from this rich, diverse country, straight from the belly of the beast: The Yucatan Peninsula!

Read on for some foodie inspiration that’s sure to get your mouth watering!

What better way to begin your day than with this tasty breakfast plate? Chilaquiles are fried corn tortillas cooked in salsa and served with cheese. A number of toppings can be added, with beans, eggs, meat, onions and sour cream all being amongst the most common additions. A true comfort dish, chilaquiles have been offered up for breakfast or brunch in Mexican households for many generations.

For the best breakfast of your whole vacation, pay a visit to La Cueva del Chango in Playa del Carmen. Nestled amongst ponds, trees and sunshine, this cheerful outdoor restaurant really delivers when it comes to food, with some of the tastiest chilaquiles in the Yucatan. Take your pick from a variety of toppings, including chilli sauces, sour cream, eggs, fresh cilantro and cured onions. There are plenty of other options for breakfast too, from omelets and empanadas to fruit salads and sweet crepes. Kick-start your day with a hearty breakfast in the tranquil setting of this charming garden restaurant.

If you’re in search of a new breakfast dish to spice up your mornings at home, then chilaquiles are the way to go!

You’ll need:

• 12 corn tortillas cut into 4-6 pieces (it works better if they’re a little stale)
• vegetable oil
• 2 cups of either tomato salsa or salsa verde
• sour cream
• 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
• 1 red onion, diced
• a large handful of cilantro, chopped
• a cheese of your choice, grated (we use good old cheddar!)

Add oil to a pan. Once the oil is hot, add the tortillas and fry them until they reach a golden-brown color. Remove the tortillas from the pan and put the salsa in the pan. After a few minutes, add the tortillas back to the pan and stir them well into the salsa. Then, remove the pan from the heat and serve up the tortillas and salsa. Top with sour cream, avocado slices, diced red onion, chopped cilantro and grated cheese. Perfection!

Like many other fundamental Mexican meals, this cheesy dish is popular internationally. This tortilla is filled predominantly with cheese, with other fillings such as meat, beans, salad or spices added to it. This is a really easy meal to make meat-free if you’re looking for a vegetarian option and makes the perfect light bite for lunch.

From casual beach cafes to plush, fine-dining restaurants, there’s no shortage of places to find great quesadillas in the Yucatan. Our top vote has to go to Apoala in Mérida, offering exceptional food, and the perfect setting for a classy lunch date. Try their super-sized cheesy quesadillas, packed with chorizo! Other highlights include the steak and the seafood ceviche. A truly excellent culinary experience.

Quesadillas will win over everyone at your dining table. They’re quick and simple to make, which means they’re perfect for lunchtime or an easy midweek dinner.

You’ll need:

• 8 flour tortillas
• cheddar cheese
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 large handful of cilantro, chopped
• 16 slices of spicy chorizo
• vegetable oil
• sour cream
• guacamole

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spread four of the tortillas across it. Grate cheddar cheese over the tortillas and make sure it’s spread evenly in a thick layer. Add the chorizo, spring onion, and cilantro, making sure all are spread evenly. Cover with the remaining four tortillas and brush with vegetable oil. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip over. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until all the cheese has melted and the tortillas are golden brown. Remove from the oven. Cut into triangles and serve with sour cream and guacamole.

No greatest hits list of Mexican food would be complete without the famous fish taco. Most often, the fish or shrimp is fried or grilled and placed in the taco, accompanied by fresh salsa, avocado, lettuce and sour cream. Tacos are eaten with a variety of different meats and other fillings all across the country, but the fish taco in particular is a national specialty that originated on Mexico’s pacific coast, namely in the Baja region.

Fish tacos might have been born on the Pacific side of Mexico, but you can still find insanely good, traditional ones on the Caribbean coast as well! For something true to its Mexican roots, then Tacun in Cancun is a fantastic discovery. This brightly-colored street-side restaurant has the best authentic fish tacos in town, and they pack some incredible flavors into all the rest of their dishes too!

If you fancy trying something with a more modern twist, book a table at Cancun’s Blue Gecko Cantina – their fiery bang bang fish tacos will blow your mind! 

The taste of these fresh fish tacos will transport you straight into summertime mode, even in the middle of winter! This is certainly a favorite for the whole family, and the build-your-own taco element is great for getting the kids involved!

You’ll need:

• 12 tortillas
• any white fish of your choice, cut into strips
• vegetable oil
• 1 pat of butter
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• a large handful of cilantro, chopped
• sour cream
• avocado, sliced
• lettuce leaves
• lime wedges

Add the tomatoes, red onion, garlic and cilantro to a bowl and mix well to form the salsa. Add oil to a pan. Once the oil is hot, add the fish to the pan with the pat of butter and cook until a golden-brown color, season with salt, then flip them over for 1 minute. Remove the fish from the heat and set it on a plate. Serve the fish, tortillas, salsa, sour cream, sliced avocado and lettuce leaves buffet-style on the table so everyone can join in the fun constructing their own taco! To plate up, place a few strips of fish in the center of the tortilla, add salsa, avocado slices, lettuce leaves and a drizzle of sour cream (lime juice and hot sauce optional). This dish is so delicious, it’ll quickly become a weekly staple.

You’ve almost definitely eaten churros before – we can’t blame you – but none compare to the churros made in the countries they come from originally: Spain, Portugal, and (you guessed it), Mexico! This deep-fried pastry is a dessert loved all around the globe, eaten hot and rolled in sugar and cinnamon, and often served with a hot little pot of dipping chocolate.

To eat churros like the locals, hit up the food stands in the Parque Las Palapas area of Cancun for some freshly-made churros. This area has been described as ‘street food heaven’ and is easily one of the best places to find authentic churros in Cancun. If you’re not a fan of eating out of a paper bag and would rather eat your churros off a plate, then we suggest Porfirio’s in Cancun. They serve all three courses here but save some room for their acclaimed churros dessert!

Churros are a little trickier to make at home than the other recipes we’ve mentioned, but who doesn’t love a challenge? Make sure you own a piping bag with a star tip, and then gather your ingredients! Make them for a special occasion, or just a weekend family treat.

You’ll need:

• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups of sugar
• canola oil
• 6 tablespoons of salted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Mix the sugar and ground cinnamon on a plate or shallow dish and set to one side. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add the water, vanilla extract and the cinnamon stick. When the mixture comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and take out the cinnamon stick. Add the flour and stir to form a smooth dough, and then leave the dough to cool for 20 minutes. Once the dough is cool, mix in the egg. Using a deep saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil to 400 F. Fill the dough into your piping bag and pipe the dough in lengths of around 6-8 inches into the hot oil, doing just a few at a time. Fry them until they turn a golden-brown color, then remove them and soak up excess oil on a paper towel. Roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture and serve warm!

We hope we’ve provided you with some great culinary inspiration this week, whether at home or abroad!

If you're interested in more recipes, check out our Top Recipes from Hawaii!

And for more tips, tricks and travel ideas check out the rest of our blog section!