8 Budget Friendly Mexican Style Meals for Busy Moms

Some nights the thought of making dinner feels impossible, especially when evenings get busy. The clock is ticking against you already. What if you can whip up quick authentic Mexican-style meals in 20 minutes or less, without blowing your budget? That’s exactly what this list of meals will do for you.

First let’s start with the staples that you’ll need for most of these meals= Tortillas (flour + corn) beans, salsa, and rice

These items can be stretched to multiple meals on this list.

Quesadilla

For authentic tasting quesadillas use flour tortillas, melting cheese, any leftover meat (rotisserie chicken or steak cut into pieces), and add avocado, salsa or sour cream.

Tacos de Carne Asada

Use pre-marinated steak (chop it up), add cilantro, onions, and salsa, optional limes

Chilaquiles

For authentic Mexican taste add queso fresco. To make the chips use a handful of corn tortillas, cut them into triangles, airfry or fry them on the stove. To keep that crunchiness, heat up a red or green salsa and add on top of your tortilla chips. Optional: add a “sunny-side up egg”

Tostadas

Using the corn tortillas fry them until they look crispy, drain on paper towels, add refried beans, lettuce and any additional toppings (your choice of protein, queso fresco, sour cream, salsa) make it your own.

Taquitos/Flautas

The ideal way to make these is to first heat up the tortillas a few seconds so that when you roll them the tortilla doesn’t break apart. Choose your protein, add it to heated tortillas, roll them and then fry them in oil or airfry. Top it off with salsa, lettuce, sour cream, and cilantro.

Burrito

First heat the tortilla, (use the flour tortillas to fit more) choose your protein, add beans, rice, cilantro and onions. Fold two sides then roll and heat again both sides for that outer crispiness. Pair with salsa or sour cream.

Mexican Rice Bowl

Similar to chipotle style bowls, add your rice and beans as the base, protein (chicken or steak), top it off with salsa, sour cream, and lettuce.

Tortilla Soup

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.