Let’s head to the beautiful country of Mexico! This country directly south of the United States was home to two of the most prominent and innovative civilizations of their time: the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. Not only has Mexico greatly contributed to the sciences and arts of the world today, but they’ve also left behind a legacy of dishes that are still being enjoyed.

Mexicans take their food very seriously. Wouldn’t you act the same if you were privileged enough to have access to the following foods all the time?

1. Chilaquiles

Believe it or not, this fiery-looking dish is actually a breakfast dish! What better way to start the day than with something like this, eh?

Don’t worry too much though—depending on the recipe, this dish can range from not spicy to very spicy. Just adjust it according to your preferences if you’re not too keen on sweating things out so early in the morning.

Chilaquiles are one of the most beloved dishes in Mexico. Here, corn tortillas are cut into quarters until they look like nachos and baked until crisp. Then, green or red salsa is slathered all over and garnished with crema, shredded meat, onions, cheese, cilantro, and avocado slices. Everything is then simmered until the tortillas start to soften.

2. Enchiladas

Enchilada is one of the oldest dishes in Mexico. In fact, the practice of rolling a tortilla around a filling of meat and covering it with tomato and chili sauce dates back to the Aztec civilization! During the time of the Spanish invasion, conquistadors Bernal Diaz del Castillo and Hernan Cortes reportedly really enjoyed the enchiladas the native Mexicans served them. Since then, enchiladas have been memorialized and associated with Mexican culture in general.

There are many ways to make enchiladas. They vary by the filling and the sauce. For the former, you can add meat, seafood, beans, cheese, rice, peppers, vegetables, and more. For the latter, you can use red salsa, green salsa, melted cheese, and a ton of other toppings.

3. Tamales

Speaking of foods with a long history, tamales are even older than enchiladas are! They emerged around 8000 BC to 5000 BC, so you can just imagine how many ancient civilizations have been enjoying it. It was developed as a way to bring food around for hunting trips, traveling long distances, and feeding their armies. So, if you really think about it, tamales seem to be the original Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs)!

Tamales are made of corn dough (masa) and filled with simple yet hearty ingredients like meat and vegetables. Then, it’s wrapped around banana leaves or corn husks and steamed. As the corn dough is cooked, it becomes firmer and starts absorbing the scent and taste from the wrapping. It’s essential to wrap your tamales properly as this adds to the flavor of the dish!

4. Quesadillas

One of the easiest dishes from Mexico to make at home, quesadillas have taken the world by storm. It is very simple yet satisfying and only takes a few ingredients to make—tortillas, ooey-gooey cheese, and various types of meat and vegetables depending on your preference. Then, you can serve it with sauces on the side for dipping like salsa, guacamole, or even ranch (though this option is more Americanized).

Quesadillas are so popular worldwide that there are many variations of them now. You can make a pizza quesadilla with mozzarella, pepperoni, black olives, and green or red bell peppers. You can even make a dessert quesadilla and fill it with hazelnut spread or butterscotch cream or caramel instead of cheese. The possibilities are endless with quesadillas!

5. Churros

While churros didn’t originate in Mexico, Mexico is definitely still one of the places to be in if you want the tastiest churros. They are crispy, crunchy fried dough that has been dusted with lots of cinnamon and sugar and dipped into a luxurious chocolate sauce. With the churro, you definitely can’t have just one!

And like many other Mexican dishes, churros are very easy to make at home. None of the ingredients are too hard to find either—they should be available at any grocery store around the world. All you need are water, unsalted butter, sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, eggs, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. You also need a piping bag to form the churro into its iconic shape.