13 Cinco De Mayo Snacks Worth Putting Your Drink Down For

If you are having a party with lots of friends, you need food that is easy to pick up with one hand. These 13 Cinco De Mayo snacks are perfect because they taste great and won’t make a mess while you talk and play. They are so good that your guests will probably eat them all before you can even bring out more drinks. When the room is loud and everyone is having fun, these are the best treats to keep everyone happy and full.

Loaded Slow Cooker Taco Dip

Beans and cheese sit in a warm pot for hours until they turn into one smooth mix. The slow cooker does all the work, so the host can actually talk to the guests. I usually find people hovering near the plug with a bag of chips before I even set the table.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Slow Cooker Taco Dip

Crispy Plantain Chips

Green peels come off to reveal a starchy fruit that gets very stiff in hot oil. These chips are strong enough to hold a big scoop of salsa without snapping. Most people start reaching for them the second the bag opens.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Plantain Chips

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Dip

Orange fat bubbles rise to the top of the pan, smelling of warm peppers. This dip uses chicken shredded so small it melts right into the cheese. The best bits are the dark, crunchy pieces stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Dip

Mexican Cucumber Salad

Lime juice fills up the middle of the cucumber slices, making the chili flakes stick to the sides. It is a fresh snack worth putting your drink down for when other food feels too heavy. The bowl is usually empty before the ice in the cups has even melted.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Cucumber Salad

Mexican Tostones

The heavy jar smashes each slice of fruit flat to make edges that crackle when you bite them. These are fried twice to make sure the middle stays soft while the outside stays crunchy. They disappear quickly because the combination of salt and heat is impossible to ignore.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Tostones

Queso Fundido

Red oil from the sausage leaks into the white cheese, making a map of color across the pan. You have to eat this quickly while it is still stretchy and hot. The smell of browned meat usually pulls everyone away from the couch and toward the stove.
Get the Recipe: Queso Fundido

Seven Layer Vegetarian Dip

A flat spatula pushes the beans down to make a floor for the olives and tomatoes. Because the bowl is glass, everyone can see exactly how fast it is disappearing. It stays steady even in a warm, crowded room.
Get the Recipe: Seven Layer Vegetarian Dip

Roasted Mango Habanero Salsa

The fruit skin turns black in the oven until the sugar gets sticky. One drop on a chip makes people grab water, but they still eat more. The heat from the peppers starts slowly in the back of the throat.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Mango Habanero Salsa

Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Breadcrumbs turn brown in the hot air to keep the cheese inside the pepper. These are not oily, so they are easy to pick up with your hands. I bring out a few at a time so they stay hot.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Homemade Tomato Salsa

Sharp blades spin for just a few seconds, so the onions stay big enough to crunch. The juice at the bottom is the best part, especially with a few broken chip pieces to soak it up. It tastes like a fresh garden instead of a metal tin.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Tomato Salsa

Family’s Favorite Ground Beef Nachos in the Oven

Meat and beans fill the spaces between the chips, so every bite has a topping. The metal pan is bent from the heat, but the cheese still melts well. People grab the olives first before the tray is empty.
Get the Recipe: Family’s Favorite Ground Beef Nachos in the Oven

Pepita Salsa Macha

Seeds fry in oil until they turn dark and soak up the pepper heat. It sits in a jar on the table to add to other foods. The habit of eating it straight from the spoon is hard to break, even though it is meant to be a topping.
Get the Recipe: Pepita Salsa Macha

Taco Dip with Cream Cheese

A whisk mixes the spices into the cheese until it is thick and heavy. The cool cheese tastes good if someone adds hot sauce on top. Any leftovers go on toast the next day for a quick lunch.
Get the Recipe: Taco Dip with Cream Cheese

Your drink can wait, but these snacks will be finished in a minute.