Mexican Recipes.
Sonoran Style!
70+ Mexican recipes straight from the Sonoran Desert region of the Arizona-Mexico borderlands. Recipes for tacos, enchiladas, caldos, Mexican Seafood, Mexican drinks and cocktails and more Sonoran-Style Mexican favorites. Jackie Alpers creates recipes that people want to cook, eat and share.
Sonoran Stetson Chopped Salad with Basil-Ranch Dressing
Recipe for Stetson chopped salad with smoked salmon, corn, berries, couscous and Basil-Ranch dressing. A Sonoran spin on the famous Southwestern salad.
Spicy Cadillac Margarita Cocktail Recipe
Recipe for a spicy Cadillac margarita cocktail made with less sugar, freshly squeezed juice, high-end tequila and Grand Marnier. This is the Cadillac of all spicy margaritas for a good reason. Served in a chile-rimmed wide schooner glass. Spicy Cadillac Margarita...
Sonoran Style Carne Asada Burritos Recipe
Sonoran-style carne asada, burritos stuffed with charro beans, crunchy cabbage and Jackie’s famous chiltepin red salsa. Sonoran-style carne asada is not marinated. Instead the meat is finished with a bit of pineapple juice which caramelizes in the hot fire. This is one of the most popular varieties of beef and bean burritos in the Sonoran region north of the Arizona-Mexico border.
Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe
Recipe for homemade taco seasoning made with ground freshly dried chiles and Mexican oregano. Plus how to dry and grind fresh chiles.
Michelada vs. Chelada: What’s the difference? With Recipes for Both
Michelada vs. Chelada: What’s the Difference? Includes recipes for a michelada cocktail made with Ray Ray’s Sonoran Spirit and a spicy tomato mixer.
Spicy Prickly Pear and Strawberry Margaritas
How to make a spicy Sonoran-style prickly pear margarita cocktail on the rocks with strawberry and habanero infused tequila and a black salt rim using a Strawberry and Habanero Infused Tequila Recipe.
Pumpkin Empanadas: Easy Baked Mini Hand Pies
These mini pumpkin empanadas are brushed with a buttery, warming aromatic coating are fun and super easy to bake (not fried) using pre-made sheets of pie dough and a spiced pumpkin filling.
Three Sisters Power Bowl
Let the power of these three sisters fuel your day! Corn, zucchini and tepary bean breakfast bowl with quinoa, corn, avocado, spicy green salsa and eggs.
Coconut Milk and Coffee Braised Chicken Recipe
Coconut milk and coffee braised chicken thighs recipe with ancho chile, Greek yogurt and cilantro. Served with yams over rice.
Albondigas Matzo Ball Soup
Albondigas soup made with matzo balls. Two popular soups together as one – a Jewish-deli Sonoran-Mexican combination.
Sonoran Cheese and Potato Soup Recipe (Caldo de Queso)
Caldo de Queso is a Sonoran cheese and chunky potato soup with green chiles, onions, and tomatoes in a light broth. Recipe by Taste of Tucson cookbook author Jackie Alpers.
Sardine Tacos on Homemade Blue Corn Tortillas
Sardine tacos with cabbage, red onion and mustard salsa on homemade blue corn tortillas by Sonoran cookbook author Jackie Alpers.
Deli Counter Tacos with Scallion Ranch Cream Cheese
Lunchbox recipe for street tacos made with deli counter turkey and provolone cheese rolled in tortillas and topped with lettuce, tomato, olives and pepperoncini. Includes recipe for Scallion Ranch Cream Cheese Spread.
Masa Versus Cornmeal: What’s the Difference?
What’s the difference between cornmeal and masa harina? How is masa used to make corn tortillas? Can cornmeal be used in tortillas? Get the answers and recipe for Sonoran corn tortillas from Taste of Tucson cookbook author Jackie Alpers.
Chipotle Deviled Eggs with Caviar and Capers
These spicy, chipotle deviled eggs topped with caviar and capers are fancy yet simple. The perfect party food or indulgent yet healthy snack.
Mexican Chocolate Popcorn Treats
No-bake Mexican chocolate popcorn treats made with pretzels, cashews, Sriracha sesame seeds, cinnamon and red chile spiced chocolate marshmallow cream Chile powder and cinnamon add some kick to these sweet and spicy no-bake Mexican chocolate popcorn and pretzel treats. Recipe developed for The Silicone Kitchen.
Goose Tacos Recipe
Recipe for Sonoran-style goose tacos inspired by Peking Duck. These goose tacos are served on flour tortillas with hoisin sauce, salsa macha, cabbage, carrots and scallions. Food photography for this recipe is shortlisted for the 2025 World Food Photography Awards in the Food Influencer category.
Crispy Tortilla Star Bites with Guacamole and Pomegranate Seeds
Topped with chunky guacamole and jewel-like pomegranate seeds, these crispy tortilla bites from The Unofficial Elf Cookbook by Jackie Alpers exude holiday joy. Use Jackie Alpers’ Sonoran-Style Chunky Guacamole Recipe or your favorite store-bought version.
Green Chile Tamale Pie with Molé Sauce
Sonoran-style vegetarian tamale pie recipe made with a creamy green chile and masa base and a rich, quick molé made with peanut butter, tahini, and cocoa.
Homemade Chile Powder from Fresh Chiles Recipe
How to dehydrate and grind chile peppers, with recipes for chili powder and custom spice blends using fresh homegrown and/or gourmet store bought chiles. Preserve expensive and/or hard to find chiles.
Arizona Cheese Crisp with Roasted Hatch Green Chiles and Ranch Drizzle
Tucson’s Sonoran-style Mexican Arizona cheese crisp made with flour tortillas, roasted Hatch green chile strips and a creamy green chile Ranch salsa. Thank you Fry’s Foods for sponsoring this recipe.
Jackie Kashian’s Paprika Marinated Chicken Recipe
Recipe for Paprika Marinated Chicken. Comedian Jackie Kashian is funny on stage but her chicken recipe is no joke.
Chipotle-Lime Grilled Corn Recipe
Recipe for a lighter version chipotle lime grilled corn on the cob from the Sonoran Arizona-Mexico borderlands cookbook author Jackie Alpers
Sonoran Spicy Mexican Green Rice
Spicy, Sonoran-style Mexican green rice (arroz verde) recipe made with tomatillo salsa verde, peas and cilantro from the Taste of Tucson cookbook.
Southwestern Salsa Chicken Recipe
Southwestern salsa chicken recipe made with chicken slow-simmered in salsa, shredded and served Sonoran-style in lettuce leaf tacos with crema, Mexican blend cheese and radish slices.
Salsa Verde Recipe: Spicy Sonoran Tomatillo Salsa from Penca
Recipe for Sonoran Style hot green tomatillo salsa developed by Patricia Schwabe for her restaurant Penca. From the Taste of Tucson Cookbook by Jackie Alpers.
Spicy Sonoran Chipotle Chicken Salad
Spicy Sonoran-style chicken salad recipe made with rotisserie chicken in a light, flavor-packed chipotle sauce for lettuce/taco wraps, salads and sandwiches. This recipe was first developed for the Glamour.com article, A Week of Delicious Chicken Recipes.
Charro Beans: Sonoran Style Whole Pinto Beans
Vegan recipe for the saucy, whole Sonoran-style pinto beans that you see cowboys (charros) eating in old Western movies, from the Taste of Tucson cookbook by Jackie Alpers.
Topopo Salad Recipe: Tucson’s Famous Regional Salad
The Topopo salad is Tucson, Arizona’s most unique regional salad. It’s is a visually stunning volcano of chopped lettuce and mixed vegetables piled high on a bean tostada. This monumental salad was first inspired by a volcano in Sonora, Mexico.
Sonoran-Style Red Pozole
This Sonoran-style red pozole recipe is a “low-and-slow” braised pork and hominy stew/soup topped with lots of fresh vegetables and citrus from the Taste of Tucson cookbook by Jackie Alpers.
Bison Nachos
Bison are a seminal component of Western American history. The massive bison hunts of the 19th century resulted in their near extinction. With conservation efforts in place, the Yellowstone bison are considered the last truly wild herd of American plains bison in existence. Regenerative bison farms have reintroduced this healthy beef alternative into American food systems.
Easy Sonoran Chile Colorado Con Carne Recipe
Easy Sonoran chile colorado con carne recipe made by browning beef in the same pan as a thawing frozen chile disc, melding the flavors as they cook.
Sonoran Flat Enchiladas (Enchiladas Sonorenses)
Recipe for Sonoran-style flat enchiladas unique to the Tucson/Sonora, Mexico borderlands. Fat corn masa pancakes are smothered in enchilada sauce, shredded cheese, green olives and scallions. Serve them topped with my Chile Colorado and/or an egg-over-easy for breakfast anytime.
Texas-Style Chili con Carne (Without Beans)
Chili con Carne recipe from The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook. In the season 4 finale of Yellowstone, the bunkhouse gets into a heated debate over whether or not chili has beans. The Unofficial Yellowstone cookbook shares a recipe for both chili with and without beans because Texas where the character “Jimmy” had recently visited, is famous for their Chili con Carne which is made without beans – it’s mainly beef and red chiles, and it is fabulous. Get the chili with beans recipe… and more in The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook.
Sonoran Hot Dog Tacos with Charro Beans and Bacon
Is it a hot dog? Is it a taco? Is it Beans & Franks? Yes, it is! My hot dog tacos are made with charro beans and topped with pickled red onion and a special sauce. This recipe is an excerpt from Taste of Tucson: Sonoran Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona by Jackie
Sonoran Hot Dog Recipe from El Guero Canelo
Sonoran Hot Dogs recipe from El Guero Canelo Restaurant, winner of the James Beard American Classic award. This recipe was featured in Taste of Tucson: Sonoran-Style recipes inspired by the rich culture of Southern Arizona.
Grilled Carne Asada “Crunch” Quesadillas
The original Crunchadilla! Sonoran carne asada, scallions, cheese and crunchy tortilla chips stuffed in quesadillas and re-grilled for more crunch. Many years ago, Ben Galaz owner of BK Tacos taught me how to make Sonoran carne and cebollas asada.
Tortilla Snowflakes Recipe
Sweet and sparkly tortilla snowflakes – an edible version of the popular Mexican folk art, papel picado which will brighten any winter holiday table.
Mexican Street Corn Cups (Elote en Vaso)
Recipe for Elote en Vaso, Mexican street corn in cups. Pan fried corn kernels tossed in a creamy sauce seasoned with chile and lime. From the Taste of Tucson Cookbook by Jackie Alpers.
Sonoran Arroz Con Pollo Recipe
Arroz con pollo is one of the recipes most requested by locals from my Taste of Tucson cookbook and I’ve always found chicken and rice to be a comforting combo. This is a great make ahead recipe for workday lunches. At first glance El Pato salsa de chile fresco may look like pureed tomato sauce, but it’s got a medium spicy kick of heat that will convince you otherwise.
Sonoran Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas Recipe
Sonoran-style Mexican shrimp ceviche tostadas with avocado and hot sauce on crunchy baked tostada shells.
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe (Coctel de Camarones)
This easy Sonoran style Mexican shrimp cocktail with crisp cucumber, creamy avocado, red onion and hot sauce is ready in about 5 minutes.
Sonoran Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Sonoran tortilla soup recipe made with rotisserie chicken, diced tomatoes, green chiles, crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado and crumbled Mexican cheese in a clear broth. Quick, easy and flavorful.
Crispy Tofu Tostadas in Chile Colorado Sauce
Crispy tofu adds just the right amount of heft and bite to Chile Colorado served on crunchy baked tostada shells.
Taste of Tucson Cookbook: Sonoran Ingredients and Shopping Guide
Sonoran cooking resource and shopping guide for the Taste of Tucson cookbook by Jackie Alpers, with lists of ingredients, pantry staples and photography equipment recommendations.
Molletes Recipe: Open-Faced Breakfast Sandwiches with Egg and Avocado
Molletes are open-faced breakfast sandwiches made by slathering refried beans onto toasted bolillo rolls and then heaping avocado slices, a fried egg, hot sauce, and lots of cheese on top.
Bell Peppers Stuffed With Nachos Supreme
Roasted bell peppers stuffed with creamy nacho cheese, avocado, pickled jalapeños, black beans and crunchy tortilla chips.
Beef Patty Tacos Recipe
Teresa Matias told me that to help satisfy her children’s cries for burgers when buns weren’t handy, she would fold a hamburger patty into a tortilla and fry it. Topped with cheese, lettuce, and tomato, it later became a regular menu item at her restaurant, Teresa’s Mosaic Cafe. Apparently, a lot of moms had the same experience, because the beef patty taco has been standard restaurant fare around southern Arizona since at least the mid-1970s.
Strawberry Habanero Infused Tequila
This infused Strawberry-Habanero tequila makes a mean margarita or straight-up sipper.
Tequila vs. Mezcal: What’s the Difference?
Wondering what the difference is between different types of tequila and mezcal? Includes recipes for a Paloma cocktail.
