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Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead in English, is a time for reflection and celebration — but it’s also all about food, with drinks, dishes, and desserts piled high onto the ofrenda, the candle-lit, flower-strewn altar dedicated to family and dear friends who have passed. In addition to common elements like grinning sugar skulls, bowls of fruits, and bottles of beer or tequila, it’s tradition to make your loved ones’ favorite recipes to help guide them back to you for the party. You can also welcome the spirits with foods that hold symbolic significance for the holiday — specially decorated pan de muerto, emblematic harvest ingredients like pumpkin and maize — or dishes like tamales and moles that round out any celebration. Keep reading for some recipe ideas from chefs around the country to start building your Día de Muertos menu.
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Chayotes en Tacha (Candied Chayotes) with Labneh
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This creative dessert from 2022 F&W Best New Chef Ana Castro mirrors the traditional Día de Muertos dessert calabaza en tacha, replacing the pumpkin with green chayotes. A dollop of labneh adds a cool, tart contrast to the warmly spiced syrup.
Pan de Muerto
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This seasonally specific pan dulce is often decorated with abstract bones as a nod to the deceased. 2023 F&W Best New Chef Isabel Coss makes the dough for hers with orange blossom water, finishing the rolls with colorful sanding sugar.
Frijoles Negros de la Olla con Nopalitos (Black Beans with Cactus Paddles)
Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Carrie Purcell / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva
Chef Bricia Lopez seasons these creamy black beans with epazote, a fragrant Mexican herb with a citrusy, anise-y, lightly pungent character. After stirring in pieces of tender cactus, she finishes the pot with crumbled queso fresco.
Champurrado
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Champurrado, a thick warm beverage made with chocolate, masa, and piloncillo, is a popular option for Día de Muertos. Former F&W food editor Diana Perez seasons hers with cinnamon, adding a whole cinnamon stick to infuse the drink as it boils.
Pumpkin Spice Conchas
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
For a sweet treat on your ofrenda, try these buns from pastry chef Ellen Ramos, who brings the default flavor of fall in the U.S. to a classic Mexican pan dulce — adding plenty of pumpkin pie spice into the dough for the crunchy topping.
Oyster Mushroom Tamales with Mole Encacahuatado
Tamales are a common sight for any Mexican holiday celebration, and Day of the Dead is no different. For this vegan version, recipe developer and writer Paola Briseño González roasts mushrooms until golden and crispy, then layers them over a peanutty mole.
Coconut Arroz con Leche Tamales
In another tamale recipe, Paola Briseño González takes things in a sweeter direction, pairing buttery sweetened whipped masa and a rich, coconutty rice pudding. A drizzle of cajeta (goat-milk caramel) is the perfect finishing touch.
Arroz a la Mexicana
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Ana Castro makes this classic rice dish in honor of her grandfather, who loved it served with a fried egg on top. Sliced banana adds a creamy sweetness that balances the heat from the serrano chiles.
Entomatadas
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
These saucy entomatadas come from Edgar Rico, a 2023 F&W Best New Chef, who dedicates the recipe to his grandmothers. Just corn tortillas, cheese, and a simple tomato sauce come together to make a delicious vegetarian dish.
Vegan Pozole Rojo
Chef Edgar Castrejón, author of the vegan Mexican cookbook Provecho, bases this meat-free pozole on a smoky, savory mix of dried chiles and golden pan-fried mushrooms. There’s an optional variation for adding shredded turkey, if you’d like.
Mole Negro
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Complex, labor-intensive mole, especially the rich Oaxacan mole negro, is a classic offering for the holiday. Fermín Núñez, a 2021 F&W Best New Chef, has worked for years to develop a recipe that would make his grandmother proud.
Poblanos Rellenos de Picadillo Dulce
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Zarela Martinez, an icon of Mexican cooking, fills blistered poblano chiles with a sweet picadillo laced with golden raisins, olives, canela, and clove. The silky caldillo de tomate gets its delicious richness from a not-so-secret ingredient: lard.
Cheesecake with Tequila Cajeta
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
For many family celebrations, toasting deceased loved ones with a pour of their favorite spirit is a must. Claudette Zepeda goes with tequila, a favorite of her father’s, to spike the luscious cajeta she serves with her mascarpone cheesecake.
Roasted Squash with Mole Almendrado
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Paola Briseño González adds depth to a quick-and-simple mole with tomatoes, ancho chiles, toasted almonds, sticky Medjool dates, and warm spices. It’s delicious served with roasted squash and lentils (and a tart buttermilk dressing to finish).
Hannah Walhout
2025-10-30 19:00:00