Celebrating Hispanic Food: 4 Recipes to Try with Kids

Every year, Americans celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. They celebrate the many great contributions of their fellow Hispanic and Latin American brothers and sisters. 

Observing Hispanic Heritage Month is a great way to appreciate other cultures and learn more about their ways like what food they eat, what clothes they wear, what songs and dances they enjoy, what books they read, and so on. 

As such, this month is also an excellent opportunity to explore Hispanic dishes and try out recipes that are both sumptuous and easy to make. This is also a great way to bond with your loved ones and increase your family’s cultural awareness. 

To help you, we prepared four easy Hispanic recipes to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. These dishes are so easy to make, you can do them with your kids without a fuss. 

Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing

Enjoy a perfect mix of pasta, beans, tomatoes, and avocados with this Hispanic dish that’s great as a healthy snack or a nice packed lunch during a picnic day. 

To make this dish, you need the following ingredients:

Dressing

• ½ ripe avocado
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 grated clove of garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cumin

Pasta Salad

• 8 ounces fusilli
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup black beans
• ½ cup fresh corn
• ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Cook the pasta al dente or according to its package directions.
2. Prepare the dressing. Combine the avocado, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, salt, and cumin. Puree these ingredients in the food processor until smooth.
3. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it,  rinse it with cold water, and drain it again. Transfer the pasta into a large bowl.
4. Add the tomatoes, black beans, fresh corn, Cheddar cheese, onion, and cilantro. Mix in the dressing and toss the salad well.

Fried Cheese Tacos

Who doesn’t love cheese and tacos? This simple dish that’s so easy to make will surely be a favorite in your home. 

For this recipe, you need these ingredients:

• ½ cup olive oil for frying
• 8 corn tortillas
• 10 ounces frying cheese (Queso de Freir), sliced into 8 equal slices
• 3 cups shredded lettuce
• ⅓ white onion, thinly sliced
• 2 diced tomato
• 1 large diced avocado
• Chopped cilantro
• 1 jar of salsa (your choice or favorite)
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 lime

Instructions:

1. Preheat a nonstick skillet and a griddle over medium heat. 
2. Add ¼ cup of oil to the skillet and heat for 2 minutes.
3. Heat the tortillas on the griddle on one side for 1 minute. Flip the tortillas and drizzle oil until they are lightly covered.
4. Meanwhile, fry the cheese slices on the skillet for 2 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Flip the cheese slices and fry for 1 minute.
5. Place the fried cheese onto the tortillas. Fold the tortillas to make the cheese its filling. Fry the tortillas until they are crispy on both sides.
6. Serve with the lettuce, onion, tomato, avocado, cilantro, salsa, and sour cream. Squeeze lime on top. 

Baked Churros

Here’s a healthier and less messy way to make the classic Mexican dessert. 

To make this dish, here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
3. Combine water, butter, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. 
4. Remove the mixture from heat. Mix in the flour until the mixture is completely incorporated. Let cool for 5 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla together. Add the mixture to the dough and mix well.
6. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with an open-star tip.
7. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheet and make your desired size for the churros. 
8. Bake the churros for 15 minutes then flip them and bake for another 15 minutes or until the churros are brown and puffy.
9. Combine sugar and cinnamon on a plate. Roll the churros in the mixture, then cool on a wire rack before serving.

Tres Leches Ice Cream

Tres Leches is popular throughout Latin America, and for good reason. It’s creamy, smooth, and delicious. Here’s a recipe that turns the classic dessert into a delectable ice cream. 

All you need are the following ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 can condensed milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 egg yolks

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat and frequently stir for about 10 minutes. Do not boil. 
2. Pour the mixture into a container and freeze for an hour.
3. Remove from the freezer.
4. In a medium bowl, beat the mixture at high speed for 3 minutes.
5. Pour the mixture into a container and freeze for two hours before serving. 

Celebrate culture with great food 

There are many ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. But one excellent way of appreciating one’s culture is through their food. The recipes we’ve shared above are all delicious and easy to make, which makes them perfect for you and your family to try so that you’ll discover and taste Latin America’s cuisine. Of course, there are many more Hispanic dishes that you can do at home. Hopefully, these four recipes will encourage you to explore more Latin American recipes even when Hispanic Heritage Month is over. 

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