15 fun ways to embrace Mexican comfort food

The Mexican comfort food trend is a multi-tasker, giving warm hugs and fun fiesta vibes all in one tortilla. Food trend watchers are reporting many examples of Mexican comfort food, some classic, some creative, all flavorful and fun. Think dippable birria, melty quesadillas, hearty pozole, brunch-ready chilaquiles soaked in a rich mole, nachos, tostadas and tacos piled high with pops of color and savory meat (plant-based or real-deal).

“Just the sound of the words ‘comfort food’ makes you happy,” says Chef Michael Smith, director of culinary operations at Texas Christian University, one of the first campuses in the country to dip into the birria trend at a Tex-Mex concept. “I have a specific philosophy of it being our job to satisfy people’s emotional needs. Chefs will say, ‘Is it cooked correctly, is it served correctly? Then we did our job.’ But we have one job and that’s to make people happy. You can follow the recipe but that’s only the beginning of the journey.”

Journey with us through 15 Mexican-inspired dishes (and a hearty serving of new recipes) that will point your comfort food compass south of the border in a hurry.