Coco Dinner and a Movie: A Flavorful Pixar-Inspired Feast

A Pixar-Inspired Feast: Bringing the Magic of Coco to Your Dinner Table

If you’re looking for the perfect way to celebrate Día de los Muertos, ease out of Halloween mode, and enjoy a night full of incredible Mexican flavors, this Coco Dinner and a Movie night is exactly what you need.

Honestly, after TEN WEEKS of Halloween content, I was NOT ready to jump straight into Christmas (I needed a minute). This night felt like the perfect way to slow down, enjoy something vibrant and meaningful, and honor the traditions that inspired Pixar’s Coco – all while indulging in some seriously delicious food.

Since I grew up in Southern California, I’ve been surrounded by amazing, authentic Mexican cuisine my entire life. So when I set out to create this Coco-inspired feast, I knew one thing: I had to go all out. That meant making everything from scratch—the salsas, the tamales, the beans (starting with a soak because I’m hardcore), the rice, and of course, the churros.

It was a three-day cooking adventure that tested my patience but also resulted in some of the best food I’ve ever made. And the best part? You don’t have to figure it all out on your own! It will not take you 3 days to make this meal – I ended up with about 3 hours of video footage that I cut down to less than 3 on IG. I often wonder how quickly I could buzz through cooking if I wasn’t filming.

You can find all recipes for this Toy Story Dinner and a Movie, plus other Pixar Classics from Cars to Toy Story in the Just Keep Cooking Dinner and a Movie Cookbook download! Each meal includes an appetizer, main course, dessert, signature drink and printable menu download! Download your copy her, and start making Disney magic tonight!

The Inspiration Behind a Coco Movie Night

The rich colors, vibrant music, and deep cultural traditions in Coco make it one of my favorite Pixar films. Growing up, I had close friends whose families made tamales every year during the holidays, and I saw firsthand what a meaningful and communal experience it was.

So when I decided to make tamales completely from scratch, I knew I was in for a challenge. But let me tell you – they were worth every second. And of course, I couldn’t call it a Disney-inspired dinner without churros. These homemade churros? Way better than Disney’s. (Don’t tell them I said that.)

The Ultimate Coco-Inspired Menu

Each dish in this dinner was carefully chosen to honor Día de los Muertos traditions while keeping that playful Pixar magic alive. And yes, it took three days to make – and I definitely could have, I could’ve cut corners, used store-bought items, and made it easier. I chose chaos instead.

The Appetizers: The Ultimate Chips & Dip Board

Because I physically cannot make just one dip, I went all in and made FOUR:
✅ Roasted Habanero Salsa (Spicy, smoky, incredible)
✅ Pico de Gallo (Fresh and zesty)
✅ Guacamole (Because obviously)
✅ Elote Dip (Corn, cheese, and spicy goodness)

🌮 Let’s Talk Kitchen MVPs 🌮

Listen, I love cooking, but I also love making my life easier. And when it comes to prepping for a Disney-inspired feast (or just a solid taco night), these kitchen tools save me SO much time and effort. From perfectly chopped veggies to silky smooth guacamole, they do the heavy lifting so I can focus on the fun parts – cooking and eating!

If you’re planning your own Coco-inspired dinner, or just want to level up your salsa game, these are the tools I swear by. Seriously, once you start using them, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them! ⬇️

The Main Course: A Labor of Love

On day two, I got up, soaked the corn husks, started the beans, and mentally prepared myself for hours of tamale making. My husband sat in the kitchen watching a Sharks hockey game while I wrapped and folded tamales for what felt like an eternity.

He requested green chile chicken and cheese tamales, and I went for classic red pork tamales. Once they were steamed, I tackled the homemade beans and cilantro lime rice to round out the meal.

I’ve linked a few of the essentials that I got off of Amazon – there were quite a few corn husks that had bad reviews for getting moldy – these seemed to be of great quality. I also love everything Red Mill so this Masa Harina (while a little pricy) was fantastic. And do yourself a favor and just buy the steamer pot! I tried to steam mine in my Hex Clad Pot – and it just was not big enough – I had to rush order a steamer! This one worked great!!

The Cocktail: A Colorful Coco-Inspired Margarita

To celebrate the movie’s gorgeous color palette, I made a layered margarita using fresh fruit and bold flavors. And because I can’t leave well enough alone, I also made white chocolate sugar skull garnishes to decorate the glasses.

What’s a Coco Dinner Without Dessert?

Homemade Churros Recipe: The Perfect Coco Movie Night Dessert

There was zero chance I wasn’t making churros from scratch. I don’t know why I don’t do this more often because they turned out SO GOOD—warm, crispy, cinnamon-sugar perfection.

Bringing the Magic Home

If I’m being completely honest, this was the most time-consuming meal I’ve ever made. But also? The meal I’m most proud of. Every single dish was bursting with authentic flavor, and I know that if you make this, you’ll feel the same sense of accomplishment.