Vela was making his first appearance for the national side for three-and-a-half years at the Amsterdam Arena after refusing several call-ups in recent times, with his unwillingness to play for his country seeing him miss the 2014 World Cup.
However, the Real Sociedad striker accepted the latest olive branch from Herrera and wasted no time in illustrating his worth with a well-taken brace.
Vela's two goals were separated by a powerful volley from Wesley Sneijder on a night that saw the Galatasaray star become the third-most capped Netherlands player with 110 international appearances.
But Javier Hernandez added a third to render that moment of magic irrelevant in spite of Daley Blind's deflected 74th-minute strike.
Hiddink was made to reshuffle in the 24th minute when centre-back Ron Vlaar was forced off through injury and replaced by Stefan de Vrij.
Despite that setback Netherlands began to take control of the game, Depay casually firing over from a clever lofted pass from the ever-threatening Robben, who worked Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa with a powerful low drive from distance.
The 30-year-old controlled a Mexico clearance brilliantly before unleashing an unstoppable dipping volley that left Ochoa groping at thin air.
Krul produced a fine point-blank save from Hernandez but the Newcastle United keeper turned from hero to villain in the 62nd minute, as he allowed Vela's half volley to sneak underneath him after his defence had been undone by substitute Jesus Corona clever pass.
And the visitors ultimately put the result beyond doubt seven minutes later when Hernandez latched onto a throughball from Andres Guardado, rounded Krul and tucked into an empty net.
Yet a touch of fortune gave the hosts a route back into the contest, Blind's long-range strike taking a wicked deflection that wrongfooted Ochoa to halve the deficit.
