The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Mexican Foods. If you manage to be in an Mexican restaurant or you are visiting Mexico, I recommend the following:
1. Chilaquiles
They are nothing more than totopos (nachos) with a variety of accompaniments, choosing from chicken, beef, beef jerky, chorizo, eggs, cheese, beans, onions, avocado, etc. All of this is drizzled with a red or green chilli sauce. It is a popular breakfast where the corn tortillas are fried and cut into quarters.
2. Chiles en Nogada
Hailing specifically from the region of Puebla, chiles en nogada can be a challenge even for the biggest spicy lovers. Its preparation consists of poblano peppers stuffed with picadillo stew and mixed fruits, covered with walnut cream and sautéed with pomegranate chunks and parsley. Among the aspects that make this dish one of the most important Mexican heritage dishes is the fact that it is presented symbolising the three colours of the flag.
3. Tacos al Pastor
This dish is one of the most popular varieties of tacos, whose origins date back to the 1920s and the arrival of Lebanese and Syrian immigrants to Mexico. It is an easy dish to prepare and is found in most restaurants in Mexico. To create tacos al pastor, thin strips of pork are cut off a spit, placed in a corn tortilla and served with onions, coriander leaves and pineapple. Basically these are tacos of grilled meat seasoned with onion, coriander and pineapple: really delicious.
4. Tostadas
Tostadas are an easy-to-prepare, as well as delicious, dish that involves corn tortillas fried in boiling oil until crisp and golden brown. They are served on their own or stacked with any number of garnishes. They can also be served with beans, cheese, cooked meat, seafood and ceviche. Tostadas are considered a very common Mexican dish, but can also be found in countries such as Guatemala.
5. Pozole
It is one of the most representative broths of Mexican gastronomy, whose main characteristic is that it can vary in colour (red, green and white are the main ones) depending on its ingredients. It can be prepared with meat (beef, pork or chicken) as well as vegetables (avocado, onion and chilli), but it always stands out for the tender corn kernels of cacahuazintle, from which the colour of the broth varies.
6. Guacamole
A sauce as famous as the most renowned typical dishes, in fact, it is considered the main sauce to accompany Mexican gastronomy at an international level. But its popularity is born in the cradle of the Mexican people, since its two fundamental ingredients (avocado and chilli) are among the cheapest and most abundant in the territory. Its preparation is quite simple, it only requires mashing the avocados and combining them with the chopped chilli; other ingredients such as tomato, onion and a touch of lemon can be added.
7. Enchiladas
Enchiladas are one of the dishes whose preparation ingredients can vary more frequently, depending on the place where they are served, as long as the holy trinity is respected: corn tortilla, chilli and cheese. Some enchiladas are filled with beans, lettuce, jalapeño and tomato, while others include beef with potatoes and carrots, accompanied by the famous poblano sauce. The tortillas are filled with the ingredients and closed in a cylindrical shape, covered with melted cheese and sauces to taste.
8. Elote
One of the best Mexican dishes is Elote. It is mainly eaten in Central America, except in Panama, and is named after the corn plant that produced it. It is a very popular Mexican food, especially in poorer neighbourhoods. The corn is boiled and served on a stick or in cups, the kernels having been cut from the cob. Salt and chili powder, butter, mayonnaise, cheese and sour cream are added in abundance.
9. Tamales
They are prepared from corn dough divided into parts and filled with meat, vegetables and chilli, which is wrapped in corn husks and steamed. Tamales are served at the table accompanied with other contours, but also characteristically at parties and celebrations, where they are served in smaller pieces.
10. Mole
It is not a meal as such, but rather an accompaniment that can turn almost any dish into a typical Mexican one. It is a delicious sauce made from chillies, corn dough, bolillo and various spices, mainly served with cooked meats. There are different types of mole, depending on the ingredients with which this sauce is elaborated, but the following are the main ones: Mole poblano, Mole negro, Mole rojo, Mole verde and Chimole.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional North American Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.