Foods That Originated in Mexico: Discover the Rich Culinary Heritage

The  foods that originated in Mexico are part of the cultural diversity of this nation, but with very characteristic dishes and a very particular flavor.

If you have visited Mexico, surely, the first thing you did was to try a taco, because, to tell the truth, curiosity invades us to what this recipe tastes like where it was created.

Tacos are so popular that they are one of the most popular foods in the world.

The foods that originated in Mexico have particular touches such as spiciness, color and a touch of tradition.

So, parade in any fast food stand tacos, esquites, tamales, enchiladas, pozoles, totopos and our mouths are already watering thinking about Mexican food.

But don’t get confused, many of these typical recipes can be found in great restaurants, even those with Michelin stars.

Mexican food exhibits a gigantic variety of dishes and flavors that you will find in its gastronomy.

In fact, as a fundamental fact, Mexican gastronomy was recognized by UNESCO in 2010 as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

A fundamental factor in the foods that originated in Mexico is that almost everything is spicy, it is a tradition since pre-Hispanic times.

One of the aspects of Mexican gastronomy is that it has been transmitted from generation to generation, as part of a cultural process rooted to this day.

Foods that originated in Mexico

Among the original foods of Mexico we will find a very long list, but for the purpose of this guide, we will only tell you the most popular ones.

The Tamale: One of the foods that originated in Mexico

The tamale is a foods that originated in Mexico, filled with various ingredients, cooked in a bundle of vegetable leaves, it can be made of corn, corn, plantain, reed, chilaca or papatla.

There are some made with huauzontle seed, beans with slits, stuffed with pork or chicken in sophisticated sauces; there are also some with chopped carrots and potatoes, peas, peppers and boiled eggs; there are also some with sweet flavors such as pineapple with rompope, pine nut with biznaga, peanut candy, among other flavors.

It is estimated that there are 500 tamale-based recipes throughout the country, which derive in some 3,000 or 4,000 preparations, according to family customs, inventions and adaptations.

Behind tamales there is a huge industry, which is not only the livelihood of home or restaurant vendors, franchises, and others, but also the basis of the enormous production of corn.

It is so important that part of the 27 million 228 thousand 242 tons of corn per year are used to make tamales.

About the origin of the tamale, several historians have pointed out that it originated in the central zone of Mexico, being the region of origin of corn.

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According to the writings of Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, it is believed that it was the Mexica people who took tamales to other parts of the continent.

El Pozole:

This is a recipe that has a very particular date, and it is generally presented during Mexican national holidays.

Mexican pozole is an old recipe that transcends culture and history, and becomes a dish that represents Mexican pride.

Pozole is one of the foods that originated in Mexico, and it is a soup made with cacahuacintle corn grain, pork, chicken or even seafood, accompanied with radishes, lettuce, onion, chili and oregano.

The origin of pozole goes back to the ancient Nahua people who ate human flesh in a stew with corn kernels called tlacatlaolli, which in Nahuatl means “man’s corn”, according to archaeologist Enrique Vela, editor of the magazine Arqueología Mexicana.

The mole poblano:

The true origin of mole poblano is with pre-Hispanic cultures where the indigenous people mixed various chiles with pumpkin seeds, hierba santa and tomato to create a sauce they called mulli.

This sauce was usually accompanied with turkey meat, although duck or armadillo meat was also used and was served in ceremonies as an offering to the gods.

It is the main dish in patron saint festivities, weddings, and 15th birthday parties, even in funerals, being one of the foods of pre-Hispanic origin that is still present.

It is undoubtedly one of Mexico’s most unique foods, especially because of its origin.

Los Tacos, the most popular foods that originated in Mexico

There is little to say about tacos, it is the most popular food originating in Mexico, and it is the hallmark of Mexican gastronomy.

Its origin dates back to pre-Hispanic times, it is said that they were used as a plate, spoon and meal; likewise, it became the easiest way to transport food from one place to another.

March 31 has been designated as “Taco Day”, a celebration that is used to promote its varieties and ingredients.

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It is the king of Mexican food, and consists of a tortilla (usually corn), followed by a stew, accompanied with onion, chopped cilantro and lime, as well as a sauce, which varies in its spiciness according to the diner’s taste.

The fillings may vary according to the region and tastes.

Los Churros

It is a very well known dessert in Mexico, and although it is not originated among the indigenous people, it does come from the Hispanic era.

It is estimated that the Portuguese brought it to the Iberian region of Spain, and then they brought it to Mexico.

But its variety of flavors has made it so characteristic of Mexicans that no one can deny that, when talking about churros, we are talking about Mexico.

Churros are a sweet wheat flour dough, made in the shape of a strip, coated with sugar or some other ingredient, before being fried.

The peculiar giant tortilla: La Tlayuda

The tlayuda is a giant tortilla, representative of the state of Oaxaca that surprises anyone’s palate.

It can be eaten as a sope, quesadilla or taco, as its large size allows the taster to accommodate and savor the dish in his or her own way.

Tlayuda comes from the Nahuatl word tlao-li which means “shelled corn” and is complemented with the suffix uda, which denotes “abundance”.

La cochinita Pibil

The cochinita pibil is originally from Yucatan and has its origins in pre-Hispanic times in the Mayan lands, it was eaten from October 31 to November 2 during Hanal Pixan, which means food of the souls.

This preparation was made with the meat of deer, pheasant, wild turkey and peccary, and was cooked in the pib, an earth oven.

Today it is cooked with pork, but its main ingredient is achiote.

It is one of foods that originated in Mexico, and can be eaten in tacos, tortas or panuchos, but should always be accompanied by a sauce called xnipec, which is made with sour orange, red onion, cilantro and habanero peppers.

The importance of foods that originated in Mexico

Beyond having read a little about tacos, there are other 100% Mexican recipes that are part of the culture of this country.

Some, such as chilaquiles, gorditas and barbacoa, are shared on the tables of all Mexicans.

Each recipe is part of the history and folklore of Mexico, and represents the pre-Hispanic and Hispanic roots of the people.

Visiting Mexico is a journey through a valley of colors, flavors and emotions, but gastronomy holds a special place with the foods that originated in Mexico.