Mexican Dishes

Aguachile

A type of Mexican ceviche from Sinaloa made with raw shrimp in a fiery lime-chili water sauce with cucumber and red onion. Unlike other ceviches, it is served immediately without extended marinating.

Arroz Rojo

A popular Mexican side dish of rice sautéed with onions, garlic, and chili peppers, then cooked in a red tomato sauce. Served alongside virtually every Mexican main course.

Avocado Soup

Sopa de Aguacate

A traditional creamy soup from Central Mexico made with puréed avocados, chicken stock, chipotle peppers, and fried tortilla strips. Popular throughout Latin America in various forms.

Barbacoa

Meat slow-cooked underground using an ancient technique, traditionally wrapped in agave leaves over hot stones. Usually made with lamb, goat, or beef. The word is the origin of 'barbecue.'

Basket Tacos

Tacos de Canasta

Soft, steamed tacos transported in cloth-lined baskets, common street food in central Mexico. Fillings typically include potato, beans, chicharrón, or mole, and the tortillas absorb flavorful lard.

Bionico

Bionicos

A fruit cocktail street food from Guadalajara: chopped fruits (papaya, strawberry, cantaloupe, apple, banana) topped with sweet cream, granola, pecans, raisins, and coconut. Invented in the 1990s.

Birria

A slow-cooked, richly spiced meat stew from Jalisco, traditionally made with goat but now commonly beef. Seasoned with roasted chili peppers, cumin, and thyme. Famous as a hangover cure.

Burrito

A large wheat flour tortilla wrapped around a filling of meat, beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, and salsa. Originating from northern Mexico, the name means 'little donkey' in Spanish.

Cabrito

Roasted young goat, a specialty of Monterrey in northern Mexico. The whole kid is typically spit-roasted over coals until tender and served with corn tortillas, salsa, and beans.

Caldo de Queso

A simple Mexican soup from Sonora made with potatoes, green chili peppers, chicken broth, and cheese added last to create a creamy texture. Served with fried corn tortilla chips.

Capirotada

A Mexican bread pudding made with old bread, nuts, dried fruits, cinnamon, brown sugar syrup, and topped with cheese. Traditionally eaten during Lent, with ingredients symbolizing the Passion of Christ.

Carlota de Limón

A refreshing Mexican no-bake dessert of alternating layers of Maria cookies and lime-milk cream, frozen until semi-solid. A popular dessert during Easter and Christmas.

Carne Asada Tacos

Tacos de Carne Asada

The original taco style, believed to date from the 1500s. Thin slices of beef are grilled over hot coals and placed on corn tortillas with guacamole, onions, chili peppers, and lime.

Carne Guisada

A simple, traditional beef stew flavored with cumin, jalapeños, chili powder, and tomato. Popular in northern Mexico and Texas, often served with rice, beans, and flour tortillas.

Carne en su Jugo

A traditional beef soup from Jalisco made with thin-sliced beef in its own broth with bacon, beans, garlic, and tomatillo salsa. A hearty, warming dish popular throughout western Mexico.

Carnitas

Braised and slow-cooked pork from Michoacán, rendered in its own fat until tender inside and crispy outside. Served shredded with tortillas, salsas, beans, guacamole, and lime.

Cemita

A hearty sandwich from Puebla made on a sesame-seed-topped bun filled with breaded meat, avocado, cheese, pickled jalapeños, and the distinctive herb pápalo.

Chalupa

A thin, crunchy canoe-shaped tortilla pinched from masa dough, fried, and topped with pulled pork, chicken, cheese, and chili sauce. Dating to pre-colonial times, the name means 'small boat.'

Chilaquiles

Fried tortilla pieces drenched in red or green chili sauce, often topped with cream, cheese, onion, and eggs or shredded chicken. A popular Mexican breakfast dish with many regional variations.

Chile Relleno

Poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, meat, or a combination, then dipped in egg batter and deep-fried. Originating from Puebla in the 16th century, traditionally connected to Mexican Independence Day.

Chiles en Nogada

Poblano peppers stuffed with ground pork and dried fruits, covered in creamy walnut sauce, and topped with pomegranate seeds and parsley. A patriotic dish representing the Mexican flag, served only in September.

Chilorio

Shredded pork braised in a rich dried chili sauce from Sinaloa. The pork is first cooked in lard until tender, then shredded and simmered with a paste of ancho and guajillo chilis, garlic, and cumin.

Chimichanga

A deep-fried burrito filled with meat, beans, rice, and cheese. While its origin is debated between Arizona and Sonora, it is a beloved dish in northern Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine.

Choriqueso

Mexican comfort food appetizer of crumbled chorizo sausage topped with melted cheese, tomato chunks, onions, and cilantro. Served as a dip with tortilla chips or stuffed into warm tortillas.