Popular Mexican dishes: what to eat in Mexico?

Discovering Mexico definitely means getting in touch with its fabulous culinary tradition: there is a reason why so many people mention Mexican food amongst their favorites!

Plus, tasting traditional dishes in Mexico and not in one of the hundreds of thousands Mexican restaurants all over the world, is a one of a kind experience, especially if the food is freshly prepared and immediately served. It is definitely another reason to fall in love with the country!

But what are the most popular Mexican dishes that you really don’t want to miss?

Here is a list of our fabulous five.

1. Enchilada: it can be described as a tortilla wrap, filled with several different tasty ingredients, and finally topped with mole or some other delicious sauce. Usually, the perfect filling for the enchilada is a mixture of cheese, meat, beans and veggies, sometimes combined with seafood and potatoes. The filling depends on your personal taste, of course! After being filled, the enchilada is baked with grated cheese melted over the top of it, while the sauce or the mole is added once it is cooked.

2. Mole: superbly made in Mexico, the mole can be described as a tasty sauce which can be made with several different ingredients, such as chocolate, garlic, tomatoes, dried fruit, cloves, cumin and many, many more. It is usually served with turkey, chicken or pork.

3. Tacos: in Mexico, tacos are usually tastier and way more mouth-watering than anywhere else in the world. These famous Mexican dishes can also be bought from street stalls all over the country and are usually delicious, with generous portions of hot chicken or beef piled into a fresh tortilla, finally wrapped into the typical half-moon shape. Tacos can also be flavored with chili sauce, guacamole, cilantro (which is fresh coriander) in accordance to your taste.

4. Tamale: it is a traditional dish that has been eaten in the country for thousands of years… and for good reasons! Tamale can be described as a corn base dough called masa, wrapped in a plantain leaf and finally steamed or boiled. The leaf must be discarded before eating, while the dough is usually filled with cheese, meat, vegetables and spices. If we had to mention a Mexican comfort food, tamale would climb right to the top of the list. This dish is also available as a dessert, with a filling of sweetened raisins or other fruits with an addition of a pink food coloring: it is called tamal de dulche.

5. Esquites: an extremely tasty dish that you can easily find and enjoy from many street stalls in Mexico. We could describe the esquites as a snack made of grains of corn, boiled in salted water and finally sautéed in butter with a little more salt, epazote (a Mexican herb) and chopped chilies. The flavor is unique and the food is served in small cups after being seasoned with limejuice, chili and mayonnaise.

Are you curious to discover the top five dishes to try in Tulum, specifically? Take a look at our article on the subject!