What are the Most Common Ingredients in Mexican Food?

what is the most common ingredient in mexican food

Mexican food has been thought to have come from the Mayan Indians. The most common kinds of food people think of when they hear the term “Mexican Food” is tortillas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, with rice, and salsa. Mexican food has an endless variety. Let’s look at the common ingredients in Mexican food.

Some Common Ingredients

Beans

According to Tony’s Taco Shop, who makes the best Mexican food in Salem, Oregon (in my opinion), beans are a great source of protein and are in a lot of Mexican food dishes. Do you know that the brown, soft textured beans that come with any Mexican dish are refried beans? It is the process of mashing the beans into a paste while frying them in canola oil. Not only are they tasty, they are great for you. Beans and rice make the perfect protein.

You can find a recipe for refried beans at allrecipies.com.

Chilis

Chilis are in a lot of the dishes in Mexican foods. They add that spice and flavor one craves when thinking of an authentic Mexican dish. There is such a large range of chilis that can be used. They can range from a slight spice all the way to the hottest peppers on the planet. Remember to have a pack of sugar to calm the heat if you plan on seeing who can eat the hottest pepper!

The Meats

The two common types of meat used in Mexican food is chicken and beef. The beef can be ground, or cut into strips for fajitas. However, chicken is often cut into strips for fajitas or quesadillas. The meats can be fried or even grilled with additional seasonings and place onto other foods such as rice to make a complete dish with vegetables.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are used in a variety of dishes. Not only can the be diced and sauteed to create a delicious side dish, it can be used to create salsas to put on main dishes, tacos, or even chip dip. The list is endless when it comes to tomatoes.

Avocado

Avocado is often used for guacamole. Guacamole is a Mexican dish that is put on a number of things. Not only is it great for dipping chips in, it is great on tacos, and much more.

What Are In Some Of The Main Dishes?

Now that we know what some of the basic ingredients are in Mexican food? Some of the main dishes when it involves Mexican food are as follows.

Tacos

Tacos are traditionally made with ground beef placed on a hard or soft shell. You can use cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and salsas to top the taco. They have been around for a time and have become a common dish in the United States.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros is usually a breakfast dish in the Mexican food category. It starts with a fired tortilla with fried eggs placed on top. It normally has refried beans with a chili sauce. They are best made this way, however, some people may opt out for the refried beans and choose from a variety of different chili salsas.

Sopes

Try a Sope. It is a traditional Mexican dish with Masa as the base. It has refried beans, cheese, lettuce, onions, salsa, and sour cream. It is very similar to the Huarache dish. The combination of ingredients will have your taste buds popping. It is best served with green salsa.

Molotes

A molotes is a common Mexican dish served as an appetizer. It is a corn-based pastry. The chef fills the corn with potatoes and fats. They are commonly served at Mexican restaurants with lettuce and sour cream.

The Best Salsa

There are many kinds of salsa that can be made for authentic Mexican food dishes. The most common are made with jalapenos and tomatoes. I want to give you the basic ingredients involved in the most common Mexican food salsas.

  • Jalapenos
  • Tomatoes
  • Onion
  • Cilantro
  • Tomatoes

Of course, you will need to know how much of each and what state they are used in, such as crushed, diced, or pureed. You can find out the full recipe at tasteofhome.com

Has Mexican Food Changed?

Mexican Food has definitely changed over the years, but a lot of people still stick to the same ingredients of the foods. The food has changed by adding a few new ingredients here and there. Some people prefer the traditional recipes and stick to them wholeheartedly. While others do mind a few changes here and there. You can find information on the change of Mexican food over the years at preparedfoods.com.

Before You Go.

I hope that this gives you plenty of information on Mexican food along with some links to the best recipes. I have also included a link to a great youtube video here. Try some of these amazing recipes out. Who knows, you may find your next favorite Mexican food dish.