Top 20 Iconic Dishes in Oaxaca, MX

🖤 Mole Negro

A complex, dark sauce made from charred chiles, chocolate, and spices, considered the king of moles.

🫓 Tlayuda

A large, crunchy toasted tortilla topped with lard, beans, quesillo, cabbage, and grilled meats.

🥩 Tasajo

Thinly sliced, salt-cured beef that is a staple protein found in traditional Oaxacan markets.

🐖 Cecina

Thin sheets of pork meat marinated in achiote and dried chiles, typically grilled over charcoal.

🦗 Chapulines

Toasted grasshoppers seasoned with garlic, salt, and lime, serving as a crunchy protein-rich snack.

🌶️ Mole Coloradito

A brick-red mole that balances sweet and savory flavors with ingredients like cinnamon and chocolate.

🌿 Mole Verde

A fresh, vibrant sauce made with pumpkin seeds, green chiles, and aromatic herbs like epazote.

🟡 Mole Amarillo

A yellow-hued mole flavored with guajillo chiles and cumin, often served with beef and vegetables.

🍍 Mole Manchamanteles

A fruity mole whose name means tablecloth stainer, traditionally prepared with pineapple and plantains.

🔥 Mole Chichilo

A rare, smoky mole made from charred tortillas and dried chiles, traditionally served with beef.

🔴 Mole Rojo

A classic spicy red mole made with various dried chiles and nuts, typically served over chicken.

🪨 Caldo de Piedra

An ancestral soup cooked by placing red-hot river stones directly into a bowl of broth and seafood.

🥣 Sopa de Guías

A traditional vegetable soup made from tender squash vines, corn dumplings, and squash blossoms.

📐 Tetelas

Triangular pockets of corn masa stuffed with beans and cheese, cooked on a clay comal.

🫔 Tamal de Mole Negro

Corn masa filled with rich black mole and shredded chicken, steamed inside a large banana leaf.

🍽️ Memelas

Small, thick toasted corn cakes topped with unrefined pork lard, salsa, and crumbled cheese.

🥘 Enfrijoladas

Tortillas folded and drenched in a creamy bean sauce flavored with toasted avocado leaves.

🍞 Pan de Yema

A rich, airy egg yolk bread traditionally used for dipping into Oaxacan hot chocolate.

🧀 Quesillo

A semi-hard white string cheese rolled into a ball, famous for its excellent melting properties.

🍮 Nicuatole

A pre-Hispanic corn-based gelatinous dessert flavored with sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes fruit.