Table of contents:
- Mexican Tacos Introduction
- When is National Taco Day?
- Importance and why is it celebrated
- Types of Mexican Tacos
- Deals in Mexico and USA (free tacos)
- Conclusion
- Informative video
Mexican Tacos Introduction
Mexican tacos are not only a dish that has marked thousands of people during their visit to Mexico, but they are also an opportunity to get closer to the fascinating culture of this country, its people, its traditions, and its exquisite and varied gastronomy. It is a mistake to say that Mexican tacos are the only food in Mexico.
While it is one of the most essential dishes, it also has a wide variety of creations and types of tacos, which means that wherever you go in Mexico, you will find these culinary gems. Want to know which are the real and authentic tacos that most locals eat? Stay and read our article on Mexican tacos. Also, we will introduce you to the importance of tacos, including their national day and dates, and where you can find discounts and free tacos in Mexico and the USA.
When is National Taco Day?
In the United States, they celebrate National Taco Day on October 4th. It’s a time for Americans to enjoy and honor Mexico’s famous food – tacos! People all over the country head to their favorite taco spots- a cozy restaurant, a food truck, or a little taco stand. There are special deals and discounts everywhere you go to make the day even more fun. It’s a chance for everyone to try different kinds of tacos and have a tasty time!
In Mexico, we celebrate Taco Day every year on March 31st. It’s a big day where people honor Mexico’s tasty food, especially tacos! Families, restaurants, and even street vendors all join in the fun. They serve up all kinds of tacos, from the classic ones like Tacos al Pastor to new ones with seafood or veggies. Plus, there are many special deals and discounts during the celebrations. Everyone comes together to eat and celebrate this yummy dish.
Even though Taco Day is celebrated on different dates in Mexico and the USA, the feeling behind it is still the same. It’s all about having fun and celebrating the culture and tradition of tacos! This special date is a time to enjoy the tasty goodness of tacos and appreciate how special they are. It’s a day that reminds us of the fantastic history and delicious flavors that tacos bring to our lives.
Importance and why is it celebrated
Taco Day holds a special place in the hearts of taco fans, serving as a tribute to the centuries-old tradition of taco consumption and innovation. Originating from the ancient Aztec and Maya civilizations in Mexico, tacos have evolved, incorporating different ingredients and cooking techniques from various cultural influences.
The National Taco Day is a time to celebrate Mexico’s delicious food history. It’s a day when families and friends come together to enjoy tasty tacos. Tacos aren’t just food – they symbolize our culture and how much we love good cooking.
🌮Try delicious tacos with our on our tours:
- Mexico City Food Tour: Savor Delicious Tacos, Pulque, and Beer (Group / 4h)
- Taco Tour Mexico: Taste the Mexican Tradition (4 h)
- Taco Tour Cancun: Plus Drinks of Caribbean Paradise (3h)
- Mexico City Vegan Food Tour: a Delicious Journey in Roma and Condesa (3.5 h)
- Cozumel Cooking Class Excursion: Tasty Mexican Trompitos (Private / 4h)
- Tijuana Taco Tour: Mexican Food Tasting from San Diego (6h)
- Lucha Libre Tour Mexico City: Plus Delicious Pulque and Tacos (5h)
- Street Food Tour Mexico City: Yummy Flavors and History in Downtown (4h)
Types of Mexican Tacos
In Mexico, tacos come in various delicious flavors and unique styles, reflecting the different culinary traditions of each region. Let’s take a tasty tour!
Tacos al Pastor
These famous tacos are super popular in Mexico! Lebanese immigrants in 1920 brought the adaptation of a traditional Arab food, shawarma.
To prepare them, people use thin slices of pork soaked in flavor and cooked on a unique upright grill called a trompo. The pork gets its delicious taste from spices like achiote, cumin, garlic, and chili peppers!
One notable thing about pastor tacos is…how they’re cooked. The pork spins around on the grill slowly, so the outside gets crispy and caramelized while the inside stays juicy and tender. This cooking gives the meat lots of flavor and makes it crunchy on the outside but soft inside.
When taqueros serve it,
they put the thin pork slices on small corn tortillas. Then, they add diced onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime on top. Sometimes, they also put pineapple, adding a sweet and tangy taste to balance the savory pork flavors.
Mexicans love them because they taste delicious and are easy to enjoy. Tacos de pastor holds a special place in Mexican culinary culture, representing a delightful fusion of flavors and traditions.
Gobernador Tacos and Seafood Tacos
Smells fishy? Oh, it’s because we are in the seafood tacos section! Gobernador and other seafood tacos give you a perfect taste of Mexico’s coastal treats. They use the freshest seafood turned into tasty dishes. Gobernador tacos come from Sonora, a coastal state, and they’re super popular there. Check out our beaches article.
These tacos usually have tasty shrimp cooked with onions, peppers, and tomatoes wrapped up in a soft tortilla. They often add a creamy cheese like Oaxaca or Monterey Jack for extra flavor. It makes an excellent mix of tastes and textures, with the shrimp’s sweetness balancing the savory veggies and cheese. Check out our seafood’s Mexico article.
Besides gobernador tacos,
Mexico has lots of different seafood tacos. It’s because Mexico has a big coast and lots of fishing. You can find crispy fish tacos with cabbage and salsa or soft octopus tacos with garlic and lime. There’s a seafood taco for everyone!
In places like Baja California and Veracruz by the coast, fish tacos are very popular. They fry up fresh fish until it’s crispy and golden, then wrap it in a warm tortilla. They add crunchy cabbage, creamy sauce, and a squeeze of lime, making them taste just right for a meal by the sea. Other favorite seafood tacos are shrimp, octopus, and smoked marlin tacos.
Tacos de Guisado
The delicious tacos de guisado are like a cozy hug in taco form. They’re all about tasty fillings that remind you of home-cooked meals. These tacos are special because they’re filled with tasty stews or braised meats that we call “guisados.”
Tacos de guisado are great because you can have them in many different ways. You can have tender beef in a tasty sauce, or if you’re vegetarian, there are options like potatoes and cactus. Some other favorites are shredded chicken in a spicy tomato sauce, slow-cooked pork with citrus and spices, and pork cracklings in a tangy green sauce. The beauty of these tacos is that there’s something for everyone!
These tacos are a popular and more budget-friendly choice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Also, enjoy them at street stalls, markets, and taquerias across Mexico. They give you a tasty and satisfying meal that celebrates the country’s food traditions. These tacos are a very eat-like local experience. Each bite reminds you of recipes that have been loved for a long time.
Tacos de Canasta
Also known as “basket tacos” or “steamed tacos,” are a beloved street food delicacy in Mexico. They offer a cheap and flavorful option for on-the-go snacking. These tacos got their name from how they’re made. They’re stacked in a basket to stay warm and exquisite.
The filling for canasta tacos usually has lots of stuff like potatoes, beans, chorizo, or shredded meats. They cook it up and then put it in small corn tortillas. After filling them up, they stack the tacos in a basket, cover them to keep them warm, and let the flavors mix.
Street vendors across Mexico City often sell canasta tacos, especially in the morning or at lunchtime. They usually come with different toppings like onions, cilantro, and spicy green or red salsa, so you can make them just how you like.
These simple but exquisite tacos are loved by everyone. They’re an easy and tasty way to get authentic Mexican flavors, especially when you’re out and about. If you’re wandering around Mexico City or checking out a market, you’ll probably catch a whiff of these delicious tacos de canasta and want to try them!
Tacos de carnitas
The must-try experience for foodies! Tacos de carnitas are a nice Mexican street food treat known for their tasty flavor and tender meat. “Carnitas” means “little meats” in Spanish.
To make tacos de carnitas, they cook pork cuts like shoulder or butt in a tasty broth. They add stuff like oranges, garlic, bay leaves, and Mexican spices to flavor it. The pork cooks slowly until it’s soft and juicy, with crispy bits on the edges. The most famous place for try carnitas is Quiroga, Michoacan.
Tacos de carnitas have a unique mix of textures and flavors. The meat inside is soft and juicy, but the outside gets crispy, giving it a nice crunch when you bite into it. People like this mix of textures and the delicious flavor of simmering the meat. It’s why carnitas tacos are such a popular choice for taco lovers. You can find these tasty tacos in many places in Mexico, like taco shops, street stands, and markets.
Tacos Dorados
These tacos, also known as “flautas” or “rolled tacos,” are a crispy and flavorful Mexican dish loved for its crunchy exterior and tasty filling. “Tacos dorados” means “golden tacos” because they turn a nice golden-brown color after frying.
To make crispy tacos, they fill corn tortillas with shredded chicken, beef, or seasoned potatoes. Then, they roll them up tight or fold them in half to keep the filling inside. Afterward, they carefully fry the filled tortillas until they’re crispy and golden on the outside but still warm and tasty inside. Frying them like this makes them crunchy and locks in all the great flavors.
After cooking, they serve the crispy tacos hot with toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and sauce. Each bite has a nice mix of textures, with the crispy shell and the soft, flavorful filling inside. the most famous ones are tacos dorados de pollo!
Barbacoa Tacos and Tacos de Birria
These delicious tacos show off Mexico’s incredible flavors and cooking traditions. They both have meat simmered until it’s tender and full of flavor. Barbacoa tacos usually have beef, goat, or lamb seasoned with spices and cooked slowly until it’s tender. People used to cook it in a hole in the ground, but nowadays they might use a slow cooker or oven. The meat ends up super juicy and soft, almost like it melts in your mouth.
Tacos de birria…
is a stew usually made with goat or lamb, but sometimes they use beef, too. They marinate the meat in a mix of spices like garlic, bay leaves, cumin, and chili peppers, then cook it slowly until it’s tender and flavorful. The stew smells great, and also tastes good.
Birria tacos are made by putting tender meat in corn tortillas, and then dipping the whole taco in the tasty broth used to cook the meat. This makes the tacos juicy and adds flavor, giving them a delicious sauce. Taqueros usually serve tacos with onions, cilantro, lime, and salsa, so you get many delicious flavors in each bite.
Mixiote Tacos
Mixiote tacos get their name from how they’re cooked, and they’re all about juicy meat and spices. What makes these tacos unique is the mixiote itself, which is covered by a thin, paper-like maguey plant. Back then, Mexicans wrap meat in this covering to steam it, keeping it flavorful and juicy.
To make mixiote tacos, they marinate meat like lamb, beef, or chicken in a sauce with chili peppers, garlic, herbs, and spices. Then, they wrap the marinated meat in the mixiote covering, which seals in all the tasty flavors while it cooks.
They cook the wrapped meat slowly over low heat or in an oven until it’s super tender and juicy. Once done, they unwrap the mixiote to reveal the delicious, flavorful meat. Mixiote tacos give you a real taste of traditional Mexican food, with juicy meat and delicious spices cooked just right.
Street Food Tacos Especiallities: Suadero, Guts, Campechano, Head, Eyes, Tongue…
The very famous street tacos come in many different flavors and textures, giving you a taste of the many incredible foods in Mexican cuisine. Some specialties include suadero, tripa, campechano, cabeza (head), ojo (eye), lengua (tongue), and more. Each one has its unique taste that people love.
Suadero tacos have thinly sliced beef that’s cooked slowly until it’s tender and tasty. They usually add onions, cilantro, and sauce to make them even better. Tacos de suadero are a must during your visit to Mexico, especially in Mexico City!
Tripa tacos are made from beef intestines, giving them a crunchy texture and a rich flavor. They season and cook them until they’re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, making a satisfying taco. Campechano tacos mix two or more kinds of meat in one taco. They might have beef and chorizo, or steak and pork, giving you a mix of flavors and textures.
If you’re feeling adventurous, cabeza (head) tacos have meat from the cow’s head that’s tender and tasty. They might use cheek, lips, or ears, each giving the taco a different texture and taste.
Ojo (eye) tacos and lengua (tongue) tacos are for people who like to try new things. Ojo tacos have tender beef from the eye, while lengua tacos have thinly sliced beef tongue cooked slowly until it’s soft and ready.
Vegan Tacos
Not really into meat? Mexico has options for every foodie! Vegan tacos are a tasty and fun twist on traditional Mexican food, showing off the flavors of plant-based ingredients in every bite. They’re great for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone who wants to try something new and healthy for dinner.
One way to make vegan tacos is using grilled veggies as the main filling. Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and eggplant are veggies that taste awesome when grilled and put in tacos. To make them tasty, you can spice them up with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
Another tasty option for vegan tacos is using plant-based proteins like tofu, tempeh, or seitan. You can season and cook these proteins to taste like meat, giving you a delicious alternative if you’re craving a meaty taco.
Deals in Mexico and USA (free tacos)
In Mexico, places like El Farolito Altata and El Huequito are famous for their pastor tacos and have deals during Taco Day. Taco fans can enjoy awesome deals and freebies in the USA at popular spots like Taco Bell and Chipotle Mexican Grill. Stay tuned in your city to catch National Taco Day Taco Bell deals.
Conclusion
To sum up, National Taco Day is a big deal in Mexico and the United States. It’s a time when friends come together to enjoy the tasty and versatile tacos, showing off the amazing flavors of Mexican food. It doesn’t matter if you’re at a street vendor in Mexico or a famous taco chain in the USA; everybody loves tacos.
It’s not just about eating good food on this day; it’s also about celebrating what tacos mean to Mexican culture. They’re more than just food; they’re about memories, traditions, and who we are.
Also, It’s a chance for Americans to try all kinds of tacos, from the classic beef and chicken to new vegetarian and vegan options. Taco Day is about bringing people together to enjoy this tasty dish and celebrate our love for it.
Informative video
Enjoy your Mexican tacos as a true local. Feel the Mexican vibes!