Mexican food is famous all over the world. People love it for its amazing flavors, fresh ingredients, and bright colors. In fact, real traditional Mexican food is so special that UNESCO calls it a cultural treasure. This food is full of deep history. It mixes ancient cooking styles from the Maya and Aztec people with new styles from Spain.

True Mexican cooking relies heavily on three main ingredients. These are corn, beans, and chili peppers. These ingredients have been grown in Mexico for thousands of years. When you mix them with local herbs and spices, you get some of the most delicious dishes on earth. Here is a guide to the absolute best traditional dishes you should try.

Tacos are a staple of Mexican street food, but Al Pastor is truly special. This dish features thin slices of pork shaved off a spinning metal spit. The meat is marinated for hours in dried chilies, spices, and achiote paste, turning it a bright orange color. It cooks slowly next to an whahaka-margaritabar.com open flame with a fresh pineapple sitting on top of the spit. The sweet pineapple juice drips down to make the meat tender. It is served on small, warm corn tortillas with chopped onions, fresh cilantro, and a slice of sweet pineapple.

Mole is a rich, thick sauce that represents the heart of Mexican celebration food. Making a traditional Mole Poblano takes a lot of time because it mixes together over 20 different ingredients! Chefs use a blend of roasted chili peppers, nuts, seeds, warm spices, and a small piece of dark Mexican chocolate. The chocolate does not make it sweet. Instead, it makes the sauce dark and earthy. This famous sauce is poured warmly over pieces of chicken or turkey and topped with white sesame seeds.

This beautiful dish tells the story of Mexico’s history. It features the exact colors of the Mexican flag: green, white, and red. To make it, green poblano peppers are roasted and stuffed with a savory mix of ground meat, dried fruits, and spices. Next, the stuffed peppers are covered in a cold, white walnut cream sauce. Finally, the dish is sprinkled with bright red pomegranate seeds and green cilantro leaves. It is traditionally eaten in August and September to celebrate Mexican Independence Day.

Tamales are a comforting, portable food that dates back thousands of years to the Aztec empire. They are made from a corn dough called masa. This dough is filled with shredded chicken, pork, cheeses, or spicy chilies. Next, the dough is wrapped tightly in dried corn husks or green banana leaves. The little packages are steamed in a large pot until they become hot, fluffy, and cake-like. They are a favorite breakfast food and a must-have holiday treat.

Pozole is a hearty, comforting soup that people have enjoyed for centuries. The base of the soup is a warm broth made with hominy, which are large, puffed-up corn kernels. Pork or chicken is added to the broth and cooked until it is very tender. When the hot soup is served, a plate of fresh toppings is placed on the table. Diners add shredded cabbage, thin radish slices, chopped onions, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and crushed chili flakes to customize their bowl.

No traditional Mexican meal is complete without something sweet at the end. Flan is a smooth, creamy custard dessert that is loved across the country. It is made using eggs, condensed milk, and vanilla. Before baking, a sweet liquid sugar caramel is poured into the bottom of the pan. Once the custard is baked and cooled, it is flipped upside down onto a plate. The golden caramel sauce runs down the sides, creating a beautiful and sweet treat.

Churros are a deeply popular sweet snack found at street carts and bakeries all over Mexico. The dough is squeezed through a star-shaped tool directly into hot oil. It fries until it turns golden brown and very crispy on the outside while staying soft on the inside. As soon as they come out of the oil, they are rolled in a mix of sweet sugar and ground cinnamon. They are served hot alongside a cup of thick, warm Mexican hot chocolate for dipping.