7 Yucatan Foods
That Will Blow Your Mind
Laura Schulthies
Laura Schulthies
Daniel Mode
Daniel ModeThe Yucatan Peninsula is a vibrant place on the southern tip of Mexico filled with ancient Mayan temples, breathtaking cenotes, and unique cultural traditions. Mayan and Spanish influences shape their mouthwatering cuisine. Chiles, cheese, corn tortillas, eggs, and beans are staples in Yucatán cooking. If you find yourself in the Yucatan Peninsula, you must try these tasty, traditional dishes.
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The Best Yucatan Foods
Huevos Motuleños
Start your morning off right with some tasty huevos motuleños. The northern Yucatán city of Motul created this delicacy.
This dish doesn’t require any complicated ingredients. Huevos motuleños are fried tortillas topped with refried black beans, fried eggs, and a tomato-based red sauce. Don’t worry the red sauce is more mild than spicy. Add a slice of avocado for some extra texture! ¡Delicioso!
Cochinita Pibil
Cochinita Pibil is one of the quintessential Yucatán dishes. A traditional way of making it is by slowly roasting a whole suckling pig in banana leaves underground.
Pork shoulder or loin are meat cuts often used as alternatives. Bitter oranges and achiote give the dish a distinct flavor. Sides typically served with Cochinita Pibil include yellow corn tortillas, refried beans, pickled red onion, and habaneros. This dish melts in your mouth!
Papadzules
If you like enchiladas, you’ll love papadzules. This dish is ancient, even older than enchiladas!
Papadzules are corn tortillas dipped in a sauce made from pumpkin seeds flavored with epazote. The tortillas have a hardboiled egg filling and a tomato and chile topping. It’s a must-try dish!
Sopa de Lima
Sopa de Lima is the ultimate comfort food that will warm your soul. It translates in English as “lime soup” because of the lime used to flavor it.
The soup is simple and is typically a broth with chicken or turkey, lime juice, onion, garlic, bell peppers and seasonings such as oregano, cloves, and cumin topped with fried tortilla strips and habaneros. Soap de Lima is served with crispy fried corn tortilla strips, and garnishes include lime slices, chopped cilantro, avocado slices, and queso fresco.
No matter where you come from, this dish will make you feel at home.
Queso Relleno
Queso Relleno is wildly popular among locals. The dish pays tribute to the peninsula’s multicultural heritage and Dutch influences.
This melt-in-your-mouth delicacy consists of Edam cheese hollowed out and stuffed with ground meat, capers, raisins, olives, hardboiled eggs, sweet cili peppers, and seasoned with various spices including black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and oregano. The cheese is steamed and topped with a tomato and white sauce. You’ll have to try this decadent dish!
Panuchos and Salbutes
Panuchos and Salbutes are very similar dishes with slight differences. Both are made with corn masa and topped with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, meat, pickled onions, and avocados. However, the corn dough for panuchos is stuffed with black beans and fried lightly.
Salbutes do not have refried beans in them and can also have pork, beef, seafood, scrambled egg, or stews as toppings. They are not as crunchy as panuchos, but both are delicious appetizers that you can buy at a panucheria with a soda on the side.
Dulce de Papaya
If you have a sweet tooth, you have to try Dulce de Papaya. This popular Yucatán dessert consists of papaya slow cooked in water with sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. It is served cold, soaked in syrup, and topped with either coconut, shredded cheese, or Dutch cheese cubes. It’s the perfect treat to end your Yucatán meal!
Sikil P'ak
This traditional Yucatan dish is made from crushed pumpkin seeds. It is a flavorful dip or spread typically enjoyed with tortilla chips or fresh vegetables. The name “Sikil P’ak” comes from the Mayan words “sikil,” meaning pumpkin seed, and “p’ak,” meaning tomato.
Sikil P’ak has a rich, nutty flavor from the pumpkin seeds, balanced by the freshness of the tomatoes and cilantro and the tanginess of the lime juice. Ingredients include pumpkin seeds (pepitas), tomatoes, white onion, fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, salt, and chili peppers for added heat. The pumpkin seeds are toasted, the tomatoes and onion are roasted, and all ingredients are blended to create a coarse, slightly chunky paste. Sikil P’ak is a dish you can’t miss on your next trip to the Yucatan.
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