7 Yucatan Foods

That Will Blow Your Mind

Updated October 2023

Welcome To Yucatan

The 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.

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 eggs, red onion, habaneros, refried beans, green beans, cheese, plantains, turkey ham, and a spicy salsa roja. ¡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, and seasonings such as oregano, cloves, and cumin topped with fried tortilla strips and habaneros.

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, raisins, olives, hardboiled eggs, and seasoned with various spices. 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!

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Tulum Restaurant Guide

Tulum is a dream locale for those looking to sample the best of Yucatan cuisine. From delicious streetside snacks to seafood at the seashore to five-star jungle dining, Tulum has you covered. Here are some of our favorite restaurants for all budget types.