Street FoodEasyFree

Garnachas (Oaxacan Fried Tortilla Bites)

Name: Garnachas (Oaxacan Fried Tortilla Bites)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 Tomatoes; 400 g Beef; 100 g Fresh cheese; 1 White onion; 100 g Lard; 1 to taste Salt; 2 Garlic cloves; 500 g Corn dough; 200 g Cabbage; 5 Guajillo chillies

45 min (25 prep + 20 cook) Easy 6 servings Oaxaca

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 20 Mar 2026 · Updated: 25 Mar 2026

Thick fried tortillas topped with shredded beef, red salsa and shredded cabbage, a classic Oaxacan street food snack.

About this recipe

Oaxacan garnachas are thick corn tortillas fried in lard, topped with shredded beef, red guajillo chilli salsa, shredded cabbage and fresh cheese. They are a typical snack found at market stalls and street food stands in Oaxaca, eaten as a nibble or light supper.

History & Origin

Garnachas are one of the oldest and most popular snacks in southeastern Mexico, with an especially deep-rooted presence in the states of Oaxaca, Veracruz, Tabasco and Chiapas. Their origin dates back to pre-Hispanic times, when the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples prepared thick corn tortillas as a base for various stews. The word "garnacha" has an uncertain origin that has generated debate amongst culinary historians. Some relate it to a medieval Spanish garment called a "garnacha", drawing an analogy between layers of fabric and layers of ingredients on the tortilla. Others suggest an indigenous origin that has been lost over time. What is indisputable is that garnachas represent one of the most basic and ancestral ways of eating in Mesoamerica: a tortilla as an edible plate upon which stews are placed. In Oaxaca, garnachas acquire their particular identity thanks to the quality of the local heritage maize, the fresh lard in which they are fried and the regional chillies that flavour the salsa. Oaxacan garnachas are distinguished from those of other regions by their thicker, crunchier tortilla, by the shredded beef (rather than the picadillo used in Veracruz) and by the presence of shredded cabbage as a fresh, crunchy element. In the markets of Oaxaca city, such as Mercado 20 de Noviembre and Benito Juarez, the garnacheras prepare this snack on clay comals with bubbling lard, offering garnachas in batches of three or four as a nibble or afternoon snack. They are a popular, economical and flavourful food that represents the essence of Oaxacan street cookery.

Estimated cost

£6.50

Total cost

£1.08

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

290

Calories

18g

Protein

24g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

3.5g

Fibre

460mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cook the beef in salted water with a piece of onion and a garlic clove for 45 minutes until tender. Finely shred the meat and set aside.
💡 Flank steak is the best cut for shredding. It pulls apart into long, juicy fibres.
2
Toast the guajillo chillies on a hot comal for a few seconds until they puff up. Soak in hot water for 15 minutes. Blend with charred tomatoes, half a garlic clove and salt. Strain the salsa.
💡 Toast the chillies without burning to avoid a bitter flavour.
3
Fry the salsa in a tablespoon of hot lard for 5 minutes until it thickens and changes colour. Set aside.
💡 The salsa should be thick so it does not run off the garnachas.
4
With the corn dough, form thick tortillas about 8-10 cm in diameter and half a centimetre thick. Pinch the edges to form a small rim to contain the toppings.
💡 Garnachas are thicker than regular tortillas. The pinched rim prevents the salsa from spilling.
5
In a comal or frying pan with plenty of hot lard, fry the tortillas on both sides until golden and crispy on the outside but soft inside.
💡 The lard must be very hot so the garnachas turn crispy without absorbing too much fat.
6
Place each garnacha on a plate, add a generous spoonful of shredded meat, drizzle with hot red salsa, top with shredded cabbage and crumbled fresh cheese. Serve immediately.
💡 Serve the garnachas freshly made so they remain crispy. They soften quickly if left to stand.