TacosMediumFree

Beef Tongue Tacos

Name: Beef Tongue Tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 195 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 Limes; 30 ml Vegetable oil; 200 ml Salsa verde; 1 bunch Fresh coriander; 1 kg Lengua de res; 2 White onion; 4 cloves Garlic; 10 granos Black pepper en grano; 16 Tortillas de maiz pequenas; 3 leaves Bay leaf

195 min (15 prep + 180 cook) Medium 8 servings Ciudad de Mexico

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 19 Mar 2026 · Updated: 25 Mar 2026

Slow-cooked beef tongue tacos, diced and served with onion, coriander and salsa.

About this recipe

Beef tongue tacos are a classic of the Mexican taqueria, made with beef tongue slow-cooked until incredibly tender, then diced and served in corn tortillas with onion, coriander and green sauce. Tongue, whilst often underrated, is one of the most tender and flavoursome meats when prepared correctly.

History & Origin

Beef tongue tacos are an institution in Mexico City taquerias and represent the Mexican tradition of using every part of the animal, a culinary philosophy that combines indigenous heritage with Spanish influence. Beef tongue was introduced by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, but Mexicans transformed it into an extraordinary taco. In the markets and taquerias of central Mexico, the tongue is slowly cooked for hours with aromatic herbs until the meat is so tender it practically falls apart. The cooking process is lengthy but straightforward: the whole tongue is boiled with onion, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns, then peeled and cut into small cubes that are lightly seared on a griddle. Served on small corn tortillas with chopped white onion, fresh coriander and a generous splash of green sauce, tongue tacos are considered by many to be the supreme taco. In Mexico City, taquerias specialising in tongue are revered, and street stalls serving it from the early hours of the morning attract queues of devotees. Tongue is also a celebration dish in many Mexican families, served at Christmas and New Year.

Estimated cost

£15.20

Total cost

£1.90

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

320

Calories

28g

Protein

18g

Carbohydrates

16g

Fat

Fibre

480mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Wash thoroughly the lengua of res under cold water. Place it in a large pot and cubre with water. Anade the onion cortada into quarters, the garlic cloves, the bay leaves, the granos of pepper and salt.
💡 Una lengua of res pesa between 1 and 1.5 kg. Asegurate of that is completely cubierta of water.
2
Lleva a ebullicion and then reduce the heat to low. Cook tapada for 2.5 a 3 hours until the lengua this very tender (a knife should entrar facilmente).
💡 En pot express reduce a 1 hour. No escatimes in tiempo of coccion.
3
Remove the lengua of the stock and dejala enfriar it enough for manipularla. Peel the layer exterior white with ayuda of a knife. Debe desprenderse facilmente.
💡 Es mas facil pelarla when aun this hot. If enfria demasiado, the skin adhiere.
4
Cut the lengua pelada in cubitos pequenos of aproximadamente 1 cm.
💡 Cut in contra of the fibre for mayor ternura.
5
Heat a plancha or sarten large over high heat with a little oil. Brown the cubitos of lengua for 3-4 minutes until they have bordes crispy.
💡 No muevas demasiado the meat for that dore well.
6
Heat thes tortillas of maiz in a comal (flat griddle) or sarten dry until esten flexibles and slightly tostadas.
💡 Use tortillas pequenas (taqueras) si the encuentras.
7
Serve the cubitos of lengua in the warm tortillas. Acompana with white onion chopped, fresh coriander, limon and green sauce.
💡 La green sauce of tomatillo and avocado es the companera ideal of the tacos of lengua.