Gluten-free Mexican food: naturally wheat-free recipes

If you are coeliac or gluten-sensitive, Mexican cooking has fantastic news for you: a large part of traditional Mexican gastronomy is naturally gluten-free. The base ingredient of Mexican cooking is not wheat, but corn. And corn contains no gluten. This means that corn tacos, tortillas, enchiladas, chilaquiles, tamales, pozole and dozens more dishes are safe for you without any complicated adaptations.

However, there are important nuances you should know. Industrialisation, tex-mex influence and certain modern ingredients have introduced gluten where there traditionally was none. This guide will help you navigate Mexican cooking safely, both at home and in Mexican restaurants in Spain.

Why Mexican cooking is an ally of gluten-free eating

Mexican cooking was built on three pillars: corn, beans and chile. None contains gluten. When the Spanish arrived in Mexico in the 16th century, they brought wheat, but it never displaced corn as the basis of the diet. While in Europe wheat bread is the staple, in Mexico the staple always was - and still is - the corn tortilla.

The nixtamalisation process (cooking corn with lime to make masa) is a pre-Hispanic technique thousands of years old that produces a naturally gluten-free masa, nutritionally superior and versatile. From this masa come tortillas, tamales, sopes, gorditas, tlacoyos, memelas, huaraches, chalupas, panuchos, papadzules and dozens more antojitos. All gluten-free.

Naturally gluten-free Mexican recipes

Corn tacos with any traditional filling

Tacos made with authentic corn tortilla are 100% gluten-free. The traditional fillings - al pastor, carnitas, barbacoa, bistec, Mexican chorizo (check it contains no flours), chicken, nopales, beans - are all naturally gluten-free. The classic accompaniment of cilantro, onion, salsa and lime contains no gluten either.

Caution: Check that commercial corn tortillas do not contain added wheat flour. Some industrial brands mix both flours. Always read the label. Tortillas made by hand with nixtamalised corn masa are safe.

Enchiladas with red or green salsa

Traditional enchiladas are corn tortillas bathed in salsa (dried chiles for the red, tomatillo for the green), filled with chicken, cheese or beans. The salsa is made with chiles, tomato, garlic, onion and spices - all gluten-free. They can be gratinated with fresh cheese (check it is gluten-free) and served with Mexican cream.

Caution: Some modern versions thicken the salsa with wheat flour. The authentic version needs no thickener: the rehydrated, blended chiles already give the salsa enough body.

White, red or green pozole

Pozole is a festive broth of cacahuazintle corn (a type of large-grain corn) with pork or chicken, served with lettuce, radishes, oregano, tostadas and lime. It is completely gluten-free and is one of the most nutritious and comforting dishes in Mexican cooking.

Guacamole and salsas

Guacamole (avocado, onion, cilantro, serrano chile, lime, salt) is naturally gluten-free. So are all traditional Mexican salsas: raw green salsa, molcajete red salsa, salsa macha, pico de gallo. Accompany them with corn tortilla chips (fried or baked corn-tortilla chips) for a 100% safe appetiser.

Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles are corn tortilla chips bathed in green or red salsa, served with cream, cheese and onion, often with a fried egg on top. It is the Mexican breakfast par excellence and is naturally gluten-free. Just make sure the chips are made of pure corn.

Tamales

Traditional tamales are made with corn masa, lard and various fillings, wrapped in corn or banana leaf and steamed. Gluten-free by nature. They are perfect for batch cooking: they are made in large quantities and freeze perfectly.

Beans in all their forms

Beans - de la olla, refried, charros, borrachos, enfrijoladas - are all gluten-free. They are an extraordinary source of plant protein and fibre, and are part of practically every Mexican meal. Cook them from scratch with onion, garlic and epazote for the best flavour.

Mexican rice

Mexican red rice (rice fried in oil with tomato, garlic, onion and broth) is gluten-free. It is the perfect accompaniment to any dish and is made in 30 minutes. Use homemade broth or check that the commercial broth contains no gluten.

Mexican recipes that DO contain gluten (be careful)

Not everything in Mexican cooking is safe. These dishes contain or may contain gluten:

• Burritos: The wheat tortilla contains gluten. Look for gluten-free wheat tortillas (they exist, made with tapioca-starch and rice-flour blends) or simply eat the filling in a bowl.
• Pan de muerto and conchas: All Mexican baking is made with wheat flour. There is no easy substitute.
• Battered stuffed chiles: The batter (the fluffy coating) is made with wheat flour and egg. You can substitute cornstarch or tapioca starch for the flour.
• Commercial tortilla soup: Some commercial versions use fried tortilla strips that may be contaminated or contain wheat.
• Commercial mole: Some commercial mole pastes use biscuits or bread as a thickener. Read the label. Mole made from scratch with chiles, chocolate, spices and toasted corn tortilla as a thickener is gluten-free.
• Mexican beer: Beer contains gluten (barley). Opt for mezcal or tequila, which are agave distillates and contain no gluten.

Tips for eating gluten-free in Mexican restaurants in Spain

When you visit a Mexican restaurant, these questions will help:

• Are the corn tortillas 100% corn or do they have a wheat blend?
• Are the salsas thickened with flour?
• Is the frying oil shared with gluten-containing products (such as wheat tortillas)?
• Are the refried beans prepared with pure lard or shared oil?
• Is the mole made from scratch or is it commercial?

An authentic Mexican restaurant working with traditional ingredients will generally be safer than a tex-mex one, where the use of wheat tortillas, bread and batters is more common.

A complete gluten-free menu for a Mexican dinner

Here is a completely gluten-free three-course menu to impress your guests:

Appetizer: Fresh guacamole with homemade corn tortilla chips + tomatillo green salsa

Main course: Carnitas tacos (pork confit) in corn tortilla, with cilantro, onion and red chile-de-árbol salsa. Accompanied by Mexican red rice and black beans de la olla.

Pudding: Cajeta flan (goat's-milk dulce de leche), made with eggs, milk, sugar and cajeta - all gluten-free.

Drink: Agua de horchata (rice, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla) or margarita (tequila, lime, triple sec).

Mexican cooking proves that eating gluten-free does not mean giving up flavour. With its bases of corn, beans and chile, it offers a universe of possibilities that few cuisines in the world can match. Explore our recipes and discover that authentic Mexican cooking was already designed for you, centuries before "gluten-free" became a trend.