Guanajuato cuisine: what to eat and dishes of the Bajío

What is it?

Guanajuato cuisine is the culinary tradition of the state of Guanajuato, in the heart of the Mexican Bajío, one of the most important agricultural and mining regions of Mexico during the colonial period. Its emblematic dishes are enchiladas mineras (from the city of Guanajuato), Celaya fiambre, tamales and atoles, the oven-baked gorditas of Dolores Hidalgo, Celaya cajeta, charamuscas (burnt-sugar sweets), milk and burnt-milk sweets, menudo, Guanajuato caldo Tlalpeño and San Miguel-style mole enchiladas. Guanajuato is one of the great Mexican tourist destinations: the city of Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende are UNESCO World Heritage Sites (2008 and 1988 respectively). It is eaten daily in markets such as the Hidalgo of Guanajuato and the Ignacio Ramírez of San Miguel, reaching its peak at festivities such as the celebrations of the Cry of Independence in Dolores and the Cervantino.

Origin and history

Guanajuato cuisine inherits from the Otomí, Guamar Chichimec and Tarascan peoples who inhabited the region before the conquest. The discovery of the Guanajuato silver mines in the mid-sixteenth century made the city one of the richest in New Spain: La Valenciana was, during the eighteenth century, the most productive silver mine in the world. This wealth financed churches, convents and haciendas, where a Baroque convent cuisine of sweets, fiambres and festive dishes developed. Enchiladas mineras were born among the mine workers as a midday meal: tortillas passed through guajillo chilli sauce, folded like quesadillas and served with fried potatoes and carrots, lettuce, ranch cheese and cream, according to Larousse Cocina. Celaya fiambre is a Baroque dish made up of three types of cold meat (pork, veal, chicken or tongue) with pickled vegetables and a vinaigrette, according to México Desconocido. Cajeta was born in Celaya in the nineteenth century as a convent sweet: goat's milk cooked slowly with sugar until caramelised, today with a designation of origin. Dolores Hidalgo, the birthplace of Independence (1810), has a tradition of oven-baked gorditas and exotic ices. The Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a UNESCO route, crossed the region connecting trade and kitchens.

Characteristic ingredients

Enchiladas mineras are tortillas passed through a strained sauce of guajillo chilli, garlic, cumin and oregano, folded (not filled), accompanied by diced fried potato and carrot, shredded lettuce, ranch cheese, cream and pickled güero chillies. Celaya fiambre is a cold banquet dish: cooked chicken breast, pickled beef tongue, pork ham, all sliced, on a base of lettuce with pickled vegetables (carrot, potato, beetroot, güero chillies, olives) and dressed with a vinaigrette of oil, vinegar, oregano and cumin. Celaya cajeta, with a designation of origin, is made with goat's milk (sometimes mixed with cow's milk), sugar, vanilla and bicarbonate, cooked until thick and caramelised. There are several variants: burnt, with wine, and vanilla. Charamuscas are twisted sweets of burnt sugar or piloncillo, sold by street charamusqueros. The oven-baked gorditas of Dolores Hidalgo are crisp and layered, different from the classic Bajío ones. The most-used chillies are guajillo, ancho, pasilla and chipotle. Spring onion, wild oregano and cherry tomato are basics. The ices of Dolores Hidalgo cover more than 200 flavours: mole, avocado, cheese, prawn, beer, alfalfa, tequila, etc.

Cultural significance

Guanajuato cuisine is an identity of the historic and cultural Bajío and a world-class tourist driver. Guanajuato (the city) has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, San Miguel de Allende since 2008, and the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro since 2010, all with gastronomy as a cultural axis. The Cervantino International Festival, held in Guanajuato every October since 1972, is one of the most important cultural events in Latin America and has consolidated the city as a culinary destination. San Miguel de Allende, repeatedly named by international magazines as the best city in the world, attracts communities of American and European expatriates who have raised the level of the restaurant scene. The Cajeta Route in Celaya and the Ices Route in Dolores are official culinary routes. The Cry of Independence each 15-16 September begins in Dolores Hidalgo with an official ceremony and traditional food. Cooks such as Margarita Carrillo Arronte, an authority on Mexican cooking, have taken Guanajuato cuisine to the international stage. The cuisine is part of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO in 2010.

Frequently asked questions

What is in enchiladas mineras?

They are maize tortillas passed through a strained sauce of guajillo chilli, garlic, cumin and oil, folded like quesadillas (without filling or with a little cheese), accompanied by potato and carrot cut into small cubes and fried in the same sauce. They are served with shredded lettuce, crumbled ranch cheese, cream, pickled güero chillies and sometimes shredded chicken on top. They were born as a miners' midday meal.

What is Celaya fiambre?

It is a cold banquet dish typical of Celaya, Guanajuato: it combines three cold meats (cooked chicken, pickled beef tongue and ham) in slices, on lettuce with pickled vegetables (carrot, potato, beetroot, güero chillies, olives, capers), dressed with a vinaigrette of oil, vinegar, oregano and cumin. It is a festive dish for weddings and celebrations.

Where is cajeta from and why does it have a designation of origin?

Cajeta originates in Celaya, Guanajuato, where it has been made since the nineteenth century from goat's milk cooked slowly with sugar until caramelised. It obtained a Mexican designation of origin in 2010, protected by the IMPI, to ensure that only that made in specific municipalities of Guanajuato can bear the name 'Cajeta de Celaya'. It is one of the most famous traditional Mexican sweets.

Where does Guanajuato cuisine come from?

It originates in the state of Guanajuato, in the heart of the Mexican Bajío. Its roots lie in the Otomí, Guamar Chichimec and Tarascan peoples, with a strong Spanish colonial imprint from the sixteenth century owing to the silver mines of Guanajuato, Valenciana and Mineral de Pozos. Convent and mining cooking gave rise to enchiladas mineras, Celaya cajeta and Celaya fiambre, among others.