Nayarit cuisine: what it is and its typical dishes

What is it?

Nayarit cuisine is the culinary tradition of the state of Nayarit, in western Mexico on the Pacific coast, and is distinguished by the singular coexistence of coastal fishing, the mestizo cooking of the lowlands and the ritual traditions of the Cora (Náayeri) and Huichol (Wixárika) peoples of the sierra. Its emblematic dishes are charcoal-grilled pescado zarandeado, tlaxtihuilli (a Huichol prawn broth with maize dough), Nayarit oyster sopes, tamales barbones with prawns, Nayarit frijol con puerco, carp birria and Nayarit-style ceviche with grated coconut. Mexcaltitán, a magical island regarded by some as the mythical Aztlán, is the birthplace of pescado zarandeado. It is eaten daily in the seafood eateries of San Blas and Tepic, reaching its peak during the Holy Week festivities and the annual Huichol pilgrimages.

Origin and history

Nayarit cuisine inherits from the Cora, Huichol, Tepehuan and Nahua peoples, ancestral farmers and fishers of the Mexican Pacific and the Sierra del Nayar. The region was part of Jalisco until 1917, when it became an independent state. Mexcaltitán, in the Santiago Ixcuintla lagoon, is regarded by some researchers as Aztlán, the mythical place of origin of the Aztecs according to historical legend. Pescado zarandeado was born on this island, a pre-Hispanic technique of cooking whole fish, opened out over embers with mangrove wood, according to Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido. The Spanish conquest and the founding of San Blas as a naval port in 1768 introduced spices, pork and escabeche techniques. Tlaxtihuilli is a Huichol ritual dish of pre-Hispanic origin, prepared by women during festivities of the sacred peyote cactus. Industrial and artisanal prawn farming in the marshes of the Nayarit Pacific has sustained the state's coastal economy throughout the twentieth century. The Sierra del Nayar preserves Huichol and Cora culinary traditions little changed, with ceremonial use of maize, beans, squash and the peyote cactus (ritual use restricted by SEMARNAT).

Characteristic ingredients

The whole fish (snapper, sea bass, mullet, tilapia) is opened out, marinated in guajillo chilli, garlic and butter, and grilled over mangrove wood, giving it a unique smoky flavour. The prawn is the star of tamales barbones (wrapped with the prawns hanging outside the tamal), tlaxtihuilli and Nayarit sopes. The oyster of Boca de Camichín and San Cristóbal feeds the oyster soup and the sopes. Plantain and coconut add a Caribbean sweetness to ceviches and desserts. The blue maize of the Cora-Huichol sierra gives identity to tortillas, gorditas and tlaxtihuilli, a thick maize-dough soup with prawn and chilli that is a sacred Huichol dish during the peyote festivities. The Cora chilli is the regional chilli, similar to the chile de árbol but fruitier. Nayarit frijol con puerco contains pork, squash and maize dough. Carp birria is a curious dish of the Nayarit highlands. The Ataulfo mango, the dominico banana and cacao grow on the coast. Raicilla (the state's traditional mezcal) and tejuino are local drinks.

Cultural significance

Nayarit cuisine is a cultural identity of the Mexican Pacific and a driver of tourism along coasts such as Sayulita, San Blas, Rincón de Guayabitos and the Riviera Nayarit. Mexcaltitán, a Pueblo Mágico since 2001 (reinstated in 2020), is Cultural Heritage of the state for its historical-mythical value and as the birthplace of pescado zarandeado. The Huichol (Wixárika) people have been internationally recognised for their art (beadwork, yarn) and their ceremonial pilgrimages to the sacred desert of Wirikuta in San Luis Potosí, where they gather peyote. These pilgrimages, declared Cultural Heritage by the Mexican government, include culinary rituals. Nayarit cuisine is part of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO in 2010. Festivities such as the Cora Holy Week celebrations (San Francisco and Jesús María) are spectacular for their cultural syncretism and ritual food. The state government promotes the Nayarit Gastronomic Route and the Riviera Nayarit as a food-and-wine destination with resorts and premium restaurants.

Frequently asked questions

How is pescado zarandeado made?

A whole fish is opened out along the back, marinated with a paste of guajillo chilli, garlic, butter, soy sauce and spices, and placed on a 'zaranda' (a metal grill) over mangrove-wood embers. It is turned several times (hence 'zarandeado') over 15-25 minutes until golden on the outside and juicy within. It is served with warm tortillas, lime, onion and Huichol salsa.

What is tlaxtihuilli?

It is a thick Huichol ritual soup made with blue maize dough, dried-prawn broth, Cora or árbol chilli and water. It is prepared during peyote ceremonies in the Sierra del Nayar, especially by women. It is served hot, thick like a savoury atole, with whole dried prawns on top. It is a sacred food of the Wixárika people with more than 500 years of tradition.

What does Nayarit cuisine taste like?

It has the fresh, marine flavours of the Pacific, smoked by mangrove, with the sweetness of coconut and plantain and the fruity heat of the Cora chilli. Huichol cooking adds earthy notes of blue maize and dried chillies, while the coastal mestizo cooking emphasises lime, butter and garlic. It is a joyful, festive cuisine with abundant and affordable seafood.

Where does Nayarit cuisine come from?

It originates in the state of Nayarit, in western Mexico on the Pacific coast. It combines the heritage of the Cora (Náayeri) and Huichol (Wixárika) peoples of the sierra, the Nahuas and Mexicaneros of the lowlands, and the mestizo Mexican cooking that developed in San Blas as a colonial port. Mexcaltitán, an island in the Santiago Ixcuintla lagoon, is the mythical birthplace of pescado zarandeado.