Enchiladas potosinas: what they are and how to make them

What is it?

Enchiladas potosinas are one of the most distinctive dishes of north-central Mexican cooking and a gastronomic emblem of San Luis Potosí. Unlike conventional enchiladas, where the salsa is poured over the finished tortilla, in the potosinas the chilli is worked into the masa itself: guajillo or ancho chilli is ground with salt and kneaded together with nixtamalised maize masa, giving it an intense red colour that is its visual hallmark. The tortilla is filled with crumbled fresh cheese and chopped onion, folded into a half-moon sealing the edges, and briefly cooked on a comal or fried in lard. They are served hot, accompanied by chopped onion, additional cheese, shredded lettuce, cream and avocado, along with refried beans and, optionally, diced potatoes and carrots. They are a food-stall and market dish in the Potosí capital, where they are traditionally offered at breakfast and mid-morning.

Origin and history

Enchiladas potosinas have a relatively recent origin compared with other Mexican antojitos. The most widespread local legend attributes their invention to Cristina Cuevas, a resident of the town of Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, in San Luis Potosí, around 1958. According to the account, doña Cristina experimented with maize masa mixed with ground guajillo chilli, looking for a new way to prepare tortillas; the result was so successful that she began selling them in the markets of the Potosí capital, where they quickly became popular. An alternative version attributes their creation to the cooks of the Mercado Hidalgo, around the mid-20th century. The recipe is documented in regional gastronomic publications from the 1970s, and in works such as the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Mexican Gastronomy by Ricardo Muñoz Zurita. Despite their relatively modern origin, enchiladas potosinas have become established as a regional icon and are now prepared throughout the state of San Luis Potosí, as well as in its diaspora in other parts of the country. The technique of working the chilli into the masa is a distinctive innovation that sets them apart from the rest of Mexican enchiladas, where the salsa always goes over the finished tortilla.

Characteristic ingredients

The masa of enchiladas potosinas is the key: nixtamalised maize masa is prepared (preferably white or yellow) and a paste of dried guajillo chilli is incorporated, previously deveined, soaked in hot water and blended or ground on a metate until a fine paste is formed. It is mixed well to obtain a bright red, soft and workable masa, seasoned with salt. This masa is divided into little balls that are pressed into small tortillas, generally with a tortilla press. The traditional filling is crumbled fresh cheese (ranchero, panela or asadero) with finely chopped white onion. A spoonful of filling is placed on one half of the tortilla and it is closed into a half-moon, gently pressing the edges to seal. The enchiladas are briefly cooked on a fat-free comal or lightly fried in hot lard or oil, depending on the version. To serve, they are accompanied by finely chopped raw onion, more fresh cheese, shredded lettuce, Mexican cream, sliced avocado and, in many versions, boiled and chopped potatoes and carrots. A hot chile de árbol salsa on the side is optional. Some variants add refried beans as a garnish or shredded chicken to the filling.

Cultural significance

Enchiladas potosinas are part of the gastronomic heritage of San Luis Potosí and an emblem of the state's culinary identity, along with zacahuil, fiambre potosino and oven gorditas. Each year, at events such as the Potosí National Fair and local gastronomic festivals, the enchiladas are protagonists. Legendary establishments such as Enchiladas Potosinas Doña Refugio and the stalls of the Mercado Hidalgo in the Potosí capital are obligatory references for visitors and locals. Traditional Mexican Cuisine, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, encompasses regional cuisines such as that of Potosí, where these enchiladas have a central role. Economically, they sustain traditional cooks, producers of Potosí fresh cheese, growers of guajillo chilli and maize, and an important tourist-gastronomic product. Enchiladas potosinas have been spread nationally and internationally thanks to chefs and food communicators such as José Padilla, Pati Jinich and others, and have been adapted into frozen versions that have brought the recipe to homes throughout the Potosí diaspora in the United States. The use of chilli in the masa is a technique that has inspired other contemporary versions in signature cooking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between enchiladas potosinas and traditional enchiladas?

Traditional enchiladas are finished tortillas that are bathed in chilli salsa, while in enchiladas potosinas the ground guajillo chilli is worked into the masa itself before making the tortilla, giving it an intense red colour. The Potosí tortilla is filled with cheese, folded into a half-moon and sealed; it is not bathed in salsa. It is a different concept despite the shared name.

What do enchiladas potosinas taste like?

The masa with guajillo chilli provides a moderately spicy, fruity and smoky flavour, distinct from plain maize. The fresh cheese melted inside gives a creamy, salty contrast. The raw chopped onion provides freshness and crunch, the avocado softens the heat, the Mexican cream adds acidity, and the shredded lettuce gives freshness. The whole is mildly spicy but balanced.

How are enchiladas potosinas served?

They are served three or four per portion on a flat plate, hot and freshly made or briefly fried in lard. Mexican cream, crumbled fresh cheese, shredded lettuce and raw chopped onion are poured on top. They are accompanied by refried beans, boiled and diced potatoes and carrots, sliced avocado and, optionally, a hot chile de árbol salsa on the side.

Where do enchiladas potosinas come from?

They are native to San Luis Potosí, in north-central Mexico, and according to local tradition were invented around 1958 by Cristina Cuevas in Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, or by cooks of the Mercado Hidalgo in the Potosí capital. Although their origin is relatively recent, they have become established as a state gastronomic icon and form part of the traditional repertoire of Potosí cooking.