Veracruz garnachas: what they are and how to make them

What is it?

Veracruz garnachas are one of the most representative antojitos of the Orizaba region and central Veracruz: small thick tortillas, about five to seven centimetres, made by hand with nixtamalised maize masa and fried in plenty of lard or oil until golden. They are topped with shredded beef, guajillo chilli or red salsa, chopped onion, grated dry cheese or aged cheese, and a cube of cooked potato. They are a typical dish of the cantinas, eateries and street stalls of Orizaba, Córdoba, Coatepec, Xalapa and other municipalities of the mountainous region of Veracruz, where they are traditionally eaten at breakfast or as a snack accompanying a beer. Their small size means they are ordered by the dozen, which makes them a social dish, ideal for sharing.

Origin and history

The origin of Veracruz garnachas goes back to the popular cuisine of central Veracruz during the 19th and 20th centuries, when fried-masa antojitos proliferated in markets and street stalls of Orizaba in response to the demand for fast, economical food for railway workers, day labourers and employees of the textile factories that gave rise to the region's boom. The term garnacha has an uncertain origin: some sources relate it to the Spanish garnacha as an adjective for something abundant or dressed, while in other parts of Mexico the same name designates distinct dishes —in Oaxaca and Guerrero there are different garnachas, also of fried masa but with other toppings. The Orizaba version is distinguished by the use of grated dry cheese, generally Cotija cheese or aged Veracruz cheese, and by the inclusion of the cube of cooked potato as a particular garnish. Regional recipe books of the 20th century, as well as the travel chronicles published in magazines such as México Desconocido, firmly place this antojito as an Orizaba hallmark since at least the forties, when there were already famous stalls in the Cerritos market and the arcades of the city centre.

Characteristic ingredients

The base is a small tortilla made on the spot: the maize masa is formed into small balls, flattened with a tortilla press or by hand and briefly cooked on the comal before being fried in lard or oil until the surface is slightly golden and firm, keeping a certain softness inside. The shredded meat is typically beef, flank or lean cut cooked with onion, garlic and bay leaf, then finely shredded; some versions use pork or chicken. The salsa can be red, of guajillo chilli and tomato, slightly spicy, or green, of tomatillo with serrano chilli. The cheese is dry and grated, generally aged cheese or dry Veracruz cow's-milk cheese, salty and crumbly. The cube of cooked potato and sometimes carrot is the touch that differentiates Orizaba garnachas from other versions. Some famous stalls such as Las Recio or the garnachas of the Cerritos Market are obligatory references. Different regions have variants: in the north of Veracruz, in the Misantla region, the garnachas are larger and have a different kind of salsa.

Cultural significance

Garnachas are an Orizaba gastronomic heritage and an emblem of the culinary identity of central Veracruz. Each year, the city of Orizaba organises fairs and gastronomic events where garnachas are protagonists, alongside other jarocho antojitos such as gorditos infladitos and molotes. The traditional stalls, many run by families for three or four generations, are part of the urban landscape of Orizaba and Córdoba, where they open from the early hours of the morning to serve those heading to work. Veracruz cuisine as a whole was recognised in the national inventory of traditional cuisines by CONACULTA. Economically, garnachas sustain a local ecosystem of masa producers, butchers, artisanal cheesemakers and street vendors that make up one of the most living popular economies of the state. For the people of Orizaba, eating garnachas is a social ritual: they are ordered by the dozen, shared at the stall counter, and accompanied by fresh waters or beers, in an experience that goes beyond the mere intake of food.

Frequently asked questions