What is the difference between blue maize masa and white maize masa?

Blue masa comes from races pigmented with anthocyanins, has a blue-violet colour, more complex and fruity flavour and higher antioxidant content. White masa is from races such as Tuxpeno or regional white, with ivory colour and more neutral flavour. Both are nixtamalised with the same process, but the grain of origin marks the flavour and final nutritional properties.

What does blue maize masa taste like?

It has a deep flavour of toasted maize with earthy and fruity notes, slightly sweet, with hints reminiscent of nuts and rye. Nixtamalisation intensifies these flavours. Blue masa tortillas and tlacoyos have a characteristic aroma appreciated in markets and traditional eateries of central Mexico, different from that of common white maize.

How is blue maize masa prepared at home?

The same process is followed as for common nixtamalised masa: cook blue maize with quicklime for 1 to 2 hours, rest overnight, drain, rinse and grind. The amount of lime should be slightly less (8 g per kg) to better preserve the blue-violet pigment, since too much lime can darken it excessively or turn it grey.

Where does blue maize masa come from?

Blue maize is native to Mesoamerica, with documented pre-Hispanic cultivation. Today the main producing regions are Tlaxcala (epicentre of its revaluation), State of Mexico, Puebla, Hidalgo, Queretaro, Oaxaca and Michoacan, where peasants maintain native races such as Chalqueno Azul, Conico Azul and Cacahuazintle Azul as part of the traditional milpa system.

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Blue maize masa: pigments, flavour and altiplano traditions

What is it?

Blue maize masa is a variant of nixtamalised masa made with races of maize naturally pigmented with anthocyanins, which give tones ranging from intense blue to dark purple and black. It is cultivated mainly in states of the central Mexican altiplano such as Tlaxcala, Puebla, State of Mexico, Oaxaca, Hidalgo and Queretaro, where it forms part of the traditional milpa system. Its flavour is distinct from white maize: sweeter, fruitier, with earthy and nutty notes. Blue maize masa is the base of tlacoyos, memelas, gorditas, blue tortillas, sopes and tetelas, especially in markets and rural kitchens of central Mexico. Beyond the colour, blue maize has deep cultural, nutritional and symbolic value: it represents the diversity of Mexican native maizes and resists industrial agricultural homogenisation.

Origin and history

Blue maize (Zea mays var. amylacea) is one of the native maize races of Mexico, with cultivation documented since pre-Hispanic times. Codices and colonial chronicles mention it as a variant appreciated for special tamales and tortillas. Fray Bernardino de Sahagun records yauhtlaolli (dark maize) among the maizes cultivated by the Mexica, associated with ritual uses and festivities. After the conquest, blue maize survived better in indigenous and rural areas of the altiplano, where it was maintained as a traditional crop. During the 20th and 21st centuries, blue maize experienced a crisis due to the expansion of yellow and white hybrid industrial maize, until in recent decades peasant movements, scientists from INIFAP, CONABIO and SAGARPA (now SADER) recognised it as biocultural heritage. Tlaxcala has become an emblematic state for its revaluation: the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala maintains rescue programmes. Larousse Cocina and Mexico Desconocido document the resurgence of blue maize in markets and fine-dining restaurants.

Characteristic ingredients

Blue maize masa is made in the same way as traditional nixtamalised masa: dry maize is cooked with quicklime, rested, drained, rinsed and ground. The difference lies in the grain: blue maize contains anthocyanins (plant pigments similar to those of blueberries and hibiscus) in the pericarp and aleurone, which provide colour and antioxidant properties. Cooking with lime can further darken the grain due to the alkaline reaction on the anthocyanins, which produces bluish-grey to violet tones in the final masa. The flavour is perceptibly different from that of white maize: more complex, fruity, with earthy notes. Blue maize races vary by region: the Chalqueno Azul of Tlaxcala and Puebla, the Conico Azul of Toluca, the Cacahuazintle Azul of Calimaya and others. Each race has different grain size, flavour and grinding characteristics. Artisan producers grind on hot metate to better release aromas. Blue masa is especially prized for tlacoyos filled with beans or broad bean, memelas and tetelas.

Cultural significance

Blue maize masa is a heritage element of traditional Mexican cuisine, recognised by UNESCO in 2010 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Its preservation is an example of peasant resistance to agricultural homogenisation: native maize races, including blue, are protected by the Federal Law of Plant Varieties and recognised by CONABIO as biocultural heritage. Tlaxcala has positioned itself as the capital of blue maize: regional fairs, tlacoyo festivals and specialised restaurants (such as Carlota, Casa Mariscal, Comedor Tradicional Tlaxcala) highlight it as a state banner. In contemporary Mexican cuisine, chefs such as Enrique Olvera, Edgar Nunez, Norma Listman and Saqib Keval have incorporated blue maize masa into author cuisine proposals exhibited internationally. Traditional markets such as those of San Juan Totoltepec, Texcoco and the Tlaxcalan and State of Mexico tianguis sell tlacoyos and memelas of blue masa as everyday antojitos. The 'Sin Maiz no hay Pais' movement keeps the defence of native maize alive.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

Ingredients to cook it

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between blue maize masa and white maize masa?: Blue masa comes from races pigmented with anthocyanins, has a blue-violet colour, more complex and fruity flavour and higher antioxidant content. White masa is from races such as Tuxpeno or regional white, with ivory colour and more neutral flavour. Both are nixtamalised with the same process, but the grain of origin marks the flavour and final nutritional properties.
What does blue maize masa taste like?: It has a deep flavour of toasted maize with earthy and fruity notes, slightly sweet, with hints reminiscent of nuts and rye. Nixtamalisation intensifies these flavours. Blue masa tortillas and tlacoyos have a characteristic aroma appreciated in markets and traditional eateries of central Mexico, different from that of common white maize.
How is blue maize masa prepared at home?: The same process is followed as for common nixtamalised masa: cook blue maize with quicklime for 1 to 2 hours, rest overnight, drain, rinse and grind. The amount of lime should be slightly less (8 g per kg) to better preserve the blue-violet pigment, since too much lime can darken it excessively or turn it grey.
Where does blue maize masa come from?: Blue maize is native to Mesoamerica, with documented pre-Hispanic cultivation. Today the main producing regions are Tlaxcala (epicentre of its revaluation), State of Mexico, Puebla, Hidalgo, Queretaro, Oaxaca and Michoacan, where peasants maintain native races such as Chalqueno Azul, Conico Azul and Cacahuazintle Azul as part of the traditional milpa system.