Quintoniles: the pre-Hispanic quelite with tender leaves

What is it?

Quintoniles, sometimes called quelites cenizo when young, are the tender leaves and shoots of wild amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus), one of the oldest and most nutritious quelites in Mexican cooking. They have alternate green leaves, sometimes with reddish tones in the stems, and grow spontaneously in milpas, backyards and open crops of central Mexico: the State of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos and Hidalgo. Their flavour is mild, slightly earthy and similar to spinach, which has earned them the nickname 'Mexican spinach'. They are eaten between March and September as stews, in quesadillas, soups, sauteed tacos, fritters, tamales and scrambled eggs. They are a pre-Hispanic quelite that comes from the same edible amaranth plant whose seeds are the base of the classic alegria sweet.

Origin and history

Quintoniles have a pre-Hispanic origin and are part of the traditional quelites of the Mexican altiplano. Their name comes from the Nahuatl 'quiltonilli' or 'quilitl' (edible herb) combined with an affectionate suffix. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún recorded them in the Florentine Codex as one of the edible herbs of the markets of Tenochtitlan, and the Nahua peoples ate them as a daily part of the milpa diet alongside maize, beans, squash and chilli. Amaranthus hybridus is the same species whose seeds are used to make alegrias; while the plant grows, its tender leaves are eaten and when it matures the seeds are harvested. CONABIO documents its wild and cultivated presence throughout central Mexico. Larousse Cocina lists it as an essential quelite of the traditional repertoire. SADER promotes quintoniles as part of the revival of Mexican quelites to strengthen food security. It is one of the integral uses of the amaranth plant, where no part is wasted.

Characteristic ingredients

The Amaranthus hybridus plant is annual, 1-2 metres tall, with reddish or green stems, lance-shaped alternate leaves and long red or green inflorescences that produce thousands of small seeds. Quintoniles are the leaves and tender shoots harvested before flowering, when they are softer and more aromatic. They contain plant proteins of high biological value, iron, calcium, vitamins A, C, K, folic acid, magnesium and fibre. Their protein content is notably high among leafy vegetables (around 30% by dry weight). They are prepared sauteed with onion, garlic and chilli, in stews with coriander or epazote, in scrambled eggs Mexican-style, in quesadillas, in soups and broths, in fritters with cheese, and as a tamale filling. They are harvested young and eaten the same day. The tender stems are also used, but mature stems become woody and are discarded. There are cultivated amaranth varieties with broader leaves and pale seeds (Amaranthus hypochondriacus, A. cruentus) which also produce quintoniles, alongside the wild A. hybridus.

Cultural significance

Quintoniles represent the food continuity of the Mexican altiplano from pre-Hispanic times to the present, along with other quelites such as quelite cenizo, romeritos, verdolagas and huauzontles. They are part of the milpa system, declared Biocultural Heritage by SADER, in which making use of so-called 'weeds' growing among the maize becomes an important nutritional component. In traditional markets such as Cholula, Coyotepec, Texcoco and Tlaxcala they are sold in bunches in season. Larousse Cocina includes them among the emblematic quelites. UNESCO includes quintoniles among the representative ingredients of traditional Mexican cuisine, Intangible Heritage of Humanity since 2010. Their nutritional value has prompted academic interest: the FAO has recognised amaranth as a crop of the future for its drought resistance and protein value. The consumption of quintoniles strengthens the family economy of farming women who gather them in traditional milpas. Their presence in seasonal markets connects urban consumers with pre-Hispanic agricultural wisdom.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between quintoniles and amaranth?

They are different parts of the same plant. Quintoniles are the tender leaves and shoots of amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus and other species) harvested before flowering. Amaranth itself refers to the seeds harvested when the plant matures. Both products come from the same crop, which makes amaranth a fully usable plant.

What do quintoniles taste like?

They have a mild, herbal and slightly earthy flavour very similar to young spinach, with a mineral touch. They are not bitter or spicy; their neutral, delicate flavour makes them very versatile. They pair well with onion, garlic, chilli, fresh cheese, egg, maize dough and other herbs such as epazote or coriander.

How are quintoniles cooked?

They are washed, briefly boiled or sauteed. They are used in stews with epazote, in scrambled eggs Mexican-style, in quesadillas with fresh cheese, in soups, in pan-fried fritters with cheese, in sauteed tacos with chilli, as a tamale filling and in rural broths. They are ideally eaten the day of harvest because of their freshness. They accompany warm tortillas and salsa verde.

Where do quintoniles come from?

They are native to Mesoamerica and are part of the pre-Hispanic milpa system. Sahagún documented them in the Florentine Codex as an edible herb of the markets of Tenochtitlan. Their Nahuatl name is 'quiltonilli'. Today they are used mainly in the State of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos and Hidalgo, where they grow wild in traditional milpas or are grown in family vegetable plots.