Tetelas: filled masa triangles typical of Puebla and Oaxaca

What is it?

Tetelas are Mexican antojitos in the shape of a triangle made with nixtamalised masa with a filling, typical of Pueblan-Mixtec-Oaxacan cuisine. Their preparation consists of stretching a tortilla, placing the filling in the centre (ground refried beans, fresh cheese, chicharron asiento, ayocotes or curd cheese) and folding the masa in three folds towards the centre to form a closed triangle. They are cooked on a clay or iron comal until the masa is golden and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Tetelas are an antojito of markets, eateries and patronal festivities in the Pueblan Mixteca, the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca and parts of central Mexico. Their geometric shape and the combination of masa-filling-comal make them one of the most unique and recognisable preparations of the Mexican repertoire of masa antojitos.

Origin and history

Tetelas are a product of the pre-Hispanic and colonial cuisine of the Mixtec region, which covers parts of the current states of Puebla, Oaxaca and Guerrero. Their name comes from the Nahuatl tetelli or tetela, which means mound or little hill, in reference to the triangular shape of the antojito. Fray Bernardino de Sahagun does not explicitly mention tetelas, but describes various forms of folded and stuffed tortillas in Mexica cuisine that could be precursors. Tetelas as we know them today are documented in Mexican recipe books of the 19th and 20th centuries, always associated with the Pueblan Mixteca (Tepexi de Rodriguez, Huehuetlan, Acatlan) and the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca. Larousse Cocina and the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Mexican Gastronomy register them as a heritage antojito. In recent decades, tetelas have transcended their original region thanks to chefs such as Margarita Carrillo and movements of revaluation of traditional Mexican cuisine. Mexican restaurants in Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca offer them as premium antojitos with creative fillings.

Characteristic ingredients

The making of tetelas starts from nixtamalised masa (preferably freshly made, from white, yellow or blue maize). Small balls are formed and extended in a tortilla press or by hand forming a medium tortilla (12 to 15 cm). In the centre, a spoonful of filling is placed: the most traditional is ground refried black bean seasoned with avocado leaf (Mixtec bean tetelas); other classic fillings include chicharron asiento (Puebla), fresh cheese with epazote, curd cheese, refried ayocotes or, in contemporary versions, mushrooms, huitlacoche, oaxaca cheese and others. To form the triangle, three edges of the tortilla are folded towards the centre, overlapping to seal the filling (the edges form the three sides of the triangle). The tetela is cooked on a hot comal, first on the closure side (to seal) and then on the smooth side, until both are golden and crispy (5 to 7 minutes in total). They are served hot with spicy salsa, cream, crumbled cheese and sometimes avocado.

Cultural significance

Tetelas are a gastronomic emblem of the Pueblan Mixteca and the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, regions where they form part of the daily and festive heritage. Traditional Mexican cuisine, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, integrates tetelas as a representative antojito. In markets such as the one in Acatlan de Osorio (Puebla), Huehuetlan el Grande and various Mixtec towns, traditional cooks prepare tetelas on clay comales over coals, attended by customers who consume them hot at the same stall. At patronal festivities, weddings and community celebrations, tetelas are ritual food and are prepared in large quantities. Contemporary Mexican cuisine has taken tetelas to Mexico City and to international restaurants: chefs such as Margarita Carrillo, Monica Patino and Liz Galicia present tetelas with innovative fillings that maintain the traditional spirit. Gastronomic interest in tetelas has also boosted the economy of Mixtec towns, where women organised in cooperatives offer traditional cooking experiences to tourists.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a tetela and a quesadilla?

The tetela has a triangular shape with three folds of the tortilla folded towards the centre, which creates three edges and a thicker layer of masa at the borders. The quesadilla is semicircular: a tortilla folded in half over the filling. Tetelas are typically Pueblan-Mixtec-Oaxacan; quesadillas are universal in Mexico. The shape and folding distinguish one from the other.

What do tetelas taste like?

They have a deep flavour of nixtamalised maize toasted on a comal, with the filling integrated (beans with avocado leaf, cheese, asiento). The texture is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with the warm and melted filling. Traditional Mixtec tetelas have a pronounced flavour of black bean with avocado leaf, herbal and aniseed, considered the most authentic flavour.

How are tetelas served?

They are served hot, freshly made on an individual plate, accompanied by molcajeteada salsa (green or red), cream, crumbled fresh cheese and sometimes sliced avocado. In markets they are served on a banana leaf or in a clay dish. They can be eaten as a midday antojito or as a light dinner; some accompany them with brothy beans or a glass of atole.

Where do tetelas come from?

Tetelas are originally from the Mixtec region, particularly from the Pueblan Mixteca (Acatlan, Tepexi de Rodriguez, Huehuetlan) and the Oaxacan Mixteca (Huajuapan, Tlaxiaco, Nochixtlan). Their tradition is pre-Hispanic-colonial mestizo, associated with the milpa system and the use of beans and maize as a food base. Today they are consumed throughout central and southern Mexico.