Oaxacan tlayuda: what it is, history and how to prepare the giant tortilla

What is it?

The tlayuda is a maize tortilla of large diameter (between 30 and 40 cm), cooked on a wood-fired comal until semi-crisp, spread with pork asiento, refried black beans and topped with quesillo (Oaxaca cheese), grated cabbage, tomato, avocado and a protein of your choice: tasajo, chilli-spiced cecina, Oaxacan chorizo or chapulines. It originates in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca and is considered the most representative street dish of the state. It is served folded or open, grilled directly on a comal or embers, and is usually accompanied by a spicy salsa of chile pasilla oaxaqueño. In 2019 it was at the centre of an international controversy when a restaurant in California promoted it as "Mexican pizza".

Origin and history

The tlayuda originates in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, where the Zapotec and Mixtec communities developed large, thin tortillas that lasted for days without spoiling, a quality useful for fieldwork and the long pre-Hispanic trade routes. The word seems to come from the Nahuatl tlao-li, "shelled maize", although in Zapotec it is known as "gueta nicachi". Viceregal documents from the seventeenth century already mention these large tortillas in the markets of Antequera (now Oaxaca de Juárez). The current version with asiento, beans, quesillo and protein consolidated at the end of the nineteenth century with the rise of pig farming and the production of quesillo in Reyes Etla. In 2019 the "Mexican pizza" controversy broke out when an American chain registered it as such, generating an official campaign by the Oaxaca government to defend the name tlayuda.

Characteristic ingredients

There are five fundamental ingredients: the large maize tortilla (ideally nixtamalised that day), asiento (lard with chicharrón residue obtained from the bottom of the pan when frying pork), refried black beans with avocado leaf, shredded quesillo or Oaxaca cheese, and finely grated cabbage. The protein varies: tasajo (salted, air-dried beef), chilli-spiced pork cecina, red or green Oaxacan chorizo, or toasted chapulines. The typical salsa is made with chile pasilla oaxaqueño, smoky and mild, almost black. In simpler market versions the meat is omitted and it remains as a "white tlayuda". The grilling can be done on a clay comal, charcoal embers or, in modern versions, a griddle. Every bite should combine the crunch of the tortilla with the creaminess of the asiento and the beans.

Cultural significance

The tlayuda is the symbol of Oaxacan street cooking and forms part of the traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO in 2010 as Intangible Cultural Heritage. In the city of Oaxaca there are emblematic "tlayuderas" who open at night near the 20 de Noviembre and La Merced markets, and they represent a significant informal economy for Oaxacan women. In 2019, the tlayuda jumped into the international debate when the Taco Bell chain used the term "Mexican Pizza", and again when chef Roberto Solís argued that it is neither a taco nor a pizza but a category of its own. The Oaxaca Secretariat of Tourism launched "It's tlayuda, not Mexican pizza" campaigns to protect its name. Documentaries such as Netflix's Street Food (2019) showed it to the world through the tlayudera Doña Vale.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a tlayuda and a Mexican pizza?

The tlayuda is a nixtamalised maize tortilla grilled until semi-crisp, not baked, with no wheat dough or yeast. Pizza is fermented and baked wheat dough. The tlayuda uses asiento, beans, quesillo and raw cabbage; pizza uses tomato sauce and melted cheese. Confusing them is a categorical mistake.

What is the asiento on a tlayuda?

Asiento is the pork lard with chicharrón residue that remains at the bottom of the pan when frying pork. It has a thick texture, dark colour and intense smoky flavour. In Oaxaca it is bought by the kilo in markets and is the ingredient that distinguishes an authentic tlayuda from any imitation.

Is a tlayuda eaten folded or open?

Both forms are valid. Folded, it is eaten by hand like a giant sandwich, ideal for street eating. Open, it is served like a pizza, cut with a knife or broken by hand. In Oaxacan markets both options are usually offered depending on the diner's preference.

Where does the tlayuda originate?

From the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, particularly from the Etla-Tlacolula corridor and the city of Oaxaca de Juárez. It is the product of the meeting of Zapotec and Mixtec tradition with the pork cuisine introduced by the Spanish in the sixteenth century.