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

What is it?

The tlayuda is a large-diameter maize tortilla (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), shredded cabbage, tomato, avocado and a protein of choice: tasajo, chilli-coated cecina, Oaxacan chorizo or grasshoppers. It comes from the Central Valleys of Oaxaca and is considered the state's most representative street dish. It is served folded or open, grilled directly over a comal or embers, and is usually accompanied by a spicy salsa of Oaxacan pasilla chilli. 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 useful quality for fieldwork and long pre-Hispanic trade journeys. 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 17th century already mention these large tortillas in the markets of Antequera (today Oaxaca de Juarez). The current version with asiento, beans, quesillo and protein became established in the late 19th century with the rise of pig farming and quesillo production in Reyes Etla. In 2019 the "Mexican pizza" controversy erupted when a US chain registered it that way, which prompted an official campaign by the Oaxaca government to defend the name tlayuda.

Characteristic ingredients

The fundamental ingredients are five: the large maize tortilla (ideally nixtamalised that day), the asiento (lard with pork crackling residue obtained from the bottom of the pan when frying pork), the black beans refried with avocado leaf, the shredded quesillo or Oaxaca cheese, and the finely shredded cabbage. The protein varies: tasajo (salted, air-dried beef), chilli-coated pork cecina, red or green Oaxacan chorizo, or toasted grasshoppers. The typical salsa is made of Oaxacan pasilla chilli, smoky and mild, almost black. In the simplest market versions the meat is omitted and it remains a "white tlayuda". It can be grilled over a clay comal, charcoal embers or, in modern versions, a griddle. Each bite should combine the crispness of the tortilla with the creaminess of the asiento and the beans.

Cultural significance

The tlayuda is the symbol of Oaxacan street cooking and is part of traditional Mexican cuisine, inscribed by UNESCO in 2010 as Intangible Cultural Heritage. In Oaxaca city there are emblematic "tlayuderas" who open at night near the 20 de Noviembre and Merced markets, and they represent a significant informal economy for Oaxacan women. In 2019, the tlayuda leapt into the international debate when the chain Taco Bell used the term "Mexican Pizza", and again when chef Roberto Solis argued that it is neither a taco nor a pizza, but a category of its own. The Oaxaca Tourism Ministry 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 Dona 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, baked wheat dough. The tlayuda uses asiento, beans, quesillo and raw cabbage; pizza uses tomato sauce and melted cheese. Confusing them is a category error.

What is tlayuda asiento?

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

Is the tlayuda eaten folded or open?

Both ways are valid. Folded, it is eaten by hand like a giant sandwich, ideal for street vendors. Open, it is served like a pizza, cut with a knife or broken by hand. In the Oaxacan markets both options are usually offered according to the diner's taste.

Where does the tlayuda come from?

From the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, particularly the corridor of Etla, Tlacolula and the city of Oaxaca de Juarez. It is the product of the meeting of the Zapotec and Mixtec tradition with the pork cooking introduced by the Spanish in the 16th century.