Coloured tortillas: what they are and which maize they are made from

What is it?

Coloured tortillas are a visible expression of the astonishing diversity of Mexico's native maize landraces. Although the white tortilla is the most common on Mexican tables, in markets, fondas and specialist restaurants you can find blue, purple, red, yellow, orange, pink and black tortillas, each made with native maize pigmented by anthocyanins, carotenoids or other plant compounds. This variety reflects the genetic richness of Mesoamerican maize: Mexico is the centre of origin and domestication of maize, with 64 native landraces registered by CONABIO. Each tortilla colour brings a distinctive flavour, different nutritional properties and a cultural message about diversity. Preserving coloured tortillas is part of the struggle for food sovereignty and the protection of native maize varieties against industrial hybrids.

Origin and history

The chromatic diversity of Mexican maize is pre-Hispanic: codices and chronicles document maize of many colours cultivated in different regions of Mesoamerica. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún records at least four varieties: iztac centli (white maize), coztic centli (yellow maize), yauhtlaolli (dark/purple maize) and xiuhtoctli (reddish maize), all grown ritually and associated with the four cardinal points in Nahua cosmology. This diversity was the product of thousands of years of peasant selection, adaptation to microclimates and management of the germplasm. After the conquest, many native landraces survived in indigenous areas, while the industrial yellow hybrid maizes of the twentieth century reduced diversity at the commercial level. CONABIO, INIFAP and SAGARPA (now SADER) have worked since the 1990s on programmes to protect, register and rescue native landraces. Larousse Cocina and various other sources document the resurgence of coloured tortillas through revalorisation projects such as Itanoní (Oaxaca), Maizajo and haute cuisine restaurants.

Characteristic ingredients

Each tortilla colour comes from specific landraces and compounds in the maize. Blue and purple tortillas are made with landraces such as Chalqueño Azul, Cónico Azul or Cacahuazintle Azul, pigmented by anthocyanins (the same compounds found in blueberries and hibiscus), with a fruity flavour and earthy notes. Red and pink tortillas come from landraces such as Bofo Rojo, Rojo del Oaxaca or Tablilla, with similar but less intense pigments and a sweetish flavour. Yellow and orange tortillas are made with carotenoid-rich maizes (precursors of vitamin A) such as yellow Bolita, Pepitilla and yellow Tuxpeño, with a more intense flavour. White tortillas are the most common, made with Tuxpeño, Tabloncillo and other white landraces. Black tortillas (rarer) are made with Negrito and black Cacahuazintle, with a deep flavour. The technique is identical for all of them: nixtamalisation with lime, grinding and hand-shaping. Cooking with lime can shift the tones: anthocyanins darken in an alkaline medium, while carotenoids are more stable. Markets offer artisanal coloured tortillas in Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico, Puebla and Mexico City.

Cultural significance

Coloured tortillas are a living symbol of Mexican food biodiversity and of the cultural value of native maize. Traditional Mexican cuisine, recognised by UNESCO in 2010 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, embraces the diversity of maize as a fundamental element. The movement "Sin Maíz no hay País" ("Without Maize there is No Country") brings together farmers, scientists, cooks and activists who defend Mexican food sovereignty and the protection of native landraces against transgenic maize. Projects such as Itanoní in Oaxaca, Casa Mariscal and Maizajo in Mexico City specialise in tortillas made from native and coloured landraces, where diners can try tortillas of five or six colours in a single meal. CONABIO has published the atlas of the biological diversity of native maize, an international reference work. At gastronomic fairs and festivals such as the Feria del Maíz, the Traditional Cooks Competition of Oaxaca and the festivals of Tlaxcala, coloured tortillas take centre stage. Contemporary international cuisine has adopted them as premium ingredients.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a blue tortilla and a common tortilla?

The blue tortilla comes from native maize landraces pigmented by anthocyanins; it has a fruitier, earthier flavour and a higher antioxidant content. The common (white) tortilla is made with white landraces and has a more neutral flavour. Both are nixtamalised using the same process, but the genetics of the grain determine colour, flavour and nutritional properties. Coloured tortillas are a premium artisanal product.

What does a red maize tortilla taste like?

It tastes of toasted maize with sweetish, slightly fruity notes, similar to white maize but with more complex nuances. The texture is the same as a common tortilla if made with the same technique. It is delicate on the palate and is best appreciated on its own or with subtle stews that do not mask its natural aromas.

How are coloured tortillas cooked?

They are prepared exactly like white tortillas: with nixtamalised dough of the chosen colour. A ball is formed, pressed in a tortilla press between two sheets of plastic, and cooked on a hot comal for 30-90 seconds per side until it puffs up. The colour does not affect the technique; it is simply an attribute of the maize used in the dough. What matters is obtaining good nixtamalised dough from native landraces.

Where do coloured tortillas come from?

Coloured tortillas originate from Mesoamerica, where maize was domesticated more than 9,000 years ago and developed into multiple pigmented landraces. Today they are found mainly in Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, Puebla, the State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Veracruz and Michoacán, regions where farmers conserve native landraces as part of the traditional milpa system.