What do xamues taste like?

Xamues have a sour, herbal and aromatic flavour, similar to green apple with notes of cinnamon, eucalyptus and coriander. When toasted they accentuate citrus and umami tones, while raw they are more pungent and spicy. Their aftertaste is persistent and mineral, similar to a green-leaf tea with lime zest.

How are xamues prepared?

They are purged in salted water, toasted on a comal and ground with serrano chilli, green tomato and worm salt to make xamue salsa, which accompanies tacos and memelas. They are also scrambled with egg and chile pasilla, or served whole as a snack with tortilla and lime, especially in Ixmiquilpan and the Valle del Mezquital.

What is the difference between xamues and jumiles?

Although both are edible bugs, jumiles come from the Cerro del Huixteco (Guerrero) and belong to Edessa mexicana, live in oaks and taste of cinnamon and iodine. Xamues are Thasus gigas from the highlands, live in mesquite and huizache and taste of sour apple. Their size, habitat and flavour are clearly different.

Where do xamues come from?

They are native to the Mexican semi-arid highlands: mainly Hidalgo (Valle del Mezquital), Querétaro and San Luis Potosí. Their consumption is traditional among the Ñañu (Otomí), Huastec and Nahua peoples, and is linked to the agricultural cycle of the mesquite, the sacred tree of the semi-desert that also provides pods, firewood and flour.

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Xamues: edible bugs of the Mexican highlands

What is it?

Xamues, also called mesquite jumiles or cuchamas in some areas, are large bugs of the species Thasus gigas, collected on mesquite trees (Prosopis laevigata) and huizache of the semi-arid highlands of Hidalgo, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí. They are distinguished by their bright red colour with black bands and by their large size, up to 4 cm. Their collection takes place from May to August, when the adults gather on the branches to feed on the tender mesquite pods. They have a characteristic sour, herbal and aromatic flavour, similar to green apple with cinnamon notes, due to defensive glands. They are prepared toasted with salt and lime, ground in molcajete salsa or in tacos with beans, and form a central part of the traditional cuisine of the Ñañu (Otomí) and Huastec peoples.

Origin and history

The consumption of xamues is ethnographically documented among the Ñañu (Otomí), Huastec and Nahua peoples of the semi-arid highlands, associated with the ritual and dietary use of the mesquite, a sacred Mesoamerican tree. Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido identify them as one of the oldest edible insects of the semi-desert highlands, harvested at least since the Mesoamerican Classic period. CONABIO Enciclovida documents their geographical distribution and ecological relationships with the mesquite, a key species of the ecosystem. In the 20th century, anthropologists from INAH and biologists from UNAM, led by Julieta Ramos-Elorduy, catalogued them as part of the corpus of Mexican edible insects. The xamue fair, held in municipalities such as Cardonal and Ixmiquilpan (Hidalgo), reflects the survival of this tradition during the summer patronal festivities. Gob.mx reports efforts to enrol them in sustainable use programmes as a non-timber forest resource.

Characteristic ingredients

Thasus gigas is a hemipteran of the Coreidae family that measures between 3 and 4 cm in its adult form. It lives in colonies on the mesquite, feeding on the sap and the tender pods. Its red-orange exoskeleton contains defensive terpenic compounds that give it the characteristic citrusy flavour. Traditionally they are collected by hand in the early hours of the day, purged in salted water and toasted on a comal until golden. Once toasted they are ground with serrano chilli, green tomato and worm salt to form the xamue salsa, which accompanies tacos, bean tamales or eggs cooked in a maguey leaf. Their nutritional value, according to analyses from BUAP, is around 40% protein by dry weight, with the presence of calcium, magnesium and natural antioxidants. In the Valle del Mezquital region they are also cooked scrambled with egg and chile pasilla, making up one of the most traditional breakfasts of the Otomí people.

Cultural significance

Xamues are a symbol of the cuisine of the Mexican semi-desert and of Ñañu culture, integrated into the gastronomic heritage recognised by UNESCO in 2010 within the Traditional Mexican Cuisine dossier. Their consumption respects the ecological cycles of the mesquite, which makes them an example of sustainable use studied by the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo. The harvest generates important economic income for indigenous communities of the Valle del Mezquital and the Huasteca potosina, where the Xamue Fair is held, an event with tastings, dances and salsa contests. Contemporary cuisine, led by chefs such as Aquiles Chávez (Hidalgo) and Ana Martorell, has taken xamues to haute cuisine menus in Mexico City and Monterrey. Researchers from Cinvestav are exploring their potential as a sustainable protein source in the face of climate change and drought on the highlands.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

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Frequently asked questions

What do xamues taste like?: Xamues have a sour, herbal and aromatic flavour, similar to green apple with notes of cinnamon, eucalyptus and coriander. When toasted they accentuate citrus and umami tones, while raw they are more pungent and spicy. Their aftertaste is persistent and mineral, similar to a green-leaf tea with lime zest.
How are xamues prepared?: They are purged in salted water, toasted on a comal and ground with serrano chilli, green tomato and worm salt to make xamue salsa, which accompanies tacos and memelas. They are also scrambled with egg and chile pasilla, or served whole as a snack with tortilla and lime, especially in Ixmiquilpan and the Valle del Mezquital.
What is the difference between xamues and jumiles?: Although both are edible bugs, jumiles come from the Cerro del Huixteco (Guerrero) and belong to Edessa mexicana, live in oaks and taste of cinnamon and iodine. Xamues are Thasus gigas from the highlands, live in mesquite and huizache and taste of sour apple. Their size, habitat and flavour are clearly different.
Where do xamues come from?: They are native to the Mexican semi-arid highlands: mainly Hidalgo (Valle del Mezquital), Querétaro and San Luis Potosí. Their consumption is traditional among the Ñañu (Otomí), Huastec and Nahua peoples, and is linked to the agricultural cycle of the mesquite, the sacred tree of the semi-desert that also provides pods, firewood and flour.