15 Authentic Mexican Tacos That Will Change Your Life One Bite at a Time
I’ve been to more than half the states in the country and have learned a great deal about traditional Mexican tacos along the way—and I can’t wait to share it with you in this article.
In it, you’ll discover 15 unique types of tacos from Mexico that you’ve probably never heard of, each with different styles, preparations, textures, and flavors.
🌮🇲🇽 Ready to discover the best authentic Mexican tacos?!
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1. Tacos al Pastor
WHAT IS TACOS AL PASTOR?
Tacos al pastor are the undisputed king of Mexico tacos, and the best pork tacos from Mexico.
They are the most-eaten tacos in Mexico City, where there’s an al pastor taco on every street and all over the country.
Translated, tacos al pastor in English means “shepherd’s tacos,” “shepherd style taco,” or “pastor tacos,” as in a church pastor.
Funny enough, these tacos have Middle Eastern origins. When you see tacos al pastor meat cooking in Mexico, it is on what’s called a trompo.
This translates to “top,” as in a children’s top toy, and al pastor tacos are made on this Arabian-style vertical spit.
Here’s a fun fact about these particular tacos from Mexico: The country had a large influx of Middle Eastern (mostly Lebanese) immigrants from about 1880-1935.
They brought with them their design esthetic, architectural styles, social customs, and, of course, cooking techniques.
Mexican Adaptations to the Gyro
Essentially, Mexican cooks took a gyro or shawarma, and made these adaptations to create the taco al pastor, the most popular of all taco meats:
- The meat used in Mexico is pork, instead of beef, lamb or turkey, which is common in the Middle East
- In Mexico, the spices used in tacos al pastor includes chile guajillo and chile de arbol (tree chili), among other local spices an chiles
- The addition of pineapple, which you’ll see at the top of the trompo, dripping a bit of juice onto the meat as it cooks.
When discussing traditional tacos in Mexico, these are the hands-down favorite for so many. On any trip to Mexico, you have to eat tacos al pastor at least once!
Sometimes called tacos de adobada, tacos pastor are one of the most common street foods — but check these tips on how to pick the best street food in Mexico.
2. Tacos Arabes (Arab Tacos)
WHAT ARE TACOS Árabes?
Tacos arabes meat is about the same as the tacos al pastor pork meat, but seasoned with different spices so it’s not red in color.
Like al pastor, these types of tacos are made on that same vertical spit that came by way of the Lebanese immigrants in Mexico.
Tacos Arabes (Arabian tacos) are traditionally served on pan arabe (Arabian bread), a tortilla/pita bread hybrid, but you can also order them with regular tortillas.
They are among the most popular types of street tacos in Mexico, and can be eaten on the go, like a gyro.
If taco al pastor are a Mexican-Middle Eastern hybrid, tacos arabes more closely resemble a true Middle Eastern gyro or shawarma.
Like pastor tacos, they are topped with diced white onions and cilantro, and each diner adds a squeeze of fresh lime and salsa to their taste.
Though different taqueros (taco chefs) prepare them differently, the vast majority of tacos arabes do not have pineapple like tacos al pastor do.
As they originated in the Puebla State, some call these the most authentic Puebla tacos.
3. Tacos de Cochinita (Cochinita Pibil Tacos)
WHAT IS COCHINITA PIBIL?
The word cochinita means “little pig,” and to make cochinita pibil, you’ll need a whole suckling pig.
It is traditionally slow-cooked in an underground oven called a pib—hence the name cochinita pibil, which contains the word “pib.”
If pastor is the king of meats in Central Mexico, in the Yucatan Peninsula, it’s all about cochinita pibil.
Many say it’s hard to get good cochinita pibil (pronounced co-chee-nee-tah pee-bill) outside of the Yucatan, as the ingredients only grow there locally.
This Yucatan food delicacy is both marinated and cooked in a mixture of naranja agria citrus juices, and a spice called achiote (known as annatto outside of Mexico).
As with all slow-cooked meats, cochinita pibil is tender and juicy, and it can be easily shredded for tacos.
Try your cochinita on a taco, or the more traditional panucho, a tortilla stuffed with refried black beans, or salbute (puffy, fried tortilla).
Cochinita pibil tacos, panuchos, and salutes are traditionally topped with pickled red onions and (at least a little bit of) habanero salsa.
4. Longaniza Tacos and Chorizo Tacos
WHAT IS LONGANIZA?
Longaniza is a type of chorizo (red sausage) — and some say it is the best preparation of chorizo sausage in Mexico.
It is commonly made in the Yucatan Peninsula, especially Valladoild, Mexico, where the longaniza de valladolid is a local specialty.
As chorizo is a common sausage eaten in many Latin American countries and the United States, let’s focus on longaniza specifically in this best Mexico tacos article.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHORIZO AND LONGANIZA?
What separates longaniza from regular chorizo (both Mexican chorizo and Spanish chorizo), is the way the meat is prepared.
A machine grinds the meat for standard chorizo and tacos de chorizo, whereas longaniza meat is minced (chopped by hand).
While they’re both a form of pork sausage, longaniza is a longer, thinner shaped-sausage, and typically spicier than chorizo.
Besides tacos de longaniza, this Mexican sausage is also a popular breakfast food.
It is often served with scrambled eggs, and you’ll get tortillas on the side to make your own tacos.
If you love a good Mexican breakfast taco, be on the lookout for longaniza con huevo, or chorizo con huevo.
5. Tacos de Suadero (Suadero Tacos)
WHAT IS SUADERO meat?
Suadero meat can be from both a pig or cow, depending on where you are in Mexico.
It is essentially flank steak or beef brisket, and it comes from the area between the animal’s leg and belly.
Tacos al suadero meat is cooked in plenty of lard for a yummy, greasy taco. They rank among the best Mexican street taco meats after a long night of drinking 🍻
In fact, Señor Anthony Bourdain (RIP) filmed an episode of his No Reservations show in Mexico City, and enjoyed some suadero tacos from Taquería Los Cocuyos in Centro Historico.
Tacos suaderos are a beloved Mexico City street food, especially as a late night taco (or a long night of drinking).
Some call suadero tacos the best tacos in Mexico City, and for foodies, they are a must-try when visiting Mexico City.
6. Tacos de Carnitas (Carnitas Tacos)
WHAT IS CARNITAS meat made of?
Carnitas meat is essentially fried pork, and one of the most beloved types of taco meats.
Some call this the traditional Mexican food equivalent of pulled pork, as the meat is cooked in large chunks and then shredded.
Pork shoulder is the most used cut, prized for its higher fat content.
As mentioned, this preparation of fried pork is most associated with Mexico City’s neighboring state of Michoacan.
The best way to cook carnitas is in these large cazo de cobre copper pots over an open flame. Many say the hand-crafted pots from Michoacan enhance the flavor.
🌮 The place to try the best carnitas tacos is in Mexico is in Michoacan State, which includes the UNESCO World Heritage City of Morelia, Mexico.
🐷 Carnitas come in Different cuts
When you get a taco de carnitas, you choose the part(s) of the pig. There are many types of cuts and styles you can get when you order carnitas tacos, like these:
- Maciza: Lean cuts of pork meat that are ideal for people who don’t love fatty meat
- Costilla: Rib meat
- Pancita: Pork belly meat
- Espaldilla: Tender meat from the back or spine area (My personal favorite!)
- Oreja: Pig ears
- Cuero: Fried pork skin that is still somewhat chewy
- Chamorro: Fatty parts of meat from the upper leg, ham hocks and shoulders
- Nana: Pig uterus, which you won’t always find
- Achicalada: Extra crispy pork scraps that fell to the bottom of the pot
- Surtido: A mix of all the cuts, in a “you get what you get” kind of way
7. Tacos de Chicharrón (Chicharron Tacos)
WHAT IS CHICHARRON?
Chicharron is fried pork skin, made fresh throughout Mexico but also available in the chip aisle of the grocery store — and known as pork rinds in the U.S.
If you can’t get a real taco, you can always eat some pork rinds to sneak in some Mexican taco flavors and textures.
There are several ways to serve tacos de chicharron, including drowning them in salsa so they get soft (e.g., chicharron en salsa verde) or fried skin with some meat attached, keeping the delicious crispy texture.
There’s also chicharron preparado, which is nachos made with chicharron instead of tortilla chips.
7. Tacos de Tasajo (Tasajo Tacos)
WHAT IS TASAJO?
Tasajo (pronounced tah-saa-hoe) is a salted, dried cut of pork meat — or basically, a thicker, juicier beef jerky.
Tacos de tasajo are similar to cecina, which comes from a cow, though tasajo is pork. They are mostly eaten in Oaxaca City and the rest of the state.
8. Tacos de Lechon (Lechon Tacos)
WHAT IS LECHOn meat?
Lechon is slow-roasted pork that’s very juicy but also has a crispy skin.
Many love lechon because it has crispy skin on the outside and soft meat on the inside.
It is essentially the same slow-cooked pig dish you’d find at a luau in Hawaii or in popular Filipino dishes like lechon kawali.
Though lechon isn’t a Mexican food preparation per se, it is only found in taco form as tacos de lechon. You may also see lechon called “cogito” in Mexico.
This type of taco is very popular in the Yucatan Peninsula, which borders the Caribbean Sea. Lechon is also made on Caribbean Islands like Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
You can find it throughout the Yucatan in tortas de lechon (lechon sandwiches). These are often eaten as a grab-and-go breakfast food from a street food vendor.
Tacos de lechoncito are also eaten for lunch, though you likely won’t find them as a dinner item everywhere you go.
9. Tacos de Barbacoa (Barbacoa Tacos)
What is barbacoa?
Barbacoa in English translates to barbecue, and you’ll use this slow-cooked BBQ meat to make tacos de barbacoa.
While barbacoa in Mexico differs from American BBQ, it is taken just as seriously as the BBQ in places like Texas and Kansas City.
Tacos from Mexico are incredibly regional, and vary from state to state. Hidalgo State, located next to Mexico City, is most associated with barbacoa.
However, different variations are made nationwide, including the beef barbacoa in Chiapas State and barbacoa de chivo (goat barbacoa) in Oaxaca State.
The type of meat used differs from region to region, but Hidalgo-style barbacoa is made from Borrego (sheep).
Depending on where you are in Mexico, barbacoa can be made with sheep, goat, lamb or beef.
No matter the meat used, these are among the most beloved and best meat tacos from Mexico.
WHEN IS BARBACOA EATEN?
In Mexico, barbacoa (meaning “barbecue) is traditionally a weekend food — much like the BBQ in the U.S.
This doesn’t just mean something eaten on the weekends, but also that it’s often only available on weekends, as barbacoa takes nearly all week to prepare and cook.
Barbacoa tacos are traditionally eaten with a side of consome (consommé, or soup broth).
It is also more of a morning food or lunch food, and most barbacoa sellers usually close up shop around 2pm.
In fact, many eat barbacoa tacos and consome for breakfast, as it’s a known hangover cure.
10. Tacos de Birria (Birria Tacos)
WHAT IS BIRRIA?
In Mexican slang, birria loosely translates to something of low value. However, when you eat birria tacos, you know they definitely aren’t!
In fact, these are among the most comforting tacos in Mexico and some of the best tacos in Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and other places in Jalisco State.
Birria stew is traditionally made with goat, though the birria meat type can vary, and it’s sometimes beef.
It often comes served in a bowl with corn tortillas on the side to make your own taco de birria — but make sure to get consommé (soup broth) to dip it in.
The birria is slow-cooked in adobo, a popular Mexican spice, and other spices, onion and garlic.
They can also come served as an actual taco, with meat, diced white onion and cilantro.
If so, the tortilla is first dipped in the red-colored stew liquid, then heated before serving. This turns the tortilla red, and is why birria tacos are sometimes called “red tacos.”
Tacos de birria have long been a Central Mexican favorite. In recent years, the quesabirria has become popular in the U.S., thanks to Teddy’s Red Tacos in LA.
Their Instagram worthy quesabirria is a birria taco with melted cheese and a side of consome (broth) for dipping.
11. Tacos de Bistec (Steak Tacos)
WHAT IS BISTEC?
Bistec translates to “beef” or “steak,” but this isn’t exactly a fancy steak, as it can come from many different parts of the cow.
There are three main beef tacos of Mexico: arrachera (flank steak), carne asada (meat cooked over charcoal), and bistec.
Of the three, bistec tacos are the most “basic”—they are quite simply meat tacos made with the less-expensive parts of the cow.
🌮 The place to try the best bistec tacos in Mexico is really anywhere, though Northern Mexico is known to have the best beef in Mexico.
12. Tacos de Carne Asada (Carne Asada Tacos)
WHAT IS CARNE ASADA?
Carne asada in English means “roasted meat.”
Tacos carne asada are made with cow meat, which is why this type of taco is much more common in northern Mexico — where cow is eaten more than pork.
Unlike other beef tacos, carne asada is cooked over charcoal, imparting a delicious, smoky flavor into the meat.
Asada is common in the northern part of the country, you’ll find both carne asada burritos and tacos, as burritos are also a specialty in North Mexico.
13. Tacos de Arrachera (Steak Arrachera Tacos)
WHAT IS ARRACHERA?
Arrachera is the hanger cut, and a type of flank steak, or skirt steak.
It is one of the most famous cuts of beef in Mexico, and usually the most expensive cut on any restaurant menu.
As one of the finer cuts, it’s not uncommon to see arrachera as a simple preparation. It’s usually just grilled and served and, unless specified, often cooked medium.
Similar to other tacos in North Mexico, many prefer their tacos de arrachera with fresh flour tortillas. Of course, you can get them with corn tortillas as well.
Often, when you order tacos arrachera, you’ll get a full plate of meat along with sautéed onions, peppers and melted cheese, with tortillas on the side to make your own tacos.
14. Tacos de Cabrito (Goat Cabrito Tacos)
WHAT IS CABRITO?
Tacos de cabrito are essentially roasted goat tacos, where the goat is slow-cooked on a stand-up spit.
They’re seldom found outside of North Mexico — so try these if you’re visiting the north, especially the city of Monterrey or the nearby Santiago pueblo magico (magic town).
15. Tacos de Cecina (Cecina Tacos)
WHAT IS CECINA meat?
Cecina is dried, salted cow meat with a texture similar to flank steak and beef jerky.
The best tacos de cecina come from Morelos State, though you’ll find cecina throughout Central Mexico.
You’ll also enjoy the unique tacos acorazados, or “battleship tacos,” in Morelos.
Final Thoughts: Best Types of Tacos From Mexico
Though this was a long list, it’s still not exhaustive of all the traditional Mexican tacos and different Mexican meats for tacos that you’ll find throughout the country.
In cities and pueblos (small towns) throughout the 32 states in Mexico, there are local and regional specialties and types of tacos Mexico has that you’ll only get in one specific area.
If you visit Mexico, you won’t be disappointed by any of the different kinds of tacos you try.
While different places have special tacos, true taco fanatics can’t go wrong with a trip to Mexico City, where you’ll find the most variety among all these best Mexico City tacos.
After your visit, you’ll want to buy this types of tacos poster so you remember every yummy bite, or learn to cook an authentic Mexican street tacos recipe.
Ready to Book Your Mexico Vacation? Here Are Some Resources To Look At:
Mexico is a large country — the 14th largest country on Earth by size — and it’s also the 6th most biodiverse diverse country in the world.
Though it’s mostly known for beaches, there’s a lot more to Mexico than that. Check out these Mexico articles to discover parts of the country you never knew existed.
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