TYPICAL FOODS OF GUANAJUATO: THE 5 MOST OUTSTANDING DISHES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The typical foods of Guanajuato include the mining enchiladas, the pork legs or the Celaya cartas.

The gastronomy of Guanajuato offers a great variety of flavors and textures thanks to the mix between the native indigenous culture of the region and that brought by the Spanish during the colonial era.

Guanajuato forms for the United Mexican States, being the fifth most populated state in the country. Its capital bears the same name as the state, being also the most populated city.

It is located in the central area of ​​the nation, bordering Zacatecas, Querétaro and Jalisco. Its name comes from the union of several indigenous words that mean "on the hill of the frog."

Typical foods of Guanajuato: most outstanding dishes

The gastronomy of Guanajuato is the result of the mix between indigenous and Spanish culture.

On the part of the former, the influences of the Purépechas and the Chichimecas stand out. The Spanish, for their part, introduced various ingredients such as pork or wheat.

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Guanajuato has always been known for the mines it housed, especially for the gold ones.

Precisely, these enchiladas were born there at the request, according to legend, of a worker who asked the cook to vary the food she made to make it resemble that of his land.

The lady, instead, added the ingredients she had, giving rise to this type of enchilada.

To prepare them, you need corn tortillas, guajillo chiles, garlic, grated panela cheese and diced potatoes.

Apart they are seasoned with pepper and oregano. At the end, they are usually accompanied with marinated jalapeños.

2- Guanajuato Pacholas

Guanajuato and Jalisco dispute the origin of this food, without it being clear where it began to be made.

The truth is that its name comes from a Nahuatl word "pacholli" (tortilla), which can refer to both a corn tortilla and a ground beef steak. This last definition is the one that fits the Guanajuato pacholas.

Pacholas are ground beef to which ancho chiles, bread, milk, cinnamon, cloves and oregano are added. Everything together is ground again and the final result is fried in oil.

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Originally from San Miguel de Allende, a beautiful town named by UNESCO "Cultural Heritage of Humanity", this dish is a tasty mix of the most diverse ingredients.

They reflect the importance of the indigenous and Spanish influences in the gastronomy of the area.

This meal includes chicken and pork meat, plus some fruits, among which we find guava, banana or avocado.

In addition, it is completed with other ingredients such as, for example, olives, peanuts or beets. Everything is dressed with a vinaigrette and served cold.

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Another of the typical dishes of the State is the encacahuatado cuete, whose protagonism is taken by the dried fruit that gives it its name.

The peanut has been used in Mexico for almost 8000 years and the Spaniards took it to Europe, where it was not known, after the conquest, when they saw it in the country's markets.

There are small variants of the dish, depending on where it is prepared, but the base is made with cuete, a cut of beef.

In addition, bacon and ham are added. For the sauce, tomato, cinnamon, onion, bread, lard and, of course, peanuts are used.

5- Cajeta de Celaya

The recipe for dulce de leche brought by the Spanish, plus the abundance of goats in the region, led to the preparation of this typical Celaya sweet from the viceroyalty.

Its name was given to it by the wooden bowl used to package the product and which helps to give it its final flavor.

The main difference with dulce de leche is that, instead of making it with cow's milk, in Guanajuato they use goat's milk.

It is so popular that the country's government named it in 2010 "The Mexican Bicentennial Dessert."

References

1. Guanajuato state government. Typical food. Obtained from guanajuato.gob.mx
2. Alonso, Jesus. Typical food of Guanajuato. (September 11, 2017). Obtained from travelreport.mx
3. Sorensen, Lars. Cajeta: A Short History and Recipe. Retrieved from thelatinkitchen.com
4. Guanajuato Guide. Mexican Cuisine. Retrieved from whatguanajuato.com
5. Food & Wine. Mexico's Heartland - Guanajuato. Retrieved from foodandwine.com