What Defines Oaxacan Cuisine?

WhatWhat is it about Oaxaca? In this expansive southwestern Mexican state, even something as humble as a memela — a thick, oval tortilla made from ground masa and crisped on a comal — can taste extraordinary. The same applies to a simple bowl of black beans or a blistered empanada, which in Oaxaca resembles a broad, quesadilla-like turnover made of masa and filled with squeaky quesillo. Then there's a cup of rich drinking chocolate, mixed only with water and whisked until frothy. Somewhere in the delightful post-meal bliss, enhanced by teosinte, Theobroma, and capsaicin, lies the key to grasping Oaxaca’s food culture and what makes it unique compared to other Mexican and global cuisines. This overview offers just a glimpse into the vast, ancient, vibrant, and diverse culinary tradition of Oaxaca, which is too expansive to fully encompass in even a book, let alone a single article. Nonetheless, we’ve gathered some essential insights to truly appreciate Sazón Oaxaqueño.

Historical Context

From Indigenous roots to la cocina de autor, here’s some essential background.

Oaxaca is home to approximately 4 million residents. While the vibrant central city, known for its colonial architecture and mountainous landscapes, is the most famous, over half the population lives in one of the state’s 10,523 rural villages scattered across its lush valleys, arid deserts, misty mountains, and tropical coasts. The wild herbs and organically grown fruits and vegetables sourced from the state’s diverse microclimates are staples for the thriving Indigenous communities that continue to influence the region’s rich culinary heritage today.

In fact, 16 of Mexico’s 68 recognized Indigenous groups call Oaxaca home. Some, like Los Mixes, proudly known as Los Jamas Conquistados, were never subjugated by Spain, allowing their culinary traditions to remain untainted by the European ingredients that have permeated much of Mexican cuisine.

Oaxaca’s strong Indigenous identity and the off-the-grid lifestyles of many rural villages — where cooking over wood fires and using earthenware is still commonplace — have made the region resistant to the rapid globalization affecting much of Mexico. The lack of infrastructure can be attributed to government neglect and systemic discrimination, which has led these communities to adopt self-governing practices. This resilience has empowered Indigenous communities, prioritizing their food sovereignty and establishing handmade, heirloom ingredients as the standard.

The magic of a classic memela lies in its masa, likely derived from one of Oaxaca’s many nonhybridized, heirloom varieties of nixtamalized maize — a distinction not based on marketing. It is enriched by the thin, nutty layer of asiento, Oaxaca’s caramelized paste crafted from chicharrón drippings, created by families with a rich tradition of preparation. The milky queso fresco atop the memela also comes from local cheesemakers who produce it entirely by hand. Meanwhile, the miltomates (heirloom tomatillos) or tomatoes de riñon in the thick salsa originate from seeds lovingly preserved and passed down for generations. This unwavering commitment to quality and ingredient integrity is a hallmark of Oaxaqueños, and it’s a taste you can truly appreciate.

In Oaxaca, food is intertwined with life’s milestones, with specific dishes accompanying each occasion. At weddings, people enjoy higaditos (an egg-drop chicken soup in tomatillo broth), while mourning the loss of a loved one often involves a pasilla-spiced beef stew followed by pan dulce with drinking chocolate. Oaxacans' dedicated preservation of these culinary traditions has resulted in iconic recipes that have stood the test of time.

Despite this strong adherence to tradition, modern dining has made its mark in Oaxaca’s urban areas, particularly in the capital city, where cocina de autor (modern fine dining) establishments frequently feature on top restaurant lists across the Americas. Today, Oaxaca has transformed into a genuine global travel hotspot, increasing the demand for upscale restaurants with creative menus each year. Nevertheless, for Oaxacans, home cooking is cherished just as much as haute cuisine, with Coccineras Tradicionales — the women chefs who lead family kitchens and run the state’s food stalls — being vital guardians of Oaxaca’s culinary heritage. These mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters play an essential role in preserving the region's flavors.

The Essential Ingredients

Despite the wide culinary diversity across regions, six fundamental flavors serve as the consistent foundation of Oaxacan cuisine.

ChilesIn Oaxaca, fresh chiles, such as chile de agua, are far more than mere spicy garnishes. They are often roasted, drizzled with lime, and served with raw onion as a side dish in many local Mytouries. Recently harvested chiles can be found in large mounds at open-air markets, while dried chiles resemble fruit leather or plump dried fruit rather than the brittle varieties commonly found in the U.S. Two chiles that are particularly cherished in Oaxaca, especially in the Valles Centrales, are pasilla Oaxaqueña, which is preserved through smoking rather than drying, and chilhuacle, a regional favorite that boasts rich cacao and tobacco-like flavors. A simple tomato salsa made with either of these chiles can achieve nearly the same complexity as an exquisite mole (see below).

CornOaxaca is home to one of the world’s earliest domesticated corn varieties, dating back to 4200 BCE. To say that corn is essential to life in Oaxaca is truly an understatement. Oaxacans consume, drink, and celebrate corn, which features in dishes ranging from stews to desserts. Farmers diligently preserve seeds handed down through generations, maintaining the rich flavors found in heirloom varieties. This profound knowledge of corn continues to evolve today. Maize is so pivotal to life in Oaxaca that every community — whether rural or urban — has community grinders, where locals pay a small fee to grind fresh nixtamal for their households. They typically grind it finely for soft, perfect tortillas or coarsely for atole or tamales.

BeansOaxaca is home to approximately 25 varieties of beans, 21 of which are wild. Beans form the basis of many comforting Oaxacan dishes, such as enfrijoladas, which resemble enchiladas but feature a sauce made from pureed black beans instead of dried chiles, and crispy tlayudas (see below), where beans provide a rich layer of flavor and creamy texture. Garbanzos are often cooked and candied in panela (unrefined brown sugar) to serve as a topping for Oaxaca's unique take on arróz con leche (rice pudding). The traditional convenience food of Oaxaca is a hearty, almost-instant soup made from toasted ground black beans mixed with hot water, known as sopa de frijol. Much like chiles, most dried beans available in Oaxaca’s open-air markets are fresh from the latest harvest, making them quicker to cook and bursting with flavor.

CheeseThe crown jewel of Oaxaca's dairy scene is unquestionably its quesillo. Often confused with the pasteurized American Queso Oaxaca, which resembles Monterey Jack, quesillo is an unpasteurized, briny firm cheese that sits somewhere between fresh mozzarella and string cheese. The Spanish introduced dairy cattle to the Mexican diet, and today, quesillo is a key ingredient in Oaxacan empanadas, where it melts beautifully while retaining its characteristic squeak. It is typically pulled apart by hand into airy strands, with a little going a long way. In addition to quesillo, queso fresco is widely used as a salty finishing cheese, along with a variety of other soft, fresh, and creamy cheeses.

Wild HerbsOaxacan chefs embrace bold flavors, generously incorporating fragrant wild herbs and spices into their cooking. The distinctive, root beer-like aroma of hoja santa permeates the state, often sprouting in front yards and on restaurant rooftops. Its unique flavor serves as a key aromatic component in various chicken stews, soups, moles, tamales, fish dishes, cheeses, cocktails, and more. Other herbs, such as the eucalyptus-scented poleo, enhance earthy black bean paste dishes. Fresh and dried avocado leaves substitute for bay leaves, lending their anise-like flavor to slow-cooked chicken and lamb barbacoa. Spices like cumin seeds are so commonly used in everyday cooking that it's not unusual to find them still green at the market, freshly harvested that week.

Smoke The bond between Oaxaca and fire, especially smoke, is profound—almost obsessive. Sometimes fire serves as a cooking technique, while other times it’s simply a flavor enhancer. Generally speaking, if a dish hasn’t been toasted, roasted, smoked, or charred, can it truly be considered Oaxacan? For example, the state's favorite ice cream, leche quemada, is crafted from whole milk intentionally scorched at the bottom of the pot to create a delightful bitter smokiness. A specific type of hard quesillo is smoked over local wood until its exterior turns deep brown, imparting a robust smoky flavor. Mezcal is known for its rich, deep wood smoke character, as is barbacoa, while dried chiles like pasilla Oaxaqueño are smoked to create a lasting depth. There’s even a mole called chichilo made from the ashes of tortillas.

The Regions

Every one of Oaxaca's eight regions boasts its own distinctive cuisine—each deserving of its own detailed exploration. Here are some highlights showcasing the migration of flavors and textures throughout the state.

El ValleThe Valles region of Oaxaca is renowned for its cuisine, where you can find nearly every regional ingredient. As Oaxaca City is situated here, this style of cooking is what most visitors become familiar with. This area is celebrated for all the classics: mole, tlayudas, enfrijoladas, nieve, bread, and chocolate. It serves as the heart of Oaxaca, with the state capital at its center. The steady influx of visitors keeps the culinary scene vibrant, with new restaurants and cafés frequently emerging.

El IstmoThanks to its location between two coastlines, El Istmo's cuisine reflects its humid environment with a plentiful supply of dried fish, salted fish, and smoked seafood. This region is also known for its generous use of butter, eggs, and cheese, owing to the livestock raised here. Don't miss the diverse breads from El Istmo, often enriched with cheese and butter, along with the creamy potato casserole known as Papa Ismeña, which features a whole egg baked inside.

La CostaLike much of coastal Mexico, Oaxaca's Pacific coastline is blessed with exceptional seafood. An astonishing variety of fresh fish is transformed into ceviches, cócteles, and aguachiles, or simply prepared whole, grilled, or fried. The culinary influences of Indigenous and Afromexicano cultures along the coast create unique dishes like tamales de tichinda, where mussels are folded into red chile masa and steamed in corn husks, shells included.

Tuxtepec and PapaloapanThis region borders Veracruz and showcases a cuisine deeply influenced by comida Veracruzana and Cuban flavors, rich in Caribbean elements like lime and garlic, along with tubers such as yucca. Dishes here, like the renowned wood-fired lechon with its crispy skin, are commonly accompanied by fried plantains alongside tortillas.

Sierra NorteThe Sierra Norte of Oaxaca remains unconquered by the Spanish, with a predominantly Indigenous population, primarily of Mixe and Zapotec descent. Here, you can find pre-Hispanic tortillas made from potatoes and fluffy tamales crafted from fresh corn rather than nixtamal, along with local beans. The region’s pulque, derived from the century plant, exhibits a more acidic profile due to the cooler climate affecting fermentation, along with its unique terroir. Alternatively, savor tepache rojo, considered the drink of the gods, which combines pulque, corn, cacao, and crushed red annatto seeds in a fermentation process.

Sierra SurOaxaca’s Sierra Sur boasts a stunning landscape adorned with pine trees, thick fog, and homes nestled on mountainsides. This environment encourages foraging for a diverse range of wild mushrooms. Cooler temperatures mean that warmth is provided by locally grown coffee and fiery mezcal infused with medicinal herbs. Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz in Sierra Sur is famous for its spicy tabiche chiles, one of the 25 endemic chile varieties in Oaxaca, primarily featured in a yellow mole with beef, yet also popular among fine-dining chefs in Oaxaca City.

La MixtecaCharacterized by its arid, desert-like landscape, Oaxaca’s Mixteca region is best known for Mole de Caderas, a stew-like mole traditionally made with goat, served in a clay pot. Goat meat is a staple here, along with semillas de guaje, the potent seeds from the local guaje tree, endemic to the region.

La CañadaThis northern region is celebrated for its contributions to Oaxacan sweets and desserts, such as the famous nicuatole, a gelatin-like treat made from milk and corn. Candied fruits like papaya and fig, along with a unique version of Oaxaca’s beloved caramelized chewy milk candy, jamoncillo, made with pepitas, are also popular. On the savory side, La Cañada's cuisine features Indigenous-influenced dishes reliant on game meats like rabbit and wild turkey, while its velvety moles, such as chileatole and tesmole, are thickened with nixtamal.

The Dishes and Drinks to Experience

While it’s impossible to try all of Oaxaca’s incredible dishes in just one trip, the cuisine of the Valles Centrales region alone would require numerous visits to fully appreciate. However, here’s a solid list of essentials to kickstart your culinary journey. Keep in mind that Oaxaca’s food culture is dynamic and ever-evolving, so be open to the regional variations you encounter as you dine throughout the state.

MoleMole remains Oaxaca’s signature dish, a culinary icon you’ll crave as soon as you land, and one of the flavors you’ll miss most when you depart. This rich sauce boasts countless variations, typically blending chiles, seeds, nuts, vegetables, and other ingredients, all ground together and served with meats, veggies, or inside tamales. In Oaxaca, there’s a unique mole for every occasion, ranging from a quick estofado made with pickled jalapeños to a hearty chowder-like segueza featuring chunky ground corn.

TlayudasA tlayuda is a large, crispy tortilla slathered with asiento (chicharrón paste), beans, quesillo, minced cabbage, and topped with either chorizo, tasajo (thinly sliced grilled beef), or cecina (chile-rubbed grilled pork). The tortilla is charred over an open flame until crispy and can be enjoyed either open-faced or folded, ideally with plenty of salsa — especially delightful from a street cart late at night.

MemelasMemelas are the ultimate breakfast in Oaxaca, though like many other beloved dishes, they can be enjoyed at any time. Similar to tlayudas, memelas are topped with asiento (bean paste) and queso fresco. For a breakfast treat, try a memela topped with eggs and as much fresh salsa as you can handle.

Barbacoa de chivo or borregoIn Oaxaca, barbacoa is a flavorful, brothy dish where spices and dried chiles envelop meat — usually goat or lamb — that has been slow-roasted, often in an earthen pit, until it's tender enough to fall apart. Traditionally served for breakfast, it comes with a generous stack of soft tortillas for soaking up the delicious juices. Don't forget to add raw onion and lime for an extra kick.

ChocolateImagine a paradise where cacao is revered like coffee, found everywhere you go. Welcome to Oaxaca, where hot chocolate is a daily indulgence, prepared in the traditional Indigenous way: mixed with water instead of milk and whisked using a wooden molinillo to create a rich, frothy texture. Many locals savor it for breakfast or as a delightful post-dinner drink during sobremesa — that cherished time for socializing after meals. Some coffee shops even serve it cold over ice for a refreshing treat during the hot summer months.

Pan de yemaPan de yema is a rich, yeasted roll made with egg yolks and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It resembles Oaxaca’s seasonal pan de muerto but lacks the spices and orange zest. This bread is meant to be dunked vigorously into chocolate or coffee, soaking it until it's deliciously soggy.

ChapulinesChapulines, or grasshoppers, are a vital protein source in Oaxaca. They can be found in open-air markets, either plain or dried, ready to be cooked at home. As a snack, they're often fried until crispy and seasoned with chiles and garlic. They make a tasty addition to tacos or can be enjoyed by the handful, especially with a splash of fresh lime. For a simple introduction, try blending some into salsa for a delicious umami kick.

EmpanadasUnlike their South American counterparts made mostly from wheat flour, Oaxacan empanadas are large, half-moon quesadillas crafted from fresh masa and quesillo. A must-try is the popular empanadas de flor de calabaza, featuring fresh squash blossoms, which is one of Oaxaca’s cherished seasonal delights.

Aguas frescasThe range of aguas frescas in Oaxaca reflects the rich variety of fruits thriving across its diverse landscapes. These sweet, infused drinks can include everything from pink-hued horchata made with cactus fruit syrup to agua de chilacayota, derived from a fibrous squash. Some variations even incorporate blended lime leaves and coconut meat for a refreshing twist.

MezcalDig deep into any Oaxaqueño’s family tree and you’ll likely find a relative involved in mezcal production or agave cultivation. Once dismissed as a cheaper alternative to tequila, mezcal has recently flourished into a major industry in Oaxaca. This growth has attracted many outsiders, raising concerns about the exploitation of agave and local traditions. When enjoying mezcal, ask critical questions: Who owns the brand? Are any locals invested in it? Are fair wages being paid? Such inquiries are vital for the sustainable growth of Oaxaca's mezcal culture.

TejateOriginating in this region, tejate is one of Oaxaca’s most celebrated beverages. This toasty, creamy (yet dairy-free) drink blends toasted corn, cacao, sugar, rosita de cacao flowers (a wildflower with caramel notes), and the pit of a tropical mamey fruit. Hand-whipped to perfection, the plant-based fat from the mamey seed creates a rich froth, prized for its smooth texture. Historically reserved for ceremonies like the first corn planting, tejate is now a refreshing daily drink, typically served chilled in a halved, dried gourd known as jicára.

PulqueBefore the arrival of beer from Europe, the sweet fermented sap of the century plant (agave) was Mexico’s original alcoholic beverage. Its texture varies from thin to thick based on fermentation duration — generally, the longer it ferments, the denser it becomes. To produce pulque, the tall flowering stalk of a mature agave is cut off, allowing the nutrient-rich sap to collect at a rate of one to two liters every few days. When fresh, this sap is referred to as aguamiel and is believed to have health benefits.

Bricia Lopez is the co-owner of the James Beard Award-winning restaurant Guelaguetza and the author of Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico. Javier Cabral is the James Beard Award-winning editor at L.A. TACO and co-author of Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico. Juan de Dios Garza Vela is a photographer focused on food and travel. When he’s not taking photos, he also creates illustrations and murals. Currently based in Guadalajara, he can't imagine life without tacos.