Tacos al pastor, birria, carnitas, barbacoa, chicharrón, carne asada and so. much. Meat! Meat-tastic dishes are indeed emblematic in Mexican gastronomy. But more than one thing can be true at once. In fact, with influences from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, Mexican cuisine is many things. And today, vegetarian and plant-based food is gaining popularity in a country famous for it’s meat dishes.
A quick history of how we got here: Before global trade and European colonization of the Americas, the Mexicas (a culture that predates the Aztec civilization most commonly associated with Mexico) had developed a robust alimentary system based on their successful domestication of corn. The tamal was the first and primary food item listed by Spanish monks who documented Mesoamerican life, including customs around food and agriculture.
In addition to the tamal, tortillas, and other corn-based products, the Mesoamerican diet was complemented mostly by vegetables – tomato, chile, greens, squash, and beans- all grown together in the milpa1. Animal protein, reserved for nobility and generally only consumed on special occasions, was limited to deer, fish, reptiles, and birds, notably the guajolote, a species of turkey native to central Mexico.
While lists of ingredients remain in the chronicles of Spanish monks, the vast majority of evidence about specific dishes and methods of preparation were destroyed during the Spanish Inquisition. Since there is nothing resembling a recipe from that time, deciphering what indigenous people ate prior to the arrival of the Spanish, beyond lists of known ingredients, is largely up to interpretation.
Spanish colonizers introduced domesticated animals like cattle, pork, sheep and chicken, as well as dairy production. While the upper classes enjoyed these and other imported delicacies, Mexico’s indigenous population had limited access to animal protein, and largely relied on corn, vegetables, beans and some wild game.
Since the 16th century, meat consumption has steadily grown in Mexico. But that’s not necessarily the case for the entire population. While dishes in many rural, indigenous communities today may more closely resemble that of the ancient Mexicas than your favorite fonda or taquería, attempting a vegetarian diet in most of urban Mexico was challenging when I first arrived in 2012.
Today, with increasing demand for vegan and vegetarian fare, there is no shortage of plant-based dining options in Mexico City, easily found with a quick Google search. Some of my personal favorites are:
Many locales not listed specifically as vegan or vegetarian have made strides in fulfilling the meat and dairy-free demand. Try the taco de berenjena (eggplant) at Taquería Sin Nombre. Make sure you go early to Molino Pujol, as it gets quite busy, and don’t leave without trying the taco de aguacate (avocado taco) and the frijoles de olla (slow cooked beans with epazote). I like the carnitas de setas (mushroom) at La Chicha, where they also pour inventive cocktails.
If you’ve been to any of these, or have others to suggest, please put them in the comments!
In my own kitchen, I’ve been transforming many traditionally meat-forward dishes into vegan or vegetarian recipes. Tinga de pollo, for example, turns out beautifully with carrots and cabbage instead of chicken and can easily fill a taco or top a tostada with any number of garnishes (see recipe below). Moles and pipianes delightfully showcase a piece of squash or a mushroom as easily as a turkey leg or stewed pork. Chile relleno, usually offered with a meat or cheese filling, can be a vehicle for any number of vegetables but in my opinion, is best bathed in a delicate tomato and chile broth.
Culinary preferences aside, there’s no denying the health and environmental benefits of including more plants on your plate. Look a little further than the familiar meat-centric menus, into Mexico’s indigenous past, and you’ll find a world of delicious plant-forward options.
Tinga de Zanahoria y Repollo (carrots and cabbage in tomato chipotle sauce)
Equipment
- 1 blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1/2 white onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil of your choice
- 1 lb fresh tomatoes quartered (or 2 cans diced tomatoes)
- 2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo (more or less, depending on how much heat you like)
- 1-2 tbsp adobo sauce from the chipotles more or less, depending on how much heat you like
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 3-4 sprigs cilantro
- 2 cups shredded carrot
- 2 cups shredded cabbage white, red, green, whatever tickles your fancy
- 1 cup water or vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes: Mexican crema, crumbled queso panela or queso fresco, shredded lettuce, sliced radishes, sliced avocado, quartered limes
Instructions
- In a large sauce pot, sauté onions in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
- In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce and garlic until mostly smooth.
- Add the tomato and chile mixture to the onions. Add in 3-4 sprigs of cilantro (whole, stem and all), stir, and return the temperature to medium low and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the shredded carrots and cabbage to the pot and mix well to combine. Depending on how juicy your tomatoes were, you may need to add a bit of liquid at this point so that the vegetables are just barely covered (up to a cup of water or stock). Simmer over medium low for 15- 20 minutes or until the vegetables reach your desired level of doneness.
- Remove cilantro.
- Serve with warm tortillas or on tostadas with any garnishes you find pleasing.
- Corn, squash, beans, tomatoes, chiles and other vegetables are typically grown together in the Mesoamerican agricultural tradition known as the “milpa” (also referred to as “three sisters”). Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, which is necessary for the growth of corn (reducing the need for fertilizer). Corn provides structure for the beans to grow on, while the squash leaves provide shade to the undergrowth, helping the soil to retain moisture.
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