7 Mexican dishes they don’t eat in Mexico at all

A bowl of loaded nachos with crispy tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef, spicy salsa and extra cheese… If you asked someone where this party-food hit came from, there’s a good chance they’d answer Mexico. But are such generously topped nachos, tacos and burrito bowls actually Mexican?

For Mexicans, there’s a big difference between what authentic Mexican cuisine is and what the rest of the world—and especially Americans—have made of it. Tacos, mole and tamales are among the classics of South American cuisine.

Mexican dishes they don’t eat in Mexico

But a taco filled with sweet potato… let’s just not let the Mexicans hear about it… These are dishes they don’t eat in Mexico at all:

Nachos

You will never, ever find nachos on the menu at a restaurant in Mexico like you do outside Mexico. Mexicans themselves go to American restaurants to eat nachos, rather than the other way around.

Sweet potato

Sweet potato is hardly used in Mexican cuisine, except in desserts. The ingredient is fairly popular now, but it certainly isn’t traditional.

White corn

Yellow corn? Nope. In Mexico, you’ll mainly find the white variety.

Burrito bowls

Just as you won’t find sushi or poké bowls in Japan, you won’t find burrito bowls in Mexico.

Ground beef

If you order nachos here, or in America, they’re often made with ground beef. You can find it in Mexico too—it’s called ‘carne molida’—but it isn’t that common in tacos. What is? Steak tacos, made with slow-cooked beef or pulled pork. And honestly, isn’t that actually much tastier too?

Chili con carne

This is a typical Tex-Mex dish—in other words, a Texan-Mexican dish. Not Mexican, then. Chili con carne on the menu tonight? Take it to the next level with this recipe.

Tabasco

You won’t find the spicy red sauce that gives many dishes a kick in Mexico either. If Mexicans want to make a dish spicy, they’re more likely to use chili pepper or jalapeño.

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