Tlacoyos pre-Hispanic stuffed masa cakes

Tlacoyos are oval-shaped, pre-Hispanic masa cakes stuffed with beans, requesón (Mexican ricotta), or fava beans, toasted on a comal (clay or metal griddle). Their name derives from the Nahuatl word tlaoyo or tlacoyo, meaning “stuffed tortilla” or “thing made of masa,” reflecting their deep roots in Mesoamerican culinary tradition predating Spanish contact ^[1].

The base is nixtamalized masa dried field corn (maize) cooked and soaked in an alkaline solution of slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), then ground into a dough. This process, originating in Mesoamerica around 1500 BCE, improves the corn’s nutritional profile by making niacin bioavailable and releasing amino acids ^[2]. The masa is pressed into an oval patty, filled with one of three classic stuffings: frijol (refried black or pinto beans), haba (mashed fava beans, often seasoned with epazote), or requesón (a fresh, slightly salty whey cheese similar to ricotta, made from cow’s milk). The filled masa is sealed, shaped into a canoe-like oval with pointed ends, and cooked on a dry comal until lightly charred and cooked through.

Tlacoyos are a cornerstone of Mexico City street-food culture, sold from morning through evening at puestos (stalls) and mercados. Vendors typically top them with nopales (cactus paddles, a Mexican-origin ingredient), salsa (red or green), crema, crumbled queso fresco, and chopped cilantro and onion. They are distinct from sopes (thicker, round masa discs with pinched edges) and huaraches (large, elongated, sandal-shaped masa bases), which are typically fried or griddled and topped rather than stuffed. Tlacoyos are always stuffed, then griddled, giving them a denser, more uniform texture.

Regional variants exist: in the State of Mexico, tlacoyos are often larger and filled with alberjón (a type of pea); in Hidalgo, they may use xoconostle (sour prickly pear) as a topping. Dietary notes: traditional tlacoyos are naturally vegan when filled with beans or fava beans (no requesón), and gluten-free as they use only masa. Requesón-filled versions contain dairy. They are not typically halal or kosher, but can be adapted with certified ingredients. The dish remains a living link to pre-Hispanic foodways, with corn masa as its essential, non-negotiable foundation.

^[1] Diccionario de la lengua náhuatl o mexicana, Rémi Siméon (1885). ^[2] Coe, Sophie D. America’s First Cuisines (University of Texas Press, 1994).