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Tacos de huitlacoche

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Taco type
Also known as: Tacos de cuitlacoche, Corn smut tacos

Tacos de huitlacoche are tacos filled with huitlacoche, the inky fungus that grows on ears of corn, sautéed with onion, chile and epazote. Prized in central Mexico for its earthy, mushroom-like flavor, huitlacoche is a seasonal filling for tacos and quesadillas.

Contents
  1. Huitlacoche
  2. History
  3. In tacos and quesadillas
  4. Recipe
  5. Where to try it
  6. Reviews
  7. See also
  8. References

Huitlacoche

The Larousse dictionary of Mexican gastronomy defines huitlacoche as a parasitic fungus that infects tender ears of corn, forming rounded, tumor-like swellings on the kernels that are gray outside and black inside. It is, Larousse says, one of the most popular fungi among cooks in central Mexico and is most abundant from July to September during the rainy season. México Desconocido gives the alternative names cuitlacoche and hongo de maíz and derives cuitlacoche from the Nahuatl cuitlatl and cochtli; it notes that the fungus appears mainly from June to November and that controlled cultivation developed at UNAM has made it available year-round.

NPR, reporting from the State of Mexico, describes the fresh fungus as gray and stone-shaped, turning into a dark, tar-like mass when cooked, with a flavor that has been called earthy, tangy and mushroom-like with a hint of raw corn. Farmers sell it in buckets at predawn markets and sometimes call it black gold.

History

México Desconocido challenges the common belief that huitlacoche was a sacred pre-Hispanic food. Citing historians Raúl Valadez Azúa and Ángel Moreno Fuentes, it says that pre-Hispanic texts treat it as a deformity of the corn and that the Maya regarded it as undesirable. In its account, huitlacoche became a staple of rural and Indigenous people during the colonial period, when hunger was common, and was later adopted by the urban elite, which pushed prices up.

In tacos and quesadillas

Larousse lists huitlacoche as a filling for antojitos and an ingredient of soups, creams and some stews, and México Desconocido says quesadillas are the most common way to eat it. The standard sauté, which NPR describes as cooked simply with epazote, onion and chile, is equally suited to tacos. The result is moist and dark, so it is usually paired with melting or fresh cheese and a sharp salsa. The Larousse entry for quesadillas also lists cuitlacoche among typical fillings.

Recipe

Makes 8 tacos · Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 400 g huitlacoche, fresh (cut from the cob) or canned and drained
  • 2 tablespoons oil or butter
  • 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 to 2 serrano chiles, finely chopped
  • 2 sprigs epazote, leaves chopped
  • Salt
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 100 g queso fresco or Oaxaca cheese
  • Salsa verde

Steps

  1. If using fresh huitlacoche, scrape the swollen kernels from the cob and chop roughly.
  2. Heat the oil and cook the onion until translucent; add the garlic and chile and cook 1 minute.
  3. Add the huitlacoche and cook, stirring, until it darkens and releases its liquid, then continue until most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in the epazote and season with salt.
  5. Warm the tortillas with a little cheese, add the huitlacoche, fold and serve with salsa.

Canned huitlacoche is already cooked; just heat it through with the aromatics.

Where to try it

Reviews

Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.

See also

References

  1. "Huitlacoche". Larousse Cocina. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "Huitlacoche". México Desconocido. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  3. "In Mexico, Tar-Like Fungus Is A Delicacy". NPR. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  4. "Quesadilla". Larousse Cocina. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Central Mexican cuisine Fungi dishes Taco types Vegetarian tacos