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Tacos de tripa

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Taco type
Also known as: Tripas, Tacos de tripita, Tripe tacos

Tacos de tripa are tacos filled with cleaned, boiled and then fried intestine, most often beef small intestine, served either soft (suave) or fried until crisp (doradita).

Contents
  1. Overview
  2. Preparation
  3. Serving
  4. Nutrition
  5. Recipe
  6. Where to try it
  7. Reviews
  8. See also
  9. References

Overview

Tripa is intestine that has been emptied, washed and scraped before cooking. TV Azteca, citing culinary specialists, identifies the usual taco tripa as the small intestine of beef cattle, while El Imparcial notes that pork intestine is also used. Chilango describes the dish as something that began as a leftover cut and is now treated as a delicacy at taco stands across Mexico City.

The defining choice for the customer is texture. Ordered suave, the pieces spend only a short time in the fat and stay tender and chewy. Ordered doradita, they are fried until brown and crunchy, and some eaters ask for them nearly as crisp as chicharrón. Chilango advises eating either version hot, since the texture changes quickly as it cools.

Preparation

The basic sequence is the same at most stands: clean, boil, chop, fry. Chilango describes boiling the intestine in water with onion, garlic and salt, cutting it small and frying it in pork lard so it absorbs the flavor of the fat. At El Tripitrin, a long-running stand in Mexico City's historic center, the boiled tripa is fried again in oil, chopped fine on a wooden block and finished on the griddle until golden before it goes into a doubled tortilla.

Marinades are a home and regional refinement. El Imparcial describes three approaches: a garlic, lime and bay-leaf marinade for tripa that will be grilled; a guajillo and árbol chile adobo in which the intestine can be boiled before frying; and a blended pineapple marinade that softens the texture. Tripa is also cooked in the communal cazo at carnitas stands, where Univision notes it takes on a buttery flavor.

Serving

Tripa tacos are dressed simply with chopped onion, cilantro and plenty of lime. Chilango recommends a red salsa as the best match. In Mexico City the tripa is often sold alongside suadero and longaniza from the same griddle, so it also turns up in mixed orders such as campechanos. Tacos Lolita in Roma Norte sells a combination called the Jarocho that pairs tripa with eye meat, according to El Financiero.

Nutrition

TV Azteca, citing FatSecret, reports that 100 grams of tripe can carry close to 12 grams of protein, and estimates a single taco with tortilla and garnish at about 180 calories. Because the doradita style is fried longer in fat, it is the richer of the two.

Recipe

Makes About 16 tacos · Time: 30 minutes prep; 2 hours cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 kg cleaned beef small intestine (tripa de res)
  • 1/2 white onion, plus 1 cup finely chopped onion for serving
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons pork lard
  • 16 corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • Limes, cut in wedges
  • Red salsa (chile de árbol or guajillo)

Steps

  1. Rinse the tripa well inside and out under cold running water, turning it inside out if needed, and trim off excess fat.
  2. Put it in a pot with the half onion, garlic, bay leaves and salt, cover with water and simmer until tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain and let cool.
  3. Cut into 1 to 2 cm pieces and pat dry.
  4. Heat the lard in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tripa, stirring, about 5 minutes for suave or 12 to 15 minutes until deep brown and crackly for doradita. Season with salt and drain on paper.
  5. Warm the tortillas, ideally two per taco, on a comal.
  6. Fill with tripa and top with onion, cilantro, lime and red salsa. Eat immediately.

Fry in batches so the pieces brown rather than steam. The fat may spatter as the moisture cooks out.

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. "Taco de tripa: ¿suave o doradita?". Chilango. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "Tacos El Tripitrin: Los tacos de tripa que no fallan en el Centro Histórico de la CDMX". Chilango. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  3. "POR FIN lo sabrás: ¿qué carne se usa realmente para hacer los tacos de tripas?". TV Azteca. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  4. "Cómo marinar los tacos de tripa y lograr un sabor más intenso y jugoso". El Imparcial. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  5. "Ojo, zorrillo, vísceras... tacos exóticos (y deliciosos) que no esperabas en el plato". Univision. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  6. "5 de cabeza para empezar: aquí los encuentras en la CDMX". El Financiero. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Beef tacos Mexico City cuisine Offal tacos Street food Taco types