A Oaxacan dish, with the dried-tortilla form (tlayuda or clayuda — popularly derived from Nahuatl tlaolli, "shelled corn," though this etymology is disputed; some trace it instead to the Spanish adjective tlayudo/clayudo, "firm/leathery") tracing to pre-Columbian preservation: large tortillas dried to last weeks for travelers and field workers. The street version with cheese, beans, and meat developed in 20th-century Oaxaca City markets, codified roughly mid-century as the night-market staple it is today.
Oaxacan giant tortilla — 12 inches across, half-toasted on the comal so one side is crisp and the other pliable. Smeared with asiento (unrefined pork lard), refried black bean, quesillo, tasajo. Folded, not rolled.
A massive 30-cm corn tortilla, dried until leathery, smeared with a thin layer of asiento (unrefined pork lard with crispy bits) and refried black bean, then loaded with quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese), shredded cabbage, avocado, and a slab of grilled tasajo or cecina. Folded in half and finished over wood charcoal until the tortilla snaps. Eaten by hand; the bottom should char-mark, the cheese should be melted but not running off the edge.
Asiento is the load-bearing fat — leftover pork lard from chicharrón rendering, full of fried-meat sediment. It seasons the tortilla in a way clean lard can't and is what makes a tlayuda taste of Oaxaca rather than just being a giant tostada. The tortilla is dried (not fried) first so it can take the long charcoal grill at the end without burning through; a fresh tortilla would be ash before the cheese melted.
Variations
Tlayuda con tasajo (thin-sliced beef, the canonical); con chorizo; con cecina enchilada (chile-rubbed pork); modern Oaxaca City vendors fold them; rural versions are served open like a pizza.
On the Palate
Where Tlayudas sits in the Mexican flavor cloud
Dry the big tortilla firm on the comal first so it survives the final char grill — and spread asiento (chicharrón-rendered lard) for the real Oaxacan taste a clean lard can't give.
Ingredients
How it's made
5 steps · 1 hour
- 16 min
Prepare masa by mixing masa harina with water and salt, then shape into large, thin discs.
- 216 min
Cook the masa discs on a hot comal until they develop a firm, crispy texture.
Watch outCook the disc on the hot comal until it's firm and crisp all through, dry to the touch — this is what lets it take the grill.
- 316 min
Spread a generous layer of refried beans over the crispy base.
Watch outSpread the refried beans in a thin even layer so the base stays crisp under the toppings.
- 416 min
Layer sliced tasajo, crumbled quesillo, shredded cabbage, and avocado slices on top.
- 56 min
Finish with a drizzle of salsa and a spoonful of lard before folding in half and serving.
Watch outFold and finish over live charcoal until the edges char and the cheese just pulls; that smoke is the point.
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