Dish guides
What is a tlayuda?
A tlayuda is a huge, thin corn tortilla from Oaxaca, partly dried so it's chewy-crisp, spread with asiento (unrefined pork lard) and black beans, then topped with stringy Oaxaca cheese, cabbage or lettuce, tomato, avocado and grilled meat. It's toasted over charcoal, flat or folded in half, and is a favourite evening street food in Oaxaca City.
- At a glance
- Tlayuda
- A large, crisp Oaxacan tortilla with pork lard, black beans, cheese and grilled meat.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like tlah-YOO-dah · IPA /tɬaˈʝuða/
- Also written as
- tlayudas, clayuda, tlayuda con tasajo, tlayuda con cecina, tlayuda con chorizo, tlayuda doblada, tlayuda abierta, Oaxacan pizza
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- large tlayuda tortilla (corn)
- asiento (unrefined pork lard)
- refried black beans
- Oaxaca cheese (quesillo)
- cabbage or lettuce
- salsa
Often added
- tasajo (thin salted beef)
- cecina enchilada (chilli-rubbed pork)
- chorizo
- tomato and avocado
- shredded chicken
- chapulines (toasted grasshoppers)
- pork crackling
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Dairy | Typically contains |
| Gluten | Rarely contains |
| Peanuts | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Shellfish | Rarely contains |
| Fish | Rarely contains |
| Eggs | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Diet | Suitable? |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | Depends — A tlayuda without meat is easy to order, but the base is traditionally spread with asiento (pork lard), the beans are often cooked with lard and the cheese may be made with animal rennet. Ask for it "sin asiento" and check the beans. |
| Vegan | Depends — As for vegetarian, and without the cheese. |
| Pescatarian | Depends — Same as vegetarian; ask about the asiento and the beans. |
| Halal | No |
| Kosher | No |
| Gluten-free | Usually — The tortilla is corn and the toppings are normally wheat-free, but the grill is shared, so ask if you're coeliac. |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
What's on a tlayuda
The tortilla is the point. Tlayuda tortillas are usually 30 cm or more across and are cooked longer than ordinary tortillas on a clay comal, so they become leathery-crisp and keep for days. The base is spread with asiento, the brown, savoury unrefined lard left from making pork crackling, and a thin layer of refried black beans. Then come strings of quesillo (Oaxaca cheese), shredded cabbage or lettuce, often tomato and avocado, and salsa.
Meat is usually grilled separately and laid on top or tucked inside: tasajo (thin salted beef), cecina enchilada (pork rubbed with chilli) or chorizo. The tlayuda is either served open like a pizza or folded in half and toasted over charcoal until crisp and smoky. Some stalls also offer chapulines (toasted grasshoppers); insects share some allergens with shrimp, so people with a shellfish allergy may react to them.
How to order it
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Una tlayuda con tasajo, por favor. | A tlayuda with tasajo (salted beef), please. |
| ¿Me la puede hacer sin asiento? | Can you make it without pork lard? |
| ¿Los frijoles llevan manteca? | Are the beans made with lard? |
Not to be confused with
- Quesadilla — A small tortilla folded around cheese or another filling and cooked on a griddle; no bean and lard base.
- Tostada — A smaller, fully crisp fried or baked tortilla with toppings, eaten in your hands.
- Memela — A thick, small oval of fresh masa topped with asiento, beans and cheese; soft rather than crisp.
Frequently asked questions
What is asiento?
Asiento is unrefined pork lard, the brown, slightly gritty fat left at the bottom of the pot after making chicharrón (pork crackling). It's spread on the tortilla as the first layer of a tlayuda and gives it a rich, porky flavour. Vegetarians and anyone avoiding pork should ask for the tlayuda "sin asiento".
Is a tlayuda a Mexican pizza?
Only loosely. Visitors often call it Oaxacan pizza because it's large, round and topped, but there's no dough, tomato sauce or oven. A tlayuda is a dried corn tortilla spread with pork lard and beans, topped with cheese and meat, and toasted over charcoal, and it's often served folded in half.
Is a tlayuda vegetarian?
Not by default. Even without meat, the tortilla is traditionally spread with asiento (pork lard), and refried beans are often cooked with lard. Some stalls, especially in tourist areas, will make one without asiento and with oil-cooked beans if you ask. Ask "¿sin asiento?" and "¿los frijoles llevan manteca?" when you order.
How do you pronounce tlayuda?
Say tlah-YOO-dah, with the stress on YOO: in IPA, [tɬaˈʝuða]. The tl at the start comes from Nahuatl and is said as one sound, like the tl in "atlas" but at the start of the word. The d is soft, like the th in "this".
