Tlaxcala, a tiny state in central Mexico, has won a Guinness World Record for serving the greatest variety of tacos de canasta (basket tacos) in one place. 

The state gathered over 150 taqueros (taco makers) from the municipality of Natívitas, Tlaxcala, to serve 186 varieties of tacos during a Sunday event held along the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. 

The tacos featured traditional fillings like papa (potatoes), chicharrón (pressed pork rinds) and green mole, as well as nontraditional flavor combinations like frijoles with cranberries and walnuts.

A total of 30,000 tacos — free of charge — were served to passersby in under 30 minutes.

Tlaxcala Governor Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros shared on social media that the event earned the state a second Guinness World Record. The state’s first award came in August 2022 — for the longest sawdust carpet in the world. This tradition is part of the festivities known as the Night When No One Sleeps, in the municipality of Huamantla. 

Marte Molina, a local official from the Tourism Ministry (Sectur), told the news agency Latinus that the tacos de canasta have created a sense of community and identity for Tlaxcala. By Molina’s estimate, eight out of 10 residents in Natívitas have had some level of involvement in the basket tacos economy since 1940.  

What is a taco de canasta? 

According to the newspaper El Universal, the taco de canasta dates back to the early 1900s, created to be an accessible meal for low-income families and peasants. Unlike other tacos which are filled with meat, basket tacos are smaller and are typically filled with potatoes and beans.

After the Mexican Revolution, the consumption of tacos de canasta grew amongst all strata of society. In 1950, a taquero in the municipality of San Vicente Xiloxochitla, Tlaxcala, reportedly began selling tacos out of a basket on his bicycle. The ease of transport and the few ingredients required for their preparation inspired others to migrate to Mexico City and sell tacos from a basket on a bicycle.  

Today, tacos de canasta are some of the most popular, affordable and easy-to-find street food in Mexico.    

With reports from Latinus, Infobae and El Universal