As cold weather sets in across most of the Northern Hemisphere, bringing heavy coats and low temperatures, the seasonal change in Mexico is a subtle shift marked by increasingly chilly mornings and nights alongside mild days.
It might not be cold enough to break out winter coats, but it is chilly enough to whet the appetite for steaming broths, warm tortillas fresh off the comal, and other comforting flavors.
From north to south, here are six dishes from across Mexico to whet your autumn appetite.
Apapacho de mamá – cheese soup
Hailing from the northern cattle-ranching state of Sonora — characterized by freezing winters in its highlands — this cheese soup is a simple yet comforting dish that feels like an apapacho de mamá (“warm hug from mom”).
The broth features tomato, onion, garlic and chiles, into which cubes of queso fresco or regional cheese are added. Unlike other cheese soups around the world, these cheese cubes do not melt — rather, they soften without completely losing their shape. Depending on the specific recipe, the soup may also include potato, zucchini, corn, cilantro and fried tortilla strips for added texture.
A nourishing dish – milpa soup
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Milpa is a pre-Hispanic crop-growing system in which several plants were cultivated together, with maize as the central element.
Farmers in present-day Puebla, Tlaxcala, Mexico City, Hidalgo and central Mexico overall would prepare a broth incorporating all ingredients of the milpa, primarily corn kernels, onion, squash blossom and chilies.
Following the Spanish conquest, crops grown in the milpa diversified, and chicken broth became the base of the soup.
Today, milpa soup represents an accessible, balanced and nourishing meal that will keep you going through the colder months.
The Mexican paella – morisqueta
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Think of paella, but make it Mexican — that is morisqueta, one of the most cherished dishes of Michoacán’s Tierra Caliente region.
This humble yet classic dish is full of flavor, featuring cooked white rice served with pot-style beans and topped with a red sauce made from tomatoes, chili peppers, onion and garlic. In some households, it is garnished with queso fresco and may also include pork, dried meat and eggs.
Some scholars suggest that its name reflects the cultural syncretism that occurred after the Spanish conquest. It is derived from the Spanish words Moros (Moors) and Cristianos (Christians), referencing the combination of rice — introduced to Spain by the Moors — and beans, which were grown in present-day Mexico.
A hearty soup, not a taco – birria
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Birria has taken the world by storm, with many restaurants abroad featuring birria tacos on their menus. However, few people know that authentic birria is mostly consumed as a soup rather than a taco.
Originally from the western state of Jalisco, birria is a traditional slow-cooked stew served in a deep bowl with its hot broth or consommé, making it more akin to a hearty soup than a taco filling.
The classic version is prepared with goat meat marinated in adobo made from dried chiles, garlic, onion, vinegar, tomato and spices such as cumin, oregano, cloves, pepper and cinnamon.
It is served with warm tortillas and garnished with cilantro, onion and a few drops of lime.
A comforting breakfast – huevos motuleños
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Huevos motuleños is an iconic breakfast dish originally from Motul, Yucatán, a town located in the north-central region of the state.
This heartwarming dish features a fried corn tortilla topped with refried black beans and fried eggs, covered by a warm tomato sauce made from onion, diced ham and peas. It is often garnished with queso fresco and fried plantain.
The combination of ingredients encapsulates Yucatecan cuisine, which is characterized by Caribbean flavors (plantain), pre-Hispanic ingredients (corn) and Spanish elements (eggs and pork).
Sopa de lentejas
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Although lentils are typically associated with Middle Eastern dishes, this ancient crop found a place of its own in Mexican cuisine following its introduction during the viceregal era.
In southern Mexico, including the states of Chiapas, Tabasco and Oaxaca, lentils are cooked in a base of tomato, onion and garlic, and may include ingredients such as carrot, potato, chili pepper, epazote or cilantro. It can also be enriched with bacon, smoked pork chop and chorizo, infusing the warm dish with deeper flavors and protein.
In Oaxaca specifically, the soup is garnished with fruit, including southern staples such as plantain and pineapple.
Gabriela Solís is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
