When you talk about Mexican dishes, most people think of tacos, burritos, or enchiladas. While these Mexican dishes, as well as our authentic tamales, have certainly risen to popularity north of the border there as so many other classic dishes from Mexico to try. Today, we want to discuss some of the other authentic dishes you should taste if you get the chance.

1. Mole

If you’ve looked up any “most unheard of Mexican dish” list, you’re going to find mole somewhere on it. Mole is a staple sauce in a number of dishes, but its unique ingredients are what catches our attention. Most moles might look like a simple red sauce, but mixed in with the chili powder and tomatoes is a healthy serving of cocoa powder, which makes this sauce a great surprise. Savory red sauce and chocolate at the same time? Add this to your tacos, tamales, or burritos next time you’re cooking.

2. Pozole

Pozole is a spicy stew that is traditional to Mexico with a bit of gruesome history. While modern pozole uses pork, some ancient recipes may have used human meat. Modern recipes are fortunately human-free, and come in a variety of different flavors from different regions of Mexico, all with their own take of each of the notable types of pozole. The most notable groups are rojo, blanco, and verde, which are determined by the types of vegetables stewed with the meat. If you get the chance to try some pozole, don’t miss it. It’s to die for.

3. Tlayudas

Tlayudas are a popular street food in Oaxaca City. The closest comparison thing we can make have to tlayudas would be a mini pizza. A wheat tortilla is covered with quesillo, avocado, tomato, and chorizo, along with a number of veggies. They can be folded in half or cut into slices like a pizza. This is an easy recipe you can try at home, adding or subtracting your own veggies to fit your tastes.

4. Pambazo

At a glance, a pambazo sandwich might look like a simple pulled pork sandwich, but once you take a bite of it, you’ll see just how unique it is. Named for its white bread, pambazo is bread coated in red guajillo chile sauce. This extra layer of seasoning adds a spicy kick of flavor that pairs well with a dip into some salsa or some pickled jalapenos.

5. Tlacoyo

Tlacoyo is like a large breakfast empanada filled with cheese, onions, beans, and a collection of other choice veggies. This is a great vegetarian breakfast that can be served with salsa to add a kick for anyone who wants a spicy wake-up call in the morning. These breakfast dumplings are much better than any hot pocket and far easier to customize than store bought options.

6. Chapulines

If you’re not a fan of bugs, you may not want to try chapulines, but there’s no doubt that this buggy dish is a rare Mexican specialty, at least in the States. These fried and salted grasshoppers are a tasty street snack that, if you can get past the legs, taste delicious. There are plenty of bug-based snacks in Mexico, but capulines take our spot as the best on the list to try if you get the chance.

7. Chilaquiles

Created to avoid wasting food, this dish is a full meal, even though it may just look like nachos. Coated with salsa, this tortilla based dish is popular as a breakfast dish. For more flavor, cheese, shredded meat, or a whole fried egg can be added on top to look more of a breakfast appeal. Unlike nachos, chilaquiles should be eaten like a fork to avoid the mess, because these tortillas aren’t crunchy like nachos so they can’t be used as scoops. All the same, if you need a tasty breakfast dish then you should try some chilaquiles.

8. Gordita

A gordita is a Mexican meat pie, stuffed with meat and cheese, and sometimes a selection of veggies. The pastry is made out of masa, the same dough used to make tamales. Much like a crepe, gorditas can be prepared with fillings to fit most any meal, whether you want something sweeter for breakfast or something more savory for lunch or dinner.

9. Flautas

This may be a small distinction, but we think the wheat tortilla rolled taco called a flauta is comparable to the corn tortilla taquito. Just like taquitos, these rolled tacos can be filled with any filling you want or deep-fried for a little extra crunch. If you’re looking to make your own rolled tacos but you prefer softer tortillas, then you should take a try at making some flautas instead.

10. Menudo

Rounding off with the recipe that uses the first dish on our list, menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made with a cow stomach with mole sauce as the soup’s base. If you’re a fan of tripe or just want to try something new, then you should try a bowl of menudo. There are a couple of variants of this dish that replace the mole sauce with chili or hominy.

If you want Mexican food but you want to try something new, any of these recipes are a great choice. If you want the best tamales you should pick up some authentic tamales from Texas Lone Star Tamales. We guarantee our tamales are made with the same authentic recipes you would find in Mexico. Try Texas Lone Star Tamales today — we know you’ll love them.