Oaxacan Pizza, Tlayuda Oaxaqueña
This tlayuda recipe builds the classic Oaxacan street snack: a large corn tortilla toasted on the comal until it shatters, spread with pork asiento and warm refried black beans, then piled with shredded quesillo, thin grilled tasajo beef and crumbled chorizo. Fresh tomato, avocado, red onion and radish go on top for colour and crunch. One serving is about 568 g (one whole tlayuda).
Tlayuda comes from Oaxaca in southern Mexico, where large corn tortillas have long been toasted crisp on the comal and sold in markets topped to order. Visitors often call it the Oaxacan pizza, but the base is pure corn, not dough, and the classic toppings are asiento, refried black beans, quesillo and grilled meat. Vendors fold it in half like a giant taco or serve it flat, cut into wedges for sharing.
Pairs well with: A cold agua fresca de jamaica or a light Mexican lager, with a crisp cabbage and lime slaw on the side.
Provenance
Mexico
Oaxacan Market Classic
Latin America & Caribbean
Time Dedication
45m
20m prep • 25m cook
Batch Yield
2 Servings
1033 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 568 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Medium (Comal & Grill)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Prime Metabolic Fit
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Oaxacan Market Classic
Photo: Jj_saezdeo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)
Large corn tortilla toasted crisp on the comal, spread with asiento and black beans, topped with quesillo, tasajo and chorizo.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Meats, Beans & Toppings
20 Mins • Slice, Season & Warm
Pull the quesillo into thin strings and slice the tomato, avocado, red onion and radish. Season the tasajo lightly with salt and leave it at room temperature for 15 minutes. Warm the refried beans in a small pan until steaming hot, and soften the asiento so it spreads. Have the oven heating at 200°C (400°F) before you start cooking.
Maestro Tip: Slice everything before the tortillas hit the comal — once a tlayuda is crisp, it must be topped and served at once, or it softens.
10 Mins Medium-high heat, comal or oven at 200°C (400°F)
Lay one large tortilla on a dry comal, heavy pan or baking tray and toast for 4–5 minutes on each side, pressing the edges down with a spatula, until it is dry, stiff and lightly browned in spots. It should feel like a giant cracker and not bend at all. Repeat with the second tortilla and keep both warm in a low oven.
Do not oil the comal — the tortilla must dry out, not fry. If it puffs up, press it flat again.
Done when: Brittle and rigid, golden-brown flecks, no soft spots.
8 Mins Medium heat, ~180°C (350°F)
Crumble the chorizo into a dry pan and cook for 7–8 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until it is browned, crumbly and cooked through to 71°C (160°F), with its red fat rendered out. Drain off most of the fat and set the chorizo aside.
No oil needed — chorizo renders plenty of its own fat. Drain it well or the tlayuda goes soggy.
Done when: Evenly browned crumbles, no pink left, fat rendered.
6 Mins High heat, grill pan at ~220°C (425°F)
Grill the thin tasajo steaks for 1–2 minutes on each side until browned outside and cooked to at least 63°C (145°F) inside. Rest for 3 minutes, then slice across the grain into thin strips.
Thin tasajo overcooks in seconds — pull it off the heat while the centre is still juicy and let the rest finish the job.
Done when: Browned outside, juicy inside, rested 3 minutes before slicing.
5 Mins No heat — beans served steaming hot
Lay a crisp tortilla on a baking tray. Spread half the softened asiento over it in a thin layer, then spread half the hot refried beans edge to edge. Scatter half the quesillo strings over the beans.
Spread the beans while they are steaming hot — cold beans tear the crisp tortilla instead of coating it.
Done when: Beans spread to the edge in an even layer, cheese evenly scattered.
5 Mins Oven at 200°C (400°F)
Scatter half the chorizo crumbles and half the tasajo strips over the cheese, then bake the assembled tlayuda for 4–5 minutes until the quesillo has melted and the edges are crisp again. Repeat the assembly and baking with the second tortilla.
Bake on the tray, not on a rack — the tray keeps the brittle tortilla from cracking under its own weight.
Done when: Cheese melted and stringy, meats hot through, tortilla crisp underneath.
5 Mins No heat — serving temperature
Slide the tlayuda onto a large plate or board. Top with the tomato wedges, avocado slices, red onion, radish and cilantro, with lime wedges on the side. Cut into wedges like a pizza and serve at once, while the tortilla still crackles.
Eat it with your hands, folded like a pizza slice — a knife and fork will shatter the crisp base.
Done when: Fresh toppings bright, tortilla still crisp and crackling.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve each tlayuda whole on a large plate, cut into wedges at the table like a pizza, with lime wedges and extra salsa on the side — it softens within minutes once topped, so do not wait.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
1033
kcal / serving
Protein
57g
Complete AA
Carbs
71g
Complex
Fats
60g
Healthy
| Energy | 1033 kcal |
| Protein | 57 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71 g |
| Fat | 60 g |
| Fibre | 17.1 g |
| Sugar | 5.6 g |
| Sodium | 1863 mg |
| Energy | 182 kcal |
| Protein | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.5 g |
| Fat | 10.6 g |
| Fibre | 3 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 328 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Black beans supply iron, folate and magnesium; beef and chorizo add B12, zinc and iron; tomato and lime add vitamin C; avocado adds potassium and vitamin E.
56.7 g Protein per Serving
Tasajo beef, chorizo and quesillo together give about 56.7 g of protein per serving, so one whole tlayuda is a genuinely filling lunch.
17.1 g Fibre per Serving
Black beans and the corn tortilla carry most of the fibre, which slows digestion and keeps you full — the avocado and vegetables add a little more.
Iron, Folate & B12
Beans supply iron and folate, and the beef and chorizo add vitamin B12 and zinc; tomato and lime add vitamin C, which helps the body absorb the iron from the beans.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Vegetables
Crisp Cabbage & Lime Slaw
Cool, crunchy cabbage with lime cuts through the rich asiento, chorizo and cheese, and its acidity balances the salty meats.
Drinks
Agua Fresca de Jamaica
Tart hibiscus water cleanses the palate between rich, salty bites and is the classic market drink with a tlayuda in Oaxaca.
Light Mexican Lager
A cold, light lager refreshes the palate and tames the chorizo's chilli heat without competing with the tlayuda's flavours.
Full Menus
Tlayuda + Slaw + Agua Fresca
One whole tlayuda, a crisp cabbage slaw and a cold agua fresca de jamaica make a complete Oaxacan market lunch — crisp, rich, tart and fresh in one meal.
Complete menu
One whole tlayuda with a crisp cabbage and lime slaw and a cold agua fresca de jamaica makes a complete Oaxacan market lunch.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Topping a Cold Tlayuda
A crisp tortilla softens fast under warm beans, so a tlayuda assembled cold and left standing turns limp and leathery instead of crackling. Assemble and serve in one quick run while the beans and meats are hot. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Storing a Topped Tlayuda
A finished tlayuda goes soggy within minutes as the beans and tomato soak into the base. Store tortillas, beans, meats and toppings in separate containers and assemble fresh. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Undercooked Chorizo
Fresh chorizo is raw ground pork and must be cooked through to 71°C (160°F) with no pink left — eating it undercooked carries a risk of foodborne illness. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
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