Mexican
Corn, beans, chilli — the original plant-based trinity
Pre-Colombian Mexican cuisine was built on corn, beans, and squash — plant-based eating is in Mexico's DNA.
About Mexican vegetarian cuisine
Before the Spanish conquest, Mexican cuisine was almost entirely plant-based, built around the 'milpa' agricultural system of corn, beans, and squash — the sacred trinity of Mesoamerican cooking. This ancient vegetarian foundation is still very much alive today. Tacos, enchiladas, tamales, and tostadas can all be made with vegetables, beans, chilli, and fresh salsas rather than meat. In Mexico's southern states like Oaxaca and Chiapas, traditional mole sauces and chile-based dishes remain deeply vegetarian. Vegetarians exploring Mexican cuisine should look for black bean preparations, roasted vegetable fillings, potato and chilli combinations, and the extraordinary range of salsas and guacamoles.