Tulo

Oaxacan Tlayudas Recipe

A large folded tlayuda on a comal with melted quesillo cheese, black beans, shredded cabbage, and avocado spilling from the edges, cut into wedges on a wooden board.
Photo by César O'neill on Pexels

The tortilla gets toasted directly on the dry comal before any toppings go on, so it turns leathery-crisp instead of steaming soft the way a folded tortilla normally would once beans and cheese are added.

Prep
20 min
Cook
20 min
Total
40 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 4 tortillas large tlayuda-style tortillas (or 10-inch flour tortillas)
  • 4 tbsp lard or asiento (unrendered pork lard)
  • 1 cup refried black beans
  • 1 1/2 cups quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese) or shredded low-moisture mozzarella
  • 8 oz Mexican chorizo, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 cups green cabbage, very thinly shredded
  • 2 medium avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup white onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup salsa roja or salsa de chile pasilla oaxaqueño
  • 1 lime lime, cut into wedges

Nutrition per serving

Calories
1477
Protein
62g
Carbs
62g
Fat
108g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Cook the chorizo in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside, keeping the skillet's rendered fat.
  2. 2Heat a large dry comal or cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat.
  3. 3Lay one tortilla directly on the hot, dry comal and toast for 1-2 minutes per side, pressing lightly with a spatula, until it stiffens slightly and picks up light char spots. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  4. 4Reduce the heat under the comal to medium. Working with one toasted tortilla still on the comal, spread 1 tablespoon of lard or asiento over half of it, then spread 1/4 cup of refried beans over the same half.
  5. 5Scatter about 1/3 cup of quesillo and a quarter of the crumbled chorizo over the beans.
  6. 6Let it sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until the cheese fully melts and the bottom of the tortilla is deeply crisp, then fold the bare half over the topped half to close it like a taco.
  7. 7Press the folded tlayuda gently with the spatula and cook another 1-2 minutes per side until both outer sides are crisp and lightly golden.
  8. 8Open the tlayuda slightly and tuck in a handful of shredded cabbage, a few avocado slices, some onion, and a spoonful of salsa before closing it again.
  9. 9Repeat with the remaining tortillas and toppings, cut each tlayuda into wedges, and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Tips & variations

  • No quesillo available? Shredded low-moisture mozzarella or Oaxaca-style string cheese sold at Mexican grocers melts almost identically.
  • Traditional versions use tasajo (thin salted dried beef) or cecina instead of chorizo; grill it separately and slice thin before adding.
  • For a vegetarian tlayuda, skip the meat and double the beans and cheese, or add sauteed mushrooms.
  • If a comal isn't available, a large flat cast-iron skillet or griddle pan works the same way.

Storage & reheating

Tlayudas are best eaten right off the comal since the tortilla loses its crispness quickly once folded. Leftover components (beans, chorizo, shredded cabbage) keep separately in the fridge for up to 3 days; reassemble and toast a fresh tortilla rather than reheating an already-assembled tlayuda.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • A well-seasoned cast-iron griddle browns the tortilla more evenly than a nonstick pan, which tends to steam rather than crisp it.
  • Warm the tortillas briefly in a damp towel before toasting if they've dried out or cracked at the edges.

FAQ

What exactly is a tlayuda?

A tlayuda is a large, thin, crisp-toasted corn tortilla from Oaxaca, typically about 12 inches across, folded around beans, cheese, meat, and cabbage and toasted again until the outside is crackly.

How is a tlayuda different from a quesadilla?

A quesadilla uses a soft, pliable tortilla and is cooked mainly to melt the cheese, while a tlayuda's tortilla is toasted crisp on a dry comal before any toppings go on, giving it a firmer, almost cracker-like bite.

Where can quesillo or tlayuda tortillas be bought outside Mexico?

Mexican grocery stores and larger Latin markets often carry both quesillo (sold in wound balls) and tlayuda-size tortillas in the refrigerated or tortilla section; if unavailable, mozzarella and large flour tortillas are the closest workable substitutes.

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