Breakfast tacos have become a popular food trend in recent years, with restaurants across the country adding them to menus. But are breakfast tacos an authentic Mexican dish? There’s some debate around whether breakfast tacos truly originate from Mexico or if they’re more of a Tex-Mex creation. Let’s take a closer look at the history and origins of breakfast tacos.
What are breakfast tacos?
Breakfast tacos are warm corn or flour tortillas filled with breakfast foods like eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, cheese, beans, and other ingredients. They are often served with salsa, avocado, crema, or hot sauce on the side. Breakfast tacos are meant to be hand-held and eaten on-the-go.
While the fillings can vary, some popular breakfast taco options include:
- Egg and cheese
- Egg, potato, and cheese
- Bacon, egg, and cheese
- Chorizo and egg
- Bean and cheese
- Potato, egg, and avocado
- Breakfast meats like sausage or bacon with egg and cheese
Breakfast tacos are often assembled and served in ways similar to American breakfast sandwiches. The warm tortilla wraps around the egg and other fillings, making for a satisfying and portable morning meal.
Origins of the breakfast taco
The origins of the breakfast taco are controversial and largely unclear. There are a few theories about how this dish came about:
- Some claim that breakfast tacos originated from Tex-Mex cuisine in Texas and were inspired by American breakfasts. Tacos weren’t traditionally eaten for breakfast in Mexico.
- Others argue breakfast tacos come from northern Mexico, where wheat flour tortillas and ranch culture influenced foods.
- Another theory suggests that breakfast tacos evolved from recipes for breakfast burritos, which contained eggs, potatoes, and bacon.
- There’s also speculation that Mexican farmworkers in Texas assembled early versions of breakfast tacos as portable morning meals.
Most food historians agree that breakfast tacos as we know them today likely emerged from Texas sometime around the early 1900s. The dish seems to blend American breakfast foods like eggs and bacon with Mexican tortillas and other ingredients.
Are breakfast tacos authentic Mexican food?
Whether breakfast tacos should be considered authentic Mexican food is highly debated. Here are some key points on both sides of the argument:
Why some argue breakfast tacos are inauthentic:
- Tacos are not traditionally eaten for breakfast in most parts of Mexico.
- Wheat flour tortillas were popularized by Tex-Mex cuisine and are less common in Mexico.
- Standard breakfast taco fillings like bacon, sausage, potatoes are more Americanized.
- Salsa and hot sauce on the side is different from how tacos are eaten in Mexico.
- Breakfast tacos don’t appear in traditional Mexican cookbooks.
Why some argue breakfast tacos are authentic:
- Northern Mexico has a ranchero culture that influenced beef, wheat tortillas, beans in tacos.
- Breakfast tacos use ingredients common in Mexico like eggs, cheese, potatoes, chorizo.
- The concept of a tortilla with fillings is still traditional, even if fillings vary.
- Breakfast tacos resemble tacos de canasta sold in Mexico City.
- Tacos have always been adaptable with regional variations.
Popular opinions on breakfast taco authenticity
There seems to be some consensus that while breakfast tacos were likely invented in Texas, they’re inspired by northern Mexican cuisine and do have authentic elements. Some opinions:
- Food historian Adan Medrano says breakfast tacos use “authentic Mexican ingredients” like tortillas, potatoes, chorizo but in an “inauthentic recipe”.
- Latin cuisine expert Pati Jinich notes breakfast tacos resemble tacos de canasta found in Mexico City.
- Scholar José R. Ralat argues breakfast tacos are Texan-Mexican fusion but still respect tradition.
- Culinary expert Robb Walsh calls breakfast tacos a wholly new food combining American and Mexican cultures.
- Some Mexicans insist flour tortillas, breakfast meats, and salsa on the side make breakfast tacos inauthentic.
Geographic origins and history of breakfast tacos
While the exact origins are uncertain, breakfast tacos likely originated somewhere in Texas between the early 1900s and 1960s. Some key places and dates in their possible history:
| Year | Place | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1905 | San Antonio, TX | La Gloria restaurant reportedly sold tacos with egg, bacon, and potato |
| 1929 | Corpus Christi, TX | Old Mexico Café said to have Bacon & Egg Tacos on menu |
| Late 1930s | Rio Grande Valley, TX | Breakfast tacos rumored to emerge as farmworker meals |
| 1958 | Austin, TX | Felix Taco opens, becomes nationally known for breakfast tacos |
| 1960s | San Antonio, TX | Taco Cabana starts selling breakfast tacos with barbacoa |
From these Texas origins, breakfast tacos spread in popularity across the American South and Southwest. They can now be found on menus nationwide.
Breakfast taco recipes
While restaurants serve innovative breakfast taco creations, you can also easily make breakfast tacos at home. Here are some popular homestyle breakfast taco recipes to try:
Basic Breakfast Tacos
Ingredients: Corn or flour tortillas, eggs, cheddar cheese, salsa, avocado
Instructions: Scramble eggs in a pan, heat tortillas, fill tortillas with eggs and cheese, top with salsa and avocado.
Loaded Potato & Bacon Tacos
Ingredients: Potatoes, bacon, cheddar, eggs, green onion, sour cream, flour tortillas
Instructions: Dice and cook potatoes in oil, cook bacon, scramble eggs. Assemble tacos with ingredients and top with green onion and sour cream.
Spicy Chorizo & Egg Tacos
Ingredients: Mexican chorizo sausage, eggs, Monterey jack cheese, avocado, tortillas
Instructions: Cook chorizo in a skillet, scramble eggs in another pan. Fill tortillas with chorizo, eggs, cheese and top with avocado.
Where to find the best breakfast tacos
Texas is still considered the best place for an authentic breakfast taco experience. Iconic breakfast taco joints in cities like Austin and San Antonio serve classic bold flavors and generous portions. Outside of Texas, breakfast taco restaurants are popping up across the southwest and even farther beyond. You can now find breakfast tacos at specialty taquerias, food trucks, and even major chains like Starbucks.
Some top destinations for breakfast tacos include:
- Austin: Veracruz All Natural, TacoDeli, Juan in a Million
- San Antonio: Taco Cabana, Taco Taco, Cisco’s Restaurant
- Houston: El Tiempo Cantina, Tacos A Go Go, The Breakfast Klub
- Dallas: Yolk, Taco Joint, Velvet Taco
- Los Angeles: HomeState, Guerrilla Tacos
- New York City: Otto’s Tacos, Los Tacos No. 1
Conclusion
While breakfast tacos may have questionable origins, they have undoubtedly become popular all over the U.S. These handheld morning meals combine the satisfying textures of an American breakfast sandwich with vibrant Mexican flavors. Breakfast tacos may not be 100% authentic to Mexico, but they’re an authentic fusion of two cultures and cuisines. Tex-Mex restaurants deserve credit for sparking this beloved food trend that continues to gain appreciation across America.