We live in an era where, apparently, we have decided to take a closer look at the food we eat. People ask themselves questions such as “Does pineapple belong in pizza?” or “Is a hot dog a sandwich?” So it was maybe inevitable to ask: “Are burritos tacos?”
While this is a difficult question for anyone who loves these two mainstays of Mexican cuisine, experts in both the United States and Mexico agree: burritos are indeed tacos.
Animal Gourmet, the most important website focused on food in Mexico, believes that burritos are tacos. So does José R. Ralat, called “America’s first taco editor.”
Another piece of evidence that favors the “burritos are tacos” side of the debate comes from the Diccionario del Espanol de Mexico (Dictionary of Mexican Spanish) edited by El Colegio de Mexico, one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in Mexico. They define a burrito as “a taco made with a flour tortilla with its extremities folded inward and filled with beans, ham, cheese, mole, etc.”
If you are skeptical of gastronomic or linguistic authorities, then try this mental experiment. If someone asked you “What is a burrito?”, how would you reply? Chances are that the answer off the top of your head would be something like “Just imagine a big taco.”
There you have it: burritos are big tacos made with flour tortillas. We understand, though, that your willingness to agree with this conclusion may vary depending on your personal taco-burrito experience.
Burritos are not common everywhere, so in some areas of the United States and Mexico is natural to perceive them as something entirely different from tacos.
However, we’re sure there’s something we can all agree on: we just can’t get enough of burritos!
More Facts About Mexican Food
We love all the curious facts that surround chicken and authentic Mexican food. If you are hungry for more facts, these are some previous posts you can check out:
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FAQs
Tacos are generally a lighter snack or meal, so they have a smaller tortilla shell. On the other hand, burritos are a hearty, full meal, and they are often wrapped in a larger tortilla. Burritos use flour tortillas as corn tortillas (used for tacos) tend to fall apart more easily.
What is a taco classified as? ›
According to Allen County Superior Judge Craig Bobay's official opinion, “The Court agrees with [the restaurant owner] that tacos and burritos are Mexican-style sandwiches, and the original Written Commitment does not restrict potential restaurants to only American cuisine-style sandwiches.”
Are burritos traditional Mexican? ›
Yes! In fact, burritos are one of the most popular dishes in Mexican cuisine, and their roots can be traced back to the 19th century. They originated in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, where miners would fill flour tortillas with beans, cheese, and meat to create a portable, easy-to-eat meal.
Where is taco burrito from? ›
A very persistent theory alleges that the inventor of the burrito was a man named Juan Méndez, who sold tacos in the city of Ciudad Juárez during the Mexican Revolution, between 1910-1920. According to that story, Méndez rode around on a donkey, and wrapped the food in large flour tortillas to keep it warm.
Is a burrito like a taco? ›
While this is a difficult question for anyone who loves these two mainstays of Mexican cuisine, experts in both the United States and Mexico agree: burritos are indeed tacos. Animal Gourmet, the most important website focused on food in Mexico, believes that burritos are tacos.
Are burritos healthier than tacos? ›
Both provide extra fiber, but corn tortillas are lower in sodium and fat, so they won't weigh you down as much as the oversize flour tortillas enveloping the average burrito. That said, an even better choice is to skip the tortillas and make those tacos or that burrito into a salad.
What category does tacos fall under? ›
Tacos are a common form of antojitos, or Mexican street food, which have spread around the world. Three varieties of taco (clockwise from left): carnitas, carne asada, and al pastor.
Are tacos called tacos in Mexico? ›
Did you know that Taco Bell's Founder, Glen Bell, found that “taco” was actually a word that Mexicans didn't use to describe the meal? Instead, Mexicans used other words to describe tacos that varied by region and local culture. “Taco” was a word that Mexicans would use toward Americans to identify the dish.
Is a taco legally a sandwich? ›
On May 13, 2024, a judge in the Allen Superior Court in Indiana issued an order concluding that tacos and burritos are sandwiches in the eyes of the law.
What are burritos considered? ›
The burrito we all know and love today is a staple dish in Mexican-American cuisine. Although often considered a traditional Mexican food, the burrito's origins start in more recent times in Northern Mexico.
burrito, a common cylindrical food item of Mexican and American origin consisting of a tortilla wrapped around a mixed filling of such ingredients as meat, cheese, beans, and vegetables.
Did Mexicans create the burrito? ›
One theory holds that people from Sonora (a northwestern Mexican state) invented the burrito because it was easy to travel with. The name "burrito" may have come about from its role as a sidekick to the donkey. Another theory holds that the burrito came from Chihuahua, during the Mexican revolution in the 1910s.
Who invented taco vs burrito? ›
Amazon.com: Taco vs Burrito: About Us. Leslie Pierson & Alex Butler, now with two award-winning card games to their name, started off with just some good ideas and a sense of family fun. Alex (now age 10) was 7 when he started dreaming up wacky cards like Hot Yogurt and Salty Lollipop, which eventually became Taco vs.
What came first taco or burrito? ›
Logically tacos had to have come first because corn was an indigenously developed staple food crop and tacos are made with corn tortillas any filling, usually meat. Burritos are usually made where I live in México with wheat flour tortillas that the same size as corn tortillas.
Why is a burrito not a taco? ›
A taco is similar to a burrito, but is served open rather than closed, is generally smaller, and is often made with corn tortillas rather than wheat tortillas. The taco editor of Texas Monthly argues that burritos are a type of taco.
Is a soft taco just a burrito? ›
The main difference between a burrito and a taco is the shell size. Tacos are generally a lighter snack or meal, while a larger burrito is a hearty, full meal. For a taco, it can either be a soft or hard corn shell, while a burrito is generally a larger flour tortilla, as corn tortillas tend to fall apart more easily.
How many tacos equal a burrito? ›
Depends who is making them. Small street style tacos don't have a lot of meat in them at all. A big burrito might have double or more the meat in 4 tacos. But I've had overstuffed tacos where 2 of them is a solid meal, too, and there is as much meat as there is in a burrito in the two tacos.
What makes a burrito a burrito? ›
burrito, a common cylindrical food item of Mexican and American origin consisting of a tortilla wrapped around a mixed filling of such ingredients as meat, cheese, beans, and vegetables. The burrito differs from the taco in that the circular tortilla in the latter case is simply folded, not wrapped.
