Common ingredients for Mexico

These are common ingredients you may see on packaging and menus in Mexico. Local words are left unchanged so they stay readable in the original language; translate this page if you want supporting text and English names in your own language.

• Aguacate (avocado)
• Ajo (garlic)
• Almendras (almonds)

  Often used in traditional moles.

• Anís (anise)
• Cacahuates (peanuts)
• Caldo de pollo (chicken broth)
• Cebolla (onion)
• Cebolla blanca (white onion)

  The standard onion used for cooking in Mexico.

• Cerdo (pork)

  General term for pork meat.

• Chiles secos (dried chili peppers)

  General term for dried varieties like ancho, guajillo, or pasilla.

• Cilantro (cilantro)
• Clavos de olor (cloves)
• Consomé de pollo (chicken bouillon)

  Commonly sold as bouillon cubes or powder.

• Crema (sour cream)

  Refers to Mexican table cream, thinner and less tangy than American sour cream.

• Espaldilla de cerdo (pork shoulder)

  Common cut for carnitas.

• Grasa de cerdo (pork fat)

  Often rendered fat from pork trimmings.

• Hueso de pescuezo de cerdo (pork neck bones)

  Used for making broth and stocks.

• Huevo (egg)
• Jitomate (tomato)

  Red tomato; 'tomate' usually refers to the green tomatillo in many parts of Mexico.

• Manteca de cerdo (lard)

  Used as the primary cooking fat in traditional dishes.

• Orégano (oregano)

  Usually Mexican oregano, which has a more citrusy flavor than Mediterranean oregano.

• Pollo (chicken)
• Rábano (radish)

  Frequently served sliced as a garnish for pozole.

• Tortilla de maíz (corn tortilla)
• Vinagre (vinegar)