The Mexican street food of a small soft corn tortilla filled with meat and garnished with onion and cilantro is a taco.
A taco is a hand-sized corn- or wheat-based tortilla folded around a filling. Traditional fillings include pork, beef, chicken, seafood, beans, and vegetables. In the style described here, chopped onion and fresh cilantro are classic garnishes, often accompanied by salsa and a lime wedge. The tortilla is usually soft, though tacos can also be fried or made with a crisp shell.
Tacos have deep roots in Mexican foodways, but their precise origin and the history of the word remain debated. Some theories connect the name to silver miners’ explosive “plugs,” while another links it to the Nahuatl word tlahco, meaning “half” or “in the middle.” Indigenous peoples in Mexico ate tortilla-based foods before Spanish colonization, and written references to tacos appear by the 19th century.
A burrito is not simply a larger taco: it is generally wrapped closed around its filling. Enchiladas are tortillas covered in sauce, while quesadillas center on melted cheese.