It's no secret that Taco Bell isn't actual Hispanic food. It's really an Americanized interpretation that doesn't sit well, and honestly doesn't taste all that great either. It's really just a very sad and overpriced excuse.
I suppose that it's a good fix for that 3 AM taco craving but it ultimately doesn't satisfy you in the long run.
However I'll always be down for Baja Blast Freeze, and I'll always be in mourning over the Frutista Freezes. With all of that said, here are ten Hispanic foods that honestly put Taco Bell to shame.
10. Aroze con molé
Rice with a type of chili powder type thing, it's hard to explain; and when I had tried it, it was very bitter. Regardless it's still a good food but it's not for everyone, and you have to really be in the mood for it
9. Garbanzo Beans
This is actually snack and it's roasted chickpeas, they're really tasty and easy to make. And they're pretty healthy.
8. Carne asada
This is just really grilled meat and Y'all I can't stress enough how good it is. I'm not sure how to explain it other than just pure goodness.
7. Huaraches
These are basically homemade tortillas, with cheese and meat. It's really a quesadilla made from literal scratch but it's ten times better than what you would get at taco bell. Slap some homemade salsa on them and you'll be set.
6. Enchiladas
There are many different types, and the ones that most people eat are a Tex-Mex version (which is the picture above). but the one I had was made of potato and carrots in a semi-fried reddish-orange tortilla, that give it flavor and spice. It's a nice "vegan" taco, and I could easily eat 5 of them in one sitting.
5. Tortas
It's basically a sandwich from heaven, but let's be honest all Hispanic/Latino foods are a godsend. You can really put whatever you want on them, but the one that I like is made with fried breaded pork, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, avocado, all on bread toasted with mayo. However, Torta also means cake so looking it up can be awfully hard and talking about them can be confusing for some due to each dialect having different words for things.
4. Tacos
It's your normal meat, onions, cilantro, and salsa on a homemade tortilla. You can add what you want, of course, and they come with different meats like pork, beef, steak, chorizo, and many more.
3. Elote
GiphyDon't even get me started on how much I love Elote. Elote is corn with mayo or sour cream, with cheese and paprika or chili powder, but really you can put anything on it. You can find Elote around Mexico sold as a street food, but you can easily make it at home. However, my opinion may be a little biased due to the fact that I love corn.
2. Pozole
It's a very good soup, that's somewhat spicy but has the most amazing flavor. There is Homaney in this dish and some people don't like it but I can eat almost two whole bowls with some tortilla chips. It's a great food that I will never pass up, it has a very homey feel to it when I eat it.
1. Tamales
These are number one because you will have to psychically pull me away from these when I am eating them. Tamales are one of the most time-consuming dishes that I know of, and normally the best person to make Tamales is a grandmother who spends roughly two days working on these beautiful little pockets of joy.
They are wrapped in corn husks, and once you unwrap them it exposes this layer or mass which is a dough-like substance, and then you take a bite of it you will be greeted with the most delicious tasting meat ever. There are many different fillings you can use, and you don't always have to fill them. I've had some Tamales where it was just the masa and it was still just as amazing.
With this list, I hope you guys go out and try some of these mouthwatering dishes that I personally love. I do enjoy Taco Bell, but that fast food franchise has nothing on the real stuff. I may have been blind for the past eighteen years of my life but now I can truly say I have seen the light.