Lengua Tacos
Lengua tacos are a beloved Mexican street food featuring slow-braised beef tongue, typically served on small corn tortillas and garnished with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of lime. The tongue is usually simmered for hours in a flavorful broth with aromatics like onion, garlic, and bay leaves until it becomes incredibly tender and rich. This dish is a staple in taquerías across Mexico and among Mexican-American communities.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
Lengua tacos are high in protein and provide a good source of iron, zinc, and B vitamins, particularly B12. A typical serving of two tacos contains roughly 300-400 calories, with a moderate amount of fat from the meat and a small amount of carbohydrates from the corn tortillas.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 350 kcal |
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbs | 28 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 680 mg |
| Iron | 3.2 mg |
| Zinc | 4.5 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.8 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 6.5 mg |
| Potassium | 320 mg |
| Phosphorus | 210 mg |
| Selenium | 22 mcg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.4 mg |
Per 2 tacos (180 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, lengua tacos showcase the Mexican culinary tradition of using every part of the animal (nose-to-tail eating), transforming a humble cut into a delicacy through slow cooking. Nutritionally, beef tongue is surprisingly lean and nutrient-dense compared to many other cuts of beef.
