Tacos de Lengua
Tacos de Lengua are a beloved Mexican street food featuring tender, slow-braised beef tongue, typically served on small corn tortillas and topped with fresh cilantro, onions, 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 soft and succulent.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is a high-protein, relatively low-carb option, with the beef tongue providing a rich source of iron, zinc, and B vitamins, especially B12. A typical serving of two tacos generally falls in the range of 350-450 calories, depending on the cut of meat and added toppings.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 450 kcal |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbs | 35 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 680 mg |
| Iron | 4.5 mg |
| Zinc | 6.0 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 3.2 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 7.0 mg |
| Phosphorus | 250 mg |
| Potassium | 380 mg |
| Selenium | 22 mcg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.5 mg |
Per 2 tacos (about 250 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, lengua tacos are a prime example of the Mexican culinary philosophy of utilizing the entire animal, transforming a humble cut into a delicacy through patient cooking. Nutritionally, beef tongue is surprisingly lean and nutrient-dense compared to many other cuts of beef.
