This collection presents 36 Mexican foods that start with P, spanning from “Pacholas” to “Pulque curado”. They range from street snacks and regional moles to traditional stews and fermented drinks.
Mexican foods that start with P are a diverse set of dishes and beverages rooted in regional traditions across Mexico. Many, like pozole and pambazo, blend indigenous ingredients with colonial influences and appear in both everyday and festival meals.
Below you’ll find the table with Dish, English translation, Region, and Core ingredients.
Dish: The Spanish name of each item so you can look it up on menus, recipes, or local food guides.
English translation: A brief English rendering that helps you recognize the dish on English menus and in recipe collections.
Region: Shows the state or area where the dish is common, letting you connect flavors to local cultural traditions.
Core ingredients: Lists two to five main components so you know expected flavors and whether a recipe suits your pantry.
Mexican foods that start with P
| Name | English translation | Region | Core ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pozole | Pozole (hominy stew) | National | Hominy (maíz pozolero), pork or chicken, chiles |
| Pambazo | Pambazo sandwich | Puebla/national | Bread, guajillo salsa, potatoes, chorizo |
| Pan de muerto | Day-of-the-Dead bread | National | Wheat flour, butter, eggs, sugar, orange zest |
| Pan de elote | Corn cake bread | National | Fresh corn, eggs, sugar, butter |
| Panucho | Panucho (filled tortilla) | Yucatán | Masa tortilla, refried beans, shredded turkey or chicken, pickled onion |
| Pan de cazón | Cazón layered tortilla pie | Yucatán | Tortillas, shredded cazón (shark), tomato sauce, black beans |
| Paleta | Mexican popsicle | National | Fruit or cream, sugar, water or milk |
| Palanqueta | Seed and nut brittle | National | Peanuts or seeds, piloncillo or sugar |
| Paloma | Grapefruit tequila cocktail | National | Tequila, grapefruit soda, lime, salt |
| Ponche navideño | Christmas punch | National | Tejocote, piloncillo, cinnamon, seasonal fruits |
| Pozol | Mayan corn-cocoa drink | Tabasco/Chiapas | Nixtamalized corn dough, cocoa, water |
| Pox | Mayan distilled spirit | Chiapas | Corn, cacao, sugarcane (distilled) |
| Pulque | Fermented agave drink | Central Mexico | Agave sap (aguamiel), native yeasts |
| Pulque curado | Flavored pulque | Central Mexico | Pulque, fruit or spices, sugar |
| Picadillo | Ground-meat hash | National | Ground beef, potato, tomato, spices |
| Picaditas | Thick mini sopes | Hidalgo/Puebla | Masa, salsa, cheese, lard |
| Pipián | Pumpkin-seed mole | Puebla/Oaxaca | Toasted pumpkin seeds, chiles, spices, oil |
| Pacholas | Flattened meat patties | Jalisco | Ground beef, chili, garlic, spices |
| Pastel de tres leches | Three-milk cake | National | Flour, eggs, evaporated milk, condensed milk |
| Pastel azteca | Tortilla casserole | National | Tortillas, tomato, cheese, chicken |
| Pipían verde | Green pipián | Puebla/Oaxaca | Pumpkin seeds, green chiles, tomatillo, spices |
| Picada | Pinched tortilla snack | Puebla/Oaxaca | Masa, refried beans, salsa, cheese |
| Puchero | Mexican boiled stew | National | Beef or pork, vegetables, chickpeas, plantain |
| Parrillada | Mixed grill (barbecue) | Northern Mexico | Beef, pork, sausages, vegetables |
| Pescado zarandeado | Grilled marinated whole fish | Nayarit/Sinaloa | Whole fish, adobo (chiles), oil, lime |
| Pescado a la talla | Grilled split fish | Guerrero | Whole fish, achiote, chiles, lime |
| Pescado a la veracruzana | Veracruz-style fish | Veracruz | White fish, tomato, olives, capers |
| Pescado empapelado | Fish baked in paper/leaf | Guerrero/Baja | Fish fillet, vegetables, lime, banana leaf or foil |
| Pancita | Pancita (menudo) | Northern Mexico | Beef tripe, hominy, chiles, onion |
| Papas rellenas | Stuffed potatoes | National | Mashed potato, ground meat, onion, egg |
| Papas con chorizo | Potatoes with chorizo | National | Potato, Mexican chorizo, onion, oil |
| Pan de yema | Egg-yolk sweet bread | Puebla | Wheat flour, egg yolks, sugar, butter |
| Pib | Mayan pit-cooked tamal | Yucatán | Masa, pork or chicken, achiote, banana leaf |
| Pepitoria | Pepitoria sauce/dish | Puebla | Ground seeds (almonds/pepitas), spices, pork or chicken |
| Palanqueta de amaranto | Amaranth seed bar | National | Amaranth seeds, honey or piloncillo, nuts |
| Pan dulce de conchas | Concha sweet bread | National | Wheat flour, butter, sugar, topping paste |
Descriptions
Pozole
Hearty hominy stew served red, green or white; thick, comforting and central to fiestas like Independence Day and family gatherings.
Pambazo
Fried sandwich dipped in guajillo sauce and stuffed with potato and chorizo; crispy outside, soft inside, common street food.
Pan de muerto
Sweet, soft round bread decorated with dough “bones,” lightly citrus-scented and traditionally eaten during Día de Muertos.
Pan de elote
Moist, tender corn bread or cake with a sweet corn flavor; often sold warm at markets or made at home.
Panucho
Fried tortilla stuffed with beans and topped with meat, pickled red onion and avocado; a classic Yucatecan antojito.
Pan de cazón
Layered tortilla casserole with shredded shark in tomato sauce; tender, savory specialty from the Yucatán Peninsula.
Paleta
Thick, flavorful fruit or cream popsicle sold by street vendors; vast variety from fresh fruit to spicy tamarind.
Palanqueta
Crunchy sweet bar of roasted peanuts or seeds bound in caramelized sugar; popular market candy.
Paloma
Refreshing tequila-and-grapefruit cocktail, often served with a lime wedge; a Mexican bar favorite.
Ponche navideño
Warm fruit punch with seasonal fruits and spices served during posadas and Christmas; traditional and aromatic.
Pozol
Chilled, slightly fermented corn-cocoa beverage with a smooth texture; traditional among Maya communities in southeast Mexico.
Pox
Potent traditional spirit from the Tzotzil Maya, used in rituals and celebrations; earthy and strong.
Pulque
Milky, slightly viscous fermented beverage from agave sap; pre-Hispanic origins and often consumed fresh.
Pulque curado
Pulque mixed with fruits or flavors (strawberry, guava, etc.), sweeter and popular at pulquerías.
Picadillo
Savory ground-meat stew with potatoes and tomato; versatile homestyle filling for tacos or mains.
Picaditas
Small thick masa disks pinched in center, fried and topped with salsa and cheese; crisp edges with tender center.
Pipián
Nutty, green or red mole made mainly from ground pumpkin seeds; served with chicken or pork for a rich, earthy flavor.
Pacholas
Thin, pounded seasoned meat patties pan-fried until tender; Jalisco comfort food often eaten with tortillas.
Pastel de tres leches
Ultra-moist sponge cake soaked in three milks and topped with whipped cream; ubiquitous party dessert.
Pastel azteca
Layered tortilla “lasagna” with tomato and cheese, baked until bubbly; home-style casserole named for its tortillas.
Pipían verde
Bright, tangy green mole made from pumpkin seeds and tomatillos; often served over chicken for a nutty finish.
Picada
Small thick tortilla with pinched edges, topped with beans and salsa; crunchy and hearty regional antojito.
Puchero
Hearty broth-based stew with meat, root vegetables and legumes; served as a Sunday family meal in many regions.
Parrillada
Assorted grilled meats served communally; northern Mexico’s festive barbecue tradition.
Pescado zarandeado
Split, marinated fish grilled over coals with a smoky glaze; coastal specialty with charred flavor.
Pescado a la talla
Split and grilled fish brushed with spicy achiote chile paste; signature dish of Guerrero beach towns.
Pescado a la veracruzana
Fish simmered in a tangy tomato-olive-caper sauce with Spanish influences; emblematic of Veracruz cuisine.
Pescado empapelado
Seasoned fish wrapped and steamed or baked, producing moist, aromatic fillets often served on the coast.
Pancita
Colloquial name for menudo, a spicy tripe soup enjoyed at family gatherings or as hangover remedy; hearty and traditional.
Papas rellenas
Fried stuffed potato balls filled with seasoned meat; crispy exterior and soft interior, common street food.
Papas con chorizo
Simple, flavorful home-style dish of pan-fried potatoes and spicy chorizo, used as taco filling or breakfast.
Pan de yema
Rich, slightly dense sweet roll made with extra yolks, traditionally made in Puebla for celebrations.
Pib
Large tamal cooked buried in a pit (pib) for Hanal Pixán; earthy, smoky flavor and ceremonial importance.
Pepitoria
Thick, nutty sauce using toasted seeds and spices; regional Poblano specialty served with meats.
Palanqueta de amaranto
Crunchy-sweet bar of toasted amaranth bound with caramelized sugar; ancient grain snack often sold at fairs.
Pan dulce de conchas
Iconic shell-patterned sweet bun with crunchy sugary topping; ubiquitous bakery staple across Mexico.