Chapulines: Exotic food of ancestral origin

We know what locals say: “If you eat chapulines from Oaxaca, you will never leave”. And this pre-Hispanic food delicacy will only delight you, keeping a place with Oaxaca in your heart.

Have you heard of chapulines? At first glance, they may look like simple jumping insects, but the reality is that they are a delicious meal with an extraordinary taste. Continue reading to know everything about this species that is part of the typical Oaxacan food:

History: How do chapulines become food?

The first memories are found in Florentine Codex, written by Fray Bernandino de Sahagun where he writes the edible insect species at the time. With a list of 96, the chapulines were one of them. What is interesting is that chapulines were considered bad for health and were consumed as a last resort.

Chapulines as food in Mexico

In Mexico, chapulines are ancestral food of more than 3000 years of tradition. Cultures such as Zapotec, Mixteca, and Maya consumed them as a remedy for digestive, respiratory, nervous, circulatory, and bone diseases. There is also a feat that reflects the importance of these jumping beings for ancient civilizations.  

In the Tira de la Peregrinación or Codice Boturini, a trip from Aztlan to Valle de Mexico, you can see a hieroglyph from the first place where the Mexicas arrived. The drawing is of a hill with a chapulin on its top: Chapultepec, which means “in the chapulin hill“. The Mexicas were authorized to settle on that hill, where it is said that there was an abundance of chapulines to feed themselves.

In the 16th century, at the time of the conquest, chapulines were already sold as food in the Tlatelolco market. This custom persists to this day. Its name comes from Nahuatl and means “insect that jumps like a rubber ball“.

The origin of the exotic flavor

Its flavor is a mixture of herbs, chicharron, and shrimp, and it greatly influences how they are prepared. After being cleaned and washed, they are placed on a griddle and added to taste: garlic, chili, salt. This results in a crispy, sour, spicy, salty, and addictive meal. Simply, heaven for those who risk extraordinary cooking.

We are sure that if you have already tried them or just watch the photos and videos that we show you, you will water your mouth. Best of all, eating chapulines is highly healthy, data does not lie:

Nutritional benefits of chapulines

Eating chapulines is healthy, as 80% of their body weight is protein, plus it contains healthy fats, vitamins A, B, and C, and minerals such as calcium, zinc, and magnesium.

Did you know that entomophagy is the art of eating insects?

Chapulines in Oaxaca

Chapulines are important and indispensable for the locals. The chapulines are hunted in the Oaxacan mountains in a 100% natural process, where they are later sold and distributed.  You can find them easily, either in a restaurant or strollers in the streets that sell them as snacks. Also, in Oaxaca, they are sold stacked in piles on wicker baskets.

Its cost per kilo varies between $ 70 and 100 pesos, and the most expensive qualities are the abdomen and the head, while the pieces of leg or cuts are cheaper.

Oaxaca’s gastronomic and cultural legacy

Undoubtedly the chapulines are part of the typical food, with which you can prepare from soups and snacks to tacos, panuchos, quesadillas, guacamole, and tlayudas.  

And the best: chapulines do not discriminate. They have become a growing gourmet trend and you can find them at the most exclusive tables.

Next time you visit Oaxaca, don’t forget to take a walk through the markets and streets to taste this culinary delight. Just imagine perfection: walk through the historic center while you buy chapulines with spice from the local gentleman on the corner. Put aside your fears and taste this exotic yet exquisite taste.

Continue to discover the flavors of Oaxaca:

• Oaxaca cheese: from error to gastronomic tradition
• The best Market in Oaxaca that You Should Visit | Top 6