Memela

Memela is a thick corn flatbread from Oaxaca, Mexico, made from freshly ground masa. Round and slightly thick, it is cooked on a clay comal griddle until a crust forms on the outside while the interior stays soft. The classic topping is refried black beans, crumbled queso fresco and a salsa de guacamole, though the exact garnishes vary by family and region. Memelas are sold from market stalls and street vendor carts throughout the Oaxacan highlands, particularly in the central marketplace of the city of Oaxaca, where they are eaten as a breakfast or midday snack.

Memela is a traditional Mexican antojito with roots in Mesoamerican corn-based cooking, though its precise origins are not clearly documented. It is essentially a thick, oval-shaped tortilla made from nixtamalized corn masa, cooked on a comal, which likely evolved from pre-Hispanic flatbreads before being enriched with Spanish-introduced ingredients like cheese and beans.

Regional variations are notable, particularly in Oaxaca, where memelas are often thicker and topped with refried beans, asiento (pork lard), and crumbled cheese, while other states like Puebla have their own renditions. They are a beloved street food and breakfast staple, reflecting the centrality of corn in Mexican culinary identity and the casual, communal pleasure of eating antojitos.