Every Mexican dish in the series, with what it costs a serving now and what it cost before. The traditional figure is the real dish costed from its own ingredient list, not a straw man, so the saving is a measurement rather than a claim.
The short answers
- Biggest saving: Salsa Verde, down 67% from 101 to 33 kcal a serving.
- Lightest dish: Salsa Roja at 22 kcal.
- Most protein: Birria at 60g a serving.
- Could not be lightened: 3 dishes, named with the reason in Authentic-ish Mexican.
Every Mexican dish, heaviest saving first
| Dish | Traditional | This version | Saving | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salsa Verde | 101 kcal | 33 kcal | 67% | 1g |
| Flan | 336 kcal | 122 kcal | 64% | 7g |
| Salsa Roja | 56 kcal | 22 kcal | 61% | 1g |
| Chiles Rellenos | 795 kcal | 310 kcal | 61% | 28g |
| Champurrado | 396 kcal | 160 kcal | 60% | 8g |
| Camarones al Mojo de Ajo | 521 kcal | 210 kcal | 60% | 32g |
| Nopales | 269 kcal | 111 kcal | 59% | 5g |
| Ensalada de Betabel | 222 kcal | 96 kcal | 57% | 7g |
| Tres Leches | 617 kcal | 277 kcal | 55% | 14g |
| Nopalitos con Huevo | 266 kcal | 121 kcal | 55% | 14g |
| Capirotada | 643 kcal | 290 kcal | 55% | 13g |
| Carnitas | 702 kcal | 328 kcal | 53% | 41g |
| Rajas con Crema | 361 kcal | 173 kcal | 52% | 13g |
| Tacos de Pescado | 825 kcal | 392 kcal | 52% | 41g |
| Quesadillas | 696 kcal | 381 kcal | 45% | 19g |
| Cochinita Pibil | 843 kcal | 465 kcal | 45% | 44g |
| Frijoles Refritos | 347 kcal | 190 kcal | 45% | 10g |
| Papas con Chorizo | 687 kcal | 376 kcal | 45% | 25g |
| Camarones a la Diabla | 620 kcal | 350 kcal | 44% | 35g |
| Esquites | 370 kcal | 207 kcal | 44% | 12g |
| Budin Azteca | 663 kcal | 373 kcal | 44% | 42g |
| Pozole Rojo | 669 kcal | 390 kcal | 42% | 41g |
| Elote | 332 kcal | 194 kcal | 42% | 10g |
| Ensalada de Nopales | 317 kcal | 185 kcal | 42% | 11g |
| Aguachile | 391 kcal | 228 kcal | 42% | 33g |
| Paletas de Fruta | 132 kcal | 77 kcal | 42% | 4g |
| Enchiladas Rojas | 881 kcal | 518 kcal | 41% | 50g |
| Enfrijoladas | 751 kcal | 444 kcal | 41% | 23g |
| Calabacitas | 307 kcal | 183 kcal | 40% | 8g |
| Tacos al Pastor | 880 kcal | 536 kcal | 39% | 45g |
| Tamales | 578 kcal | 352 kcal | 39% | 24g |
| Albondigas en Chipotle | 518 kcal | 316 kcal | 39% | 34g |
| Chile Verde de Puerco | 642 kcal | 391 kcal | 39% | 43g |
| Torta de Milanesa | 983 kcal | 598 kcal | 39% | 46g |
| Tinga de Pollo | 481 kcal | 308 kcal | 36% | 37g |
| Sopa de Lima | 485 kcal | 320 kcal | 34% | 38g |
| Arroz Rojo | 347 kcal | 233 kcal | 33% | 8g |
| Pescado a la Veracruzana | 464 kcal | 309 kcal | 33% | 44g |
| Arroz con Leche | 419 kcal | 280 kcal | 33% | 16g |
| Barbacoa de Res | 690 kcal | 467 kcal | 32% | 47g |
| Coctel de Camaron | 397 kcal | 271 kcal | 32% | 42g |
| Machaca con Huevo | 683 kcal | 471 kcal | 31% | 38g |
| Mole Poblano | 598 kcal | 425 kcal | 29% | 52g |
| Pollo con Mole Verde | 573 kcal | 432 kcal | 25% | 53g |
| Fajitas de Res | 868 kcal | 652 kcal | 25% | 51g |
| Huevos Rancheros | 421 kcal | 330 kcal | 22% | 18g |
| Tacos de Carne Asada | 685 kcal | 533 kcal | 22% | 47g |
| Birria | 745 kcal | 593 kcal | 20% | 60g |
| Sopa de Tortilla | 493 kcal | 397 kcal | 19% | 36g |
| Frijoles de Olla | 351 kcal | 288 kcal | 18% | 19g |
| Tostadas de Tinga | 586 kcal | 483 kcal | 18% | 47g |
| Sopa de Frijol | 472 kcal | 389 kcal | 18% | 24g |
| Chilaquiles Verdes | 520 kcal | 430 kcal | 17% | 24g |
| Pollo en Escabeche | 382 kcal | 321 kcal | 16% | 48g |
| Caldo de Pollo | 432 kcal | 366 kcal | 15% | 46g |
| Sopes | 409 kcal | 369 kcal | 10% | 27g |
| Ceviche | 276 kcal | 253 kcal | 8% | 26g |
Where the numbers come from
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases, and the appendix of Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient. Nothing here is estimated. How every number is computed sets out the method.
The swap kit is free and covers the changes that work on food which is not in any of the books.