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Where does the word "enchilada" come from? It comes from Mexican Spanish enchilar, and was adopted directly into English (1880s).
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Where does the word "enchilada" come from? It comes from Mexican Spanish enchilar, and was adopted directly into English (1880s).
Enchilada’s story begins in Mexican Spanish: enchilar meant “to season with chili.” From 'chile', which Spanish took from Nahuatl 'chilli'. It reached English by 1880s as enchilada. Recorded in an 1831 Mexican cookbook, 'El cocinero mexicano'. Today, enchilada means a rolled tortilla filled with meat or cheese and covered in chili sauce.
- Stage 1 · Mexican Spanish · 1800s enchilar "to season with chili", from 'chile', which Spanish took from Nahuatl 'chilli'.
- Stage 2 · English · 1880s enchilada "a rolled tortilla covered in chili sauce", recorded in an 1831 Mexican cookbook, 'El cocinero mexicano'.