If you love authentic Mexican restaurants like El Pollo Norteño, chances are good that you’ve seen totopos and wondered if they’re the same as tortilla chips. With that in mind, today we tell you everything you need to know about totopos.
Are Totopos and Tortilla Chips the Same?
Yes, the Spanish word “totopos” and the English term “tortilla chips” refer essentially to the same thing: corn tortillas cut into triangles or strips and then fried.
Totopos/tortilla chips are used in various ways in Mexico: salted as snacks, cooked as chilaquiles, and, of course, served as mouth-watering nachos.
In fact, since nachos are a relatively recent invention, some people believe that tortilla chips are a modern fad. If you are among those people, think again.
Evidence leads us to believe that totopos are pretty ancient. The word “totopos” comes from Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs. The original form of the word was “totopoch,” which was the nahuatl term for “well toasted.”
How To Serve Totopos?
Tortilla chips are great snacks, and we don’t mean only as nachos! Use totopos like you would use tortilla chips: eat them alone, dunk them in your favorite dip, or bathe them in salsa.
A Mexican tradition is to serve refried beans with totopos, so don’t be surprised if you get a nice ration of tortilla chips the next time you order beans at a Mexican restaurant.
Needless to say, totopos also go great with traditional salsas like pico de gallo or guacamole. If you feel like experimenting, here are some ideas to take your tortilla chip game to the next level:
- Meatball nachos
- Tortilla chip casserole with salsa and gratinated cheese
- Tortilla chip soup (with chili pepper and queso: yummy!)
Now you know it: totopos and tortilla chips are the same, so feel confident when ordering them at your favorite Mexican restaurant!
El Pollo Norteño: Authentic Mexican Food
Craving delicious, authentic Mexican food made with ingredients of the highest quality? El Pollo Norteño has you covered!
Visit any of our five locations (Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, and Lake Forest), order online, get in touch through Facebook, or call 866-MI-POLLO to enjoy our vast selection of authentic Mexican dishes.