New Mexico Cuisine: 101

Red or green? You’ll hear this question often—especially when ordering enchiladas, tamales, or breakfast burritos.

• Red chile is smoky, earthy, and often made from sun-dried pods.
• Green chile is bright, slightly bitter, fire-roasted, and usually packs more heat.

Indigenous ingredients are at the heart of New Mexican cooking. Puebloan communities have grown corn, beans, and squash for generations. Likewise, piñon nuts and wild herbs (gathered across the high desert) continue to shape seasonal dishes and desserts.

Today, the agricultural traditions of our Pueblo communities continue to shape how New Mexico grows, cooks, and shares its food. These recipes carry history, geography, and culture into every bite.

Where to Take a Cooking Class in New Mexico?

If you’re up for some fun in the kitchen, there are plenty of great spots around New Mexico to learn and experiment.

One of the most popular options is the Santa Fe School of Cooking, where award-winning chefs teach a range of classes, from tamale-making to chile tutorials. The school offers hands-on classes and a market where you can level up your tools and ingredients. 

If you’re looking for cooking classes in Albuquerque, food hubs like Three Sisters Kitchen offer a different kind of experience, focused on Indigenous ingredients and the stories behind them. They offer multi-generational, multi-lingual, community-based learning that focuses on culinary, nutrition, and health education.

Further north, Cooking Studio Taos hosts small group classes that feel like you’re cooking with friends. It's a perfect option for weekend cooking school or anyone looking for something fun to do in a beautiful mountain setting.

And for a warm-up before you start cooking, Food Tour New Mexico offers walking food tours in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. You’ll sample traditional cuisine from the chefs who make it and hear the stories behind each dish. It’s a tasty way to get to know the region before diving into your own cooking class adventure!

Where to Take a Cooking Class in New Mexico?

If you’re up for some fun in the kitchen, there are plenty of great spots around New Mexico to learn and experiment.

One of the most popular options is the Santa Fe School of Cooking, where award-winning chefs teach a range of classes, from tamale-making to chile tutorials. The school offers hands-on classes and a market where you can level up your tools and ingredients. 

If you’re looking for cooking classes in Albuquerque, food hubs like Three Sisters Kitchen offer a different kind of experience, focused on Indigenous ingredients and the stories behind them. They offer multi-generational, multi-lingual, community-based learning that focuses on culinary, nutrition, and health education.

Further north, Cooking Studio Taos hosts small group classes that feel like you’re cooking with friends. It's a perfect option for weekend cooking school or anyone looking for something fun to do in a beautiful mountain setting.

And for a warm-up before you start cooking, Food Tour New Mexico offers walking food tours in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. You’ll sample traditional cuisine from the chefs who make it and hear the stories behind each dish. It’s a tasty way to get to know the region before diving into your own cooking class adventure!