7 Essential Ingredients for Cooking Great Mexican Food, According to Eva Longoria

The actress, host of ‘Searching for Mexico’, and cookbook author shares the ingredients she swears by, from her favorite spices to top tortillas.

Long before she became an actress, Eva Longoria found creative fulfillment through cooking. “I think the kitchen is an incredibly creative space,” says Eva, who grew up on her parents’ Texas ranch, eating and cooking from the land. Eva has indulged her love of food and explored her Mexican roots as host of CNN's Searching for Mexico . The experience was so transformative, it inspired her to write a new cookbook, My Mexican Kitchen .

For anyone new to Mexican home cooking , Longoria says the best thing you can do is stock up on some essentials. “Mexican food has a lot of staples with a long shelf life, so you can always throw a great meal together,” she says. We asked her which ingredients she swears by.

1. High-Quality Tortillas

"You have to have tortillas in your cupboard ," Longoria says. "I like Siete brand because their tortillas are very malleable and they have alternatives to grains . They became famous because of their almond flour tortilla. It is so good."

If you're ready to level up and make your tortillas, she also loves the Victoria brand cast-iron tortilla press.

2. Spanish Olive Oil

"A lot of Mexican cooking is done in vegetable oil , but I switch it out for olive oil . An olive oil with a very neutral taste changes everything. The burning point is better, the flavor it leaves is better, and it’s healthier," Longoria says. As for the best variety: "People think Italian is the best olive oil. It’s not. It’s Spanish. You can get a great Spanish olive oil at gourmet stores or even can get it on Amazon."

3. Pinto Beans

"I always have pinto beans in my pantry—they're a must," Longoria says. "I’m constantly making refried beans, charro beans, putting beans in a soup , I recommend pinto beans, but you could have any bean– lentils are also a good staple ."

4. Flavorful Spices

"You have to have onion powder, garlic powder and comino [powdered cumin]—those three are essential for Mexican cooking," Longoria says. One of her favorite brands is Loisa, which specializes in organic Latin American spices.

"Cooking is how I make any place feel like home. Wherever I am, I can’t wait to get behind the stove."

Eva Longoria

5. Dried Chiles

Dried chiles —particularly ancho, guajillo, and arbol—are vital to adding the signature Mexican flavor. The best part: They last for ages in a pantry. Longoria recommends squeezing dried chiles through the bag before you buy: "If they feel brittle, they're likely old and won't have great flavor."

6. Fresh Staples

For topping tacos or salads, or making guacamole, "you have to have avocados , limes, and lemons. I never have less than eight avocados in my house at all times," Longoria says. "You just have to go through them fast." Also essential: tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and onions for homemade salsa .

7. Top-Shelf Tequila

It may not be vital for cooking, but tequila is an entertaining staple for Longoria, who loves to greet guests with fresh-made margaritas : "I had a mixologist tell me, 'If it’s a great tequila, you don’t want to hide it. You want the tequila to shine.' So you just want a tiny teeniest amount of agave and a squeeze of lime—that's it." She's such a tequila aficionado, she co-founded her own tequila brand, Casa del Sol.

My Mexican Kitchen by Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria’s new cookbook, My Mexican Kitchen , is “my love letter to Mexico,” she says. It features both riffs on dishes she discovered on her travels to Mexico, as well as family go-tos. Her personal favorite: Fideo Soup, a tomato broth with noodles that’s easy for beginners to Mexican cooking.

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