# Whats the difference between a burrito, a soft taco, a chimmi-changa, etc. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276 "2010-02-24T17:42:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/121 "2011-03-01T03:41:16Z")
When I lived in San Diego, tacos were tacos, and taquitos were taquitos. I’ve never heard anyone refer to taquitos as ‘rolled tacos’. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/122 "2011-03-02T02:35:04Z")
It’s all meat/bean filling stuffed into some type of shell made from corn or flour, but after tacos (which are pretty standardized, at least the crunchy ones), it gets muddled a bit depending on who’s cooking. Today, I was at a place (Rey Azteca) that sells Chili con Queso. Now, at every other place I’ve been to, this is a cheese dip with mild to hot peppers in it, served with flour/corn tortilla chips. But at Rey Azteca, Chili con Queso is “a corn tortilla covered in white hot cheese sauce”. I’ve not had it, but I think they just lay a tortilla on the plate, pour cheese sauce (which is very mild) on top, then serve. No folding, baking, frying, etc. And no peppers of any kind are involved. Since Chili con Queso translates literally to “peppers with cheese”, it seems a bit strange to me, but there you have it. Anyhow, most mexican type restaurants I’ve been to have a section of the menu that defines what the various items on the menu are, so I usually go by that if I have any doubts. The server is usually happy to help if you just describe what you want and let them figure out the terminology. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/123 "2011-03-02T19:27:33Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > That’s too broad. Quesadillas are made with cheese - the word combines the words “queso” (i.e. cheese) and “tortilla.” A tortilla with a filling other than cheese is not a quesadilla. Probably the most common filling is cheese but we have other varieties of quesadillas that have fillings with no cheese. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/124 "2011-03-02T19:41:59Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > Probably the most common filling is cheese but we have other varieties of quesadillas that have fillings with no cheese. What’s an example? Is it like filled with beans or mushroom? I’m just curious what defines a quesadilla. Is it just the frying and folding over? Are non-cheese quesadillas a regional quirk, or fairly widespread throughout Mexico? I admit, all the ones I’ve seen, whether filled with squash blossoms, huitlacoche, or just plain, have always contained cheese as a major ingredient. I’m wondering if I just haven’t looked hard enough, or am looking in the wrong places. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/125 "2011-03-02T20:31:45Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > What’s an example? Is it like filled with beans or mushroom? I’m just curious what defines a quesadilla. Is it just the frying and folding over? Are non-cheese quesadillas a regional quirk, or fairly widespread throughout Mexico? I admit, all the ones I’ve seen, whether filled with squash blossoms, huitlacoche, or just plain, have always contained cheese as a major ingredient. I’m wondering if I just haven’t looked hard enough, or am looking in the wrong places. Chicharrón prensado, papa y chorizo, shrimp or chicken guisados, pancita, picadillo etc. And of course I am speaking of the quesadillas made from fresh masa, filled and deep fried. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/126 "2011-03-02T21:12:31Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > Chicharrón prensado, papa y chorizo, shrimp or chicken guisados, pancita, picadillo etc. And of course I am speaking of the quesadillas made from fresh masa, filled and deep fried. If I’m imagining this right, is it basically another name for an empanada? If not, how does it differ? ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/127 "2011-03-02T23:07:48Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > If I’m imagining this right, is it basically another name for an empanada? If not, how does it differ? It is made using masa de nixtamal, not from bread dough whether it has cheese or the other fillings. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/128 "2011-03-02T23:13:46Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > It is made using masa de nixtamal, not from bread dough whether it has cheese or the other fillings. OK–I’ve had empanadas made with nixtamalized corn, so that’s why I was wondering. Seems to be just a difference in terminology. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/129 "2011-03-02T23:17:49Z")
Ah, [this site seems to use the terms interchangeably](http://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/2009/02/how-to-make-empanadas-with-corn.html), so I guess it is just terminology. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/130 "2011-03-02T23:33:37Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Ah, [this site seems to use the terms interchangeably](http://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/2009/02/how-to-make-empanadas-with-corn.html), so I guess it is just terminology. If you are in México they aren’t used interchangebaly. ---
**Author:** ![saritasanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@saritasanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saritasanchez)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/131 "2011-03-02T23:33:52Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Are you sure? That hasn’t been my experience at all. What do you regard as a taco, then? To me, it’s a very broad category of food served in a corn (or sometimes flour, like tacos arabes) tortilla. Most tacos I’ve seen in Mexico would be identifiable to an American as a taco. For example, [here’s a taco](http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSQN8lYQTQLEErpK1W44jMjc0UBVFyqgj9To0vIHMdT32_KxJbVaw&t=1) from the place a couple miles down the street from me. Is this different than what you call a “taco”? I am sure. I know it is confusing to us and I have even pointed that why are they quesadillas when they dont even have “queso” ? People just say, thats just they way it is. They are tacos to us here but in mexico they are called quesadillas. To them tacos are either flour or corn tortilla heated up but not fried, and folded over with meat inside. That is the difference, the taco is not fried, that is a quesadilla. Take a corn tortilla, heat it up, and put meat inside it, you have a taco. Take that same tortilla, heat it up and fold it but FRY it on some oil, and you have a quesadilla. If it is chicken inside it is a " quesadilla de pollo", if it has potato it is " quesadilla de papa" and etc… Tacos can be tacos al carbon, tacos de barbacoa, asada, etc… It may not make sense to people in the U.S but that is just the way it is. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/132 "2011-03-02T23:38:53Z")
> [@saritasanchez](#): > > That is the difference, the taco is not fried, that is a quesadilla. To me, a taco (except for taco dorados or some of those El Paso taco shell things you get at the grocery store) usually isn’t fried. Did you compare the pictures I linked to? Is that not what you call a “taco”? ---
**Author:** ![saritasanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@saritasanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saritasanchez)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/133 "2011-03-02T23:39:24Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > That’s too broad. Quesadillas are made with cheese - the word combines the words “queso” (i.e. cheese) and “tortilla.” A tortilla with a filling other than cheese is not a quesadilla. This is what you would think, and I have even asked other Mexicans, hey why is it called a quesadilla when it doesnt even have " queso" ? The answer is always, thats just the way it is. When you take a corn tortilla and fold it like a taco but YOU FRY IT, its called a quesadilla. I know you think it has to have queso, but it doesnt, this is what they are called. Every Mexican I know will ask me to make them " quesadillas de pollo" ( I make some good ones) and that means they want ( essentially fried corn tortillas ) in hot oil. Here in the U.S you say quesadilla and people think oh flour tortillas with cheese inside. That is fine in the u.s, but it doesnt mean that in Mexico. In Mexico you will get what I already described. Doubt it all you want, but thats the way it is I make quesadillas de pollo and papa and bistek almost every day and often for about 25 mexicans. Remember things differ in Mexico. Our version of quesadillas, ( with cheese inside) are called sincronizadas and gringas. And yes, I know that queso means cheese, I’m a Spanish speaker. ---
**Author:** ![saritasanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@saritasanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saritasanchez)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/134 "2011-03-02T23:40:49Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > To me, a taco (except for taco dorados or some of those El Paso taco shell things you get at the grocery store) usually isn’t fried. Did you compare the pictures I linked to? Is that not what you call a “taco”? Yes,t hat picture you posted is a taco. It is not fried. If it were fried, it would be called a quesadilla. ---
**Author:** ![saritasanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@saritasanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saritasanchez)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/135 "2011-03-02T23:52:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Are you sure? That hasn’t been my experience at all. What do you regard as a taco, then? To me, it’s a very broad category of food served in a corn (or sometimes flour, like tacos arabes) tortilla. Most tacos I’ve seen in Mexico would be identifiable to an American as a taco. For example, [here’s a taco](http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSQN8lYQTQLEErpK1W44jMjc0UBVFyqgj9To0vIHMdT32_KxJbVaw&t=1) from the place a couple miles down the street from me. Is this different than what you call a “taco”? I think I see what you mean. What I meant was that when an american sees this [http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa245/jobostonisafoodie/Tres%20Agaves/DSC06532.jpg](http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa245/jobostonisafoodie/Tres%20Agaves/DSC06532.jpg) They think, oh, thats a taco. But a mexican would say, no, its a quesadilla, it has been fried in hot oil. And then the american would say, how can it be a quesadilla if it doesnt have queso? and the mexican would say, thats just how it is man you americans are so stubborn LOL Now, I know that places in Mexico differ in thier foods. There may be some place in mexico where they dont call them this, but I know people from Hidalgo, Guadalajara, Guerrero, and Durango, and they all know them as quesadillas. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/136 "2011-03-02T23:53:51Z")
> [@saritasanchez](#): > > Yes,t hat picture you posted is a taco. It is not fried. > If it were fried, it would be called a quesadilla. I am sorry but that is complete nonsense. Tacos dorados are fried tacos. They are never confused with quesadillas. ---
**Author:** ![saritasanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@saritasanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saritasanchez)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/137 "2011-03-02T23:56:50Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > I am sorry but that is complete nonsense. Tacos dorados are fried tacos. They are never confused with quesadillas. Tacos dorados are these [http://www.elagaverestaurante.com/images/tacos-dorados.jpg](http://www.elagaverestaurante.com/images/tacos-dorados.jpg) They are rolled and fried. When they are not rolled, they are called quesadillas. Its that simple. He posted a picture of a taco, it had not been fried. What about this is nonsense? ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/138 "2011-03-02T23:56:52Z")
> [@saritasanchez](#): > > I think I see what you mean. What I meant was that when an american sees this > > [http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa245/jobostonisafoodie/Tres%20Agaves/DSC06532.jpg](http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa245/jobostonisafoodie/Tres%20Agaves/DSC06532.jpg) > > They think, oh, thats a taco. But a mexican would say, no, its a quesadilla, it has been fried in hot oil. And then the american would say, how can it be a quesadilla if it doesnt have queso? and the mexican would say, thats just how it is man you americans are so stubborn LOL > > Now, I know that places in Mexico differ in thier foods. There may be some place in mexico where they dont call them this, but I know people from Hidalgo, Guadalajara, Guerrero, and Durango, and they all know them as quesadillas. I am from Guadalajara and those are definetly not quesadillas. They more resemble tacos de barbacoa to me. ---
**Author:** ![saritasanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@saritasanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saritasanchez)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/139 "2011-03-02T23:59:53Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > I am from Guadalajara and those are definetly not quesadillas. They more resemble tacos de barbacoa to me. Quesadilla [http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa245/jobostonisafoodie/Tres%20Agaves/DSC06532.jpg](http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa245/jobostonisafoodie/Tres%20Agaves/DSC06532.jpg) Tacos dorados [http://www.elagaverestaurante.com/images/tacos-dorados.jpg](http://www.elagaverestaurante.com/images/tacos-dorados.jpg) You must have learned these different ways, but me and tons of other Mexicans would disagree with you if you argued with the names for these. ---
**Author:** ![saritasanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@saritasanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saritasanchez)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276/140 "2011-03-03T00:05:52Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > They are never confused with quesadillas. Also, I never said tacos dorados were confused with quesadillas. I said that Quesadillas are known to be something else in the U.S than they are in Mexico. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-a-burrito-a-soft-taco-a-chimmi-changa-etc/530276.md?page=8)