"Long Lines in Korea Too, But Did You Know This Story?... The Pride of Mexican Soul Food [Delicious Story]"

Two Types of Taco Shells: Hard Shell and Soft Shell
Soft Shell Tortilla: The Original Mexican Classic
Hard Shell: A Fusion Dish Created by Immigrants

Editor's NoteThe earliest snacks are said to have been found in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. In essence, snacks have been with us in every moment of human history. From biscuits and chocolate to ice cream, we bring you delicious stories about the snacks we love.

Tacos, the signature food of both Mexico and the U.S. state of Texas and now commonly found in specialty restaurants throughout Korea, are wrapped in a corn flatbread called 'tortilla.' There are two options for tortillas: the hard shell and the soft shell. Although both are made with the same corn dough, preferences for these two types have become as divisive in the Americas—where taco culture thrives—as the famous debate in Korea over sweet and sour pork. How did tacos come to have two kinds of shells?

Two Types of Taco Shells… The Original Was the Soft Shell

Hard shell taco (left) and soft shell taco. Taco Bell

Tortillas made from corn dough are divided into two types: the soft shell, which is grilled over medium heat to create a bread-like, pliable texture, and the hard shell, which is deep-fried to make it crispy. The cooking method might be simple, but the texture and overall character of a taco changes dramatically depending on whether you use a soft or hard shell. With the soft shell, you can pile on meat, vegetables, and sauce, then roll it up and eat it almost like bread. The hard shell, folded into a U-shape and deep-fried, holds several ingredients inside, allowing you to eat it all together in one bite without the sauce spilling out. This difference in tortillas essentially defines what kind of taco you are eating. For this reason, most taco restaurants offer both soft and hard shell options.

So why did tacos end up with two types of shells? In reality, the hard shell is a relatively recent invention with a history of just over 100 years. In the ancient Mexican civilizations where tacos originated, only soft shell tacos existed.

Traditional Mexican taco. YouTube capture

The ancient civilizations that flourished in the region now known as Mexico—such as the Aztec and Maya—were essentially "corn civilizations." These indigenous peoples cultivated maize, ground the kernels on stones, and then cooked the dough to make what became known as tortillas. In ancient Mexico, people would use these soft tortillas almost as plates, layering freshly harvested vegetables and fish on top and eating them together.

The influence of these ancient food traditions remains evident in modern Mexican tacos. Mexico is famous for its dozens of varieties of tacos, and depending on the region, people use soft tortillas to enjoy a wide array of fillings—boiled meats, dried meats, banana leaves, seafood, cheese, and even fried ingredients.

Hard Shells Created by Mexican Migrant Laborers

Early Mexican immigrants who moved to the United States. Chicago History Museum

The fried tortilla, or hard shell, only appeared in the early 20th century. In fact, the very word "taco" also became firmly established around this time. According to Smithsonian magazine, the term "taco" was originally used to describe an improvised explosive device by Mexican miners. This device wrapped gunpowder in silver foil and was used to blast rocks in mines.

These Mexican miners left their beloved homeland to work in the U.S., especially in Texas, in search of wages. While engaging in demanding labor, they needed food that was both satisfying and familiar—and tortillas fit the bill perfectly.

However, it wasn't practical to make fresh tortillas every day to feed large groups of workers at once. Eventually, the miners began making fried tortillas, or hard shells, which kept well. They would prepare and store hundreds of hard shells in advance and, at mealtime, fill them with meat, vegetables, and other fillings. The dish came to be known as tacos, and soon hard shell tacos gained popularity throughout Texas, spreading beyond the community of Mexican miners.

From Immigrant Food to an American Cultural Icon

A taco bowl posted by U.S. President Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. Screenshot from X

Today, the hard shell taco is considered a symbol of Tex-Mex cuisine—a blend of Texan and Mexican culinary traditions—thanks in large part to Taco Bell, America’s largest taco franchise.

Glen Bell, the founder of Taco Bell, began actively using fried tortillas in the 1950s to assemble tacos as quickly as possible. The U-shaped, deep-fried tortilla could be filled with ingredients on the spot with each order, making it perfect for a fast-food system. As a result, in America, at least, the hard shell taco became established as the "original" version in the popular imagination.

Although the American hard shell taco took a slightly different path from the original Mexican version, it has become a point of pride for U.S. Hispanics of Central and South American descent. During his first run for the presidency in 2016, then U.S. President Donald Trump posted a photo of a Taco Bell taco on social media and wrote, "I love Hispanics." It was a kind of olive branch toward Hispanic voters, among whom Trump's hardline stance on immigration and border policy had generated significant discontent.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.