San José del Cabo Cooking Tour: Make Casseroles from Scratch

You grind the spices, roll the tortillas, and eat the meal you built together

Cooking with Friends is a four-hour cooking class in San José del Cabo where you make casserole stews and corn tortillas by hand, working through every step from lighting charcoal to finishing the sauce in a molcajete. You start by roasting chicken, nopal and portobello mushrooms, then chop and layer them into the casserole to simmer. At the end, you sit down to eat the stew you cooked, with the cornbread you baked and handmade tortillas you rolled yourself.

The experience

The class starts with the fundamentals: you light charcoal using napkins and grease, then brew a traditional pot coffee with piloncillo and cinnamon while the heat builds. A corn bread goes into the oven. You clean and chop the vegetables (nopal and portobello mushrooms) fry bacon, then roast everything in sequence: the mushrooms and nopal first, seasoned and set aside, then the chicken. Once roasted, you chop it all and layer it into the casserole pot to finish cooking low and slow.

While the casserole simmers, you roast tomatoes and chiles, then grind them into a sauce using a molcajete. The traditional stone tool that does the work your hands would do. The final step is hand-rolling corn tortillas using two different techniques, learning the pressure and the fold that keeps them from tearing. The guide walks you through each motion, and you repeat it until the stack is ready.

When everything is done, you eat together: the casserole stew you built, the cornbread you baked, the tortillas you rolled. Beer, wine, tequila, coffee and soft drinks are included. The guide speaks English or Spanish, and the class takes four hours total. Children as young as twelve can join.

What’s included

• Beer, wine, tequila, coffee, tea, bottled water, fresh water and soft drinks.
• live guide in English or Spanish.

Before you book

Lasts 4h, runs Tuesday and Thursday at 09:00, from US$ 120 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish, in groups of up to 8 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesTuesday and ThursdayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 to 80 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Stroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Alberto Fernández Sánchez

Is this one for you?Four hours leaves the rest of your day free for the beach or the town, so this fits easily into a morning or afternoon without consuming your whole visit. If you want to cook and eat in one session without rushing, this is the time to do it.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I cook in this class?

You make two casserole stews (one with chicken and one with portobello mushrooms and nopal) building them from raw ingredients. You also hand-roll corn tortillas using two techniques and roast tomatoes and chiles to grind into a sauce in a molcajete.

Do I need cooking experience to join?

No. The guide shows you how to light the charcoal, chop the vegetables, roast the chicken and mushrooms, and roll the tortillas. You learn the techniques as you go, and everyone works through the same steps together.

What happens after we finish cooking?

You sit down and eat the casserole stew, cornbread and tortillas you made, along with the sauce you ground. Beer, wine, tequila, coffee, tea and soft drinks are included with the meal.

How long does the whole class take?

The class runs four hours from start to finish, including all the prep work, cooking and the meal at the end.

Can children join this class?

Yes, children as young as twelve can participate. The guide will adjust the tasks so younger cooks can handle the chopping, rolling and roasting safely alongside adults.