Is chipilín vegan?

Chipilín is a Spanish name referring to Crotalaria longirostrata, an edible leafy legume native to Mexico and Central America. The plant is cultivated for its tender leaves and young shoot tips, which are harvested and sold fresh, dried, or frozen. Chipilín is a traditional culinary herb commonly found on labels for southern Mexican and Central American food products, including regional tamales, packaged soups, pupusas, stews, and specialty seasoning blends.

This ingredient is vegan because it is of purely botanical origin. The leaves undergo basic agricultural harvesting and processing, such as washing, drying, freezing, or canning, with no animal derivatives or animal-based processing agents involved. While the herb itself is completely free from animal sources, prepared foods highlighting chipilín, such as traditional tamales or broths, frequently incorporate non-vegan components like lard, poultry broth, or dairy cheese. As an individual raw or processed agricultural ingredient, however, chipilín is strictly plant-based.