Vegan Mexican Christmas Recipes

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Vegan Espagueti Verde Recipe

This vegan poblano cream sauce pasta, which is my  version of an espagueti verde recipe is creamy, spicy, and delicious! This creamy poblano sauce is made with a combination of almonds, roasted poblano peppers, garlic, and cilantro. It’s blended until smooth then poured over your favorite pasta. My family usually makes it for Christmas, along with tamales, pozole, and buñuelos. It’s one of those dishes that is easy to make in large quantities so it’s perfect to take to a potluck or family gathering.

roasted poblano peppers on a sheet tray with parchment paper

This is the first Mexican recipe I veganized and published on this blog. I can’t believe it’s been 4 years of blogging professionally!! So much has happened since I started, and I’ve learned so much. But there’s still so much more to do and learn, and there are hundreds of vegan Mexican recipes yet to be made vegan.

ingredients for poblano cream sauce in blender

Along the way, I’ve discovered an amazing community of people just like me who are Mexican or Mexican-American who have taken the plunge into veganism and sorely missed the food of their mamas and abuelas. People like me who realize that food is such a big part of our culture and simply don’t want to miss out.

espagueti verde poblano cream sauce in blender

I hope my recipes inspire you to go vegan if you’re not already one, and if you are one, that these recipes can help keep the traditions alive in your family without the cruelty or detrimental effects to your health that eating an animal-based diet brings.

espagueti verde being tossed in a stainless steel bowl

The Recipe: Espagueti Verde

This “cream” sauce is made with raw almonds. You can use cashews instead if you like, but I think cashews are too sweet for this. It’s pretty amazing that you can make a cream sauce with nothing but some nut and a blender!!

  • If you do not have a high powered blender, you will have to soak the almonds the night before, and peel.
  • Toss the sauce with the pasta in a large bowl. Do not heat up sauce, if the sauce gets too hot it could break.
  • You can pour this on pasta or vegetable noodles. It also makes a great salsa for tacos.
  • If this is not spicy enough for you, throw in a jalapeño with the poblano peppers in the oven.
  • Enjoy!

spaghetti on green poblano sauce in a white bowl

spaghetti on green poblano sauce in a white bowl
5 from 1 vote
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Poblano Cream Sauce Pasta

This vegan espagueti verde recipe is creamy, spicy and rich. The roasted poblano cream sauce is perfect for tossing pasta in. 
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword poblano cream sauce, vegan mexican, vegan pasta
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 5 servings
Author Dora Stone

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Almonds, raw
  • ¼ cup Unsweetened almond milk or vegetable oil (see note)
  • 1 clove Garlic, peeled
  • 1 tbsp. Chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp. Lemon juice, fresh
  • 1 cup Water
  • 3 -4 Poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded
  • To taste Salt
  • To taste Pepper
  • 1 lb. Spaghetti

Preparation

  1. Boil salted water in a large pot.
  2. Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the box.

  3. Meanwhile, place the almonds, almond milk, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro,water, and poblano peppers in the blender.

  4. Process until smooth, season with salt and pepper.
  5. Drain spaghetti and place in a large bowl.
  6. Add desired amount of sauce and toss.
  7. Serve immediately.

Chef's Notes

  • You can add more poblano peppers or an extra jalapeño to increase the heat factor, but I wouldn’t recommend using less than three.
  • If you want a really creamy sauce use oil instead of almond milk.
  • If you do not have a high powered blender, pour boiling water over the almonds and let sit overnight. The following day, peel them, and use in the recipe as directed. You will have to reduce the amount of water to 1/2 cup, then adjust accordingly. 

 

 

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Vegan Mexican Christmas Menu

Christmas is around the corner, and I’m sure you’ve been looking for options for your Vegan Mexican Christmas menu.  I have crafted this incredible menu for you with the help of some blogger friends, so you can have a feast this Christmas. I wanted the menu to be similar to what a Mexican family might have for their Christmas Eve dinner, so there are some non-Mexican dishes like lasagna on there, because I do know families that make lasagna for Christmas. What are some of your favorite dishes??

Appetizer/Salad:

1. Nochebuena Salad

beet, apple and pomegranate salad                    dorastable.com

A refreshing salad of romaine lettuce, roasted beets, oranges, jicama, pomegranate, and peanuts. Find the recipe here.

2. Macadamia Nut Queso Fresco w/ Pineapple Chipotle Salsa

macadamia-nut-queso-fresco topped with salsa                                                      dorastable.com

Make a cheese platter with these macadamia nut cheese. It pairs well with nuts, fruits, and crackers or toasted baguette. Find recipe here. 

3. Mexican Hummus with Chiles Toreados

hummus in a blue bowl topped with charred onions and peppers                                          brownsugarandvanilla.com

This spicy hummus is perfect for dipping veggies or tortilla chips. Find recipe here.

4. Potato and Spinach Croquettes

creamy spinach croquettes                               cilantroandcitronella.com

They are crispy and golden brown, but warm and satisfying. Great finger food! Find recipe here.

 

Entrees:

5. Vegan Jackfruit Pozole Rojo

This jackfruit vegan pozole is a hearty, spicy, and satisfying soup. It is an adaptation of my grandmother's recipe, perfect for the holidaysdorastable.com

Jackfuit replaces the pork in this recipe with great results. Serve with tostadas, radishes, lime juice, and cabbage. Find recipe here.

6. Vegan Pozole Verde

Vegan pozole verde topped with lettuce, radishes, and avocado in a blue and white talavera bowl       dorastable.com

The green version of pozole is flavored with poblano peppers, tomatillo, and jalapeño. Find the recipe here. 

7. Vegan Menudo

menudo in a clay bowl        mexicanmademeatless.com

What?? It is possible. This recipe uses oyster mushrooms to replace the pancita. Find recipe here.

8. Vegan Bacalao a la Vizcaina

This vegan bacalao a la vizcaína is an adaptation of a Spanish classic, and is served in central and southern Mexico on Christmas Eve.                    dorastable.com

A traditional salt cod dish, remade with mashed chickpeas, olives, tomatoes, potatoes, capers, and red peppers. Find recipe here

9. Espagueti Verde

spaghetti on green poblano sauce in a white bowl      dorastable.com

Spaghetti in a creamy poblano pepper sauce. It’s just the right amount of spicy. Find recipe here.

10. Lasagna

vegan lasagna slice on a white plate                              cilantroandcitronella.com

Lasagna on Christmas?? Yes, even Mexicans eat lasagna. It makes for a good entree. Find the recipe here. 

11. Potato Adobo Tamales

Two vegan tamales on a wooden board, one cut open                                                     dorastable.com

Tamales filled with potatoes in adobo sauce. Serve just out of the steamer. Find recipe here.

12. Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales

Red chile jackfruit tamales in a white and green tea towel                             dorastable.com

Jackfruit once again replaces pork in this northern Mexico version of tamales. Find recipe here.

Dessert:

13. Buñuelos

buñuelos on a dark blue platelivingmividaloca.com

Fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar. For sure a childhood favorite. Find recipe here. 

 

14. Mexican Wedding Cookies (Polvorones)

vegan mexican wedding cookies in a poinsetta box with a ribbon       dorastable.com

Also known as hojarascas. I like them sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, but you can also do powdered sugar. Find recipe here. 

15. Vegan Tequila Truffles

These Vegan Tequila Truffles are rich, creamy, chocolaty and simple. They are easy to make and perfect for the holiday season.

Rich an boozy truffles that are great for gifting. Find recipe here.

16. Strawberry Tamales

A pink tamal surrounded by strawberries on a blue plate.                                                         dorastable.com

If you are not familiar with sweet tamales, you have to try these first. Find recipe here.

17. Chocolate Tamales

Making vegan tamales doesn't have to be complicated. With over 50 detailed pictures, this ebook will guide you step-by-step in the tamal making process.                                dorastable.com

Filled with semi-sweet chocolate chips, and pecans. Find recipe here. 

Drinks:

18. Ponche

fruit punch in clay mugs

A hot spiced fruit punch. Served with or without alcohol. Find recipe here.

19. Champurrado

Unlike any hot chocolate you’ve ever had. It is thickened with masa or masa harina. Find recipe here.

20. Atole Almendrado

This almond atole combines almond milk, ground almonds, cinnamon. piloncillo, and masa harina to make a warm, comforting, and sweet beverage.                    dorastable.com

A warm corn based beverage, meant to warm you up this winter. Find recipe here.

21. Vegan Rompope

two glasses of rompope sprinkled with cinnamon                                    kroger.com 

Mexican eggnog. Also a traditional Christmas drink. Find recipe here.

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Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies

You might know them by a different name like vegan snowball cookies, polvorones, or Russian tea cakes, but there is no doubt that vegan Mexican wedding cookies are THE cookies to make this season. These incredibly “buttery” cookies are studded with chopped pecans, spiced with cinnamon and ground anise, and covered in a delicate layer of powdered sugar.

whipped butter in a glass bowl for vegan mexican wedding cookies

In Mexico, these cookies can be found all year long, but they are especially popular during Christmas. They are not called vegan Mexican wedding cookies, they are known as hojarascas or polvorones depending on where in Mexico you are.

dough for vegan mexican wedding cookies in a large glass bowl

I don’t think I’ve ever seen them actually served at weddings, but you never know, Mexico is a big country were traditions, cuisine, and even accents can differ from state to state. I did grow up eating these, but my favorite is definitely the version with orange zest and cinnamon-sugar.

little balls of cookie dough on a sheet tray ready to bake

We love Christmas! It’s such a joyous time when you live it through the eyes of the children. We are a bilingual and multi-cultural household so we do try to incorporate different traditions from our cultures. The kids get presents (toys) from Santa and the Reyes Magos (Three Kings) bring them books and treats. We eat tamales and pozole, but there’s also turkey and gingerbread house decorating. What are some of your favorite traditions??

a baked cookie in a bowl of powdered sugar

The Recipe: Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies

This cookie is basically a shortbread cookie, so the first thing you’ll need to do is cream the vegan butter and sugar. After this you add the flour and seasonings and mix well. It is very easy to make and take only 15 min. to bake in the oven!!

vegan mexican wedding cookies in a poinsetta box with a ribbon

  • I used earth balance to make this recipe, but you can use your favorite vegan butter.
  • You can shape these any way you like in little balls or you can use this same dough to roll out and cut into shapes. I’ve even used it to make thumbprint cookies.
  • This recipe makes quite a bit of cookies so if you don’t need that many cookies I suggest you still make the whole recipe then freeze half the dough and save it for later. Instant cookies!!

vegan mexican wedding cookies in a poinsetta box with a ribbon

vegan mexican wedding cookies in a poinsetta box with a ribbon
5 from 1 vote
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Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies

Vegan Mexican Wedding cookies, this buttery cookie is studded with pecans, spiced with cinnamon and anise, and covered in powdered sugar
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword mexican wedding cookies, vegan cookies, vegan mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 32 cookies
158 kcal
Author Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 5 oz. (2/3 cup) Sugar, granulated
  • 12 oz. (1 ½ cups) Vegan butter, room temperature
  • 16 oz. (3 cups) Flour, all-purpose
  • ½ cup Chopped pecans
  • ½ tsp. Ground anise seed
  • 1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Powdered sugar

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Cream butter and sugar, in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.
  3. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and ground anise. Mix in chopped pecans.
  4. Slowly add flour, with mixer at low speed. Mix until well combined.
  5. Line 2 sheet-pans with parchment paper. Roll dough into 1 inch balls.
  6. Place balls on sheet-tray, 1 inch apart from each other.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes or until bottoms become golden brown.
  8. Remove from oven. Place on a wire rack to cool.
  9. Once completely cool roll cookies in powdered sugar.

Chef's Notes

You can also use this cookie dough recipe to make thumbprint cookies. Dust with cinnamon-sugar instead of powdered sugar for a more hojarascas feel.

This recipe makes quite a bit of cookies so if you don't need that many cookies I suggest you still make the whole recipe then freeze half the dough and save it for later. Instant cookies!!

Nutrition Facts
Vegan Mexican Wedding Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 158 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 100mg 4%
Potassium 27mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 15g 5%
Sugars 4g
Protein 1g 2%
Vitamin A 7.6%
Calcium 0.9%
Iron 4.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

 

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18 Easy Vegan Tamales

Just so you know, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and may collect a share from the links on this page.

Tamales are probably one of my favorite things in the whole world!! If you want to learn how to make vegan tamales look no further. Unlike what you may think they are not difficult to make at all. They are a bit time consuming, but with some help from friends or family you can make a tamalada and enjoy vegan tamales all year.

I have searched the internet far and wide for the best vegan tamales out there so you don’t have to. Here are over 15 different recipes that you can use and adapt to your liking. Enjoy!!

Savory and Easy Vegan Tamales

Did you know there are both sweet and savory tamales? Here is a list of our favorite savory ones.

1. Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales

Red chile jackfruit tamales in a white and green tea towel                           dorastable.com

These red chile jackfruit tamales are made with spicy guajillo chile seasoned jackfruit and masa, stuffed inside corn husks and steamed to perfection. What makes these so good is that the masa is spiced with guajillo chiles, coconut oil, and cumin. Find recipe HERE.

2. Jalapeño and Cactus Tamales

Jalapeño and cactus tamales on a white plate                                                                     nibblesandfeasts.com

These jalapeño and cactus tamales are super easy to make. Rather than stuffing each tamal individually, the pickled jalapeños and cooked cactus bits are added to the masa and mixed thoroughly, making the spreading so quick. (This recipe does call for chicken bouillon powder, but you can substitute for Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base.) Find the recipe HERE.

3. Sweet Potato, Spinach, and Black Bean Tamales

Chipotle sweet potato and black bean vegan tamales on a wooden board                                naturallyella.com

Sweet potato, black beans, and spinach simmered in a chipotle sauce. Smoky, sweet, and full of delicious goodness. This dough is seasoned with oregano and coconut oil. You can find the recipe HERE.

4. Vegan Green Corn Tamales

Vegan Green Corn Tamales on a white plate and a green background createdmindfully.com

Vegan Green Corn Tamales. These rich, spicy tamales are made with Hatch green chiles, fresh white corn, and masa harina. Wrapped in fresh corn leaves and steamed. You can find the recipe HERE.

5. Oil-Free Vegan Tamales

Oil-Free Tamales filled with black beans, sweet potatoes, and green chiles cut in half. brandnewvegan.com

Oil-Free Tamales filled with black beans, sweet potatoes, and green chiles in a New Mexican red chile sauce. Instead of oil the masa uses pureed corn, kind of genius! You can find the recipe HERE.

6. Potato and Pinto Bean Vegan Tamales

a vegan tamal topped with crema tomatoes and onion on a plate.               sweetsimplevegan.com  

These Potato and Pinto Bean vegan tamales are also filled Anaheim peppers and tomatoes, spiced with a touch if cumin and chili powder. The masa is made with extra-virgin olive oil. You can find the recipe HERE.

7. Low-Fat Vegan Tamales

A brown plate with a vegan tamal topped with salsa, surrounded by rice and beans.cheftographer.com

These tamales are filled with a black bean-zucchini stew, but the best part is that the masa has a secret ingredient. Instead of oil or shortening, it uses pumpkin puree to substitute the fat. They are healthy and delicious!! Find the recipe HERE.

8. Vegan Potato Adobo Tamales

Two vegan tamales on a wooden board, one cut open                                        dorastable.com

Vegan potato adobo tamales filled with a mixture of potatoes and peas tossed in a spicy adobo sauce. The adobo is smoky, spicy, tangy, and has an earthy quality to it. The masa that surrounds it, is fluffy and light, and it’s all wrapped in a corn husk and steamed until tender. (This recipe uses coconut oil in the masa.) Find the recipe HERE.

9. Jalapeño and Cheese Tamales

Tamales on Mexican clay plates on a dark backgroundmexicanmademeatless.com

Tender tamales stuffed with jalapeños, tomatoes, and cheese. This recipe is vegetarian, but can be easily veganized by using vegan cheese. Find the recipe HERE. 

10. Bean and Jalapeño Tamales

Three tamales topped with salsa verde over Mexican rice.              lapinaenlacocina.com

Bean and Jalapeño Tamales filled with beans stewed in chile ancho and spices, and pickled jalapeño peppers. The recipe does call for chicken stock, but you can easily substitute for vegetable stock. Yum!! Find the recipe HERE.

11. Zucchini and Corn Tamales

A large tamal with zucchini and corn on a blue plate.                                                      muybuenocookbook.com

Zucchini and Corn Tamales, a simple and delicious vegan tamal recipe, no filling required. The masa is studded with sweet corn and zucchini then wrapped in corn husks and steamed. (This recipe calls for chicken bouillon, but you can substitute forBetter than Bouillon No Chicken Base.) You can find the recipe HERE.

12. Easy Sweet Corn Tamales

A sweet corn tamal on a white plate with salsa and crema.                                  mexicoinmykitchen.com

Sweet Corn Tamales, made with fresh corn and a sprinkle of masa harina. These can be served as sweet tamales for dessert or as savory with spicy salsa and vegan crema. (The recipe calls for butter, but can be easily substituted for vegan butter.) You can find the recipe HERE.

Sweet and Easy Vegan Tamales

If you’ve never had sweet vegan tamales you’re in for a treat. It makes so much sense when you think about it, corn itself is so sweet that it only makes sense to enhance that sweetness with flavor like lime, strawberry, chocolate, and pumpkin.

13. Lime Tamales

a lime tamal on a white and green plate     thymeandlove.com

Lime Tamales are a traditional sweet tamal. For vegan sweet tamales, we use vegan butter and almond milk. A few easy swaps and traditional sweet Lime Tamales can be made vegan! You can find the recipe HERE.

14. Sweet Pineapple Tamales

Pineapple tamal on a black and white plate with a silver spoon      chefmarcela.com

Sweet Pineapple Tamales, soft and billowy and perfectly sweet and completely addictive. The masa is made with coconut oil, and vegetable shortening and studded with crushed pineapple. Find the recipe HERE.

15.  Strawberry Tamales

A pink tamal surrounded by strawberries on a blue plate.                                                        dorastable.com

These strawberry tamales are soft, tender packets of ground corn, filled with sweet strawberry jam. The aroma of the tamales steaming is irresistible. They are great with a mug of Mexican hot chocolate or an atole. Find the recipe HERE.

16. Pumpkin Pie Tamales

Pumpkin pie tamal bathed in syrup on a white plate     thymeandlove.com

Pumpkin Pie Tamales are a sweet dessert tamal inspired by the classic American Pumpkin Pie. Perfect for Dia de Los Muertos or Thanksgiving! Find the recipe HERE.

17. Vegan Chocolate Tamales

chocolate tamales on a blue kitchen towel      dorastable.com

These vegan chocolate tamales are filled with bittersweet chocolate chips, and chopped pecans. The best tamal is a warm tamal just out of the steamer with the scent of cinnamon and the melted bittersweet chocolate. Find the recipe HERE.

18. Vegan Tamales Unwrapped

vegan tamales ebook

You didn’t find the recipe you were looking for?? Vegan Tamales Unwrapped Ebook has over 50 detailed pictures, and will guide you step-by-step in the tamal making process. Make delicious savory and sweet tamales inspired by traditional Mexican cuisine, but all vegan and gluten-free. Including an oil-free option for making guilt-free plant-based tamales. You will be able to find recipes like jackfruit in salsa verde tamales. mushroom mole tamales, rajas con crema tamales, and blackberry tamales. Find out more HERE

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Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales

Just so you know, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and may collect a share from the links on this page.

These red chile jackfruit tamales are made with spicy guajillo chile seasoned jackfruit and masa, stuffed inside corn husks and steamed to perfection. What makes these so good is that the masa is spiced with guajillo chiles, coconut oil, and cumin. They are so delicious and 100% vegan and gluten-free.

Jackfruit simmering in red chile sauce in a cast iron pan

These are the first tamales I ever learned how to make. Back when I didn’t know how to make tamales, my dad invited me to the family restaurant to learn. Over the years we had helped on several occasions with the spreading of the masa on the husk and the folding, but I had never done the whole process from start to finish. Tamales rojos are very typical of the northern Mexico, they are usually filled with pork and are very small in size, but with a pretty equal ratio of masa to filling.

Masa for tamales in a silver bowl

The thing about learning how to cook in a restaurant is that you learn how to make huge quantities of food. That day we must’ve made more than 200 tamales! Believe me, it was a few years before I decided to make tamales again all by myself. When I became vegan, I was very sad at the thought of not having good tamales again, and frankly the thought of tamales filled with veggies didn’t appeal to me at the moment.

Tamales wrapped in corn husk on a blue back ground

However, after some experimentation with jackfruit, I decided to veganize this recipe from the family restaurant. The result was shockingly similar to the original ones. So much so, that my omnivore husband was tricked into thinking that the tamales weren’t vegan!!

Tamales arranged in a steamer pot

This recipe is part of my ebook Vegan Tamales Unwrapped. After making these red chile jackfruit tamales I became so obsessed with making vegan tamales that I decided to make my obsession into an ebook. It has 50 detailed pictures on how to make vegan tamales from making the masa to spreading and wrapping.

vegan tamales ebook

Every possible aspect of tamal making is explored, the type of fats, wrappers, fillings, cooking methods. There’s even an option for oil free tamales. It includes both savory and sweet tamal recipes such as:

  • Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales
  • Mole Tamales
  • Salsa Verde Jackfruit Tamales
  • Chocolate Tamales
  • Strawberry Tamales
  • Lime Tamales

It is available for purchase on Amazon for $6.99. Sadly it is only available in ebook format, but if you don’t have a kindle you can also purchase it on itunes to read on your mac devices. I am so proud of this book and I know you will enjoy it too!

Red chile jackfruit tamales in a white and green tea towel

The Recipe: Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales

  • Masa harina is dried nixtamalized corn flour. It is used in Mexico to make tortillas, tamales, sopes, etc. The brand most commonly found is Maseca, but the only non-gmo organic one I’ve found is Bob’s Red Mill
  • I found coconut oil to be the most flavorful fat to use in this recipe. I recommend you use refined coconut oil so the coconut flavor doesn’t affect the tamales. If you use unrefined coconut oil you will get a coconutty flavor.
  • If you have a hard time finding jackfruit, (I find mine at Trader Joe’s) you can use mushrooms instead.
  • If you would like to make these with fresh masa, replace the masa harina with 2 lbs. of fresh masa and use only 3/4 cup of vegetable stock. To substitute the coconut oil, you can use 8 oz. of vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. For tamales without fat, use 8 oz of cooked, unsweetened pumpkin.

Red chile jackfruit tamales in a white and green tea towel
5 from 5 votes
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Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales

These red chile jackfruit tamales are made with spicy guajillo chile seasoned jackfruit and masa, stuffed inside corn husks and steamed until tender.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword vegan mexican recipes, vegan tamales
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 18 - 24 Tamales
91 kcal
Author Dora S.

Ingredients

Guajillo Chile Sauce

  • 20 (4 oz._ Guajillo chiles, dry, seeded
  • 3-4 Arbol chiles, dried, seeded
  • 6 cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 White onion, chopped
  • 2 cups Chile soaking liquid

Filling

  • 4 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cans (20 oz.) Green jackfruit in brine
  • 1 ½ cups Reserved guajillo chile sauce

Dough

  • 1 cup (8 oz.) Refined coconut oil, room temperature
  • 4 cups (1 lb. 2 oz.) Masa harina
  • 1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
  • 1 ½ tbsp. Salt, kosher
  • 1 ½ tbsp. Cumin, ground
  • 3 ½ cups Vegetable broth or stock
  • 1 ½ cups Reserved guajillo chile sauce
  • 30 Corn husks

Preparation

To prepare the corn husks

  1. Soak the corn husks in hot water, in a large pot or in your kitchen sink. Place a plate over them to weigh them down so they are completely submerged. Let them soak for at least an hour.

To make the sauce

  1. Place the chiles in a small sauce pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and let cook for about 10 minutes. Drain the chiles and reserve 2 cups of the soaking liquid. Place the chiles, garlic, onion, and soaking liquid in the blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and strain. You should end up with about 3 cups of sauce.

To make the filling

  1. Drain the jackfruit. Rinse, and pat with paper towels. Cut out the core of the jackfruit (tip of the triangle pieces), and cut pieces in half. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a large sauté pan set to medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the jackfruit and cook for 3 -4 minutes or until it begins to brown. Pour 1 ½ cups of the guajillo chile sauce and reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer for 20 minutes or until jackfruit begins to break down and the sauce has thickened slightly. Use a fork to shred the jackfruit as it cooks down. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.

To make the dough

  1. Beat the coconut oil, on medium-high speed, with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the baking powder, cumin, salt, and beat for 1 minute to incorporate into the coconut oil.

  2. Add half of the masa harina to the bowl, pour in half of the vegetable stock, and beat to incorporate. After it is completely incorporated, add the other half of masa harina, vegetable stock, and 1 ½ cups of the guajillo chile puree. Beat at low speed, until thoroughly mixed. It should have the consistency of a thick cake batter. If necessary, add more vegetable stock until you reach that consistency. Taste the dough, and add more salt if necessary. It should be a little bit salty.
  3. For lighter and fluffier tamales, let the dough rest for an hour in the refrigerator. Remove the dough from the fridge and rebeat it, adding enough liquid to get it to the consistency it had before.
  4. Remove the corn husks from the water and set on paper towels. Reserve the largest husks to wrap the tamales and the small ones to line the steamer.

To set up your steamer

  1. Fill the bottom with water making sure the water is not touching the steamer rack. Line the rack and sides of the steamer pot with corn husks. Set aside.

To wrap the tamales

  1. Pull 24 pencil thin strips off of the corn husks and set aside. Take a husk and dry off the excess water with a paper towel. Place the husk in your hand with the tapered side away from you and the smooth side up. Using a spoon, spread 2-3 tbsp. of the dough (¼ inch thick) onto the corn husk, forming a 3 - 4 inch square. Leave a border of at least 3/4 inch on each side of the square.

  2. Place 1 ½ tbsp. of the filling in the center of the dough. Bring the two long sides of the corn husk together, this will cause the masa to surround the filling, and roll them in the same direction around the tamal. (If the husk is too small, fold one of the long sides towards the center, and then fold the other long side on top.) Fold down the empty tapered section of the corn husk, forming a closed bottom. This will leave the top of the tamal open. Tie with a corn husk strip to secure the bottom of the tamal.

  3.  Place the tamal in the steamer vertically leaning against the side of the pot, with the open end on top. Repeat this process until you run out of dough and all the tamales are in the steamer. Cover them with a layer of corn husks. If the steamer is not full, fill the empty spaces with more corn husks. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook for 40 minutes. Check the tamales, when they separate easily from the corn husk it means they are done. If they are not done, steam for 10 more minutes and check again.

  4. Remove steamer from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and let cool for at least an hour. Don’t be alarmed if the tamales seem really soft. As they cool, they will firm up.

Recipe Video

Chef's Notes

If you would like to make these with fresh masa, replace the masa harina with 2 lbs. of fresh masa and use only 3/4 cup of vegetable stock. To substitute the coconut oil, you can use 8 oz. of vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. For tamales without fat, use 8 oz of cooked, unsweetened pumpkin.

Nutrition Facts
Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales
Amount Per Serving
Calories 91 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Sodium 498mg 21%
Potassium 94mg 3%
Total Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 2g 4%
Vitamin A 6.4%
Vitamin C 1.1%
Calcium 5.8%
Iron 11.3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.


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Orange and Anise Vegan Hojarascas (Polvorones)

These vegan hojarascas, also known as polvorones, are scented with ground anise and orange zest, and dusted with cinnamon sugar. In the US these are known as Mexican wedding cookies, and are dusted with powdered sugar. In northern Mexico, where I’m from, they are very popular during the Christmas season. You can see them displayed in panadería windows, and are often given as gifts.

These vegan hojarascas, also known as polvorones, are scented with ground anise and orange zest, and dusted with cinnamon sugar. I This is the mother of all cookie recipes (cue angelic choir). It might just be one recipe, but you can make many different kinds of cookies, I made 3, apricot thumbprint cookies, hojarascas dusted with cinnamon sugar, and pecan hojarascas dusted with powdered sugar. On the other hand, if anise and orange isn’t your thing, you can add ground nuts, dried fruits, or even coat them in chocolate. Our favorite cookie out of the three was a small round one dusted in cinnamon-sugar.

These vegan hojarascas, also known as polvorones, are scented with ground anise and orange zest, and dusted with cinnamon sugar. I

Now that we live in San Antonio visiting family is so much easier, and I am very happy to be spending Christmas in my childhood home. My mom goes all out on the Christmas decorations, and the kids are so excited about Santa coming and are counting down the days. We are making tamales tomorrow for Christmas eve, and are planning all sorts of games and activities for the children. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

These vegan hojarascas, also known as polvorones, are scented with ground anise and orange zest, and dusted with cinnamon sugar. I

These vegan hojarascas, also known as polvorones, are scented with ground anise and orange zest, and dusted with cinnamon sugar. I

The Recipe: Orange and Anise Vegan Hojarascas

  • I used Earth Balance as a butter substitute, which is salted, so if you use salted butter omit the salt in the recipe.( I did try to make these with coconut oil, but I wasn’t a fan of the result.)
  • The recipe is so simple. You cream butter and sugar, then add the orange zest, anise, and vanilla extract.
  • You can add 1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans if you like nuts, then dust with cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar depending on your preferences. ¡Enjoy!

These vegan hojarascas, also known as polvorones, are scented with ground anise and orange zest, and dusted with cinnamon sugar. I

 

These vegan hojarascas, also known as polvorones, are scented with ground anise and orange zest, and dusted with cinnamon sugar. I
5 from 1 vote
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Orange and Anise Vegan Hojarascas

These vegan hojarascas, also known as polvorones, are scented with ground anise and orange zest, and dusted with cinnamon sugar.
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 dozen
118 kcal
Author Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 5 oz. (2/3 cup) Sugar, granulated
  • 12 oz. (1 ½ cups) Vegan butter, room temperature
  • 16 oz. (3 cups) Flour, all-purpose
  • 1 tsp. Ground anise seed
  • 1 tbsp. Orange zest
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Cinnamon-sugar:

  • 1 ¼ cups Cane sugar
  • 1 tbsp. Freshly ground cinnamon

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Cream butter and sugar, in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.
  3. Add vanilla, orange zest, and ground anise. Mix.
  4. Slowly add flour, with mixer at low speed. Mix until well combined.
  5. Line 2 sheet-pans with parchment paper. Roll out dough on a floured surface to ¼ inch thick and cut into desired shapes (you can also roll dough into 1 inch balls and bake them that way).
  6. Place cut dough on sheet-tray, 1 inch apart from each other.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes or until bottoms become golden brown.
  8. Remove from oven. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, dust with cinnamon sugar.
  9. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Chef's Notes

You can add ¼ cup of finely chopped pecans to the dough if you like and eat nuts. You can also use this cookie dough recipe to make thumbprint cookies. Dust with powdered sugar instead of cinnamon sugar for a more Mexican wedding cookies look. 

Nutrition Facts
Orange and Anise Vegan Hojarascas
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 118 Calories from Fat 51
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5.7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1.1g 6%
Sodium 67.16mg 3%
Potassium 15.8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrates 15g 5%
Sugars 8g
Protein 1g 2%
Vitamin A 5%
Vitamin C 0.5%
Calcium 0.5%
Iron 2.75%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Facts
Orange and Anise Vegan Hojarascas
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 118 Calories from Fat 51
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5.7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1.1g 6%
Sodium 67.16mg 3%
Potassium 15.8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrates 15g 5%
Sugars 8g
Protein 1g 2%
Vitamin A 5%
Vitamin C 0.5%
Calcium 0.5%
Iron 2.75%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

 

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Vegan Bacalao a la Vizcaína (Mexican Style)

Every country across the world has its own way of celebrating Christmas. Mexico has many wonderful Christmas traditions, but one of the most important is the food. It’s not Christmas without pozole, tamales, buñuelos, or ponche. Another one of those important dishes is this vegan Bacalao a la Vizcaína.

This post contains affiliate links.

Bacalao a la Vizcaína is a braised salt cod dish with tomatoes, garlic, olives, capers, roasted peppers, and potatoes. Depending what part of the country you are in they also add raisins and slivered almonds. For this vegan version I️ have used mashed chickpeas to replace the salt cod. The dish is an adaptation of a Spanish classic, and is mostly consumed in central and southern Mexico on Christmas Eve. Serve it with rice or crusty bread to soak up to the last drop of the stew.

What are some of your favorite Christmas foods? My favorite is without a doubt tamales, and the are super easy to veganize! My favorite Christmas traditions are decorating the tree as a family, pedir posada, and singing Happy birthday to Jesus, and then having the kids kiss little baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. Ok, so there’s a lot of stuff I️ like about Christmas! I️ would love to hear some of your traditions.

The Recipe: Vegan Bacalao a la Vizcaína

I have used two cans of chickpeas, but if you want to add a different texture you can add a couple of hearts or artichoke hearts, but feel free to use one or the other. To give this a fishy flavor you can use dulse flakes or finely chopped nori seaweed. Enjoy!

This vegan bacalao a la vizcaína is an adaptation of a Spanish classic, and is served in central and southern Mexico on Christmas Eve.
5 from 2 votes
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Vegan Bacalao a la Vizcaína

This vegan bacalao a la vizcaína is an adaptation of a Spanish classic, and is served in central and southern Mexico on Christmas Eve.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword christmas recipes, vegan bacalao, vegan mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings 6 Servings
Author Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 10 Plum tomatoes, medium, (3 cups roasted tomato puree)
  • 1 White onion, diced, (about 2 cups)
  • 6 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 cans (14 oz.) Chickpeas, drained, mashed with a fork
  • 1/3 cup Sliced, pitted manzanilla olives
  • 1 tbsp. Capers
  • 3 Red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, cut into strips
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1-2 tsp. Finely chopped nori flakes
  • 1 lb. New potatoes, cooked, peeled, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
  • 3 Pickled pepperoni or banana peppers whole or sliced

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven broiler to HI. Place tomatoes on a sheet try and place under the broiler for 4 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to brown and be covered in black spots.
  2. Turn the tomatoes and leave in oven for 4 more minutes. Remove from oven. Using your blender, process until you have a smooth puree. Strain and set aside.
  3. Heat a large pot to medium-low heat and add ¼ cup of water. Add onions and let cook until tender and transparent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 more minute.
  4. Pour in tomato puree, and bring it up to a simmer.

  5. Add chickpeas, olives, capers, red peppers, bay leaf, and nori flakes. Continue to simmer for 5-6 minutes. Stir well.

  6. Add parsley, potatoes, pickled banana peppers. Let simmer for 8 more minutes. If the sauce thickens too much, adjust with vegetable stock or water.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chef's Notes

If you are looking for a fishy taste use 2 tsp. of nori flakes. Serve with rice or crusty bread. The pickled pepper can be spicy or mild depending on your preference. In some states they add raisins and slivered almonds, you can add those as well. If you would like to add more texture to the dish you can add hearts of palm or artichoke hearts.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through, and make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

 

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Ultimate Vegan Latino Gift Guide

Christmas time is here and your favorite vegan Latino(a) friend is going to love these gifts!! They are inspired by our love of Latino culture or they are made or curated by Latino business owners and entrepreneurs. It might sound cheesy, but this is the ultimate vegan latino gift guide. Así que ponte las pilas (get it together), and buy this for your significant other.

This post contains affiliate links.

Calaca Red Velour Turban

This one is so beautiful, I wish I could pull it off. Handmade by Mexican-born, San Diego native, Jessica Resendiz. She creates beautiful pieces inspired by her cultura, like this turban inspired by el Día de los Muertos. You can find out more about this gorgeous piece, and much more here.

 

Loly in the Sky Shoes

 

I can’t decide between these two, but Loly in the Sky has a wide variety of vegan shoes and bags that are incredibly fashionable. Founded by Mexican entrepreneurs Lorena and Eduardo Vazquez these shoes are handcrafted in León, Guanajuato. You can find more shoes here.

Vegan Tamales Unwrapped

I couldn’t leave this one out. A practical guide to make vegan tamales step-by-step. There are more than 16 different vegan tamal recipes and over 50 detailed pictures on how to make them. This one is authored by yours truly, me, a Mexican born vegan chef and entrepreneur. Take a look inside Vegan Tamales Unwrapped

Don Ramon T-Shirt

Should I even explain who Don Ramon is? This cool t-shirt is made by No Manches Clothing a company started by two Latino Chicago natives,  Miguel Angel, Chris, and Jorge. Their designs are inspired by culture, humor, and satire. Find more designs here.

Virgencita Vintage Jacket

Oh my gosh! I want all of these gifts. Hint, hint….husband. This jacket is made by Hija de Tu Madre, founded by Paty Delgado. Hija de tu Madre is an online store for Latinx inspired clothes, purses, and accessories. Find more beautiful items here.

Lil’ Libros

Lil’ Libros was started by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein, both CA natives. They have created beautiful bilingual first concept board books, using stories and imagery from Latino culture. They are super cute, and the kids love them. I have the Loteria, and the Virgencita one. Check out the rest of them here. 

Good Mexican Girl Cookies

An artisanal bakery that specializes in vegan and gluten-free selections. They ship to your home, but it is only available in the U.S. Their specialty are Mexican wedding cookies or polvorones. To find out more click here.

Chingona Bracelet

Lisa Ila Rocha, based in L.A design jewelry by Mexican and Native American culture. Her designs are delicate, colorful, and on point. I could probably add like 10 more pictures of her pieces that I really like, but go see them for yourself. Click here.

Petit Vour Vegan Beauty Subscription Box

Ok, so this is not Latino related, but I decided to include it anyway. The simplicity of the concept, and the quality of the products make this subscription service so worth it. Petit Vour curates vegan beauty products in sample sizes and sends them to you every month! The items are also available for individual purchase on their site. Go check them out.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Gift Set

 

This Mexican hot chocolate gift set includes artisanal Mexican chocolate, a wooden molinillo for frothing your chocolate, and a red clay pot to bring it all together. This gift is from Hernán, a company founded by Isela Hernández, who turns out it is from the border town across from where I grew up, Del Rio,TX. She works hand in hand with artisan producers in Mexico to create or curate these products and sell them in the U.S. They also have a really good mole paste that is vegan! Visit her site here. 

Hola Bitches Notebook

These notebook is for your artistic or journaling friend. Hola Bitches is the brand of the Mexican gift shop Artelexia, which was founded by Elexia de la Parra, a Mexican herself. She travels the country looking for unique products for her Mexican gift shop, and she also organizes food tours of Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende. There are many more great items to choose from here.

Mango Enchilado Bath Bomb

The cutest bath bomb ever! They are made by Brewbles, the creation of Catheryn Estefania Rodriguez Rangel, a 24 year old Xilangx/Mexican Immigrant. They are Inspired by cultura, and the nostalgic memories of her childhood. There are many other options on her site, but go quick because they sell out fast.

Concha Earrings

I love conchas, and what better way to celebrate them than to wear them. They are hand made by Stephanie Figueroa of the Monocled Mermaid shop on Etsy. She is a local San Antonio artist, you can find her here.

 

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The Perfect Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate

It has taken me some time to finally come up with an acceptable vegan version of Mexican hot chocolate. First we tested different types of Mexican chocolates until we found the best one.  Then we tested different types of plant milks, until finally we did it! This creamy, foamy, rich, and delicious vegan Mexican hot chocolate has a hint a cinnamon and just the right amount of sweetness.

This creamy, foamy, rich, and delicious vegan Mexican hot chocolate has a hint a cinnamon and just the right amount of sweetness.

We tried 4 different types of plant milks for this recipe: coconut, almond, macadamia, and soy. I chose not to test rice and oat milk, because I thought they would be to thin and watery. The almond milk was our least favorite, which was a surprise, because I thought it was going to be the best one. The flavor was a little bit bitter, the texture thin, but it did foam up really well. Our next least favorite was the coconut milk. The coconut flavor completely overpowered everything, and the texture was almost too fatty. You could feel the fat coating your mouth, and not in a good way. The foam was average. One of our favorites was the macadamia nut milk. The flavor of the macadamia milk was very subtle, and the texture was creamy without being overpowering. The foam was average. Our favorite out of all of them was the soy milk. This was a complete surprise to me. The soy milk really let the chocolate shine through, the texture was just the right amount of creamy, and the foam was thick and bubbly.

This creamy, foamy, rich, and delicious vegan Mexican hot chocolate has a hint a cinnamon and just the right amount of sweetness.

(Just on a side note: The beautiful napkin you see in the picture is from Kari of the site Beautiful Ingredient., a vegan blog focused on bringing in more plant- based meals into your daily life. The napkins are handmade and vegan. You can also find coasters, pot holders, and dishcloths. You can find them on her site or on her shop on Food52.)

This creamy, foamy, rich, and delicious vegan Mexican hot chocolate has a hint a cinnamon and just the right amount of sweetness.

The family and I are still enjoying time at my parents’ house and we are having a blast. Christmas and New Years was great, I didn’t realize how much I really missed them, and how far away Hawaii really is. It’s time to get back to work though, and I’ve been busy trying to find the best spot to take pictures and start developing new recipes. I didn’t make any New Years resolutions this time, instead I chose a word to keep me motivated the whole year. My word is perseverance: steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. No matter what this year brings, good or bad, we will persevere. With God’s help of course. How was your holiday?

The Recipe: The Perfect Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate

To make this amazing vegan Mexican hot chocolate we used the TAZA chocolate Mexicano cinnamon tablets, soy milk, and a hand blender to get the foam just right. If you are a traditionalist you can use a molinillo or if you prefer convenience you can use a blender. Serve with these marranitos de piloncillo or these vegan conchas. 

This creamy, foamy, rich, and delicious vegan Mexican hot chocolate has a hint a cinnamon and just the right amount of sweetness.
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The Perfect Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate

Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Author Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 pckg. (2.7 oz) Taza Chocolate Mexicano, cinnamon
  • 2 cups Soy milk

Preparation

  1. In a medium sauce pot, heat the milk over medium heat until just about to simmer.

  2. Chop chocolate, and add to pot. 

  3. Whisk until the chocolate dissolves. Be careful not to overheat the milk.

  4. Remove the pot from the heat and froth with a molinillo, hand blender, or blender. 

  5. Serve while hot and frothy. 

Chef's Notes

You can find several flavors of Taza Chocolate Mexicano, use your favorite. 

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Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese

Are you still looking for a great New Years appetizer? This baked Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great option. It is crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside. It is perfect with a glass of wine, some crackers, and fruit. It will wow even your most skeptical omni friend!

This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

I bet you didn’t think a vegan version of Brie en Croute could be possible, but it is. Of course, the cheese is nothing like an actual brie, but this homemade macadamia nut cheese works wonderfully.

This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

It has been a very busy last couple of weeks. We have left Hawaii and are currently in Mexico enjoying time with our family. Yay! There’s no other way to say it, but that Hawaii was not our forever home. We will miss the wonderful friends we made, our amazing homeschool group, and of course the amazing beaches and hikes.

This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

The main reason for our departure was that the cost of living in Hawaii is incredibly high, which made many things difficult for us. I guess we knew that before going there, but we just didn’t grasp how high it really is. The other thing that was difficult was finding a school for our children. Thus why we decided to homeschool. Homeschooling has many benefits and I did find that I enjoyed it very much, but it didn’t come without its challenges. If you are thinking about moving to Hawaii or you have plans to move there send me an email and I would be happy to go into more detail.

This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

Overall I am glad we got the opportunity to live in Hawaii and to get to know the culture and the people, even if it was just for a little while. Our future is uncertain as of right now, but I always like to look at our moves as a new adventure, and I really hope this is going to be a great one!

This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

The Recipe: Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese

Vegan puff pastry was not difficult to find, just check the ingredients to make sure it is made with vegetable shortening instead of butter. If you cannot find it, you can use phyllo dough instead. The quince paste you can find at your local hispanic grocery store as “ate de membrillo” or most mainstream grocery stores carry it in the fancy cheese section. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with any fruit preserve you choose.

This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.
5 from 1 vote
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Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese

Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 Puff pastry sheet, defrosted
  • 1 recipe Macadamia nut cheese, (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup Quince paste

Preparation

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.

  2. Unfold the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. 

    This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

  3. Roll out the puff pastry to a square twice the size of the cheese. 

  4. Cut of the corners to make a sort of circle. 

    This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

  5. Place the quince paste in the center of the sheet, then place the cheese on top. 

    This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

  6. Brush the edge of the circle with water.

    This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.
  7. Fold the top and bottom sides over the cheese and trim edges
    This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

  8. Press the side edges over the center of the cheese and press to seal.

    This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

  9. Flip the wrapped cheese so it is seam-side down on the baking sheet. 

    This Puff Pastry with Quince and Macadamia Nut Cheese is a great vegan appetizer, crispy on the outside, and sweet and savory on the inside.

  10. Decorate with the pastry scraps, if desired. ( I did a flower)

  11. Brush with water

  12. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.  

Chef's Notes

You can find the recipe for macadamia nut cheese here.

Vegan puff pastry was not difficult to find, just check the ingredients to make sure it is made with vegetable shortening instead of butter. If you cannot find it, you can use phyllo dough instead. The quince paste you can find at your local Hispanic grocery store as "ate de membrillo" or most mainstream grocery stores carry it in the fancy cheese section. If you can't find it, you can substitute with any fruit preserve you choose.

 

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