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Vegan Chiles Rellenos

Sometimes the heart wants what it wants, and it just so happens that this heart wants chiles rellenos.  Are vegan chiles rellenos even possible? Yes they are my friends! At first, I was doubtful, I wasn’t sure of this was going to work, but after a couple of tries, the result was truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, and spicy. Everything a chile relleno should be.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

I just want to be crystal clear and honest with you, and tell you that they are not healthy. They are fried in oil, lots of it! However, they are still 100% vegan. A couple of weeks ago I told you that I was trying to drop oil from my diet, and I am still trying (very unsuccessfully). How weird is it that I had an easier time giving up dairy? Like I said before though, sometimes there are special occasions and moments in our lives that call for a special dish and nothing else will do except a chile relleno. However, if you are looking for a healthy option you can try this chile relleno stuffed with quinoa, zucchini, and corn that is topped with a chipotle cream sauce.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

The Recipe: Vegan Chiles Rellenos

For this version I have stuffed the chiles with two types of cheeses. I am not a fan of the processed vegan cheeses, but I finally found one that I actually like Chao vegan cheese. The other one is stuffed with my macadamia nut queso fresco. Both of the cheeses worked very well with the dish. The Follow Your Heart cheese is very much like a traditional cheese, you can grate it, slice it, and melt it. The macadamia nut cheese behaves like a queso fresco, you can spread it but not melt it. I think it worked very well in the chiles rellenos. I like both of them, but be sure to try them and let me know which one is your favorite. Enjoy!

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.

Vegan Chiles Rellenos

Vegan Chiles Rellenos, filled with cheese and fried until golden and crispy, served on a tomato sauce.
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chiles rellenos, vegan mexican
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 4 Poblano peppers, roasted, peeled
  • 10 oz. Vegan cheese*
  • 3 Tomatoes, large
  • 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
  • ½ Onion, peeled, chopped
  • 2 -3 cups Vegetable oil

Batter

  • 1/2 cup Flour, all-purpose
  • 1/2 cup Cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp. .Kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup Soda water, cold

Instructions

  • Once your poblano chiles are roasted and peeled, using a knife, make a vertical cut from the stem to the tip of the chile.
  • Fill with your favorite vegan cheese, close the chile, and secure with toothpicks. Set aside.
  • To make the sauce: Place the tomatoes, garlic, and onion in the blender and process until smooth.
  • Heat a medium sauce pot to medium heat and add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 7 – 10 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • To make the batter: combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in soda water and whisk until combined. It should have the consistency of a thin pancake batter. 
  • Heat two inches of oil in a high sided pan to 360°F. Dip each chile into the batter, letting excess drip off, then place in oil and fry until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.
  • Remove the chiles and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
  • Serve the chile on top of a plate of the tomato sauce

Notes

My favorite vegan cheese for chiles rellenos is Chao cheese, which comes in slices, but I grated it anyway on a box grater. I have also made this with my macadamia nut queso fresco, which doesn’t melt, but behaves very much like a fresh farmer’s cheese. Both cheeses gave good results.
If you want the batter to be yellowish like traditional chiles rellenos you can add 1/4 tsp. of turmeric to the batter.

 

 

 

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Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos

Rajas con crema is one of those true Mexican comfort dishes. Poblano peppers are roasted over an open flame, peeled, cut into strips, then sauted with onion, garlic, and corn. A thick, slightly sour “crema” is poured over the whole thing. It is spicy, creamy, and incredibly satisfying. Of course, the best way to eat this is in a taco. These vegan rajas con crema tacos will even impress your omnivore friends.

Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos is one of those true Mexican comfort dishes. Poblano peppers are roasted over an open flame, peeled, cut into strips, then sauted with onion, garlic, and corn. A thick, slightly sour "crema" is poured over the whole thing. It is spicy, creamy, and incredibly satisfying

There’s something about the smell of roasting poblano peppers that evokes so many food memories and recipes. Before going to culinary school my dad had me work at his restaurant for 6 months. Let’s just say the cooks weren’t too happy to have me around. I peeled a lot of potatoes and cracked a lot of eggs. I’ll never forget the time they had me roast and peel tray after tray of poblano peppers. They of course could do it without even thinking, no gloves, quickly, one after the other. I think it took me about 3 hours to get them done, and by the end I was almost crying (or maybe I was crying) because my hands were burning. I’m sure they had a kick out of that.

Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos is one of those true Mexican comfort dishes. Poblano peppers are roasted over an open flame, peeled, cut into strips, then sauted with onion, garlic, and corn. A thick, slightly sour "crema" is poured over the whole thing. It is spicy, creamy, and incredibly satisfying

Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos is one of those true Mexican comfort dishes. Poblano peppers are roasted over an open flame, peeled, cut into strips, then sauted with onion, garlic, and corn. A thick, slightly sour "crema" is poured over the whole thing. It is spicy, creamy, and incredibly satisfying

Poblano chiles are readily available almost anywhere in the United States. I am even able to find them here in Hawaii! They are very versatile and can be used in soups, tacos, pasta, enchiladas, stews, and they can even be stuffed and fried. They are relatively mild on the heat scale depending on where you live. Roasting and peeling them is not complicated, as you can see in this video. This is a perfect summer dish for using up all of the sweet, tender corn at your farmer’s market. If you are staying away from nuts, you can omit the “crema” and serve with a salsa instead.

Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos is one of those true Mexican comfort dishes. Poblano peppers are roasted over an open flame, peeled, cut into strips, then sauted with onion, garlic, and corn. A thick, slightly sour "crema" is poured over the whole thing. It is spicy, creamy, and incredibly satisfying

The heat here in Hawaii is starting to rise and ice cream, paletas, and aguas frescas have been on my mind lately. What recipes would you like to see?

The Recipe: Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos

This recipe is pretty straight forward. You can skip the roasting of the poblano peppers if you’re in a hurry, but they will not be as tender as if you had roasted them. The crema can me made without oil by substituting it with unsweetened almond milk. I use the almonds with the peel on because I prefer the flavor, but if you are looking for a really white crema, you can use blanched almonds instead. Enjoy!

Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos is one of those true Mexican comfort dishes. Poblano peppers are roasted over an open flame, peeled, cut into strips, then sauted with onion, garlic, and corn. A thick, slightly sour "crema" is poured over the whole thing. It is spicy, creamy, and incredibly satisfying

Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos

Vegan Rajas con Crema tacos, roasted poblano peppers sautéed with onion, garlic, and corn and bathed in an almond crema.
4.46 from 11 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: poblano peppers, rajas con crema, vegan tacos
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Dora Stone

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 5 Poblano peppers,roasted, peeled, seeded, cut into strips
  • 1/4 Water
  • 1 Onion, white, large, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 ears Corn, kernels sliced off
  • ½ cup Vegetable stock or broth

Crema: (see note)

  • ½ cup Almonds, raw
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • ¾ cup Water
  • ¼ cup Almond milk, unsweetened or vegetable oil (see note)
  • 1 tbsp. Lemon juice fresh

Instructions

To make the filling:

  • Heat a large sauté pan to medium heat, add water. Add the onion and sweat for 2-3 minutes or until it is tender and translucent.
  • Add corn, garlic, and ½ cup of vegetable stock, cover and let steam until corn is tender, about 3 – 4 minutes.
  • Add the poblano peppers and let cook for 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Almond Crema:

  • Place the almonds, garlic, water,almond milk, and lemon juice in the blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the almond crema over the cooled filling and mix well.
  • Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Video

Notes

If you are a no-oil vegan use unsweetened almond milk for the crema, but if you don't mind oil use a mild vegetable oil for a super smooth sauce.
If you don't have a high powered blender soak the almonds the night before, peel them the next day, and use only 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water. 

Here are some other delicious taco recipes you can try as well:

25 Vegan Tacos for 5 de Mayo

Chickpea and Spinach Tacos

Spicy Zucchini Black Bean Tacos

Carrot and Sweet Potato Tinga Tacos

Potato and Chorizo Tacos

 

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Vegan Roasted Tomatillo Enchiladas

We are moving to Hawaii!!! I don’t even know where to begin. I am nervous, excited, sad, a little bit of everything. Are there any vegans in Hawaii? How about Mexicans? We have never been there, so I don’t know what to expect.

Vegan roasted tomatillo enchiladas, filled with sautéed onions, garlic, poblano peppers, and pinto beans. Bathed in salsa and almond crema.

The start date for my husband’s new job is the last week week of April. I know, so soon! The good thing is we have done this so many times before that the packing process does not seem daunting anymore. Nevertheless, there is a lot of work to be done.

Vegan roasted tomatillo enchiladas, filled with sautéed onions, garlic, poblano peppers, and pinto beans. Bathed in salsa and almond crema.

Our life continues to be a wonderful adventure, Maryland, D.C, Carlsbad, South Carolina, Orange County, and now Hawaii. I hope our kids remember it that way and don’t suffer too much from leaving their friends behind. All I have to say, is that this blog just got a whole lot more interesting! Sourcing ingredients might be a challenge though, but I plan to continue making delicious vegan Mexican recipes. Even if it’s on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Vegan roasted tomatillo enchiladas, filled with sautéed onions, garlic, poblano peppers, and pinto beans. Bathed in salsa and almond crema.

The funny thing is, when I was a teenager I wanted to be a missionary. I had rose colored visions of traveling the world helping people and serving God. Sometimes I still think about it and how amazing it would’ve been. Well, it turns out I did become a sort of missionary. Maybe not quite the way I had in mind, but God has his ways and they are definitely a mystery. Everywhere I go I try to be a witness of God’s love and mercy, and help others as much as I can. Now I get to do that in Hawaii, and wherever else we might go next.

Vegan roasted tomatillo enchiladas, filled with sautéed onions, garlic, poblano peppers, and pinto beans. Bathed in salsa and almond crema.

 

I am sad though, because I’m going to miss our wonderful friends who have supported us and helped us out in so many ways. We will never be able to repay them. Fran & Ren, Marisa & Neil, and Kristen & Jeremy we love you and will miss you terribly, but don’t think because we are far away that you will be getting rid us. You are stuck with us forever. No matter how far away we are, you know you can always count on us.

I guess we should talk about the recipe now, but stay tuned to find out what it will be like for a vegan Mexican and her family to move to Hawaii. #mexicaninhawaii

Vegan roasted tomatillo enchiladas, filled with sautéed onions, garlic, poblano peppers, and pinto beans. Bathed in salsa and almond crema.

The Recipe: Vegan Roasted Tomatillo Enchiladas

One of my sisters has become vegan!!! Vegan I say!! Can you believe it? She requested a recipe for enchiladas and I was happy to oblige. Roasted tomatillo enchiladas are one of my favorites. The tortillas are filled with sautéed onions, garlic, poblano peppers, corn, and pinto beans. Then they are bathed in a savory roasted tomatillo sauce and drizzled in a smooth almond crema. Top them with thinly sliced onions and some chopped cilantro. You can make this a quick dinner by buying already made tomatillo salsa. Enjoy!

Vegan roasted tomatillo enchiladas, filled with sautéed onions, garlic, poblano peppers, and pinto beans. Bathed in salsa and almond crema.

Vegan Roasted Tomatillo Enchiladas

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Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Dora Stone

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 tbsp. Vegetable oil, optional
  • 1/2 Onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 cup Corn, kernels
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable stock
  • 2 Poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, cut into strips
  • 1 cup Pinto beans, canned

Almond Crema

  • 1/2 cup Almonds raw
  • 1/4 cup Soy milk unsweetened
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 1 tsp. Lemon juice

Garnish

  • 12 tortillas
  • 3 cups Tomatillo salsa (see note)
  • 1/2 Onion sliced into paper thin rings
  • 1 tbsp. Cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • To make the filling: heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a large sauté pan to medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add onions and sauté for 3 - 4 minutes, or until almost the onions are tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add corn and 1/4 cup of vegetable stock. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the corn is tender. Add poblano pepper and beans and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
  • To make the almond crema: place all ingredients in the blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  • To assemble: Warm corn tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds or in the oven at 350F on a sheet tray for 5 min. Just enough so that the tortillas are soft enough to be rolled.
  • Spread 2-3 tbsp. of the tomatillo sauce on the bottom of a 9 x13 baking dish Place 1 tbsp. of filling on each tortilla. Roll and place on baking dish. Continue this process until you have used up all the tortillas and the entire filling.
  • Pour the rest of the tomatillo sauce on top of the enchiladas and bake in oven for 5 – 10 min. or until the enchiladas are warm. Remove from the oven and drizzle almond crema on top.
  • Garnish with onion slices and chopped cilantro.

Notes

To make this a quick weeknight dinner you can buy the sauce already made and skip the roasting and peeling of the poblano peppers. You can find a recipe for a tomatillo salsa here.

 

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Homemade Vegan Chorizo

Chorizo is one of my comfort foods. Nothing beats a breakfast of huevos con chorizo, warm corn tortillas and salsa molcajeteada. Of course as a vegan, there aren’t many chorizo options. This recipe though, might change your mind about vegan chorizo. This has to be my most tested recipe. I tried many versions of this, one made with quinoa, one with tempeh, another with tofu, and one with just mushrooms. After many failed chorizo attempts, I give you the best homemade vegan chorizo recipe you will be able to find.

This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

The recipe takes a little bit of time, but believe it is worth it. This chorizo is spicy and crumbly, with tons of umami flavor and notes of clove and coriander. To make this chorizo you first have to press the tofu for 30 minutes. Place in between two plates with a heavy object on top. This eliminates the excess water in the tofu, creating a better texture for the chorizo. Then crumble it into a large bowl.

chiles

Take your dry chiles, and remove the stems and seeds. Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop the chiles inside. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and let sit for 10 minutes.

This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

Remove the chiles from the water and place in the blender. Reserve ½ cup of the chile soaking liquid. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, paprika, coriander, apple cider vinegar, and ¼ cup of soaking liquid to the blender and process until smooth. If necessary add the remaining ¼ cup of the soaking liquid to get things moving in the blender. Strain the chile mixture. Add half of it to the crumbled tofu.

This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

Mince your mushrooms finely. I recommend you do this with a knife not a food processor. Sauté them until golden brown and a bit crispy. Add the remaining half of the chile puree and cook for a couple more minutes until the mixture has thickened.

This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

Sauté the tofu until golden brown and crispy. In a large bowl combine the cooked mushrooms and tofu and check your seasoning. The chorizo possibilities are now endless. I will be making papas con chorizo, torta de chorizo, sopes con chorizo, and many more dishes. I can’t wait for you to try them. Enjoy!

This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.

The Recipe: Homemade Vegan Chorizo

The finished chorizo will keep in your fridge for 3-5 days, or you can freeze for up to 3 months. To increase the spiciness add more chile de arbol.

homemade vegan chorizo

Homemade Vegan Chorizo

This recipe for homemade vegan chorizo is the only one you will ever need. It is spicy and crumbly, with notes of clove and coriander.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: homemade, soyrizo, vegan chorizo
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 15 oz. (almost a pound!)
Author: Dora Stone

Ingredients

  • 1 block (12 oz.) Tofu, extra firm
  • ½ lb. Mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 6 Chile guajillo, dried, seeded
  • 2 Chile ancho, dried, seeded
  • 4 Chile de arbol, dried
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp. Oregano, dried
  • ½ tsp. Cumin, ground
  • 2 Cloves, whole
  • 1 tbsp. Paprika, ground
  • ½ tsp. Coriander, ground
  • ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. Vegetable oil, optional

Instructions

  • Remove tofu from package and place in between two small plates. Place a can on top of the plates and leave like this for 30 min.
  • Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and discard them. Drop the chiles into the boiling water. Turn heat down to the lowest setting and let the chiles sit in the water for 10 min.
  • Remove the chiles from the water and place in blender. Reserve ½ cup of the chile soaking liquid.
  • Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, paprika, coriander, apple cider vinegar, and ¼ cup of soaking liquid to the blender and process until smooth. If necessary add the remaining ¼ cup of the soaking liquid to get things moving in the blender.
  • Season the chile mixture with salt and pepper and pass through a fine strainer. Set aside.
  • Drain the water from the tofu and crumble with your hands into a large bowl. Pour half of the pureed chile mixture into the bowl with the tofu and stir to combine. Set aside.
  • Heat a large sauté pan to high heat and add 1 tbsp. of oil. Once the oil is hot add the finely chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 6-7 min.
  • Lower heat to medium-low and pour in the remaining half of the chile mixture. Stir and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to absorb the chile mixture. Remove from pan and place in a large bowl.
  • Heat a non-stick sauté pan set to medium heat, add 1 tbsp. of oil. Add the tofu mixture and continue to cook until the liquid begins to evaporate and tofu becomes crispy, 7-8 minutes. You can make the tofu as crispy as you like. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pan or the tofu will never get crispy.)
  • Pour cooked tofu mixture into the bowl with the mushrooms and mix well to combine. Adjust seasoning.

Video

Notes

The finished chorizo will keep in your fridge for 3- 5 days, or you can freeze for up to 3 months. You can add it to your tofu scramble, tacos, tortas, sopes, etc. To increase the spiciness add more chile de arbol.

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