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Gallina Pinta (Bean and Hominy Soup)

Gallina Pinta is a beautiful thick stew of pinto beans, hominy, Anaheim Chile, and herbs. Served with a splash of lime juice, chopped cilantro, onion, and Chile chiltepin. It is a dish so local to the state of Sonora that you might not have heard of it before!

pinto beans soaking in a pink bowl on a stone surface

Traditionally it is made with beef, but for this vegan version, we are simply omitting it, and believe me when I say that it is equally delicious! What makes this recipe so special is that it’s made in the slow-cooker. Hours of slow simmering produces tender beans and bursting hominy (The real stuff here!! No cans were used in the production of this recipe).

beans, hominy, onion, garlic, anaheim chile in a slow cooker covered in water

Our Vegan Mexico Project

This recipe is part of an amazing project called Our Vegan Mexico, where 32 talented cooks will be showcasing, right here on Dora’s Table, 32 vegan Mexican recipes. Each recipe will be representing one state of the Mexican union.

Bean and hominy soup in a large pot

With this project, I am hoping to encourage the Mexican community in the U.S., and the people of my country to take a chance and make the change to a plant-based diet. This recipe, which is representing the state of Sonora, is the creation of the talented Natalia Vanegas, and here she is sharing her story with us.

bean and hominy soup in a large pot with a full ladle lifted up over the soup

Natalia’s Story:

Changing my diet has been a long process, it didn’t happen overnight. I began a diet to lose weight which recommended the elimination of all dairy products and red meats. I could only eat chicken or fish 1-2 times per week. I followed this diet for two months until I accomplished my weight-loss goal, but since I was feeling so great I considered the possibility of becoming vegetarian, consequently, I began to eliminate all meat from my diet.

Gallina pinta soup in a melon colored bowl with toast on the side

I continued to cook for my family as I always had, but when serving the food I would simply not put the meat on my plate, on occasion I would eat fish though. Around the same time, late 2010 I watched a video by the activist Gary Yourofsky, this caused a great impact in my life and it was the first time I heard the term “vegan”, but at that moment I didn’t know how to make such a drastic change. It was clear to me that consuming cow’s milk was completely unnecessary and in certain cases, it could be harmful to your health. I began consuming soy milk or almond milk, but every once in a while I would eat cheese when I was traveling, in restaurants or at social reunions.

Gallina pinta soup in a melon colored bowl surrounded by lime, toasted bread

It wasn’t until 2017, when I had more nutritional information at my disposal, that I decided to stop being a closeted vegetarian and become fully plant-based. I am now more conscious of the nutrients my body needs. I still cook my favorite foods but in vegan versions; I eat a lot of grains and legumes, that, of course, I had eaten before, but not often. I enjoy cooking so much more now, and I often experiment with new ingredients and different types of recipes. Blogs like Dora’s have been a great help with their recipes and stories of their daily lives, tips of places to eat, and products to use. This makes it easy to live vegan and still enjoy good food!

Lime being squeezed into gallina pinta bowl of soup

The Recipe: Gallina Pinta

  • If you can’t find dry hominy, you can use canned. Add it during the final ½ hour of cooking.
  • You can also make this in your instant pot on manual setting, high pressure for 40 min.
  • I recommend you slow cook this, it is well known that slow cooked beans are so much better!
  • If your slow cooker is small, half the recipe.
  • If you can’t find Anaheim peppers, you can use serrano peppers, but the flavor will change. Some people also prepare it with chile guajillo (chile Colorado) which is essentially dried anaheim pepper.
  • The original recipe contains beef, but you can substitute with jackfruit, mushrooms or your favorite meat substitute. I prefer to simply omit the beef and I quite enjoy it. Enjoy!!
Gallina pinta soup in a melon colored bowl surrounded by lime, toasted bread

GALLINA PINTA

Gallina Pinta Soup, a thick stew of beans and hominy made in the Sonora style, an authentic Mexican recipe gone vegan
4.12 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: gallina pinta, vegan mexican recipes, vegan soups
Prep Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 12 hours
Servings: 8 -10 people
Calories: 302kcal
Author: Natalia Vanegas

Ingredients

  • 14 oz. Pinto beans, dried
  • 14 oz. Dried Pozole, (prepared hominy)
  • 1 head Garlic, peeled
  • 1 White onion, cut into ¼’s
  • 1 Anaheim pepper, stemmed and deseeded (increase quantity according to taste)
  • 1 tbps. Coriander seeds
  • 1 gallon Water
  • Salt to taste, add at the end when the hominy has “burst”

Garnish:

Instructions

  • Clean the beans and soak them for 8 – 12 hours, discard the soaking water and rinse the beans.
  • Place the hominy in a strainer and rinse until the water is clear.
  • Place the beans, hominy, garlic, onion, Anaheim pepper, and coriander seeds in the slow-cooker. Add water (according to the instructions on your slow cooker). Cook on low for 12 hours.
  • Check periodically and add more water if necessary.
  • When the beans are cooked and the hominy has “burst”, remove the chile skins and add salt to taste.
  • Serve hot in large bowl. Place garnishes on the table so everyone can garnish their own plate.

Notes

I recommend you slow cook this, it is well known that slow cooked beans are so much better!
If your slow cooker is small, half the recipe.
If you can’t find Anaheim peppers, you can use serrano peppers, but the flavor will change. Some people also prepare it with chile guajillo (chile Colorado) which is essentially dried Anaheim pepper.
The original recipe contains beef, but you can substitute with jackfruit, mushrooms or your favorite meat substitute. I prefer to simply omit the beef and I quite enjoy it. Enjoy!!

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 992mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 15.3mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 4.5mg
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Vegan Matamoros Style Seafood Stew

This vegan Matamoros style seafood stew is a spicy, tangy, and hearty stew of oyster mushrooms, chickpeas, hearts of palm, and corn simmered in a chile-tomato broth. It is served with chopped cilantro, a splash of lime juice, and tostadas.

Dulse flakes, garlic, oregano, and chile powder in a large pot

This stew is somewhat similar to the caldo de siete mares, which is a classic Mexican seafood soup. This version besides being vegan, is delicious and full of a wide variety of vegetables. It gets its fishiness from dulse flakes, which are sun-dried seaweed flakes rich in fiber, protein, vitamin B12, and omega-3.

(Matamoros is a city in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It is a border town with Brownsville, TX and it is located 28 miles from the coast of the gulf of Mexico.)

Tomato and guajillo chiles added to the pot with the dulse flake mixture

Our Vegan Mexico Project

This recipe is part of an amazing project called Our Vegan Mexico, where 32 talented cooks will be showcasing, right here on Dora’s Table, 32 vegan Mexican recipes. Each recipe will be representing one state of the Mexican union.

With this project, I am hoping to encourage the Mexican community in the U.S., and the people of my country to take a chance and make the change to a plant-based diet. This recipe, which is representing the state of Tamaulipas, is the creation of the talented chef Eddie Garza from @theeddiegarza and here he is sharing his story with us.

Eddie’s Story:

Every November I celebrate my veganiversary. This year, I’m celebrating my Sweet Sixteen! It’s been an amazing journey.

I was born and raised in the South Texas border town of Brownsville, right across the Rio Grande River from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. My hometown slogan is “On the border, by the Sea.” And as the slogan suggests, Mexican style seafood a big part of the culture. Unfortunately, chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease caused by obesity is also a big part of the culture.

Blender container with blended chile sauce for vegan seafood stew

Like many of my classmates, I was a chubby kid. And every year I got bigger and bigger. By the time I finished high school, I weighed close to 250 pounds. For a 5’7” 18 year-old, that’s a lot. But it didn’t stop there. I finally maxed out at 310 pounds and I was always sick and injured (because my ankles couldn’t keep up with my rapid weight gain). I hit my rock bottom when I was diagnosed as prediabetic right after college.

Pot filled with sauteed mushrooms, carrots, celery, and onion

Thankfully, things turned around for me after meeting a new friend who taught me how to feed myself better. I began eating less of the fatty meat-centric meals that were harming my body and eating more fruits and vegetables. After 5 years of trying to go fully vegan, I finally did it. And I lost 150 pounds along the way. Now, 16 years later, I feel better than ever! And what’s really amazing is that I still get to enjoy all the same flavors I loved growing up on the SoTex-Mex border in a healthy plant-based way.

vegan seafood stew in a large pot. A ladle dunk in to show the stew

Today, I’m delighted to share a veganized version of one of our fall family favorites. It’s a Matamoros style seafood stew that features hearts of palms, oyster mushrooms, and chickpeas instead of sea animals. What gives this lip-smacking stew it’s sea-like flavor is dulse seaweed, which I love using for all my plant-based seafood dishes. I hope you love it as much as I do. ¡Buen provecho!

A white and blue bowl filled with vegan seafood stew surrounded by lime, chiles, and cilantro

The Recipe: Matamoros Style Seafood Stew

  • If you can’t find dulse flakes, you can use ground up nori seaweed.
  • Potatoes make a great addition to this!
  • You can also add zucchini or chayote.
  • Any mushroom would do, but preferably try to find oyster mushrooms.
  • Serve with tostadas.

A white and blue bowl filled with vegan seafood stew surrounded by lime, chiles, and cilantro

A white and blue bowl filled with vegan seafood stew surrounded by lime, chiles, and cilantro

Matamoros Style Seafood Stew

This vegan Matamoros style seafood stew is a spicy, tangy, and hearty stew of oyster mushrooms, chickpeas, hearts of palm, and corn simmered in a chile-tomato broth. It is served with chopped cilantro, a splash of lime juice, and tostadas.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, veganmexican
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 207kcal
Author: Eddie Garza

Ingredients

  • 8 Dried guajillo chiles, soaked, seeded and chopped
  • 2 tbsp. Vegetable oil divided
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • ½ tbsp. Dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. Black pepper
  • 2 tsp. Ground cumin
  • 2 tsp. Ancho chile powder
  • 1 tsp. Chipotle powder
  • 2 tbsp. Dulse flakes
  • 4-5 Roma tomatoes roasted and peeled
  • 8 ounces Tomato sauce
  • 2 Carrots diced medium
  • 1 Medium onion diced medium
  • 3 Stalks celery diced medium
  • 8 ounces Oyster mushrooms separated
  • 4 cups Vegetable stock
  • 14 ounces Hearts of palm, half diced in rings, half julienned
  • 4 ears Fresh corn on the cob broken into halves
  • 1 ½ cups Chickpeas, cooked
  • ½ cup Cilantro, chopped (garnish)
  • Lime wedges (garnish)

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large soup pot, and sauté the garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, cumin, ancho chile powder, chipotle powder, and dulse flakes for 3 minutes. Add the rehydrated guajillo chiles, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Purée the mix (the soup base) with an immersion blender (or in batches with a conventional blender). Transfer the soup base to a bowl and set aside.
  • In the same pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat and sauté the carrots, onions, celery and mushrooms for 4 minutes. Return the soup base to the pot. Add the vegetable stock, and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add the hearts of palm, corn on the cob and chickpeas. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

  • If you can’t find dulse flakes, you can use ground up nori seaweed.
  • Potatoes make a great addition to this!
  • You can also add zucchini or chayote.
  • Any mushroom would do, but preferably try to find oyster mushrooms.
  • Serve with tostadas.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 930mg | Potassium: 1487mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 4815IU | Vitamin C: 14.4mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 4.4mg
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Mexican Vegan Lentil Soup (Sopa de Lentejas)

It seems that people either love or hate lentils. I love lentils, and this is my favorite lentil soup ever!! The lentils are simmered with serrano chile, onion, tomato, garlic, and cilantro until tender. It is a spicy and incredibly satisfying vegan lentil soup.

sauce pot filled with brown lentils, water, onion, and bay leaf

In Mexico, you can find it being made during the cold winter months, and it is especially popular during Lent. Depending on the region of Mexico that you’re in they are prepared a little bit differently. In Oaxaca, they serve their lentil soup with pineapple and plantains!! In other states, the lentils are cooked in a tomato-based broth. The vegetables vary according to the region, but you can find variations of this easy lentil soup with carrots, potatoes, celery, and spring onion.

saute pan with a cooked mixture of tomato, onion, garlic and chile serrano

Traditionally, this sopa de lentejas includes bacon, but to make it vegan I have omitted it. However, if you like vegan bacon you can add it to the soup.

vegan lentil soup cooking in a sauce pot

How to Make Lentil Soup?

First you have to clean your lentils. Spread them out on a sheet tray or flat surface and check them for tiny pebbles, dirt, and broken lentils, remove them, and rinse the lentils.

Cilantro added to the cooking vegan lentil soup

Place the lentils in a sauce pot with water, and add ½ onion and a bay leaf. Simmer until the lentils are tender. While this is going one sauté onion, garlic, tomato, and chile until soft. Add this mixture to the lentils with a couple of sprigs of cilantro, and let them cook for 8 more minutes.

a ladle full of vegan lentil soup suspended on top of sauce pot full of lentils

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

If you want to make this in the instant pot, start by sautéing the onion, garlic, tomato, and chile using the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Once the vegetables are tender, add the lentils, cilantro sprigs, and water or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer. Turn off the instant pot, and place the cover on top. Adjust the setting to “Manual,” and cook for 18 minutes. Let it stand to release pressure naturally, at least 10 minutes. (Try these Instant Pot Poblano White Beans.)

Mexican vegan lentil soup in a white bowl surrounded by tomato, cilantro and onion

The Recipe: Mexican Vegan Lentil Soup

  • Make sure you sort through the lentils looking for pebbles, and dirt, then give them a good rinse.
  • You can leave the chile serrano whole or you can mince it and add it the vegetable mixture (it is spicier this way).

Mexican vegan lentil soup in a white bowl surrounded by tomato, cilantro and onion

Mexican vegan lentil soup in a white bowl surrounded by tomato, cilantro and onion

Mexican Vegan Lentil Soup

Mexican Vegan Lentil Soup, an easy recipe for healthy, comforting, spicy lentils with tomato, onion, garlic, and serrano chiles
4.6 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: lentil soup, vegan mexican
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 225kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. (1 1/4 cups) Brown or green lentils, cleaned, rinsed
  • 8 cups Water or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 White onion
  • 1 Bay leaf, dry
  • 1/2 White onion, diced
  • 2 Roma tomato, diced
  • 2 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Chile serrano
  • 4 springs Cilantro

Instructions

  • Place your lentils in a medium sauce pot, add water, onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a low simmer and let cook for 20 minutes.
  • While the lentils are cooking, make a small incision using a sharp knife on the tip of the serrano pepper (like an X). Set a large sauté pan to medium heat and add the diced onion. Let the onions cook until translucent and tender, about 4-5 minutes. If it begins to stick to the pan add a little bit of water.
  • Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add diced tomato and chile serrano (whole) and cook until the tomato has broken down, about 6 minutes.
  • Remove the ½ onion and bay leaf from the lentils, and add the vegetable mixture, and cilantro sprigs to the pot. Simmer slowly for about 8 minutes.
  • Remove the cilantro sprigs, and serrano pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cut the chile serrano into rounds and add it back to the pot to make the soup extra spicy. (optional)

Notes

• Make sure you sort through the lentils looking for pebbles, and dirt, then give them a good rinse.
• You can leave the chile serrano whole or you can mince it and add it the vegetable mixture (it is spicier this way). •
You can make this in the instant pot as well (see post above for instructions)

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 15g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 737mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 685IU | Vitamin C: 14.6mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 4.4mg

 

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How to Make Sopa de Fideo

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Fideo soup is what Mexican childhood memories are made of. It is a warm comforting soup made with a tangy tomato base and golden brown noodles. It is so popular with moms because it is very easy to make, and kids love it because what kid doesn’t like noodles?

How to Make Sopa de Fideo

So what makes a sopa de fideo authentic?? I think the only true answer to this would be, that the most authentic sopa de fideo is the one your mamá used to make. So go ahead and ask her for the recipe!! Though I find that every cook adds their own touch to it, some may add cilantro, chipotle or jalapeños. There are also several variations of sopa de fideo that are well-known like sopa de fideo con frijoles, sopa de fideo with albondigas, and sopa seca de fideo. 

Regardless of how your mom makes it or the different variations, the base of this soup consists of blending tomatoes, onion, garlic, and broth and pouring that over very thin noodles that have been sauteed until golden brown. More vegetable broth is added then everything is simmered until tender.

I like to add zucchini to mine for nutritional purposes, but my mom never added zucchini to hers. My mom usually made hers a sopa de letras, using alphabet pasta instead of angel hair to make it fun for us. To make this vegan, I simply used vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

The Recipe: Fideo Soup

  • For this version, I used canned tomatoes because tomatoes are not in season right now. If it’s summer I recommend you use fresh tomatoes.
  • You can add zucchini, carrots, beans or potatoes to this for higher nutritional value.
  • You can also make this soup using alphabet pasta to make sopa de letras.
  • To make this recipe without oil set the pot to medium-low heat and add the noodles. Dry toast the noodles until golden brown stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Continue with the rest of the recipe as written.
  •  I like to add a sprig of cilantro with the zucchini, but that is completely optional.
  • For a lot of us, the food memory of this soup is associated with the flavor that knorr chicken flavor bouillon gives to the soup. To substitute this, I recommend using Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base.

 

Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)

How to Make Sopa de Fideo? It is a warm comforting soup made with a tangy tomato base and golden brown noodles. Kids love it!!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: fideo soup, mexican noodle soup, sopa de fideo
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 289kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. Oil (optional)
  • 8 oz. Angel hair pasta or whole wheat thin spaghetti, broken into 1 in. pieces
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes or 2 cups of fresh diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 Onion, white, chopped
  • 3 Garlic cloves, peeled
  • 10 cups Vegetable stock
  • 1 Mexican zucchini, diced
  • 1 Lime, cut into quarters

Instructions

  • In a medium pot get your vegetable stock boiling hot and set aside.
  • Set a large pot to medium heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot add broken up noodles and toss to coat in oil. Continue to cook until noodles are golden brown, about 3 minutes.
  • While the noodles are browning, place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 2 cups of the vegetable stock in the blender and process until smooth.
  • Strain this mixture directly into the golden noodles still in the hot pot. Stir to prevent the noodles from sticking.
  • Let mixture simmer for 1 minute. Add the rest of your stock and set heat to high. Add zucchini and cook noodles at a low boil until noodles are al dente and zucchini is tender. Stir often. Season.
  • Serve with a wedge of lime so everyone can add as much lime juice as they like. 

Notes

  • For this version, I used canned tomatoes because tomatoes are not in season right now. If it's summer I recommend you use fresh tomatoes.
  • You can add zucchini, carrots, beans or potatoes to this for higher nutritional value.
  • You can also make this soup using alphabet pasta to make sopa de letras.
  • To make this recipe without oil set the pot to medium-low heat and add the noodles. Dry toast the noodles until golden brown stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Continue with the rest of the recipe as written.
  •  I like to add a sprig of cilantro with the zucchini, but that is completely optional.
  • For a lot of us, the food memory of this soup is associated with the flavor that knorr chicken flavor bouillon gives to the soup. To substitute this, I recommend using Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 2358mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1350IU | Vitamin C: 10.5mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Are you looking for more Mexican soup recipes?? Try this pozole verde, pozole rojo, vegan tortilla soup, vegan caldo de res, and this vegan albóndiga soup. 

 

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Vegan Pozole Verde

If you’ve never tried vegan pozole verde you’re in for a treat. Wild mushrooms and hominy are stewed in a spicy tomatillo-pumpkin seed broth. Then topped with creamy avocado, crisp lettuce and fresh radishes.

mushrooms cooking in a pot for vegan pozole verde

Pozole is a dish of pre-hispanic origins, the name pozole comes from the Nahuatl word “pozolli” which means ‘frothy’. Which refers to the appearance of the white corn as it’s boiled. It was a dish reserved for special celebrations and religious ceremonies. Legend has it that it was made with human flesh, as an offering to the gods for a fruitful harvest. (Gross!)

pumpkin seeds, tomatillos, cilantro and poblano in blender for vegan pozole verde

Nowadays, there are actually 3 most common types of pozole: rojo, blanco and verde. Red pozole is seasoned with a mixture of dried chiles, white pozole is seasoned with herbs, and green pozole usually contains pumpkins seeds, tomatillos, and green chiles.

Smooth green sauce in blender for vegan pozole verde

The recipe varies according to the state that you’re in. For pozole verde you can find a version from Jalisco, one from Guerrero, and one from Guanajuato.  They are all very similar with small variations like adding poblano peppers, or the toppings change from state to state.

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

I loved the addition of pumpkin seeds to this vegan pozole verde, because it adds a touch of creaminess to the broth without using oil or cream. You can make this pozole anytime, but it would be a great addition to your Christmas or Thanksgiving menus.

I’m not going to lie, I enjoyed this so much I ate the whole batch myself in a couple of days! I hope you like it too.

The Recipe: Vegan Pozole Verde

  • I think the mushrooms are perfect in this, but you can also use jackfruit.
  • I used hen of the woods mushrooms (maitake), but if you can’t find those, you can also use oyster or shiitake mushrooms.
  • You can increase or decrease the amount of Serrano peppers according to your heat tolerance.
  • Chayote or zucchini would make a good addition to this.
  • Enjoy

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

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

Vegan Pozole Verde

Vegan pozole verde, mushrooms and hominy are stewed in a spicy tomatillo-pumpkin seed broth. Then topped with avocado, lettuce and radishes.
4.53 from 23 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: pozole verde, vegan pozole
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 375kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. Vegetable oil (optional)
  • 1 ½ lb. Maitake or oyster mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup Diced onion
  • 6 cloves Garlic, minced
  • ½ cup Raw pumpkin seeds, pepitas
  • 2 Poblano peppers
  • 3-4 Serrano peppers
  • 4 Tomatillos, medium
  • 1/2 cup Chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup Leafy greens, spinach, radish greens, swiss chard
  • 1 sprig Epazote
  • ¼ tsp. Cumin, ground
  • ¼ tsp. Mexican oregano, dried
  • 2 qts. Vegetable stock
  • 1 can (29oz) White hominy 29 oz, drained, and rinsed

Garnishes:

  • 1 Avocado, pitted and diced
  • 4 Red radishes, sliced
  • ½ Head Romaine or iceberg lettuce, finely shredded (julienned)
  • 4 Tostadas

Instructions

  • In a large pot set to medium heat sauté the mushrooms in 1 tbsp. of oil until golden brown about 6-8 min.
  • While the mushrooms are cooking, toast the pumpkin seeds lightly in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Remove the mushrooms from the pot, and add the onions. Turn heat down to medium-low and sweat onions until tender and transparent about 4-5 minutes.
  • Add garlic and cook for two more minutes. Return the mushrooms to the pot. Pour in the vegetable stock and hominy and simmer softly until you are ready to add the sauce.
  • Turn oven broiler on to HI setting.
  • Place the poblano peppers, serrano peppers, and tomatillos on a sheet tray lined with foil. Place under the broiler for 3 minutes or until the peppers have begun to get dark spots. Flip the peppers and tomatillos over and let cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  • Place the poblano peppers in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit 5 minutes.
  • Peel poblano peppers and remove the stems and seeds.
  • Place the poblano peppers, serrano peppers, pumpkin seeds, tomatillos, greens, epazote, cilantro, cumin, and oregano in a blender and process until smooth.
  • 10. Strain the sauce into a medium sauce pot set to medium-low heat. Let sauce simmer for 5-6 minutes or until it changes to a darker green color.
  • 11. Pour sauce into the pot with the mushrooms and hominy and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
  • 12. Serve with garnishes.

Notes

  • I think the mushrooms are perfect in this, but you can also use jackfruit.
  • I used hen of the woods mushrooms (maitake), but if you can’t find those, you can also use oyster or shiitake mushrooms.
  • You can increase or decrease the amount of serrano peppers according to your heat tolerance.
  • Chayote or zucchini would make a good addition to this.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 2053mg | Potassium: 1460mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2605IU | Vitamin C: 66.7mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 5.1mg
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Mexican Fava Bean Soup (Sopa de Habas)

This Mexican fava Bean soup or Sopa de Habas is another classic Lenten dish. The fava beans are cooked until tender then simmered with onion, jalapeño, tomato and cilantro. It is a comforting soup for a cold day or a perfect start to a Lenten meal.

This Mexican fava Bean soup or Sopa de Habas is another classic Lenten dish. The fava beans are cooked until tender then simmered with onion, jalapeño, tomato and cilantro.
Mexican Lent food is some of my favorite, because it’s when there are more vegetable dishes available like nopales, chicales, and lentejas. My family owns a restaurant in Mexico, which ironically is a steak house type of restaurant. There’s also a lunch buffet, and during Lent the buffet includes all sorts of veggie dishes.

This Mexican fava Bean soup or Sopa de Habas is another classic Lenten dish. The fava beans are cooked until tender then simmered with onion, jalapeño, tomato and cilantro.

I guess it’s kind of funny that I crave Lenten dishes, since now I don’t eat meat anyway. Some of my other favorite Lenten dishes that I’ve successfully veganized are capirotada, cauliflower fritters, vegan shrimp cocktail, cauliflower ceviche, and aguachile. What are some of your favorite Lent dishes?

The Recipe: Mexican Fava Bean Soup (Sopa de Habas)

  • The consistency of this soup can be creamy or chunky. It’s up to you.
  • The fava beans are dried favas, not fresh.
  • You should be able to find them without a problem in your grocery store.
  • You could also make this recipe with chickpeas.
  • Adding nopales to this is another popular way to eat this soup

This Mexican fava Bean soup or Sopa de Habas is another classic Lenten dish. The fava beans are cooked until tender then simmered with onion, jalapeño, tomato and cilantro.

This Mexican fava Bean soup or Sopa de Habas is another classic Lenten dish. The fava beans are cooked until tender then simmered with onion, jalapeño, tomato and cilantro.

Mexican Fava Bean Soup (Sopa de Habas)

4.75 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • ½ lb. Dried shelled fava beans, cleaned and rinsed
  • 2 Sprigs of cilantro
  • ½ Yellow Onion, peeled
  • 1 cup Diced yellow onions
  • 2 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 - 1 Jalapeño, minced
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, diced

Garnish:

  • 1 Toasted chile pasilla
  • 1/2 cup Diced tomato

Instructions

  • If possible soak the fava beans overnight.
  • The following day, place fava beans in a large pot and cover with water. Add cilantro sprigs and half onion. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 50 min. to an hour or until fava beans are soft and falling apart. (Or cook in instant pot set to manual, high pressure for 20 min.)
  • While the fava beans are cooking, set a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add ¼ cup of water and add diced onions. Let onion cook for 3-4 minutes until tender and translucent.
  • Add minced garlic and jalapeño and let cook for 2 more minutes. If onion begins to stick add a little more water or veg stock to the pan.
  • Add diced tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes or until tomatoes have broken down.
  • Once the fava beans are cooked, add the tomato mixture to the pot and simmer for 7-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Garnish with diced tomatoes and toasted chile pasilla

Notes

You can puree the soup for a smoother texture or leave it chunky. Cooked nopales are a great addition to this soup.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 886mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1145IU | Vitamin C: 14.7mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 4.5mg
Nutrition Facts
Mexican Fava Bean Soup (Sopa de Habas)
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 236 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Sodium 17mg1%
Potassium 886mg25%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 16g67%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 1145IU23%
Vitamin C 14.7mg18%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 4.5mg25%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Vegan Caldo de Res

I didn’t think it was possible, but it is!! You CAN make a vegan caldo de res. Caldo de res or vegan Mexican beef soup is a warm comforting soup of stewed beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, chayote, potatoes, mint, and cilantro. It is served all year, but is especially good in the winter months.

vegan Caldo de res or vegan Mexican beef soup is a warm comforting soup of stewed beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, chayote, potatoes, mint, and cilantro. It is served all year, but is especially good in the winter months.

This vegan version is pretty close to the original, but instead of using beef we are using the Gardein beefless tips (this is not a sponsored post). The beefless tips infuse the vegetable broth with a meaty flavor. I’m usually not a fan of using imitation meat products, because I try to stick to whole foods, but I think the gardein beefless tips work really well with this soup.

vegan Caldo de res or vegan Mexican beef soup is a warm comforting soup of stewed beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, chayote, potatoes, mint, and cilantro. It is served all year, but is especially good in the winter months.

Caldo de res is also known as puchero, or cocido de res. The ingredients vary by region, depending on what state of Mexico you are in you can find caldo de res with garbanzo beans, green beans, and plantain.  Some regions of Mexico use a tomato based broth. The soup itself is not spicy, but when I eat it I like to add a tbsp. of salsa roja to spice it up a bit. Serve it with Mexican rice, warm tortillas, and be sure to add a splash of lime juice to the soup before eating.

vegan Caldo de res or vegan Mexican beef soup is a warm comforting soup of stewed beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, chayote, potatoes, mint, and cilantro. It is served all year, but is especially good in the winter months.

The Recipe: Vegan Caldo de Res

  • Sauté the beefless tips while they are still frozen.
  • Instead of veg stock you can use Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base
  • Instead of beefless tips use shitake mushrooms instead.
  • Don’t simmer the beefless tips in the soup, because it changes the texture. Add them in before serving,
  • Enjoy!
Caldo de res or vegan Mexican beef soup is a warm comforting soup of stewed beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, chayote, potatoes, mint, and cilantro. It is served all year, but is especially good in the winter months.

Vegan Caldo de Res

Vegan caldo de res (vegan Mexican beef soup) is a warm comforting soup of no-beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, chayote, potatoes, mint, and cilantro. It is served all year, but is especially good in the winter months.
3.67 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 221kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 pack (9 oz.) Gardein Beefless tips
  • 1 cup Diced onions, yellow (1/2 onion)
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 10 cups Vegetable Stock
  • 3 sprigs Mint
  • 3 sprigs Cilantro
  • 1 ear Corn, cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 1 ½ cups Diced russet potato (1 medium potato)
  • 1 cup Diced carrots (1 lg. Carrot)
  • 2 cups Large diced cabbage (1/4 head of cabbage)
  • 1 ¼ cups Diced chayote (1 chayote)
  • 1 ¼ cups Diced zucchini (1 zucchini)
  • 1 lime Cut into quarters

Instructions

  • Set a large pot to medium-high heat (if necessary add a little bit of oil). Sear the beefless tips for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pot and set aside.
  • Add onion and ¼ cup of vegetable stock to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Cook onion for 4-5 minutes or until tender and translucent.
  • Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Pour in vegetable stock and add the mint and cilantro.
  • Bring to slow simmer and add the corn, carrots, and potatoes.
  • Simmer for 6 minutes and then add the chayote, zucchini, and cabbage.
  • Simmer for 8- 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cut the beefless tips in half, and add about 1/3 cup to each bowl. Pour soup on top and serve.
  • Serve with lime wedges and warm tortillas.

Notes

Sauté the beefless tips while they are still frozen. Instead of veg stock you can use no beef better than bouillon. I add the “beef” at the end, because if you simmer it in the soup it changes the texture. If you don’t have access to beefless tips use shiitake mushrooms instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2678mg | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 6910IU | Vitamin C: 39.6mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 4.1mg
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Spicy Vegan Tortilla Soup

It’s a cold rainy day outside today, and I’m totally craving this spicy vegan tortilla soup. This is not your typical tex-mex, cumin and chili powder seasoned soup. The broth for this soup is simmered with epazote, chile morita, tomato, onion, garlic, and chipotle. It is then garnished with fried or baked tortilla strips, baked tofu, crispy chile pasilla, and avocado.

This spicy vegan tortilla soup, is not your typical tex-mex, cumin and chili powder seasoned soup. The broth for this soup is simmered with epazote, chile morita, tomato, onion, garlic, and chipotle, then garnished with fried or baked tortilla strips, baked tofu, crispy chile ancho, and avocado.

Tortilla soup is also known as sopa azteca, the soup is representative of central Mexico but can be found all over the country. It varies from state to state and household to household. Usually it consists of a tomato based  broth, a dried chile, and epazote. Fried tortillas are added to the broth then you pile the toppings on. Some other less traditional toppings are roasted poblano pepper, onion, and cilantro.

This is my Tia Laura’s recipe, and even though it is not necessarily the traditional one, it’s really good. I kept the recipe just as she showed me how to prepare it. She has a wonderful ease around the stove, and her callused hands show that she knows how to hold a knife, and does so often. She’s just one of those people with the “gift”. You know what I’m talking about right? She puts on that apron and forgets about the world, cutting, chopping, stirring, and tasting; she doesn’t even have to look at a recipe or resort to google. She makes it seem so effortless and fun. Which is the way home cooking should be.

This spicy vegan tortilla soup, is not your typical tex-mex, cumin and chili powder seasoned soup. The broth for this soup is simmered with epazote, chile morita, tomato, onion, garlic, and chipotle, then garnished with fried or baked tortilla strips, baked tofu, crispy chile ancho, and avocado.

Her love of food and cooking started in her mother’s kitchen, at the age of 5, while watching her bake polvorones (Mexican wedding cookies). It made her so sad that she couldn’t keep all the cookies to herself, that she asked her Mamá if she would show her how to make them, and she did. Now that my grandma no longer with us, my Tia has taken the unofficial title of family cook. I hope she doesn’t get mad at me for veganizing it! 

The Recipe: Spicy Vegan Tortilla Soup

  • If you can’t find fresh epazote use dried, or you can also use cilantro.
  • If you would like your soup to be spicy, add 2 chipotle chiles instead of one.
  • The tortillas and the chile pasilla are traditionally fried.
  • You want to add the tortillas to the soup right before eating.
  • You can substitute maggi seasoning sauce with soy sauce.
  • Zucchini would be a great addition to this soup.
  • Enjoy!!

This spicy vegan tortilla soup, is not your typical tex-mex, cumin and chili powder seasoned soup. The broth for this soup is simmered with epazote, chile morita, tomato, onion, garlic, and chipotle, then garnished with fried or baked tortilla strips, baked tofu, crispy chile ancho, and avocado.

This spicy vegan tortilla soup, is not your typical tex-mex, cumin and chili powder seasoned soup. The broth for this soup is simmered with epazote, chile morita, tomato, onion, garlic, and chipotle, then garnished with fried or baked tortilla strips, baked tofu, crispy chile ancho, and avocado.

Spicy Vegan Tortilla Soup

This spicy vegan tortilla soup, is not your typical tex-mex, cumin and chili powder seasoned soup. The broth for this soup is simmered with epazote, chile morita, tomato, onion, garlic, and chipotle, then garnished with fried or baked tortilla strips, baked tofu, crispy chile ancho, and avocado.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: tofu, tortilla soup, vegan
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 300kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 8 Corn tortillas cut into ½ in. strips
  • (12 oz.) or 1 block Extra firm tofu, pressed, cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, large
  • ¼ White Onion, rough chopped
  • 1-2 Chile chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 1 Dried Chile morita, de-seeded, crumbled
  • 8 ½ cups Vegetable stock
  • 1 cup Diced tomates, canned, fire roasted
  • 2 Garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tsp. Soy sauce or braggs liquid aminos (see notes)
  • 1 sprig Epazote fresh

Garnish:

  • 2 Avocadoes, cut in half, pitted, diced
  • 3 Dried chile pasilla
  • Almond crema (optional)
  • 1 Lime, cut into quarters

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
  • Place the tofu and tortilla strips on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 20 min. or until the tortillas are crispy and the tofu is slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
  • In the meantime, bring water to a boil in a small pot and add whole tomatoes. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 3-4 min., or until tomatoes are soft and the skin begin to fall off them. Set tomatoes aside.
  • In a blender, puree cooked tomatoes, onion, chile morita, chipotle chiles, 2 ½ cups of HOT vegetable stock, tomato puree, garlic, and soy sauce until smooth.
  • Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the tomato-chile puree to it. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, until it slightly thickens and changes color. Add the rest of the vegetable stock, epazote spring, and baked tofu to the pot and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 min. and season to taste.

Garnishes:

  • Toast the pasilla chile on a comal or saute pan set to medium heat, until crispy but not burnt. Cut into strips
  • Remove epazote sprig from pot, and serve soup in bowls.
  • Serve soup with assorted garnishes (baked tortilla strips, avocado, almond crema, toasted chile pasilla, and limes).

Video

Notes

You can fry the tortilla strips for a crispier outcome, and traditionally the chile pasilla for the garnish is also fried in oil. I prefer my tortilla soup without the crema, but that’s up to you. If you can't find fresh epazote use dried, or you can also use cilantro. If you would like your soup to be spicy, add 2 chipotle chiles instead of one. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2149mg | Potassium: 893mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1860IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3.2mg
Nutrition Facts
Spicy Vegan Tortilla Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 300 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 2149mg93%
Potassium 893mg26%
Carbohydrates 46g15%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 1860IU37%
Vitamin C 22mg27%
Calcium 99mg10%
Iron 3.2mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Jackfruit Vegan Pozole Rojo

Pozole is a hearty, spicy, satisfying Mexican soup. It is said to be a hangover cure, which I cannot confirm, but it is certainly a special occasion dish and is often served on Christmas and New Year’s. There are three varieties most commonly served: rojo, verde y blanco. Traditionally pozole is made with pork shank, trotters and shoulder, but of course, this will no longer work for us, so I have created this jackfruit vegan pozole rojo recipe just for you.

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

This is an adaptation of my grandmother’s famous recipe. Every Christmas for as long as I can remember my grandmother would make two of the biggest pots of pozole and menudo I have ever seen. The adults would salivate over it, talk about how good it was going to be, and would go over to the kitchen and stir the pots to see how much longer it would be until they finally had their pozole. One year I decided I was going to see what the big deal was, and I waited until the kitchen was empty. Then I went over to the pot and grabbed the ginormous ladle. I gave the whole thing a stir and almost fainted and threw up all over myself at the same time! (I must have been about 8 yrs. old.) When I stirred the pot a couple of pork trotters rose up to surface and I swear I saw a pig snout, but I might of imagined that. After that, it took me years to give pozole a try, but I eventually became one of those salivating adults waiting for the pozole to be done each Christmas.

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

Now that I no longer eat meat it was only natural that I made a vegan version of this dish. Originally, I was going to make this with mushrooms instead of jackfruit, since I know jackfruit is not easily accesible to many. However, when I went to the grocery store I discovered that here in Hawaii button mushrooms are $8.00 a pound! I quickly decided instead to pay about $5 for two cans of green jackfruit. I am so happy with the result and I know you will be too. It is just as I remember it, so deeply satisfying.

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

The Recipe: Jackfruit Vegan Pozole Rojo

I have used canned hominy to speed things up, but if you have access to dried hominy you can use that instead. (Dried hominy takes about 2 hours to cook.) Pozole is all about the toppings. Serve with dried oregano, diced white onion, lime wedges, sliced radishes, and shredded cabbage. My grandma used to serve a salsa macha on the side as well for the ones who wanted more heat. Here is a recipe from Mexico in my Kitchen that is very similar to my grandma’s, only she used chile piquín instead of árbol. Enjoy!

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

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

Jackfruit Vegan Pozole Rojo

Vegan Jackfruit Pozole Rojo, a spicy soup made with dried chiles, hominy, jackfruit, and veggies. 
4.59 from 39 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: jackfruit, vegan pozole
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Dora Stone

Ingredients

  • 1 can (29 oz.) White hominy, drained, rinsed
  • 3 quarts Vegetable Stock
  • 5 Chile guajillo, dried, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 Chile ancho, dried, stemmed and seeded
  • 5 Chile de árbol, dried, stemmed and seeded
  • 6 cloves Garlic
  • ½ Onion, white
  • 1 tbsp. Vegetable oil (optional)
  • 2 cans (20oz./ea) Young green jackfruit brine, drained
  • 1 Zucchini, medium, cut into dice

Toppings

  • 1 White onion, small, minced
  • 6 Red radishes, sliced into batons
  • 2 tbsp. Oregano, dried
  • ½ Green cabbage, cored, thinly sliced
  • 4 Limes cut into quarters
  • 1 bag Corn chips or tostadas

Instructions

  • In a large pot, combine the vegetable stock and hominy and bring to a LOW simmer.
  • While the hominy is simmering, remove stems and seeds from the chile ancho, arbol, and guajillo. Rinse and place in a medium pot with water.
  • Bring pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 min.
  • Drain chiles, but reserve 1 ½ cups of the chile water. Place chiles, garlic and onion in the blender, add the chile water and blend until smooth. Strain.
  • To prepare the jackfruit, 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 the jackfruit and cook for 3 -4 minutes on each side or until it begins to brown. Pour the chile sauce over the jackfruit and reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer for 10 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.
  • Your hominy should still be simmering very slowly. Scoop out one cup of the hominy-vegetable stock mixture and blend until smooth. Pour this back into the pot with the hominy
  • Raise heat to medium-low, and add the zucchini and shredded jackfruit with sauce. Let simmer for 8- 10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  • Serve your pozole with all of the toppings on the side.

Video

Notes

If you don’t have access to jackfruit you can use 2lbs. of mixed mushrooms or soy curls instead. You can substitute the zucchini with chayote with excellent results. If you like your pozole really spicy serve it with this salsa macha from Mexico in my Kitchen

 

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Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup

I didn’t think it was possible, but it is. You can make vegan Mexican meatball soup! I happened upon an instagram account @vegan_mexican and they kept posting pictures of vegan Mexican meatball soup. I almost lost it right there and then. My grandma used to make this soup for me growing up and I have very fond memories of this. So naturally, I contacted the account to see if they wanted to share the recipe with you and they said yes! Here is a small interview with the author of the recipe and instagram account, Brianna García.

This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs.

1.  Tell us more about yourself where you are from, and how you became vegan. 

My name is Brianna García and I’m from California. I reside in the Los Angeles/ Anaheim area. I became vegan after becoming interested in organic/natural living and knew that veganism was for me. I had previously gone vegetarian in my teens and had always wished I was vegetarian again didn’t think it was possible to go vegan until I made the plunge and I’ll never look back! I also love the animal and environmentally friendly impact veganism has.

2.  What do you think is your biggest challenge as a vegan?

The biggest challenge I would say is convenience. It’s not difficult being vegan. There are so many vegan options. I just wish there was vegan restaurants and vegan grocery stores on every corner like there is with a McDonalds.

This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs.

3.  The recipe is your moms. Is your mom vegan? How about the rest of your family?

The non-vegan recipe is my mothers. I asked her to show me how she made albondigas so that I could do my vegan take on it. I wanted it to be authentic as possible, but vegan. She isn’t vegan. However, I have helped her implement a lot more vegan/organic things into her diet. Nobody but my partner is vegan.

4.  What are some of your favorite go-to vegan recipes?

My favorite go-to vegan recipes are the ones that are quick to make when I’m lazy and hungry. I seriously love vegan potato tacos, and they’re so easy to make. All I had to substitute was the cheese for a vegan one. I usually make Gardein dinners quite often too. I also used to make organic vegan fruit smoothies a lot for breakfast. It’s amazing how delicious fruit tastes with no added terrible ingredients.

This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs.

5.  Where can people find you and your recipes?

On my Instagram account at @vegan_mexican. 

Thank you Brianna for sharing your amazing recipe with us. My family really enjoyed it and it brought back sooo many memories.

This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs.

The Recipe: Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup

Brianna did an excellent job at making this recipe very detailed, so you shouldn’t have a problem at all following along. The recipe calls for two things that no matter what, you cannot substitute. Those are gardein beefless ground and the new follow your heart vegan egg. (This is not an ad. No monetary compensation is being provided by gardein or follow your heart.) If you don’t use these, your meatballs might fall apart while cooking, like mine, did the first time I made this soup. This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs. Enjoy!

This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs.

This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs.

Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup

This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs.
3.5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: albondigas, meatball soup, vegan meatballs, vegan mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Brianna Garcia

Ingredients

  • 1 Tomato, diced medium
  • 1/4 White or yellow onion, diced
  • 2 Carrots, medium
  • 1-2 Celery stalks
  • 2-3 Caloro yellow peppers
  • 3 Potatoes, small, cut into quarters
  • 1 Mexican zucchini, small
  • 3 sprigs Cilantro
  • 6-8 Mint leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. Avocado oil, (Any cooking oil is fine)
  • 1 package Gardein ground beef crumbles, defrosted (see note)
  • 1 package Follow Your Heart vegan egg package (You need about "2 eggs")
  • 1/3 cup White rice, long grain, raw
  • 1 tsp. Black pepper
  • 1 tsp. Garlic salt ( or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder + 1/2 tsp. salt)
  • 2 tbsp. Better than bouillon no-chicken base (or 2 no-chicken bouillon cubes + 2 vegetable bouillon cubes)

Instructions

To make the broth:

  • Set a large soup pot to medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. of oil and add onion to the pot. Let onion cook for 2-3 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add tomato and cook for 3 minutes more. 
  • Pour enough water into the pot to fill it 1/2 way. Bring to a simmer. Add Better than Bouillon No-Chicken base, and salt and pepper to taste (pepper is optional).

Making the meatballs

  • In a large bowl, combine the package of Gardein beef crumbles, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. garlic salt, 1/3 cup of white rice, and chopped mint. Mix well.
  • Follow the instructions on the package of the vegan eggs and make about 2 vegan eggs. Add half of the egg mixture to the meatball mix and mix well. Make sure the mix is eggy enough to shape the meatballs. If necessary, add more of the vegan egg mixture until you get the desired consistency.
  • Form 8- 10 meatballs with your hands. Add them to the simmering broth.
  • It's crucial not to stir the meatballs too much or they'll fall apart. Cook for 15 minutes or so.
  • While the meatballs are cooking, chop the carrots, celery, and zucchini into small dice. Do quarter cuts for the potato.
  • Add the cut up carrots, celery, zucchini, potato and yellow peppers (do not cut) to the pot. Lower heat to medium-low until vegetables are cooked. Cover pot and let it thoroughly cook together for about 15 minutes. 
  • Add cilantro for finishing touch and let cook for a few minutes and you should have vegan albondigas! Don't forget the warm tortillas! Or even avocado slices!

Notes

The recipe calls for two things that no matter what, you cannot substitute. Those are gardein beefless ground and the new follow your heart vegan egg.If you don't use these, your meatballs might fall apart while cooking
 
 

 

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