Vegan Mexican Recipes easy to follow, delicious, and healthy.

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Walnut and Bean Vegan Sopes

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These vegan sopes or sopes de nogada are topped with a walnut “meat”, refried mayocoba beans, tomatillo avocado salsa, queso fresco, and cilantro. They are meant to be eaten with your hands so you can bask in the glorious messiness of eating yet another variation of Mexico’s love affair with corn.

4 pictures, picture to the top left has ground walnuts in a food processor, top right ingredients in blender for marinade, bottom left redish pureed marinade over walnuts in a glass bowl, bottom left everything mixed together in glass bowl with spatula
red colored walnut meat on a cast iron pan with teal handle

La Vida Verde

This recipe is from the book La Vida Verde by Jocelyn Ramirez. Jocelyn is the founder of Todo Verde a plant-based Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles. She is a former college professor who found the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle when her father was diagnosed with cancer a second time.

vida verde cookbook cover two jackfruit tacos with cilantro and red onion on a a green clay plate with flowers

This book is an amazing tribute to her family, culture, and traditions. With recipes like Mole Verde con Champiñones, Tamale Negro con Yaca, and Queso Quesadilla this book brings into the plant-based world authentic vegan Mexican recipes for the whole family. Honestly, I could’ve written this book myself and I am so happy to be sharing with you the work of another woman of color who is supporting and championing the community she came from. The book is available on pre-order now!

4 pictures, top left masa harina and water in metal bowl, top right ball of dough in metal bowl, bottom left open hand palm up with ball of dough, bottom right two hands pressing ball of dough into a pattie shape

What are sopes??

Sopes are a sort of thick small tortilla with a border along the edges. It is made out of masa harina or nixtamalized corn. Traditionally it is served with beans, cheese, lettuce and the main filling, but they can also have potatoes, radishes, and pickled jalapeños. In different regions of Mexico, they are also known as memelas, pellizcadas or picadas and they shape can vary from round to oval.

two sopes cooking on a cast iron pan with a black marble background
two sopes on a white plate and a a hand pinching the edhes

How to make Sopes?

The easiest way to make sopes at home is with masa harina. I recently found one that is organic called Masabrosa! The ratio of water to masa harina is going to vary according to where you live and whether it is humid outside. The important thing to know is your prepared masa should be the texture of soft playdough, and you should be able to roll a small ball of dough without any cracks in it.

3 vegan sopes filled with beans, walnut meat, avocado salsa on a colorful talavera plate and yellow napkin underneath

The Recipe: Walnut and Bean Vegan Sopes

  • You can use the walnut seasoning to flavor tofu or TVP of you have an allergy to nuts
  • If you are looking for a crispier texture on the sopes you can fry them after having pinched the edges.
  • Be careful not to add too much liquid to your walnut seasoning or you will end up with a soupy concoction instead of a meaty texture.
  • Use canned refried beans and premade salsa for a super-fast version of this recipe
3 sopes filled with beans, walnut meat, avocado salsa on a colorful talavera plate
a sope filled with refried beans topped with walnut meat, cheese and avocado salsa with a bite taken out of it on a talavera plate
a close up 3 vegan sopes filled with beans, walnut meat, avocado salsa on a colorful talavera plate and yellow napkin underneath

Walnut and Bean Vegan Sopes

These vegan sopes or sopes de nogada are topped with a walnut “meat”, refried mayocoba beans, tomatillo avocado salsa, queso fresco, and cilantro. Reprinted with permission from La Vida Verde by Jocelyn Ramirez, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019.
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Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: antojitos, avocado salsa, queso fresco vegan, walnut meat
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1413kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

For the Walnut Meat

  • 3 cups Raw walnuts
  • 1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. Liquid aminos or soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Raw sugar
  • 1 tbsp. Cumin
  • 1 tbsp. Paprika
  • 1 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. Nutritional yeast
  • 3 cloves Garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup Cooking oil, plus 2 tbsp
  • Salt, to taste

For the Beans

  • 1/4 cup Cooking oil
  • 3 cups Cooked mayocoba beans, strained
  • 1/2 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. Ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup Vegetable broth
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Sopes

  • 3 cups Prepared masa harina (about 2 cups masa harina and 2 cups hot water)

Avocado Salsa

  • 3 Tomatillos, large, fire roasted
  • 1 Jalapeño, destemmed (deseeded if too spicy), fire roasted
  • 1-2 tbsp. Lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp. Ground cumin
  • 1/2 Medium Hass avocado
  • 1/4 bunch Cilantro
  • Salt, to taste

For Serving

Instructions

  • To make the walnut meat, use a food processor to break down the walnuts to small pieces similar to the size of ground beef pieces. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender and blend the walnuts
1 cup (120 g) at a time. Add the ground walnuts to a bowl and set aside.
  • Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes, or until rehydrated. In the blender, place the rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes (reserve the hydrating water), liquid aminos, sugar, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast, garlic, 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of the oil, 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of the water used to rehydrate the sun-dried tomatoes and salt. Blend until completely smooth and add the mixture to the bowl of ground walnuts. Mix until the walnuts are fully incorporated.
  • Coat the bottom of a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil, and preheat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the walnut mixture to the pan. Sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture slightly darkens, the walnut pieces soften and the flavors meld together. Taste for seasoning, adding more as needed. Set the walnut meat aside.
  • To make the beans, coat the bottom of a medium pot with the oil. Preheat the oil over medium heat and add the mayocoba beans, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, bay leaf, vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Allow the beans to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, and use a bean smasher or hand-held emulsifier to smash the beans into a rough and slightly runny paste. Taste for seasoning, and add more as needed.
  • To make the sopes, preheat a comal or griddle over medium heat. Divide the masa into 1⁄4-cup (65-g) balls. You should have 12 balls. Use your hands to press the masa into thick 4-inch (10-cm) round disks, using your fingers to gently press any cracked edges. These will be thicker than tortillas and will take slightly longer to cook. Place each sope on the comal to cook for about 2 minutes. When the first side sears and the edges start to slightly dry, flip it over to the second side and cook for 2 more minutes. Flip the sope again and remove to a plate to slightly cool. Once each sope is cool enough to handle, use your fingers to pinch the edges, forming a rim around the edge of each sope. Put them back on the comal to heat through.
  • To make the avocado salsa, add the tomatillos, jalapeño, lemon juice, cumin, avocado, cilantro and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste for lemon juice and salt, and add more as needed.
  • To serve, add a layer of mayocoba beans to the bottom of each sope. It should be enough to fill the rim of the sope. Add the walnut meat over the beans, and top it with the salsa. Garnish with Queso Añejo and cilantro.

Notes

  • You can use the walnut seasoning to flavor tofu or TVP of you have an allergy to nuts
  • If you are looking for a crispier texture on the sopes you can fry them after having pinched the edges.
  • Be careful not to add too much liquid to your walnut seasoning or you will end up with a soupy concoction instead of a meaty texture.
  • Use canned refried beans and premade salsa for a super-fast version of this recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 4sopes | Calories: 1413kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 105g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 741mg | Potassium: 1803mg | Fiber: 26g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2892IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 14mg

Although dorastable.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.

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TVP Street Tacos

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These TVP tacos will completely change your mind about using alternative proteins!! The filling is a mixture of textured vegetable protein, mushroom, and walnuts seasoned with a savory marinade, then cooked until golden brown. Serve on corn tortillas topped with chopped cilantro, onion, and your favorite salsa.

Aqua colored dutch oven filled with textured vegetable protein and water.

Street tacos bring back so many memories of stumbling home after a night of drinking, then deciding to stop by the taco stand instead. There’s something about street tacos that just hits the spot every time. I don’t know if it’s the shiny tortilla that has been dipped in grease, the crunchiness of the onion, the aromatics of the cilantro, or the creaminess of the avocado salsa that makes them so irresistible.  

Blender full of light brown colored marinade for textured vegetable protein

As a vegan, now whenever I visit Mexico, I’m a little bit saddened that I won’t be sitting on a tall stool hunched over a plate of tacos on the closest street corner.  So what’s the next best thing?? Recreating them at home of course!! This is where TVP comes in but….

Finely chopped mushrooms in a aqua colored cast iron pan

What is TVP?

TVP stands for textured vegetable protein. It is a processed form of soybeans (the protein is separated from the whole soybeans) that is used as a meat substitute. It has the texture of ground beef but has no real flavor itself. This is actually a good thing because it means that it absorbs the flavor of the marinade or seasoning.

TVP, cooked mushrooms, and chopped walnut combined in an aqua colored cast iron pan

Where can I find TVP?

You can find it at your local grocery store. Bob’s Red Mill produces TVP and it is usually in the aisle with the other Bob’s Red Mill flours. If you have access to a Mexican market you can find it there too, usually sold in bulk bins.

Marinade poured over tvp mix cooking in an aqua colored cast iron pan

The Recipe: TVP Tacos

  • I decided to add mushrooms and walnuts to this to add a more meaty texture and flavor, that being said, both are optional. You can make this recipe with only textured vegetable protein.
  • If you want this to be truly authentic you need to add a little bit of oil to your griddle or comal when you heat up your tortillas.
  • I used street taco corn tortillas which are smaller than your regular sized ones, but you can also buy regular-sized corn tortillas, and cut them with a cookie-cutter into a smaller size.
  • Check out these recipes for Vegan Baja Fish Tacos, Vegan Rajas con Crema Tacos, and these Potato-Chorizo Tacos.
  • Enjoy!
A close up on 3 tvp tacos with double tortilla on a white plate with crumble paper over a gray and pink striped towel
3 tvp tacos with double tortilla on a white plate with crumble paper over a gray and pink striped towel and avocado salsa behind
A close up on 3 tvp tacos with double tortilla on a white plate with crumble paper over a gray and pink striped towel

TVP Street Tacos

TVP Tacos with a mix of TVP, mushrooms, and walnuts seasoned with a savory marinade. Served on corn tortillas with cilantro, onion and salsa. Recipe adapted from Amor y Sabor con Cesia
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: corn tortillas, mole and mushrooms, vegan tacos, walnuts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 418kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
  • 3 cups Water
  • 1/4 cup Lime juice. fresh
  • ½ Onion, white
  • 1 Bay leaf

Seasoning Sauce

  • ¼ cup Soy sauce
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • ¼ Onion, white
  • ¼ tsp. Smoked Paprika
  • ¼ cup Water

Tacos

  • 1 tbsp. Oil
  • 1/2 cup Finely chopped walnuts or pecans
  • ½ cup Finely chopped Mushrooms
  • Small corn tortillas
  • ½ cup Chopped white onion
  • ½ cup Chopped cilantro
  • 2 Limes
  • Salsa of your choice

Instructions

  • Rinse TVP in cold water. Place TVP in large pot with 3 cups of water, lime juice, onion, and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • While the TVP is simmering place the soy sauce, garlic cloves, onion, smoked paprika, and water. Process until smooth.
  • Drain, rinse, and squeeze out all of the water possible from the TVP.
  • Heat a large sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes, stir often. Add the TVP and the chopped walnuts.
  • Continue to cook for 3 – 4 minutes in the pan. Add the seasoning sauce and stir to combine.
  • Cook until the meat is golden brown and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4 more minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary with salt and pepper.
  • Heat up tortillas on a griddle or comal coated with a small amount of oil. To assemble the tacos place two tortillas on top of each other place filling in the center and sprinkle with onion and cilantro. Add a splash of lime juice, and your favorite salsa. Repeat this with the rest of the tortillas and filling.

Notes

  • I decided to add mushrooms and walnuts to this to add a more meaty texture and flavor, that being said, both are optional. You can make this recipe with only textured vegetable protein.
  • If you want this to be truly authentic you need to add a little bit of oil to your griddle or comal when you heat up your tortillas.
  • I used street taco corn tortillas which are smaller than your regular sized ones, but you can also buy regular-sized corn tortillas, and cut them with a cookie-cutter into a smaller size.
  • Street tacos in Mexico are made with two tortillas each.

Nutrition

Serving: 3tacos | Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 862mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 5mg

Although dorastable.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.

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Smoky Sweet Potato Soup

This smoky sweet potato soup is creamy, just the right amount of sweet, and with a savory smokiness that makes this soup the perfect way of eating sweet potatoes.

Diced sweet potatoes, onion, and garlic in a large dutch oven

Vegan Yack Attack’s Plant-Based Meal Prep Book

This recipe is from the book Vegan Yack Attack’s Plant-Based Meal Prep by Jackie Sobon. I am a huge fan of Jackie, her blog, and her books. Her recipes are easy to make, delicious, and well thought out. Her latest book is no exception, in fact, this is the book I wish I has when I first went vegan!

Vegetable stock fills the pot with the sweet potatoes

In this book you will find all the recipes to successfully vegan meal plan for 1 – 2 people or a whole family. It includes weekly menus, shopping lists, guidelines for prepping, and of course the recipes with gorgeous pictures taken by Jackie herself.

The recipes are labeled by their difficulty, time, and whether they are soy-free, nut-free, GF, etc. There are also nutrition facts for all the recipes. So as you can see whether you are vegan for health or are just starting out because you feel deep compassion for animals this book will give you the tools you need to get started.

The Origin of the Sweet Potato

Did you know that sweet potatoes come from somewhere between Yucatan (Mexico) and Peru?? Well more like South Mexico, Central America, and South America. There’s actually evidence of sweet potatoes in Peru dating back to 8000 A.C.! Nowadays, in Mexico sweet potatoes are mainly used to make candy or baked goods with, but I like to think that Mexico’s ancient civilizations ate sweet potatoes in soups like this one.

A bright orange pureed soup in a dutch oven with a ladle inside

The Health Benefits of eating Sweet Potato

I wasn’t a big fan of sweet potatoes before, but I only started eating them when I learned about all of their health benefits. Sweet potatoes contain 259 mg. of potassium, beta carotene ( a powerful antioxidant),  fiber, and vitamin C. All this makes them good for preventing vitamin A deficiency, manage diabetes, and help protect/prevent/manage cancer. They are also naturally sweet, but not high on the glycemic index. One of my favorite breakfasts now is baked sweet potato with peanut butter and banana slices!

A spoon dipping into a bowl of smoky sweet potato soup.

The Recipe: Smoky Sweet Potato Soup

This soup is great for storing in the fridge to eat during the week, and it also freezes well if you want to plan way ahead. If you choose to freeze it, divide it into five freezer-safe storage containers and freeze for up to 6 months.

A spoon suspended over a bowl of bright orange soup.
Smoky Sweet Potato Soup

Smoky Sweet Potato Soup

5 from 1 vote
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: pumpkin seeds, smoked paprika, swet potato
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 416kcal
Author: “Reprinted with permission from Jackie Sobon and Fair Winds Press, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. © 2020”

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Sunflower oil
  • 1½ cups Diced red onion
  • 1¼ cups Diced orange bell pepper
  • 1½ pounds Sweet potatoes, unpeeled, diced
  • 2 Large carrots chopped
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons Nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons Smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 4 cups Vegetable broth
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2/3 cup Red quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 cup Frozen spinach, broken up into pieces
  • ½-1 tsp. Salt
  • ½ cup Roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • ¼ cup Fresh cilantro leaves
  • 5 slices Toasted crusty bread (optional)

Instructions

  • In a large pot, heat the sunflower oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Adjust the heat to medium-low and add the sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika,
  • garlic powder, and cumin. Cook for 5 more minutes, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) water if necessary to prevent sticking.
  • Stir in the vegetable broth, water, and quinoa, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, adjust the heat so that the soup is simmering, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes longer.
  • Puree half of the soup mixture using an immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a blender. Add the spinach, stirring to break up any clumps, and add salt to taste. Let the soup cool for 20 minutes, then divide it between 5 jars or storage containers. Top each serving with the pumpkin seeds and cilantro and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Serve with a slice of bread, if desired.

Notes

This soup is great for storing in the fridge to eat during the week, and it also freezes well if you want to plan way ahead. If you choose to freeze it, divide it into five freezer-safe storage containers and freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1215mg | Potassium: 1123mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 29055IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 5mg
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Vegan Cajeta Envinada

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.

I have been dreaming of this Mexican classic for months now, velvety, sweet, rich, and vegan cajeta envinada. It is simmered slowly on the stove until it reaches the perfect consistency, it is my favorite labor of love.

Cajeta is a traditional dish from the city of Celaya, Guanajuato. It is made by simmering goats milk with sugar, and baking soda, in a large copper pot, until it is the consistency of a dark caramel. For this vegan version I have used unsweetened soy milk, turbinado sugar, agave syrup, and whiskey.

History of Cajeta:

The first versions of cajeta or at least the technique was brought to Mexico by the Spanish conquistadores. (In Spain it is called leche quemada, and it is made with cow’s milk.) As with many other Mexican delicacies the Spanish techniques were adapted to the resources available in the area. Which in this case means that in the city of Celaya leche quemada was made with goat’s milk, and so cajeta was born.

Milk in blue dutch oven that has become a chocolate color

To this day, cajeta is sold in a small round wooden box called cejete that is wrapped in white paper and bound with colorful cellophane ribbons. There are three versions of cajeta most commonly sold quemada, vanilla, and envinada.

What is Cajeta Envinada?

Cajeta envinada is cajeta with spirits added to it. You can add brandy, rum, or even whiskey. Even though “envinada” means ”with wine” it is more common to add spirits to it than wine.

milk in blue dutch oven pot a dark caramel color

Recipes made with Cajeta:

Cajeta is one of my favorite childhood candies and as a grown-up I love that it’s so versatile. You can use cajeta to make churros filled with cajeta, crepes topped with cajeta and pecans, obleas, as a topping for ice cream, to make flan, and many more delicious treats.

cajeta envinada in a white dish over a colorful mat with a spoon inside

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 Guanajuato, is the creation of me, Dora Stone. Even though I am not from Guanajuato, my great-grandfather immigrated to Mexico from Spain into Guanajuato, and that is where he met my great-grandmother, and started a family. Thus, I feel a certain connection to that area and was glad at the opportunity to veganize this recipe.

Vegan cajeta envinada in a small dish with a spoon dipping into it

The Recipe: Vegan Cajeta Envinada

  • I used unsweetened soy milk, but you can use your favorite plant milk.
  • I used turbinado sugar, also known as sugar in the raw, which is a less processed version of fine white sugar. If you can’t find it, you can use brown sugar.
  • The baking soda in this recipe help the cajeta get its dark caramelized color.
  • I chose to use whiskey, but you can use brandy, dark rum or white wine.
Vegan cajeta envinada in a small dish with a spoon dipping into it

Vegan Cajeta Envinada

Vegan Cajeta Envinada, Mexican milk caramel used to top everything from churros, crepes, ice cream, and more.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: dulce de leche, leche quemada, whiskey
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 1 cups
Calories: 1751kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 4 ¼ cups Soy milk, unsweetened
  • 1 1/3 cup Turnbinado or brown sugar
  • ¼ cup Agave syrup
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. Baking soda
  • 1 -2 tbsp. Brandy, Dark rum or whiskey

Instructions

  • In a large heavy bottomed pot combine the soy milk, sugar, agave, vanilla, and baking soda.
  • Bring to a slow simmer, and let simmer for 1 hour and 15 min. Stirring frequently to prevent sticking and burning.
  • Add the brandy and simmer for 15 more minutes or until the cajeta has reached the desired consistency.

Notes

  • I used unsweetened soy milk, but you can use your favorite plant milk.
  • I used turbinado sugar, also known as sugar in the raw, which is a less processed version of fine white sugar. If you can’t find it, you can use brown sugar.
  • The baking soda in this recipe help the cajeta get its dark caramelized color.
  • I chose to use whiskey, but you can use brandy, dark rum or white wine.

Nutrition

Calories: 1751kcal | Carbohydrates: 365g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 923mg | Potassium: 1804mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 348g | Vitamin A: 3942IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 1648mg | Iron: 7mg
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The Best Marranitos Recipe

I have done it! After three failed attempts, here is the best marranitos recipe (Mexican piggy cookies) ever, and it’s vegan!!. Ok, I might be a little too excited about this one, but hear me out. This is my favorite pan dulce, you can ask any of my family members, and they will be sure to tell you I have eaten many marranitos in my life!

Piloncillo syrup for making this marranitos recipe

A marranito is a Mexican pastry shaped like a piggy. It can be soft like a sweet bread or more on the hard side like a cookie. This version is the perfect combination of a pastry and a cookie. It is made with a combination of whole wheat and white flour and infused with a piloncillo, star anise, clove, and cinnamon syrup.

Flour mixed with piloncillo syrup in a stainless steel bowl

I’ve reworked this recipe from a couple years ago to include a good amount of fat. When I first created this recipe I was trying to be no-oil, but quickly realized that I just can’t do it. I do try to limit the amount of oil that I use in cooking, but when it’s something as delicious as this marranito pan dulce fat is good once in a while. 

 

Dough mixed in a stainless steel bowlThey taste just as they should, so much so, that the kids ate them so fast I hardly had time to photograph them. We dunked them in the thickest Mexican hot chocolate.

Marranitos lined up on a sheet tray getting ready to bake

The Recipe: The Best Vegan Marranitos

  • I recommend eating the marranitos by dunking them in hot chocolate or coffee.
  • If you would like to make these without fat you can substitute the amount of vegan butter with apple sauce.
  • You can find the marranitos cookie cutter that I used right HERE Enjoy!

Here is the best vegan marranito (Mexican piggy cookies) recipe ever. They are infused with piloncillo, star anise, clove, and cinnamon.

Marranitos

A marranito is a Mexican pastry shaped like a piggy. It can be soft like a sweet bread or more on the hard side like a cookie.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cochinitos, cochitos, pan dulce, piloncillo
Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 large marranitos
Calories: 170kcal
Author: Dora Stone

Ingredients

Piloncillo Syrup

  • 2/3 cup Water
  • 1 cone Piloncillo, (8 oz)
  • 2 Cloves, whole
  • 1 stick Mexican cinnamon (2 inches)
  • 1 Star anise

Marranitos

  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp. Flour, all-purpose
  • 1 cup Flour, whole wheat
  • 1 tsp. Baking soda
  • 1 tsp. Baking powder
  • 1/3 cup Vegan butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup Piloncillo syrup

Instructions

To make the Piloncillo Syrup

  • Place water, piloncillo, cinnamon, clove, and star anise in a medium saucepot set to medium heat. Simmer slowly and stir until the piloncillo dissolves. Continue to simmer until the mixture has the consistency of natural maple syrup. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain. (For this recipe we will only be using 1/2 cup of the piloncillo syrup. You can save the rest to use later.)

To make the marranitos

  • In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat and all-purpose flours, baking powder, and baking soda.
  • Combine 1/2 cup of the piloncillo syrup with the melted butter and mix well.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough begin to comes together.
  • Use your hands to incorporate the dough together and form a ball. The dough will be on the wet side.
  • Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 - 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out on a floured surface to 1/3 inch thickness.
  • Use a large pig-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the dough and place them on a parchment-lined sheet tray.
  • Reform the dough scraps into a ball and roll out again to cut out more marranitos. Repeat this process until you cannot cut out any more.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the marranitos are golden brown on the bottom.
  • Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Notes

 If you would like to make these without fat substitute the vegan butter with apple sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
Marranitos sitting by a cup of hot chocolate and a blue napkin
marranito being dipped into hot chocolate in a talavera cup
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Empanadas de Camote (Sweet Potato Empanadas)

These beautiful freshly baked empanadas de camote are filled with sweet potato, slowly simmered in cinnamon and anise. The dough is hand-kneaded and rolled out, then baked with the fragrant sweet potato filling. I like to eat them right out of the oven with a steaming cup of Mexican hot chocolate.

Sugar, anise, and cinnamon syrup in a small stainless steel pot
Flour and sweet potato syrup in a large glass bowl

I used to think empanadas were a Mexican thing but soon discovered that almost every country has their own version. Whether they are sweet or savory, they are incredibly delicious, easy to eat, and the perfect food on the go.

Flour mixture mixed together in glass bowl
Kneaded dough on a wooden surface

Empanadas by Doña Consuelo

This recipe was given to me by Doña Consuelo, a friend of my cousin Esperanza. Doña Consuelo had heard that my little nephew has severe allergies and can’t enjoy most of the pan dulce available in our town, so she graciously shared her recipe for these empanadas de camote, which just so happen to be vegan.

Cubed sweet potatoes cooking in a stainless steel pot

Doña Consuelo is one of those OG cooks that has never written down a recipe, and measures everything by fistfuls. So my beautiful cousin had her over to her house and had her recreate the recipe, and then proceeded to measure every fistful of flour and pinch of anise. She passed the recipe to me and I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

Mashed sweet potato in a glass bowl

I decided to pay her a visit to thank her for the recipe and just chat. Sitting in her living room, lamenting that she could no longer use her hands to knead the dough or make them for her family (she has arthritis), she reminisced about the traditional candies that are hand made in Múzquiz, her home town. She talked about the treats she ate as a child, and how she wished they were made with the same quality today.

Sweet potato plopped in the middle of dough disk

All of this has me pondering on the importance of passing down family recipes and adapting them for the new generation. Food is such an important part of our culture and we shouldn’t let the traditional recipes disappear with the previous generations. Save your family recipes!! Make them vegan, make them yours!

Empanadas ready to bake on a sheet tray

The Recipe: Empanadas de Camote

  • The original recipe called for vegetable shortening, but I have substituted it for coconut oil, but you could also use melted vegan butter.
Chef Dora and Doña Consuelo posing for a photo
  • I also reduced the amount of sugar (believe it or not!), but you can sub with piloncillo, sugar in the raw or muscovado sugar.
  • I used the orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.
Empanadas de camote on a blue plate, cup of coffee and cinnamon stick
A close up of an empanada de camote cut in half.
Empanadas de camote on a blue plate, cup of coffee and cinnamon stick. The top empanada is cut in half showing the filling.

Empanadas de Camote (Sweet Potato Empanadas)

These beautiful freshly baked empanadas de
camote are filled with sweet potato, slowly simmered in cinnamon and anise.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: mexican sweet potato empanadas, sweet empanadas, sweet potato
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 16 empanadas
Calories: 321kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Syrup:

  • 2 1/2 cups Water
  • 2 Ceylon cinnamon sticks, 2 inches long
  • 1 ½ tsp. Anise seed
  • 1 ½ cups Sugar, granulated
  • 1.6 lb. Sweet potato, peeled, cut into large dice (About two large ones)

Empanada Dough:

  • 17.6 oz. All-Purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tsp. Baking powder
  • 2/3 cup Melted coconut oil (the original recipe used shortening)
  • ¼ cup Sugar
  • 1 tbsp. Ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/3 cup Sweet Potato Syrup (see above)
  • ¼ cup Aquafaba liquid of a can of chickpeas

Instructions

To make the syrup:

  • Combine the water, cinnamon sticks, anise seed, and sugar in a small pot. Bring to a simmer over low heat and simmer softly for 30 min. Strain. Reserve 1 1/3 cups of the syrup and set aside.
  • Pour the rest of the sweet potato syrup in a small pot and add the sweet potato. Bring to a very low simmer, cover, and let cook for 45 min. (It’s going to seem like it’s not enough liquid to cook the sweet potatoes, but we’re basically going to steam them in the syrup. As they cook they will release liquid as well.) Drain and mash with a fork.
  • While the sweet potatoes are cooking, in a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the melted coconut oil and mix well.
  • Add sweet potato syrup and mix.
  • Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough has come together is elastic and smooth, but not sticky. Let it rest for 45 min.
  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll them into balls ( 2 oz. each). On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick.
  • Place 1 tbsp. of the filling in the middle of the dough round. Fold the dough over to enclose the filling, and crimp the edges with a fork to seal or seal them decoratively as the Argentinians do. Pierce each empanada three times with a fork near the crimped edge.
  • Brush with aquafaba and bake for 35 – 40 min. or until the empanadas are golden brown on the bottom.

Notes

The original recipe called for vegetable shortening, but I have substituted it for coconut oil, but you could also use melted vegan butter.
I also reduced the amount of sugar (believe it or not!), but you can sub with piloncillo, sugar in the raw or muscovado sugar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1empanadas | Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 6435IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
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Vegan Barbacoa Sinaloense

Barbacoa means so many different things to different people, as with any other Mexican dish it varies from state to state. This traditional vegan barbacoa Sinaloense uses Gardein beefless tips instead of pork or beef, but still holds all the chiles, spices, and flavors that characterize barbacoa in Sinaloa. 

Glass bowl filled with gardein beefless tips soaking in water

It is a hearty stew full of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and olives simmered in a mixture of Anaheim, chile guajillo, cumin, oregano, and beer. In Sinaloa, it is served with cold macaroni salad and refried beans.

Stainless steel pot filled with dried chiles and 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.

White pot with onion, tomato, and anaheim chile.

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 Sinaloa, is the creation of the talented Fabby Gastelum, and here she is sharing her story with us.

White pot with onion, carrots, tomatoes, and anaheim chile.

Fabby’s Story:

Hi my name is Fabiola Gastelum and I was born in Culiacán Sinaloa. My family and I moved here when I was 7 years old, we lived in Mesa Arizona and I spent all my childhood there. That’s Home! I currently live in Albuquerque New Mexico with my toddler and my husband.

Small saute pan with browned beefless tips

Growing up I remember hating the feeling of knowing where my food came from. I would cry after every zoo trip thinking of the animals incarcerated there. I always considered myself a “tree hugger” because I hated plastic and I would try and safe water. When I became a mother I became so conscious of what products I used on my son -all-natural plant-based products. He never had cow milk and very little red meats. I remember watching What The Health for the first time on August 2017 (knowing that I would come out of it feeling different) that day our lives changed.

Vegan barbacoa sinaloense in a blue and white pot with a wooden spoon in it

My inner wish of always wanting to be vegetarian finally made it out. And by vegetarian I mean growing up I watched a kids show where one of the girls was an animal activist and I dreamt of having her courage to fight for animal rights. Our vegan journey began 1 week after that. We stopped buying, wearing, eating and exploiting animals. As much as I wished our journey would have come sooner I’m happy to say we are one big happy vegan family! I have not left my culture, my food or my identity. I’m a true Sinaloense and I will continue to veganize my states dishes! #LosVeganosComenMejor

Vegan barbacoa sinaloense on a white plate with macaroni salad and refried beans, and flour tortillas

The Recipe: Vegan Barbacoa Sinaloense

  • If you can’t find Gardein beefless tips you can use mushrooms, TVP or seitan or your favorite meat substitute.
  • If you can’t find no-chicken or no-beef bouillon cubes you can use vegetable stock instead of water.
  • Adding beer is very common in the state of Sinaloa and I wanted to make this as traditional as possible. Yes it’s safe for children since it’s only a small amount and the alcohol taste disappears with all the other spices. I added Michelob.
  • The beefless tips are already seasoned, I didn’t want that flavor to overpower the barbacoa. I washed them very well and added a squeeze of lime juice and let it rest for 15 mins with lime juice and water. It helped, and the “meat” got the original taste of the barbacoa spices added but this is totally optional
A closeup of a flour tortilla scooping up vegan barbacoa sinaloense from a white plate
Vegan barbacoa sinaloense on a white plate with macaroni salad and refried beans

Vegan Barbacoa Sinaloense

This traditional vegan barbacoa Sinaloense uses Gardein beefless tips instead of pork or beef, but still holds all the chiles, spices, and flavors that characterize barbacoa in Sinaloa.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: gardein beefless tips, sinaloa, vegan
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 422kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 package Gardein Homestyle Beefless Tips *see note
  • 5 Small russet potatoes (about 4 cups diced potatoes)
  • 5 Small carrots (about 1 ½ cups diced Carrots)
  • 3 Small tomatoes (about 1 ¼ cup diced tomato)
  • 1/4 White onion (about 1/3 cup diced onion)
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Anaheim chile, fresh
  • 5 Guajillo chiles, dried
  • 1 Pinch Cumin (about 1/4 tsp.)
  • 2 Not Beef Bouillon Cubes
  • 1 Not-Chick’n Bouillon Cube
  • 1 tsp. Dried oregano
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup Manzanilla olives
  • 2 Bay leaves, dried
  • 1/4 cup Preferred beer, *see notes

Instructions

  • Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Add guajillo chiles and let simmer slowly for 5 – 8 minutes to soften the chiles.
  • Continue by dicing tomato, anaheim chile and onion in to very small-fine pieces.
  • Heat a large pot to medium-low heat and add 1 tsp. oil (optional). Add onion, Anaheim chile, and tomato and sweat for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender,
  • Meanwhile chop carrots and potatoes into small-medium chunks. Add only carrots and olives to pot; cover and continue to cook for another 3-5 mins.
  • When guajillo chiles have softened, drain, and place in the blender with 1 cup of water, garlic, cumin, dried oregano, and a pinch of salt and black pepper, blend till smooth.
  • Take that chile mixture and strain it, add strained liquid to pot and simmer for another 5 mins
  • Add potatoes and both not-beef cubes, 1 chkn cube and 2 bay leaves. Increase heat to medium, cover, and keep cooking for another 10 mins depending how soft or hard you like your potatoes to be. (If necessary add more water.)
  • Heat a sauté pan to medium-high heat and add 1 tsp. of oil. Add beefless tips and brown them on both sides until golden brown.
  • Add the beefless tips to the pot with the vegetables, add another 2 cups of water, and ¼ cup of beer. Stir and let cook on low heat for 5 more mins. (You can add more than 2 cups of water. Today I did because I wanted my barbacoa to have plenty of broth. Add as much or little as you like.)
  • 1Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Turn off heat, make some frijoles puercos and sopa fria to go with it and voilà

Notes

*The beer is only for a different kick on the taste of this barbacoa, in Sinaloa (my Mexico native state) adding some beer to it is very common and I wanted to make this as traditional as possible. Yes it’s safe for children since it’s only a small amount and the alcohol taste disappears with all the other spices. I added Michelob. (of course I drank the remaining of it #bosslife #momlife #winning)
*The beefless tips are already seasoned, I didn’t want that flavor to overpower the barbacoa. I washed them very well and added a squeeze of lime juice and let it rest for 15 mins with lime juice and water. It helped, and the “meat” got the original taste of the barbacoa spices added but this is totally optional

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 1708mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 14753IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 4mg
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Vegan Arroz con Leche

This vegan arroz con leche is creamy, delicious, and easy to make. It is topped with a sprinkle of freshly ground cinnamon and studded with raisins. I love it when it’s served cold on a hot day, but in the winter nothing beats a cup of warm arroz con leche. It’s one of those classic Mexican desserts that you make over and over again.

Milk and rice cooking in a large pot with a cinnamon stick.

Mexican Arroz con Leche

Mexican rice pudding is the perfect combination of milk, sugar, cinnamon, rice, and raisins. Depending on what region of Mexico you grew up in you might have added fresh fruit, orange or lime zest, and even rum.

Raisins added to the pot with the rice and milk.

Did you know that there are many versions of arroz con leche? There is Dominican, Costa Rican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Guatemalan….and the list goes on and on. Most of them are similar but each country has its own variation that makes it unique. In Puerto Rico they use coconut milk, in Spain they add orange zest, in Cuba, they add condensed milk, and in Jamaica, they add allspice or nutmeg.

A wooden spoon full of vegan Mexican rice pudding suspended over a pot.

But it doesn’t matter what country you are from, arroz con leche evokes memories of the smell of cinnamon and a big pot of boiling milk on the stove, and the song, “ Arroz con leche, me quiero casar con un señorita…..”

How to Make Arroz con Leche Vegan

To make this arroz con leche without dairy I did a test between three different types of plant milk: soy milk, oat milk, and almond coconut milk. I used the same recipe for all of them and had some really picky taste-testers (my children) evaluate the results.

Two glass cups of vegan arroz con leche surrounded by cinnamon sticks and raisins.

The Test: Soy milk, Oat Milk or Almond Milk

The clear winner of the taste test was soy, then oat milk, and in the last place was almond-coconut milk. Soy milk resembled cow’s milk the most because of the high-fat content. The one that was made with oat milk was deliciously sweet, but it gave it a yellowish color and it wasn’t as creamy as the soy milk. The almond-coconut milk was creamy but did have a distinctive taste of coconut. My kids loved all of them, but they preferred the soy by far. I know a lot of people don’t do soy, so if you don’t, I recommend the oat milk instead.

A close up of vegan Mexican rice pudding with raisins with the spoon digging in.

The Recipe

  • You can use any plant milk of your choice, but we found that soy was the one that mimicked the taste of cow’s milk the best.
  • Oat milk also makes a yummy arroz con leche.
  • You can add fresh fruit, orange zest, dried fruit, nutmeg, and even vegan condensed milk.
  • I decided to use long-grain rice because it’s what is most accessible, but using short-grain rice will give a creamier result.
Vegan arroz con leche in a glass goblet with a golden spoon inserted into the cup.

Vegan Arroz con Leche

Vegan Arroz con Leche, a traditional Mexican classic made dairy-free with soy milk, cinnamon. and raisins.
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cinnamon, dairyfree, raisins, rice pudding, vegan
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8 people (Serving size 1/2 cup)
Calories: 311kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Long grain-rice
  • 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick 2 -inch
  • 3 cups Water
  • 4 cups Soy milk
  • ½ – 1 cup Sugar or your sweetener of choice
  • ½ cup of raisins optional

Instructions

  • In a large pot combine water, cinnamon stick, and rice. Bring water to a simmer and simmer slowly for 15 min.
  • Add soy milk to the pot and simmer for 10 more minutes.
  • Add ½ – 1 cup of the sugar (depending on desired sweetness), and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the arroz con leche has reached the right consistency.
  • Remove from the heat, add raisins, and let the rice cool slightly. It will thicken as it cools.
  • Sprinkle with ground cinnamon before serving. Serve warm, or let cool in the refrigerator and serve cold.

Notes

You can use any plant milk of your choice, but we found that soy was the one that mimicked the taste of cow’s milk the best. Oat milk also makes a yummy arroz con leche. You can add fresh fruit, orange zest, dried fruit, nutmeg, and even vegan condensed milk. I decided to use long-grain rice because it’s what is most accessible, but using short grain rice will give a creamier result.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cups | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 1mg

Although dorastable.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.

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Vegan Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

This vegan key lime pie ice cream is a play on my favorite Mexican dessert, carlota de limón. (In Mexico it is also known as pay de limón ice cream.) A tangy and sweet key lime-coconut milk base is churned until it is light and creamy and then mixed with crumbled vegan Maria cookies It has the perfect ratio of cookies to ice cream with that classic lime flavor that is a Mexican favorite.

Coconut milk and lime mixture in a blender container.

Ice Cream in Mexico

Mexico loves ice cream. You can find hand-churned ice cream made in huge stainless barrels and being sold on the street. Mexican ice cream is famous for being made with ripe and juicy seasonal fruit. You can find classic flavors like mango, strawberry, and chocolate, and some unconventional flavors like corn rose petal, and tres leches.

Carlota de limon is a deliciously decadent key lime ice box cake layered with Maria cookies and a sweet-tart lime custard cream.

Mexican Ice Cream is similar to gelato since the fat content is much lower than American ice cream, so it is creamy and delectable yet light and refreshing. You can also find ice cream at paleterias or neverías. The most famous one is La Michoacana. To find vegan ice cream simply ask for nieve de agua, which means it’s made with a water base.

Making vegan ice cream

Ice cream is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world and I’m so glad that there are many vegan options available at grocery stores. My favorite hands-down is Nada Moo, but if you want to make your own ice cream I recommend the FoMu Ice Cream cookbook. If you’re looking for an ice cream machine I use the Cuisinart 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor???

Pay de Limon ice cream in stacked glass bowls with a golden spoon digging into it.

The Recipe: Vegan Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

Key Lime vs Persian Lime

For this ice cream, I recommend you use key limes which are small and have a stronger and tangier flavor than Persian limes.

Vegan Key lime pie ice cream in a quart container with a purple ice scream scoop digging in

Vegan Maria Cookies

If you live in Mexico the Maria cookies from the Soriana brand are accidentally vegan. If you live in the US I found that Mcvities Rich Tea Cookies are also vegan and can be found on Amazon. If you can’t find either of them you can use vegan graham crackers to make this ice cream.

Vegan Key lime pie ice cream in stacked glass bowls with a golden spoon digging into it.

Vegan Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

This vegan key lime pie ice cream is a play on my favorite Mexican dessert, carlota de limón. (In Mexico it is also known as pay de limón ice cream.) A tangy and sweet key lime-coconut milk base is churned until it is light and creamy and then mixed with crumbled Maria cookies.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: coconut milk, key lime, maria cookies
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
5 hours
Servings: 8 servings (1 quart)
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Dora S.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Canned Coconut milk unsweetened
  • ¼ cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup Agave nectar
  • 1/3 cup Fresh key lime juice or regular lime juice
  • ½ cup Crumbled Maria cookies see note

Instructions

  • Place the coconut milk, lime juice, sugar, and agave nectar in the blender and process until smooth.
  • Let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for at least two hours, preferably overnight.
  • Once the mixture is cold, add it to your ice cream machine and churn according to the machine’s instructions. It could take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.
  • During the last couple of minutes of churning add the crumbled cookies to the ice cream.
  • Transfer the ice cream (it will look like soft-serve a freezer-safe container with a lid and freeze for at least 5 hours.
  • Enjoy!!

Notes

  • To crumble the Maria cookies, place them in a Ziploc bag and pound them with a rolling pin.
  • If after freezing the ice cream is too hard, leave it out at room temperature to soften a little bit.

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

 

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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
1 from 1 vote
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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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