Vegan Chile Verde (Guisado en Salsa Verde)
This is a vegan take on a classic Mexican dish called guisado de puerco en salsa verde (or chile verde). For this meatless version I use soy curls, which are simmered with potatoes, and zucchini in a spicy tomatillo and green chile salsa.
Why Youāll Love This Recipe
Have you tried soy curls?? They are an excellent meat substitute, and they really shine in this chile verde. This dish is childhood favorite of mine; it’s tangy, spicy, easy to make, and absolutely delicious! Plus it’s vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Ingredients
Tomatillo: These are a small bright green tomato with a papery husk used to make salsa verde. They are very acidic and slightly sweet. The husks need to be removed before cooking you can find them at your local grocery store or Mexican grocery store. Outside the US they are hard to find fresh, but you can find them canned.
Soy Curls: A meat alternative made with whole dehydrated soy beans, made into strips. You can find them online. If you can’t find them you can use TVP or mushrooms.
Shiitake mushroom powder: Is made from dried and ground shiitake mushrooms. I use it to give the stew a “porky” flavor. You can find it online or are specialty food stores. This is an optional ingredient.
Chile serrano: A small green chile (pepper), spicier than a jalapeƱo, but not as spicy as an habanero. If you want to make this recipe less spicy you can take out the seeds and veins of the chile and rinse them under cold running water. Or you can use a milder chile like jalapeƱo peppers. Hatch chile will also work with this.
Calabacitas (Mexican zucchini): Is a variety of squash native to Mexico. It is lighter, shorter, and rounder than Italian zucchini. You can find it at your local Mexican store, but if you can’t find it you can use other varieties of zucchini.
How to Make Vegan Chile Verde Step By Step
1. Fill a medium pot with water and add 6 tomatillos, 1/3 white onion, 3 to 4 chiles Serrano, and 3 garlic cloves. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
2. Drain and transfer to the blender, add 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup packed cilantro, and 1 teaspoon salt.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Whisk together 3 cups warm vegetable broth, 1 tbsp. mushroom powder, and 1 tbsp. soy sauce.
5. Add 4oz. soy curls and let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes
6. Drain and with your hands squeeze out all the liquid from the soy curls. Chop into smaller pieces.
7. Cook soy curls until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the pot.
9. Pour in the salsa verde and simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Add the soy curls and cook for 6 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
8. Add 1/2 onion chopped, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add 3 cubed white potatoes and 1 chopped zucchini and cook for one minute.
10. Add in vegetable broth, oregano, cumin, and salt, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- You can substitute the soy curls with TVP, seitan, tempeh or mushrooms.
- You can use other vegetables such as swiss chard, caulilflower, or nopales.
- To increase or reduce spiciness, reduce or increase the amount of chile serrano.
- If you want firmer zucchini, add it to the pot with the soy curls (step 3 in the chile verde process).
Make this Oil Free
Omit the oil when cooking the soy curls, and use a non-stick pan to get them golden brown.
Serving
Serve hot with warm corn tortillas and Mexican rice.
Storing
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
FAQs
Yes you can use TVP, seitan, or mushrooms instead of soy curls.
Yes! This would be great with swiss chard, nopales, or cauliflower.
More Vegan Mexican Dinner Recipes
Vegan Chile Verde
Ingredients
Salsa Verde:
- 1 pound tomatillos, about 6 medium
- Ā½ large white onion, chopped
- 3 to 4 chile serrano
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup water or broth
- Ā½ cup packed cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt
Soy Curls:
- 4 oz dried soy curls
- 3 cups warm vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon shiitake mushroom powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Chile Verde:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- Ā½ large white onion, chopped
- 3 medium white potatoes, cut into large cubes
- 1 Mexican zucchini, cut into large cubes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- Ā½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ā teaspoon cumin
- Ā½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
To make the salsa verde:
- Fill a medium pot with water and add tomatillo, onion, chile Serrano, and garlic. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to the blender, add 1 cup of water. Add cilantro, and salt and blend until smooth. Set aside.
To prepare the soy curls:
- In a large bowl whisk together the warm broth, mushroom powder, and soy sauce. Add the soy curls and let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and with your hands squeeze out all the liquid from the soy curls. Chop into smaller pieces.
To make the chile verde:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the soy curls, and cook until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the pot and add the onion, reduce heat to low and cook until for 5 to 6 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add potatoes and zucchini and cook for one minute. Pour in the salsa verde and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in vegetable broth, oregano, cumin, and salt, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the soy curls and cook for 6 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Serve with rice, beans, and warm corn tortillas.
Notes
- You can substitute the soy curls with TVP, seitan, tempeh or mushrooms.
- You can use other vegetables such as swiss chard, caulilflower, or nopales.
- To increase or reduce spiciness, reduce or increase the amount of chile serrano.
- If you want firmer zucchini, add it to the pot with the soy curls (step 3 in the chile verde process).
Nutrition
Although dorastable.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.
