Mexican Recipes

If you love Mexican food, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Chipotle-Inspired Vegetarian Burrito Bowl, the Chipotle Asparagus Quesadillas, and Mini Churro Doughnut Holes (because we all need something snacky). Enjoy!

BEAN AND CHEESE BURRITOS

This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kay wrote, "Mexican refried beans are a cinch to make at home on a weeknight thanks to some staple pantry items and a few basic fresh ingredients. Buttery canned pinto beans are perfect in this dish, breaking down into a creamy, silky mixture. (Black beans would also work great.) While the beans are often fried in lard or bacon drippings, this vegetarian version builds flavor with caramelized onion, bell pepper, garlic and smoked paprika instead. Pico de gallo adds a touch of tang to counter the rich beans. Pan-frying the wrapped burritos guarantees a golden, irresistibly crispy exterior and an interior that oozes with melted cheese."

Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 6 burritos

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022532-bean-and-cheese-burritos.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1/2 medium onion)

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (from 1/2 pepper)

Salt and black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, 1/2 cup of bean liquid reserved and the rest drained

1/2 cup store-bought or homemade pico de gallo or salsa

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

6 (9- to 10-inch) flour tortillas

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar (8 ounces)

Sour cream and hot sauce, for serving

Preparation

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 1 minute. Add pinto beans, pico de gallo, smoked paprika, reserved bean liquid and 1/2 cup of water, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring and mashing occasionally with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, until liquid is absorbed and mixture is thick, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer refried beans to a bowl, and wipe out skillet.

Spread 1/2 cup of the refried beans in the center of each tortilla and top each with ⅓ cup of the cheese. Fold the short sides of the tortilla over the filling; fold the bottom of the tortilla up and over the filling and tightly roll.

In the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium. Add 3 burritos seam side down and cook until golden, turning occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 3 burritos. Serve warm with sour cream and hot sauce on the side.

HEARTY BEAN NACHOS WITH SPICY SALSA

This is from Pati Jinich in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Pati wrote, "According to Dr. Adalberto Peña de los Santos, the director of the International Nacho Festival, in Piedras Negras, Mexico, there are three timeless nacho essentials: crispy corn tortilla chips, mounds of melted cheese and at least one chile. If you want to go big, here are some unofficial guidelines: Nacho toppings should be good enough to stand on their own, the nachos should be saucy (maybe even messy) and they should be so delicious together that you can’t have just one bite. In this recipe, nachos take a vegetarian turn, with buttery pinto beans, tender carrots or sweet potatoes (or both), and a tomato-and-tomatillo salsa. Melty cheese, Mexican crema and chopped onion and cilantro take it over the top."

Time: 1 hour; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This recipe was featured in "The Original Nachos Were Crunchy, Cheesy and Truly Mexican", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021574-hearty-bean-nachos-with-spicy-salsa.

Ingredients

For the Salsa

1-1/2 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes (about 5 or 6)

1/2 pound tomatillos (about 3 or 4), husked and rinsed

1 to 2 jalapeños, destemmed

1 to 2 chiles de árbol, destemmed

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, leaves and upper stems, plus 1 cup reserved for garnish

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher or sea salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the Beans and Vegetables

3 cups (1/2-inch) diced peeled carrot or sweet potato (or a combination)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup finely chopped white onion, plus 1/2 cup reserved for garnish

1 cup finely chopped celery

1-1/2 cups cooked, drained pinto beans (from about 3/4 cup dried beans or a 15-ounce can)

For Assembly

1 to 1-1/2 pounds store-bought or Homemade Tortilla Chips (see recipe)

1 pound shredded cheese (any combination of Oaxaca, Monterey Jack and Cheddar)

1 cup Mexican crema

Preparation

Prepare the salsa: Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapeños, chiles de árbol and garlic in a medium saucepan. Cover with at least 6 cups water and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the tomatoes and tomatillos are cooked through and mushy, the jalapeños have softened and the chiles de árbol have plumped up, about 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender, setting aside the cooking liquid. Add the cilantro, cumin and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the blender; purée until smooth.

Prepare the vegetables: Bring the reserved vegetable cooking liquid back to a simmer over medium-high heat and season generously with salt. Once it comes to a boil, add the carrots or sweet potatoes, or both, and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Pour the cooked vegetables into a colander, discarding liquid, and set aside.

Wipe the saucepan dry, then add 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium. Once the oil is hot, pour in the salsa, partly cover it with the lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the color has deepened, 8 to 10 minutes. Set salsa aside.

Prepare the beans: In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium. Once hot, add the onion and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until completely softened. Raise the heat to high, add the cooked carrots and/or sweet potatoes, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring a couple times, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pinto beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed, another 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then remove from the heat.

Assemble the nachos: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Place all the tortilla chips in a half sheet pan or large baking sheet. Cover the chips with the bean mixture, ladle the salsa all over the top and cover with shredded cheese. Bake until cheese has completely melted, about 10 minutes.

Spoon the crema over the top and garnish with reserved cilantro and chopped white onion. Serve hot!

CHIPOTLE-INSPIRED VEGETARIAN BURRITO BOWL

This is from the Food Network kitchen. It begins, "This homemade take on Chipotle’s sofritas is made from crumbled tofu simmered in a spicy poblano sauce. It’s not just for vegetarians—even the meat lovers in your life will find this dish hard to resist. We serve the mixture in bowl form with brown rice, black beans, pico de gallo and lettuce, but it’s also great as a taco or burrito filling."

Active Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/copycat-chipotle-sofritas-7532631.

Ingredients

1 small onion, one half cut into thick wedges through the stem and the other half finely diced

1 medium poblano chile

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 chipotle pepper and 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from one 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained well

Brown rice, for serving

Black beans, for serving

Shredded romaine lettuce, for serving

Prepared pico de gallo, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to broil.

Place the onion wedges and poblano on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Broil, turning several times with tongs, until the poblano has collapsed in on itself and the vegetables are charred, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. When the poblano is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin, stem and seeds.

Transfer the poblano to a blender. Add the charred onion wedges, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, garlic, soy sauce, tomato paste, chili powder, vinegar, cumin, 1/2 cup water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Blend until smooth, then set the poblano mixture aside.

Cut the tofu crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick planks, then press the pieces between a couple paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet, then add the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Using your hands, tear and crumble the tofu into very small pieces and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring to combine, until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Add the poblano mixture and 1/2 cup water to the skillet and cook until it’s bubbling all over and the tofu has absorbed some of the sauce, about 5 minutes. Add 1 to 2 more tablespoons water if the mixture gets too dry (it should be saucy). Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve over rice and beans and top with lettuce and pico de gallo.

MEATLESS TEX-MEX SLOPPY JOES

This recipe, from Old El Paso, begins, Meatless Mondays just got a new star recipe. Impossible™ Burger is made from plants and makes this vegetarian sloppy joe recipe a delicious new addition to your meatless repertoire. These Meatless Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes use Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce and Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix. Meatless sloppy joes are as fast and easy as the original, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/meatless-tex-mex-sloppy-joes.

Ingredients

1 package (12 oz) Impossible™ Burger

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce (from 9-oz bottle)

4 burger buns, toasted

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (from 8-oz package)

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Impossible™ Burger over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crumbles are browned and cooked through.

Stir water, taco seasoning mix and taco sauce into Impossible™ Burger mixture; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Place about 1/2 cup mixture over bottom of each bun; top with cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomatoes, then top of bun.

Expert Tips

Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce plays the role that tomato sauce would play in a traditional sloppy joe recipe, with the added benefit of loads of taco flavor for these vegetarian sloppy joes.

We call for Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce in this recipe, but if you’d prefer a bit more heat in your meatless sloppy joes, feel free to substitute Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.

Buying a whole head of lettuce and slicing it thinly yourself, as opposed to buying it preshredded in a bag, will help to guarantee a fresh, extra-crisp topping for your sloppy joes.

CHIPOTLE ASPARAGUS QUESADILLAS

This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34. It begins, “Canned chipotles in adobo sauce lend mellow, smoky heat to quesadillas. Leftover chipotles (there are usually four or five in a can) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for future use.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Quesadillas

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (2 cups)

1 red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)

1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)

1-1/2 tsp. olive oil or vegetable oil

1 tsp. dried oregano

4 8-inch sprouted-grain tortillas

Chipotle Spread

3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise

2 tsp. minced, drained chipotles in adobo sauce

1 Tbs. lime or lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

To make Quesadillas: Toss together asparagus, bell pepper, onion, oil, and oregano in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread on large baking sheet, and roast 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring once or twice.

Meanwhile, to make Chipotle Spread: blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.

Spread 1-1/2 tsp. Chipotle Spread on one side of each tortilla, spreading all the way out to edges. Top with 2/3 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, then fold over tortillas, pressing edges together to enclose filling and form half-moons.

Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.

nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 273; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

MINI CHURRO DOUGHNUT HOLES

This yummy recipe is from Old El Paso, and begins, “This DIY version of fair food goes bite-size and gets an added flavor boost from caramel.”

By Pillsbury Kitchens

Total Time: 15 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Canola oil for deep-frying

1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers refrigerated Original biscuits

Caramel sauce, if desired

Instructions

Fill 3-quart saucepan one-third full with oil. Heat over medium heat to about 350°F. Line plate with paper towels; set aside.

In small bowl, stir together cinnamon-sugar and powdered sugar; set aside.

Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Split each biscuit into 2 rounds; place on cutting board. Using very small doughnut-hole cutter or mouth of an empty bottle, cut out mini-sized doughnut holes.

When oil is hot, carefully drop a few of the doughnut holes into oil at a time. (See Tip.) Using slotted metal spoon or kitchen spider, continuously turn holes over and over until golden brown. Remove from oil; place on paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately place holes in sugar mixture; coat completely. Serve doughnut holes immediately drizzled with caramel sauce.

Expert Tips

The safest way to fry is to bring your hand close to the oil and gently drop in the dough versus quickly dropping and splashing the oil.

To prep ahead by a few hours, you can cut the dough and store it in a zipper-topped plastic bag in the fridge.