Mexican Torta

This authentic Mexican Torta recipe takes me back to summers in Michoacan Mexico. It is hearty, flavorful, and delicious! The combination of jackfruit carnitas, refried beans, avocado, jalapenos, and crunchy lettuce will leave you wanting more. Make sure to give this Mexican Sandwich a try!

What is a Mexican Torta?

A torta is basically a hearty Mexican sandwich that is filled with mouthwatering ingredients such as refried beans, meat, veggies, pickled jalapeño, and sometimes cheese.

Torta is the Spanish word for cake. But a Mexican Torta is usually made with a crusty roll stuffed with meat and bold sauce. 

Mexican tortas will always remind me of my annual trips to Mexico when I was younger. It was tradition to go out to the “La Plaza” and get a torta filled with carnitas, grilled cheese, beans, avocado, and Jalapeños. It continues to be my favorite authentic Mexican dish because there is nothing quite like it. I am beyond thrilled to be able to recreate a plant-based of this torta and I hope you love it as much as I do!

Is a Plant-Based Torta Authentic?

A plant-based version of a Mexican recipe can be authentic. Authenticity in cuisine is not solely defined by the use of traditional ingredients but also by the preservation of cultural techniques, flavors, and the overall spirit of the dish. Mexican cuisine, in particular, is incredibly diverse and adaptable, with a rich history of plant-based ingredients such as beans, corn, chilies, tomatoes, squash, and a variety of herbs and spices. Our grandma’s used to substitute ingredients all the time. People don’t seem to mind the meat substitute once they bite into it! 😉

Torta Tips

My torta recipe is made with spicy carnitas that are flavored with maple syrup, soy sauce, and jack fruit (among a few other ingredients). When you make carnitas with jackfruit, always rinse the jackfruit. This will remove the brine and make it taste the best.

Then, pat the jackfruit dry. If you leave too much moisture, it will prevent the pork from crisping up. Finally, always taste as you go. Make adjustments as you cook. Do you want it spicier? Add more chili powder. Is it too spicy? Add more maple syrup. 

Mexican Torta Ingredient Substitutes

Here are a few different ingredient swaps you can make in these easy tortas. 

Bread

The original type of bread used for tortas is called a Bolillo roll. You can actually find these at your local Safeway or Lucky grocery stores. You will also find these in Mexican grocery stores. If you want to make them at home, I highly recommend Dora’s Bolillo recipe! Alternatives include burger buns and French bread rolls.

Carnitas

I highly recommend getting canned jackfruit if possible. It can be very time-consuming to get it fresh. My favorite canned jackfruit is from Trader Joe’s:

Do I have to use Jackfruit/Carnitas for my Mexican Torta?

Nope! Mexican tortas come in all types of ways. One of my favorites is torta de panella (a type of cheese). I plan to make a recipe for this one too, so stay tuned! If you’re not a fan of jackfruit, here are some alternatives you can use for the “meat” of your torta:

• Soyrizo – vegan chorizo. Trader Joe’s carries a delicious one for $1.99.
• Extra refried beans – This will also make it a super easy recipe!
• A thick slice of tofu – Cut a thick slice of extra firm tofu and fry with a little oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and nutritional yeast.
• King oyster or portobello mushrooms – Shred using a fork if using king oyster mushrooms. Use the same seasonings/sauces as you would with jackfruit.
• Seitan – you can either choose to make your own or buy store-bought.

Beans

I love using both pinto and black beans for this recipe, it just depends on my mood! You can choose to buy canned refried beans or make them. I feel like I sound like a broken record but I highly recommend getting canned refried beans from Trader Joe’s. They don’t add too many seasonings and spices like the ones I’ve tried from other grocery stores.

Veggies

I highly recommend adding lettuce, tomato and jalapeños to get an authentic torta. Avocado is optional but I love adding it! You can also choose to add red sliced onions as well.

**Best when fresh but they will keep for 24-48 hours if wrapped well and refrigerated.

Authentic Plant-based Mexican Torta

I hope you give this delicious recipe a try – don’t know it before you try it! Plant-based versions of Mexican recipes can be authentic as long as they respect the traditional ingredients, flavors, and cooking methods of Mexican cuisine. The essence of authenticity lies in the cultural and culinary heritage that the dish represents, which can certainly be preserved in a plant-based adaptation. By honoring these traditions, plant-based Mexican recipes can provide a genuine and delicious culinary experience that reflects the rich and diverse heritage of Mexican cuisine.

More Authentic Mexican Recipes:

Vegan “Chicken” Tinga

Authentic Tostadas

The Best Tamales

Portobello Carne Asada

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