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?
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.
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. I am beyond thrilled to be able to recreate a vegan version of this torta and I hope you love it as much as I do!
Tips and Substitutes:
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 includes 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:
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Soyrizo – vegan chorizo. Trader Joe’s carries a delicious one for $1.99.
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Extra refried beans – This will also make it a super easy recipe!
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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.
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King oyster or portobello mushrooms – Shred using a fork if using king oyster mushrooms. Use same seasonings/sauces as you would with jackfruit.
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Seitan – you can either choose to make your own or buy store bought.
Beans
I love using both pinto or 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 sounds like a broken record but I highly recommend getting canned refried beans from Trader Joe’s. They don’t add too much seasonings and spices like 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.
More Authentic Mexican Recipes:
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Mexican Torta
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 4
- Diet: Vegan
Description
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!
Ingredients
Carnitas:
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1 can of Jackfruit
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1/2 large onion, diced
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1 tbsp neutral oil
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2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
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1/2 tbsp maple syrup
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1/2 tsp garlic powder
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1 tsp chili powder
Torta ingredients:
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4 bolillos, burger buns or bread of choice
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1-1 1/2 cup refried beans
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1-2 avocados
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4 pickled jalapeños
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1/2 head of lettuce
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2 tomatoes
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1 tbsp vegan mayo (optional)
Instructions
Carnitas Instructions:
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Drain and rinse jackfruit well to get rid of the brine flavor. Pat dry with a paper towel.
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Heat a pan on medium heat and add neutral oil. Add diced onions and cooked for 2-3 minutes.
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Add jackfruit, garlic powder, chili powder and cook for 5-6 minutes.
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Add soy sauce/tamari and maple syrup, mix well and cook for another 7-8 minutes until golden brown and slightly crispy.
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Taste and add seasonings as desired. Set aside.
Torta assembly instructions:
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Turn a griddle on medium heat. Spread a small amount of vegan mayo on the bread and grill for 2 minutes on each side.
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Start by spreading about 1/4 cup refried beans to the bottom half of the roll/bread.
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Next, add jackfruit carnitas, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeños and the top half of the bun.
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Enjoy as is or add Tapatio like a true Mexican 🙂
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Mexican
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 torta
Keywords: mexican torta, mexican sandwich, vegan torta, vegan mexican torta, vegan mexican food, mexican torta recipe
I had not had a torta in years after going vegan and this one HIT THE SPOT! It tastes even better than what I remember. The carnitas were my favorite part, the ingredients are well thought out.
★★★★★