Chilaquiles rojos feature lightly fried tortilla chips tossed in red salsa. Topped with garnishes like cotija cheese and Mexican crema, this recipe is perfect to make when you're craving a savory breakfast!
Table of Contents
- ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- 🌽 What are chilaquiles rojos?
- 📜 History
- 🌱 Are red chilaquiles vegan?
- 🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- 📝 How to make vegan chilaquiles
- 🧀 What to serve with chilaquiles
- 🍽️ How to eat chilaquiles
- 🌡️ Storage & reheating
- ♻️ Variations
- 🧑🍳 Top Tips
- 💬 FAQ
- 🍴 Similar recipes
- 📋 Recipe
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Flavor-packed: Prepared with homemade salsa roja, totopos, and umami-rich garnishes, you can taste the quality of flavor in these red chilaquiles.
- Customizable: The salsa roja is very easy to customize. Switch up the chiles, herbs, and spices for a completely different taste.
- Allergen-friendly: This recipe is dairy, egg, and gluten-free, making it suitable for almost all dietary needs and preferences.
If you enjoy vegan chilaquiles rojos, you need to try our chilaquiles verdes, enfrijoladas, enmoladas, and huevos con chorizo.
🌽 What are chilaquiles rojos?
Chilaquiles rojos consists primarily of tortilla chips tossed in red salsa. Typical garnishes include fresh onion, cotija cheese, and Mexican crema.
Stale tortillas are fried until crispy before being tossed in homemade sauce. This ingenious way of using leftover tortillas and salsas to extend expensive foods is something to be appreciated within Mexican culture.
For chilaquiles, there are two main flavors — chilaquiles rojos (red) and chilaquiles verdes (green). Today, we're making a vegan chilaquiles rojos recipe!
Our favorite part of chilaquiles is the customization options. You can turn it into a completely different meal just by using new toppings, chiles, or vegetables.
This breakfast is quick and easy to make, but you will not believe how much flavor comes through!
📜 History
Food historians believe the name "chilaquiles" stems from the Nahuatl word "chīlāquilitl," which dates this dish back to prehispanic times. However, the first written recipe only appeared in an 1898 cookbook, "El Cocinera Español."
Over the years, there have been many versions created. But no matter what, chilaquiles remains one of the most popular breakfast options all around Mexico!
Fast forward to today, there is now a wide variety of salsa and garnish options for chilaquiles (some even come with mole)!
🌱 Are red chilaquiles vegan?
Strictly speaking, red chilaquiles is a vegan-friendly dish — tortillas and salsa roja. It's the toppings that are usually less plant-based. These are the common culprits to think about:
- Mexican crema: In place of dairy-based crema, add vegan crema.
- Queso: Use vegan queso fresco or almond cotija in place of dairy cheese.
- Egg: Fried or scrambled eggs are a common addition, but you can just as easily serve your chilquiles rojos with tofu scramble.
- Meat: Shredded meat (like chicken) is also often added. Opt for shredded seitan or more tofu for a plant-based protein source.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Corn tortillas: Use homemade corn tortillas for the freshest flavor. If you are short on time, store-bought tortillas or chips work as well.
- Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes form the bulk of the salsa roja. Due to their lower water content, the best variety is Roma. If you don't have any, replace them with whatever you have on hand.
- Red chiles: We use a mixture of guajillo chiles and arbol chiles. Guajillos are quite fruity while arbol chiles bring the heat. Keep this in mind if you are replacing them with other varieties.
- Onion, garlic: White onions and garlic are added to the salsa for savoriness. Save some freshly diced onions as a garnish. We prefer white onions, but yellow onions work too.
- Epazote: While optional, epazote is a traditional aromatic in red chilaquiles. The flavor is difficult to understand without trying it, but it has citrus, mint, anise, and oregano notes. You can use either fresh or dried epazote.
- Oil: To fry the tortillas, use a neutral vegetable oil like canola, soy, or peanut. To season the salsa, olive oil works well.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan chilaquiles
Step 1: Make the salsa
Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and arbol chiles. Toast them in a skillet over medium-low for a few minutes. Make sure to turn your chiles frequently to prevent burning.
Bring a saucepan of water to a light simmer, then add the chiles and 2 garlic cloves. Leave them to rehydrate for 10-15 minutes, or until the peppers are softened.
Step 2: Roast the vegetables
Preheat a seasoned cast-iron skillet to just over medium. If your pan isn't well seasoned, rub it with a little olive oil before heating it up.
Pan-roast the whole tomatoes, onion quarters, and serrano chile for 5 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the skins are blackened and the insides are soft.
Step 3: Blend the salsa
Stem the serrano, and add all vegetables plus the last clove of garlic to a food processor or blender. Blend until the salsa reaches your preferred consistency.
Step 4: Fry the tortillas
Heat a few inches of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high (the oil should reach 350-375 degrees F). Cut your corn tortillas into quarters, and fry them in batches until they turn golden brown.
Transfer the cooked tortilla chips to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Continue this process until all the tortillas are fried.
Step 5: Season the salsa
Heat a little olive oil in a large pot over medium. Slowly pour the salsa in and add the epazote. Simmer together for 10-12 minutes to deepen the flavors.
Step 9: Assemble
Once your salsa is done reducing, season it with salt and mix in the tortilla chips a few at a time. Serve your chilaquiles rojos while warm topped with garnishes of your choosing. Happy eating!
If you have questions about making vegan chilaquiles rojos, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🧀 What to serve with chilaquiles
- Queso: Add dairy-free queso fresco or almond cotija for umami flavors.
- Crema: Drizzle on vegan Mexican crema for a tangy and cooling element.
- Jackfruit: To emulate shredded chicken, use the jackfruit preparation from our salpicon recipe.
- Tofu: Add tofu huevos a la Mexicana, ejotes con huevo, or machaca con huevo.
- Refried beans: Serve a dollop of refried beans on the side to make this dish more protein-packed.
- Avocado, onions, cilantro: Chilaquiles (and many Mexican dishes) are often topped with this killer combination.
🍽️ How to eat chilaquiles
They're a little messy, but your best bet is to eat chilaquiles with a fork and knife (and a lot of napkins)! Toss a serving size of totopos in the pot of salsa, plate them, add your favorite garnishes, and dig in!
🌡️ Storage & reheating
Once the chips are coated in salsa, chilaquiles should be eaten immediately. If you end up with leftovers, here's what to do:
- Fridge: Keep your salsa roja and chips separate, unless you are okay with soggy vegan chilaquiles. The salsa will last in the fridge for about 1 week, and the tortilla chips are good for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Store the salsa roja in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Remember to leave a little room at the top of the container for expansion.
- Corn tortillas: Pop them in a freezer-safe baggy and they should be good for up to 6-8 months in the freezer. Thaw them overnight in your fridge when you need more.
- Reheat: To serve this breakfast again, add the salsa to a pot over medium-low and mix in the chips as before. Garnish with your favorite toppings.
♻️ Variations
- Green chilaquiles: Make green chilaquiles by swapping the red salsa for green salsa.
- Bean sauce: Similar to enfrijoladas, chilaquiles can be served with bean sauce for a different kind of savory breakfast.
- Mole: For an even more complex flavor experience, try serving your chilaquiles with mole poblano in place of salsa roja.
- On a torta: Try making a vegan chilaquiles torta! Believe it or not, this is a popular type of Mexican sandwich.
- Air fried: For a healthier alternative, try air frying your totopos instead.
🧑🍳 Top Tips
- Use homemade tortillas: It makes a huge difference in the overall flavor if you use homemade tortilla chips over pre-packaged ones.
- Use stale tortillas: Chilaquiles are ideally made with tortillas that are going stale. This will keep the texture from turning too mushy.
- Watch your oil temperature: Invest in a deep-fry thermometer to properly monitor the oil temperature. It's more consistent and yields a better result.
- Adjust the spice level: We like our chilaquiles rojos spicy, so we always add serrano peppers. If you don't like spice, omit the serranos!
💬 FAQ
With the addition of the serrano pepper, this dish is medium spicy. Leave the serranos and arbol chiles out for a milder option.
Yes, you can bake corn tortillas instead of frying them. Brush the tortillas with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Bake them for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees F, flipping halfway. The texture won't be quite the same, but it makes a healthier version.
If you can't find dried chiles, add serrano peppers or jalapeños. We'd also recommend adding chipotle chile powder or chipotles in adobo.
If you can't find epazote, omit it completely as there really is no substitute for it.
Yes, you can use dry epazote instead of fresh. For this recipe, use 1-2 teaspoons of dried epazote.
To prevent chilaquiles from turning soggy, lightly toss a serving size of totopos and plate immediately. Also, make sure your tortillas are stale before making chilaquiles.
🍴 Similar recipes
If you love this vegan chilaquiles rojos recipe, check out some more flavor-packed recipes like these:
- Spanish omelette: A vegan version of this popular savory breakfast.
- Empanadas: Crispy corn dough wrapped around plant-based cheese.
- Crispy black bean tacos: A simple and customizable weeknight dinner that makes great leftovers.
- Sopes: Thick corn cakes served with toppings like refried beans, queso, and fresh vegetables.
- Sweet potato quesadillas: An easy snack to make for any occasion.
📋 Recipe
Easy Chilaquiles Rojos
Equipment
- Chef knife and cutting board
- Blender
- Skillet
- Large pot
Ingredients
Tortillas
- 16 corn tortillas ($0.25)
- Vegetable oil for frying
Salsa
- 6 medium Roma tomatoes ($0.96)
- ½ medium white onion ($0.12)
- 3 cloves garlic ($0.12)
- 4-5 dry arbol chiles ($0.08)
- 3 dry guajillo chiles ($0.12)
- 1 serrano chile optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil ($0.12)
- 1-2 epazote sprigs ($0.02)
- Salt to taste ($0.01)
To serve optional
- Diced onions
- Avocado
- Refried beans
- Queso fresco
- Queso cotija
- Mexican crema
Instructions
Skillet
- Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and arbol chiles. Toast them in a skillet over medium-low for 3-5 minutes. Make sure to turn your chiles frequently to prevent burning.
- Then, cover them and 2 of the garlic cloves with water and bring to a low boil. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until the peppers are softened.
- Next, preheat a seasoned cast-iron skillet to just over medium. If your pan isn't well seasoned, rub it with a little olive oil before heating up.
- Once hot, pan roast the whole tomatoes, onion quarters, and serrano chile for 5 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the skins are blackened and the insides are soft.
Boil
- If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, add all veggies (including the dry chiles) to a large pot with enough water to cover them. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
- When they are done boiling, drain the water, but save it in case your salsa needs more liquid.
Blend
- Stem the serrano if you’re using one and add all the drained veggies plus the last clove of garlic to a food processor or blender. Blend until the salsa is to your preferred texture, approximately 30-60 seconds. Set aside.
Tortilla Chips
- Heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high (the oil should be at 350-375°F).
- Cut your corn tortillas into quarters and fry in batches until golden brown on each side. Transfer the cooked tortilla chips to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Continue this process until all the tortillas are fried.
Assemble
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium. Slowly pour the salsa in with 1-2 sprigs of epazote. Simmer together for 10-12 minutes.
- Once your sauce is done reducing, season with salt and mix in a serving size of tortilla chips.
- Serve your chilaquiles rojos immediately topped with queso fresco or cotija, Mexican crema, fresh onions, diced avocado, etc. To make this a heartier meal, serve it with a side of refried beans. Happy eating!
Video
Notes
- Use homemade tortillas: It makes a huge difference in the overall flavor if you use homemade tortilla chips over pre-packaged ones.
- Use stale tortillas: Chilaquiles are ideally made with tortillas that are going stale. This will keep the texture from turning too mushy.
- Watch your oil temperature: Invest in a deep-fry thermometer to properly monitor the oil temperature. It's more consistent and yields a better result.
- Adjust the spice level: We like our chilaquiles rojos spicy, so we always add serrano peppers. If you don't like spice, omit the serranos!
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
- Recipe cost calculations are based on prices found in the top 5 U.S. grocery chains. As such, prices may vary based on your location. All prices are in USD.
Nutrition
Note: We've updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
leave a comment and rating!