Entomatadas

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This entomatadas recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. What more could you ask for? Lightly fried tortillas are coated with red salsa and stuffed with creamy refried beans and plant-based cheese. Just don’t forget all the fresh toppings!

📖 About

If you’re interested in the flavors of Mexico, an entomatadas recipe is a perfect place to start. This dish is simple to make, filled with fresh flavors, and includes different Mexican cooking techniques to try out. You’re going to love it!

What are entomatadas?

Entomatadas, which are sometimes referred to as tomato enchiladas, include lightly fried corn tortillas dipped in salsa roja (red salsa). They are then filled with cheese (like queso fresco), folded over, and covered with more salsa.

This type of dish preparation takes on other names depending on the sauce used. Add red chiles and it becomes enchiladas rojas. Swap in tomatillos and you have enchiladas verdes.

Or, you can make enfrijoladas by using a bean-based sauce. Both enfrijoladas and entomatadas are common breakfast options in Mexico.

But, they make delicious lunch and dinner options too!

We think entomatadas are so great because they are budget-friendly, simple to throw together, and so versatile! You can play around with different fillings or salsa add-ins to suit your preferences (or use up what’s in the fridge).

History

Dating back hundreds of years, entomatadas or enchiladas likely stemmed from an original creation of the Mayans.

This dish was known as papadzules, which consisted of egg-stuffed corn tortillas covered in a pumpkin seed and tomato sauce.

Not to be outdone, the Aztecs formed “chīllapīzzali” or “chile-flutes,” which more closely resemble modern-day entomatadas recipes.

With the Spanish conquest of New Spain (Mexico), food (like chīllapīzzali) became more heavily influenced by European ingredients like cheese, meat, and other spices.

Nowadays, there are all sorts of variations on the original recipes like enmoladas or entomatadas. But, the cooking methods have remained very similar throughout the years.

Are entomatadas vegan?

All that really constitutes entomatadas are corn tortillas and tomato-based salsa. So at their core, entomatadas are vegan-friendly.

But, a lot of the time you’ll find cheese or meat in the filling and Mexican crema drizzled over top.

To make these plant-based while trying to retain similar flavors, we opted for vegan queso fresco for the filling and a cashew crema drizzle.

Serving

Entomatadas are perfect for any time of the day. Just make sure to serve them hot with lots of sauce!

Try pairing your meal with aguas frescas like horchata or agua de Jamaica to cool off between bites.

If you’re making this entomatadas recipe for friends and family, end it off with a slice of Carlota de limón or some churros and chocolate.

🍲 Ingredients

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

• Corn tortillas: soft, sweet, and fresh corn tortillas make this dish taste as authentic as possible. We recommend making them at home unless you live by a tortillería.
• Tomatoes: adding zest and a slight acidity to the salsa are juicy Roma tomatoes. They’re also filled with potassium, which is needed for the heart to properly pump.
• Jalapeños: for a spicy element, we usually like to add serrano chiles (because we like our entomatadas extra spicy). But, jalapeños are a good middle ground.
• Garlic & onion: these two foods are added to bring more flavor and aroma to the salsa. Feel free to add more or less as per your preferences.

• Queso fresco & refried beans: the classic queso fresco and refried beans makes for a creamy, earthy, and nutritious combo. Use vegan queso to swap out saturated fats found in dairy-based cheese with monounsaturated fats that help lower cholesterol.
• Garnishes: typical garnishes for entomatadas include tangy Mexican crema (or vegan sour cream), zesty white onions, more queso, and cilantro.
• Vegetable broth: use vegetable broth to help the salsa blend and add flavor.
• Olive oil: to season the salsa, use olive oil. To fry the corn tortillas, use sunflower or vegetable oil. If you don’t want fried tortillas, skip the oil and heat them on a dry skillet (they just won’t hold up quite as well).
• Salt: to bring life to this dish!

🔪 Instructions

If you have questions about this entomatadas recipe, don’t forget to check out our FAQ section at the bottom of this post.

Step 1: add the tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, onion, and vegetable broth to a blender and mix on high until the texture is smooth. Add in more vegetable broth a few tablespoons at a time if it isn’t blending.

Step 2: heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium. Once hot, pour in the salsa and simmer it for 15-20 minutes to deepen the flavors. Taste and season with salt to your liking.

Step 3: lightly fry the corn tortillas for 15-20 seconds on each side (they should still be pliable). Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

Step 4: dip the fried tortillas in salsa roja to coat both sides. Transfer to a serving plate and add a scoop of queso fresco and refried beans to the center. Fold the tortilla in half and repeat.

Step 5: once your entomatadas are folded, layer on more salsa and top with queso fresco or cotija, Mexican crema, chopped cilantro, fresh onions, etc. Happy eating!

🌡️ Storage

Entomatadas is an easy dish to make and store for later. Follow these steps to keep your ingredients lasting longer.

Fridge

Storing your entomatadas with salsa and toppings together is a recipe for soggy food. Instead, keep everything separate and it will all last around 5-7 days in the fridge.

We use airtight glass containers as it keeps the flavors locked in, but just make sure whatever you use has a good seal.

Freezer

As long as you’re using freezer-safe bags or containers, salsa roja, refried beans, and corn tortillas will all last for a minimum of 3 months in the freezer. Just make sure they’re stored separately from each other as with the fridge.

Reheat

When you’re ready to make entomatadas again, heat up your salsa in a saucepan over low-medium, warm your fillings in pan, and fry some more tortillas up in the meantime.

💭 Tips & variations

We’d like to share some tips and variations we learned while experimenting with this entomatadas recipe:

• Don’t fry the tortillas. For a healthier alternative, you can always skip frying the tortillas. Heat them on a dry skillet instead.
• Make them spicy. If you’re looking for an extra kick, try swapping out the jalapeño or serrano chiles for a haberno pepper.
• Change up the fillings. For a switch up on queso fresco and refried beans, try out some other fillings. Jackfruit carnitas or tinga are tasty options, or just a simple vegetable mix.

🍴 Tasting notes

Try making these entomatadas if you love quick and easy recipes. They’re:

• Fresh
• Filling
• Zesty
• Spicy
• Tasty

If you try this vegan entomatadas recipe, please rate it and leave us a comment below! Want to stay up-to-date with new recipes? Subscribe to our newsletter or connect with Broke Bank Vegan on social media. Happy eating!

♻️ Similar recipes

For more tasty ways to fill and top corn tortillas, check out our:

• Enchiladas rojas for a similar dish to entomatadas, but with a salsa made from red chiles like ancho and guajillo.
• Enfrijoladas for tender corn tortillas folded over vegetables and topped with a smoky, creamy, and silky smooth bean sauce.
• Enmoladas for a rich and decadent meal that highlights a homemade mole poblano and corn tortillas.
• Enchiladas verdes for tangy green salsa smothered atop bean and cheese-filled corn tortillas.

💬 FAQ