Garnachas
If you love crispy snacks, Mexican garnachas should be at the top of your list of things to try! These fried corn cakes are topped with spicy red salsa, shredded jackfruit, and tangy cabbage slaw, creating a mouthwatering blend of flavors and textures.
Try making garnachas as a snack, main dish, or appetizer to find out how simple ingredients can turn into a crowd-pleasing masterpiece. Just like sopes, this antojito is a perfect example of how versatile corn flour is in Latin American cooking.
Why I love this recipe
While traditional garnachas are made with shredded beef, I’ve made this recipe completely plant-based by utilizing shredded jackfruit. It’s equally as hearty, meaty, and satisfying!
Paired with fried thick corn tortillas, red salsa, and pickled slaw, it showcases crunchy, tangy, spicy, and savory flavors. The best part is how easy garnachas are to customize.
Add crumbled vegan cheese, vegan Mexican crema, or your favorite salsa. If youโre short on time, you can even make garnachas without any meat alternatives at all!
Ingredient notes
The ingredients for these garnachas are budget-friendly and easy to find. Find a full breakdown and suitable substitutes below!
Masa harina
This finely ground corn flour is treated with lime, which is essential for the authentic taste and pliable texture of the tortillas. You can find masa harina at Mexican food markets or online. The most well-known brand is Maseca, but there are tons of natural varieties as well.
Jackfruit
To emulate the texture and taste of shredded meat, jackfruit is the answer! Itโs slightly sweet yet easily takes on the flavors of seasonings. I use dried jackfruit and rehydrate it, but canned jackfruit is much more convenient. Look for canned young jackfruit in Asian food markets or the international aisle of large grocery stores.
Substitute: Shredded banana peels or mushrooms, like oyster and portobello, can mimic the texture, but with a distinct taste.
Roma tomatoes
Roma tomatoes add a sweet and slightly tangy flavor to the salsa, balancing the heat and smokiness of the chiles.
Morita chiles
Morita chiles offer a smoky heat to the salsa, enriching the dish with a complex, deep flavor profile.
Substitute: Chipotle peppers are a good alternative, though they might make the salsa spicier and smokier.
Cabbage slaw
Shredded cabbage, carrots, and jalapenos are topped with a simple sauce of apple cider vinegar, oil, and salt to create the perfect garnish.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to the recipe card.
How to make
Learn the best way to make garnachas with my straightforward, easy-to-follow instructions. Look for the tips in green throughout this section for consistent and successful results! Also, you can watch my video tutorial down below!
Preparation
Step 1
Shred the cabbage and carrot, and thinly slice the jalapeno. In a mixing bowl, toss these ingredients with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and salt, then refrigerate it.
The longer the slaw sits, the more flavors meld, so preparing this component first gives it enough time to marinate.
Step 2
Rehydrate dry jackfruit by boiling it in water with vegetable stock powder and a pinch of salt. Once rehydrated, drain it and set it aside. If you’re using canned jackfruit, drain it and shred it with two forks or your hands.
Cooking
Step 1
Mix masa harina and salt in a bowl. Gradually add hot water, kneading until the mixture achieves a play-dough-like consistency.
Keep the dough covered to prevent it from drying out. If it does start to dry out, knead in a little more water to restore its consistency.
Step 2
In a skillet, sautรฉ the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and, finally, the jackfruit and tamari. Cook the mixture until the liquid has evaporated.
Step 3
Take small balls of dough, press them into thick tortillas, and cook the tortillas on a preheated skillet or comal over medium-high until puffy and lightly charred.
Don’t overcrowd the skillet, and press down on the tortillas gently to help them puff up. This step results in a crispy exterior and soft interior.
Step 4
Simmer the tomatoes, stemmed morita chiles, and onions in a saucepan of water until soft. Drain and transfer everything to a blender with the garlic. Blend on high until smooth, then season the salsa in the same pot with a little olive oil.
Step 5
Top the garnachas with shredded jackfruit, then add them in batches to a large skillet with more oil. Add a spoonful of salsa roja on each one, and cook until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy. Serve them with fresh cabbage slaw. Happy eating!
Expert tip
Garnachas are meant to have a thick corn tortilla base, so you don’t want to press the dough as much as with regular corn tortillas.
If they’re too thin, your garnachas will be challenging to work with. If they’re too thick, they’ll burn before fully cooking in the middle. Aim for a quarter-inch thickness for the perfect balance of crispy and tender.
Another equally important factor is the temperature of your skillet or comal. Keep it at medium-high to ensure each garnacha develops characteristic light char marks without burning.
Serving suggestions
Garnachas pair perfectly with an array of side dishes and garnishes. For added depth and a hint of spice, replace salsa roja with salsa taquera. To cool the flavors down, try a dollop of homemade guacamole.
A sprinkle of vegan queso fresco, some vegan cotija cheese, or a drizzle of vegan Mexican crema brings a mild creaminess that complements the savory, spicy flavors incredibly well.
Cooking tips
Dough consistency: The masa should be soft and pliable, similar to play dough, but not sticky. If it’s too dry, add more water. If it’s too sticky, add a little more masa harina.
Other pressing techniques: If you don’t have a tortilla press, use the bottom of a flat baking dish or plate and follow the same process as the press.
Hydrate the jackfruit: Ensure the dehydrated jackfruit is well-hydrated and soft before cooking. This will help it absorb the flavors of the seasoning more effectively.
Preheat the skillet: A properly preheated comal or skillet is key to achieving those characteristic lightly charred spots on the tortillas and enhancing their flavor.
Keep warm: To keep your garnachas warm while you finish cooking, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel. This will also help keep them soft and pliable.
Frequently asked questions
The garnachas are done when they have puffed slightly, and you see golden brown spots on both sides. They should be crispy on the outside but soft in the middle.
The dough might have been too dry, the tortillas too thick, or the skillet not hot enough. Ensure your dough is the right consistency, press the tortillas to the correct thickness, and always preheat your skillet.
The jackfruit should be soft and easily shreddable. If it’s tough or rubbery, it needs more soaking or simmering time.
Storing & reheating
Garnachas are perfect to keep in the fridge for a midday snack. Once cooled to room temperature, each component should be stored separately.
Fridge
Store the slaw, salsa, and jackfruit in separate airtight containers in the fridge. The slaw and salsa will last for 2-3 days, while the jackfruit can stay fresh for up to 5 days. Cooked tortillas can be kept in a ziplock bag or an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freezer
The jackfruit mixture and corn bases can be frozen. Freeze them in airtight containers or freezer bags, squeezing out as much air as possible. They can last for up to 1-2 months this way.
Reheating
Reheat the tortillas in a cast-iron skillet or pan for 30-45 seconds per side. The jackfruit can be reheated in a pan over medium until warm, adding a splash of water or broth if it seems dry.
Watch how to make it
More Mexican snacks
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Recipe
Mexican Garnachas
Equipment
- Cast-iron skillet or comal
- Stockpot
- Tortilla press
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
Slaw
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 1 large jalapeno, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- ยฝ tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
Jackfruit
- 1 ยพ ounces dehydrated jackfruit
- 2 tablespoons vegetable stock powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ยฝ small white onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons tamari
Garnachas
- 2 cups masa harina
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 ยฝ cups hot water
Salsa
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 3 Morita chiles, de-seeded
- ยผ white onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
Extras
- ยผ – โ cup refined coconut oil or vegetable shortening
- Guacamole
- Mexican crema
- Vegan queso fresco
Instructions
Slaw
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, and jalapenos. Season with vinegar, oil, and salt to taste. Transfer to your fridge until you're ready to serve.
Jackfruit
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Add in vegetable stock powder, a pinch of salt, and the dehydrated jackfruit. Let it sit covered for around 2 hours or overnight, then drain the liquid.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add in diced onion and sautรฉ for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic for another 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add the jackfruit and tamari and continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed, about 5-6 minutes.
Dough
- Add the masa harina and salt to a mixing bowl and combine. Pour in 1 ยฝ cups of very warm water to start and mix together using your hands.
- Knead the dough to form a ball that's sticky enough to stay together but not coming off on your hands. Add more dough or water to achieve a texture similar to play dough. Keep the dough covered.
- Break off pieces of dough to form small balls (about 30-35 grams). Add each one to a tortilla press lined with 2 pieces of plastic. Press gently to form tortillas slightly thicker than normal (about ยผ-inch thick).
Cooking
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet or comal up to medium. Cook each tortilla for about 60 seconds on the first side until brown spots are forming.
- Flip and press down on the tortilla lightly until it puffs up, about 80-90 seconds. Remove from heat and keep warm in a towel while you cook the other tortillas.
Salsa
- Add the morita chiles, tomatoes, and onion to a medium saucepan of water. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until softened. Drain and transfer to a blender with the garlic cloves. Blend on high until smooth.
- Heat olive oil in the same saucepan over medium. Add the blended salsa back in and simmer for another 10 minutes until thickened to your liking.
Assemble
- Heat coconut oil or vegetable shortening in a large skillet over medium. In the meantime, add the shredded jackfruit to the garnachas.
- Cook the garnachas in batches, and add a spoonful of salsa on top of each one. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Transfer out of the pan to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Continue the same process until all of the garnachas are cooked. Serve them with a garnish of cabbage slaw, guacamole, crema, cotija, or queso fresco on top. Happy eating!
Notes
Nutrition
Note: Iโve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
Mitch Chapman is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. With a background in healthcare and the restaurant industry, he has a passion for sharing healthy yet flavorful plant-based food.
Wow se ven deliciosas . las preparare. muchas gracias por sus recetas
Hola Vicky,
Muchas gracias, buen provecho!