Get ready to dig into cheesy, "meaty", and crispy mulitas! Jackfruit carnitas, dairy-free cheese, guacamole, and salsa roja are sandwiched between two homemade corn tortillas. It doesn't get much better than this!
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📖 What is a mulita?
The word mulita translates to "little mule," which might seem like an odd name at first, but hear us out!
Just like mules are used to pack goods for long trips, mulitas are packed full of tasty ingredients. Makes sense, right?
Mulitas are like a mix between a taco and a quesadilla. Most recipes include similar ingredients:
Tortillas — Usually two corn tortillas are used on the top and bottom.
Meat — Carne asada, al pastor, or carnitas are popular choices.
Cheese — Chihuahua, Manchego, Asadero, and Oaxaca cheese work well.
Once everything is together, each side is fried on a lightly oiled comal. The top layer is then peeled back to add salsas like guacamole or pico de gallo.
📜 History
The exact details on when and where mulitas originated are somewhat unknown. But, they likely stemmed from the taco invention many years ago.
The main difference between a mulita and a taco is the use of two corn tortillas to hold the fillings in place. Plus, the melty cheese adds a quesadilla element.
Nowadays, mulitas have grown in popularity amongst Los Angeles restaurants and food trucks.
🌱 Are mulitas vegan?
Unfortunately, mulitas are not a vegan-friendly snack.
However, dairy-based cheese can easily be replaced with a non-dairy version (especially nowadays). And you can swap out the meat with plant-based alternatives.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
For complete ingredient measurements and instructions, see our recipe card.
Corn tortillas — Use store-bought or homemade corn tortillas (but the taste of homemade can't be beaten).
Carnitas — We use jackfruit carnitas for this recipe, but you can use store-bought pulled jackfruit as well. Jackfruit is full of potassium, fiber, and antioxidants.
Cheese — You can use vegan mozzarella, Chihuahua, Oaxaca, or Manchego cheese. Whichever variety you choose, just make sure it's meltable.
Guacamole — Again, you can use store-bought guac to save on time, but we always prefer making our own.
Salsa roja — Use red salsa for smoky, rich, and savory flavors. Or try salsa verde for a more tangy, vibrant, and fresh taste.
📝 Instructions
If you have questions about this mulitas recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment.
Step 1 — Prepare your jackfruit carnitas, or use store-bought pulled jackfruit. Prep the guacamole, salsa roja, and shred the cheese. Either make your own corn tortillas or use store-bought tortillas.
Step 2 — Heat some oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium. Place a corn tortilla down and add a layer of cheese, then meat, then more cheese. Top with another corn tortilla.
Step 3 — Cook the mulita on the first side for a couple of minutes, then flip and continue cooking until the cheese is melted to your liking.
Step 4 — Transfer to a serving plate while you finish cooking the rest of your mulitas. Add more oil to the pan as needed.
Step 5 — Peel back the top corn tortilla and add a layer of guacamole, salsa, pickled jalapeños, more fresh onions, or cilantro if you like. Serve while warm. Happy eating!
🥗 What to serve with mulitas
With all of the savory flavors going on here, you'll likely want to pair your mulitas with a sweet and refreshing agua fresca:
Agua de sandia — Fresh watermelon water.
Agua de guayaba — Agua fresca with creamy yellow guavas.
Agua de piña — Lightly sweetened pineapple agua fresca.
Agua de fresa — Made from juicy, sweet, and ripe strawberries.
🍽️ How to eat mulitas
The best way to eat mulitas is with your hands. Peel back the top tortilla, slather on your sauces and garnishes, then dig in!
🌡️ Storage & reheating
You have two options when it comes to storing mulitas — fully built or deconstructed. These are the fully built storage instructions:
Fridge — Mulitas keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container or Ziploc bags.
Reheat — The best way to reheat mulitas is on a cast-iron skillet. Cook them over medium-low for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until warmed.
If you want to keep the ingredients separate, find the storage instructions for corn tortillas, guacamole, jackfruit carnitas, and salsa roja in their respective posts.
♻️ Variations
Try different fillings — This recipe is easy to customize with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Try refried beans or grilled veggies!
Use flour — If you only have flour tortillas kicking around, just use those to make more of a sincronizada recipe.
Fold them — To save yourself from spillage, the tortillas can be folded like a quesadilla.
🧑🍳 Top tips
Use cast iron — Nothing compares to the charred, smoky flavor cast-iron skillets or comals provide.
Block cheese — Grating your own vegan cheese will allow for better melt-ability. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives to prevent clumping, which makes it harder to melt.
Keep warm — If you're making a lot of mulitas, keep them warm in your oven at 200 degrees F until you're ready to eat.
Prep in advance — Prep the carnitas, salsa, and guacamole in advance to save on time.
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas. However, mulitas are mostly made with corn tortillas.
If you use corn tortillas, your mulitas should be gluten-free. But, it really depends on the fillings you choose. This mulitas recipe is gluten-free.
📋 Recipe
Mulitas Recipe (With Jackfruit)
Equipment
- Cast-iron skillet or comal
- Tortilla press
- Cheese shredder
Ingredients
Fillings
- 4-6 ounces shredded vegan cheese ($1.25)
- ½ recipe jackfruit carnitas ($2.57)
- ¼ - ½ cup salsa roja ($0.35)
- ¼ - ½ cup guacamole ($0.30)
Tortillas
- 12 corn tortillas ($0.26)
- 1-2 tablespoons neutral oil for frying ($0.11)
Instructions
- Prepare jackfruit carnitas, or use store-bought pulled jackfruit. Make the guacamole and salsa roja, then shred the cheese. Make your own corn tortillas or use store-bought tortillas.
- Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium. Place 1 corn tortilla down and add a layer of cheese, then meat, then more cheese. Top everything with another tortilla.
- Cook on the first side for 2-3 minutes, then flip and continue cooking until the cheese is melted to your liking. Transfer to a serving plate while you finish cooking the rest.
- Garnishes — Pull away the top corn tortilla and add a layer of guacamole, salsa, more fresh onions, or cilantro if you like. Serve while warm. Happy eating!
Video
Notes
- Use cast iron — Nothing compares to the charred, smoky flavor cast-iron skillets or comals provide.
- Block cheese — Grating your own vegan cheese will allow for better melt-ability. Pre-shredded cheese contains preservatives to prevent clumping, which makes it harder to melt.
- Keep warm — If you're making a lot of mulitas, keep them warm in your oven at 200 degrees F until you're ready to eat.
- Prep in advance — Prep the carnitas, salsa, and guacamole in advance to save on time.
- Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price or calories of our recipes.
- We calculate nutritional information for our recipes with Cronometer.
- Recipe cost calculations are based on ingredients local to us and may vary from recipe to recipe. All prices are in USD.
Nutrition
🍴 Similar recipes
For more tasty vegan street foods and snacks, make sure to test out these recipes:
- Sweet potato quesadillas: Sweet potato and black bean quesadillas made with corn tortillas.
- Vegan quesabirria tacos: Oyster mushrooms and vegan cheese served inside salsa-drenched corn tortillas.
- Pambazos: Chile-dipped bread stuffed with potatoes and vegan chorizo.
- Torta cubana: Meat-lovers sandwich turned vegan with oyster mushroom milanesa, vegan chorizo, and dairy-free cheese.
- Cemita: A special kind of sandwich from the state of Puebla.
Note: We've updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
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