Vegan Pambazos
Try vegan pambazos for a mouthwatering fusion of flavors and textures! They feature crispy, sauce-soaked bread with a chorizo and potato mixture. Top it all off with shredded lettuce, salsa, crema, and queso for a crazy delicious sandwich!
Prepare yourself for an explosion of flavors with these vegan pambazos. They’re easy to prepare and packed with mouthwatering fillings. For another plant-based twist on a Mexican classic, check out my recipe for vegan enchiladas rojas.
Why I love this recipe
Even without the traditional meat, these vegan pambazos are bursting with savory, spicy, tangy, and hearty flavors. Each bite showcases crispy, salsa-soaked bread, tender vegan chorizo-potato filling, fresh lettuce, and creamy toppings.
Once your ingredients are prepped, assembling a pambazo is a breeze! Just brush and toast the bread, then load everything in. This sandwich boasts an unmissable red hue and gets messy fast, especially since youโre supposed to eat it with your hands.
But once you take your first bite, you wonโt even care if thereโs sauce all over your face! It’s perfect for gatherings or a delicious meal for one.
Ingredient notes
Since most of the ingredients in these vegan pambazos are homemade, this recipe is incredibly cost-effective. Find a full breakdown and suitable substitutes below!
Pambazo bread
Pambazo is the first choice (for obvious reasons). It has a relatively soft and light consistency, an oval shape, and a chewy crust.
Substitute: If you can’t find pambazos, you can use telera, kaiser, ciabatta, or soft French bread. In other words, you want bread with a soft interior and a slightly crusty exterior to hold up during frying.
Guajillo chiles
I use guajillo peppers to make the sauce that’s brushed onto the bread. They’re characterized by a fruity sweetness with a subtle smoky undertone. You should be able to find them at any Mexican food market or online.
Substitute: You can also use anch chiles, cascabel chiles, or pasilla chiles.
Potatoes
The most popular pambazo filling is white potatoes. However, you can mix things up with Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, or russet potatoes.
Chorizo
I use my meat-free vegan chorizo recipe in my pambazos. It has a spicy flavor and meaty texture that will leave you in disbelief that itโs completely plant-based!ย
Substitute: Try walnut meat, tofu or tempeh crumbles, or mushrooms.
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 vegan pambazos 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!
Cooking
Step 1
Stem and seed the guajillo chiles to prevent bitterness in your sauce, then add them to a pot of water with onion and garlic. Bring it to a gentle boil, then turn the heat to low for 10-15 minutes.
Simmering the chile mixture helps soften the chiles and veggies and melds the flavors together for a more cohesive sauce.
Step 2
Transfer the chiles, onions, and garlic to a blender with some cooking water or vegetable broth and a generous pinch of salt. Blend on high until smooth, adding more water as needed. Strain the sauce into a bowl and set it aside.
Straining the sauce ensures an ultra-smooth consistency. Use a fine-mesh strainer for the smoothest results.
Step 3
While the sauce is taking shape, cube the potatoes into small pieces. Steam or boil them until theyโre tender when pierced with a fork.
You can peel your potatoes, but I don’t find it necessary. Plus, it adds more fiber and nutrients to the dish.
Step 4
Fry the potatoes with vegan chorizo in a little olive oil, then season everything with salt and cook until the chorizo is hot.
If your potato cubes are on the larger side, mash them slightly in the pan so they stay nicely tucked inside your pambazo.
Step 5
Heat a little more olive oil in the same skillet. Cut the pambazo bread open, leaving one side partially attached. Brush the top side with guajillo paste, then add it to the skillet sauce side down.
Leaving the top of the bread partially attached helps hold the fillings in.
Step 6
While the top side is cooking, brush the bottom with more paste. Fry each side until theyโre nice and crispy. Continue this process with the rest of the buns, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.
Step 7
Once everything is ready, it’s time to assemble your vegan pambazos. Generously stuff the bread with the potatoes and chorizo, add your favorite toppings, and dig in. Happy eating!
Expert tip
The key for the sauce is to gently simmer the guajillo chiles with the onion and garlic, ensuring they are just tender enough to blend smoothly without becoming too mushy. Oversoaking can make the sauce watery and dilute the flavors.
When you’re blending the sauce, aim for a velvety consistency that thickly coats the back of a spoon, which means it will adhere well to the bread without turning it soggy.
Use a generous amount of sauce when you’re applying it to the bread, but avoid over-soaking it to prevent the bread from becoming heavy and wet.
Serving suggestions
You can completely customize your vegan pambazos just by switching up the toppings. Salsa verde, salsa roja, vegan Mexican crema, vegan Cotija cheese, shredded lettuce, and onions are my top choices.
You can also try salsa taquera, guacamole, quick-pickled onions, and pickled jalapeos for a spicy, zesty twist. Pair them with vegan tortilla soup, pinto bean soup, or vegan taco soup for a comforting lunch or dinner.
Cooking tips
Monitor the moisture content: If the potato and chorizo filling seems dry, add a small amount of vegetable broth to keep it moist and flavorful.
Even sauce application: Use a pastry brush to apply the guajillo sauce evenly on the bread to ensure every bite is flavorful.
Press the bread while frying: Press the bread down slightly with a spatula when youโre frying it for an even crisp on both sides.
Frequently asked questions
If your sauce is grainy, you likely didnโt strain it. Make sure you strain the guajillo sauce for the smoothest consistency.
If your bread is soaking up too much sauce, itโs either too thin or not firm enough to hold up against the sauce. Try using a little less sauce and frying it for longer.
Yes, the guajillo sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. This actually allows the flavors to meld together more fully, enhancing the sauce’s depth.
Storing & reheating
As long as you store the filling ingredients separately from the bun, they should stay fresh for at least a few days. Hereโs what to do:
Fridge
The chorizo and potatoes can be stored in the same container for about 4-5 days. Just make sure the container is airtight!
Freezer
The potatoes and chorizo filling for up to 3 months. Store can be frozen f them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.
Reheating
When youโre ready for another pambazo, cook the potatoes and chorizo in a skillet over medium until warmed evenly. Follow the same steps for the salsa and bread.
See my dedicated guajillo sauce post for storage times for the salsa.
Watch how to make it
More vegan Mexican recipes
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Recipe
Best Vegan Pambazos
Equipment
- Skillet
- Steamer
- Spatula
- Blender
Ingredients
Bread
- 4 pambazos, teleras, or soft French rolls
Sauce
- 6 guajillo chiles
- ยผ white onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- ยฝ – 1 cup reserve cooking water
- Salt to taste
Fillings
- 2 pounds (~3-4) white or yellow potatoes
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6-8 ounces vegan chorizo
Toppings
- 2 cups shredded green lettuce
- 3-4 tablespoons salsa verde
- 3-4 tablespoons Mexican crema
- 3-4 tablespoons cotija cheese
Instructions
Sauce
- Stem and seed the guajillo chiles, then add them to a pot of water with the onion and garlic. Bring it to a low boil, then turn the heat to low for 10-15 minutes until the chiles are soft.
- Drain the chiles, onions, and garlic, then transfer to a blender. Add in ยฝ cup of cooking water or vegetable broth and a generous pinch of salt. Blend on high until a paste is formed, adding more liquid as needed. Strain into a bowl and set aside.
Filling
- In the meantime, scrub and cube the potatoes into ยฝ-inch pieces. Steam or boil them for 10-12 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Heat about ยฝ tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, then mix in the vegan chorizo.
- Season with salt and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the chorizo is hot. If your potato chunks are larger, roughly mash them, then transfer everything out of the skillet.
Frying
- Heat ยฝ – 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet over medium. Cut your pambazo bread in half, leaving the top partially attached. Brush one side with guajillo paste, then add it to the skillet paste side down. Press down on the bread with your spatula to make sure the whole surface is cooked.
- While the first side is cooking, brush the bottom surface with more paste. Fry each side of the bread until crispy. Continue this process with the rest of the buns, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.
Assembly
- Add a scoop of chorizo and potatoes to the bread, then top with lettuce, salsa verde, Mexican crema, and queso cotija. Serve your vegan pambazos immediately while warm. Happy eating!
Notes
Nutrition
Note: I’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
Justine Drosdovech is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. She is a self-taught plant-based chef but uses her healthcare background to craft dishes that are both delicious and nourishing.