Panuchos

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Panuchos are a Yucatecan specialty that involves freshly made corn tortillas stuffed with refried black beans. In this plant-based recipe, try them topped with shredded jackfruit, pickled onions, and sliced avocados for a flavor explosion!

📖 About

Of all the Mexican dishes we’ve had the privilege of trying, this vegan take panuchos Yucatecos is one of our absolute favorites. This snack is full of flavors popular in the Yucatán Peninsula like achiote, citrus, and black beans.

What are panuchos Yucatecos?

Panuchos Yucatecos are a specialty antojito originating from the Yucatan (of course), and something you need to try at least once!

While somewhat similar to salbutes (another Yucatecan dish), there are some subtle differences that make panuchos one of a kind!

So, what are they?

Panuchos are made from fresh corn tortillas. Once they puff up on the comal, they’re cut open (like a pita) and stuffed with refried black beans. Genius, right?

Once cooked, toppings like shredded chicken (jackfruit in our case), pickled onions, avocado, chiles, and cabbage are added to create the most drool-worthy snack.

Are panuchos vegan?

Unfortunately, panuchos fall into the not vegan category for a few reasons.

For one, most recipes utilize lard to fry the panuchos (it can also be in refried beans too). Our fix? Vegetable shortening, vegan butter, or flavorless coconut oil.

A common topping for panuchos is shredded chicken or pork in the form of cochinita pibil (another Yucatecan specialty). Instead, we use shredded jackfruit with a simple cochinita pibil-inspired marinade.

Our goal is to learn, enjoy, and share the incredible flavors and cooking techniques of Mexican cuisine in a compassionate, cruelty-free way.

History

This dish is a Yucatecan specialty, specifically from the state capital of Mérida. The origin story goes like this:

A man, named Don Hucho, owned a small inn that offered food and shelter to travelers on their way to and from Campeche.

One day, a hungry traveler needed something to eat. With limited ingredients, Don whipped him up a piece of bread with onions and boiled eggs.

Somewhere along the way, this dish evolved into bean-stuffed tortillas topped with a variety of different meats and vegetables.

We’re not exactly sure where panuchos took a turn from the original, but they are delicious nonetheless.

Serving

Serve your panuchos hot off the skillet and loaded with toppings. While completely customizable, pickled onions and avocados are two of the more common choices. If that’s not your jam, you can try other garnishes like:

• Pickled jalapeños
• Queso fresco or cotija
• Cabbage
• Fresh white onion
• Mexican crema
• Salsa verde

There’s no right or wrong way to serve your panuchos recipe in our opinion. The only rule is that you should enjoy them!

🍲 Key ingredients

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

Tortillas

Taste: panuchos are made using fresh corn tortillas for all their soft, sweet, and toasty flavors. In order to easily cut into them, it’s important to achieve a “puff” when you cook the tortillas. It’s always so satisfying seeing that puff!

Health: the corn used to make tortillas goes through a special process called nixtamalization. In short, it allows certain vitamins (like niacin) to be better absorbed by humans. Plus, corn tortillas are filled with fiber and magnesium.

Refried black beans

Taste: for panuchos Yucatecos, you need to have sweet and creamy refried black beans stuffed into the tortilla. Black beans are the most common variety found in Yucatecan cuisine, but you can also use pinto or bayo beans if that’s what you prefer.

Health: we love cooking with black beans because they have an exceptional macro and micronutrient profile. They contain heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and iron. On top of that, there are 15 grams of protein in just one cup of beans. That’s some serious plant-based protein!

Jackfruit

Taste: with a very “meaty” taste and texture, jackfruit is our first choice to replace the pork commonly used in this recipe. Sticking with a similar marinade, we use a combination of achiote, herbs, vinegar, and citrus to emulate the sweet, tangy, and earthy flavors of cochinita pibil.

Health: unlike pork, which is high in saturated animal fats and cholesterol, jackfruit is lower in calories and contains loads of vitamin C and B. You can feel better about eating more, all while lowering your risk of heart disease.

Pickled onions

Taste: you’d be hard-pressed to find panuchos Yucatecos without a pop of pink from pickled onions. With the addition of sliced habaneros, this topping adds crunchy, spicy, and tangy notes to the recipe.

Health: one surprising fact about red onions is their potential in regulating blood pressure. Yes, you read that right! Not only that, a few compounds found in onion have actually shown anti-diabetic properties.

🔪 Instructions

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

Step 1: rehydrate the jackfruit in a pot of boiling water for around 20-30 minutes with vegetable stock and some salt. You can also leave it to sit overnight in room temperature water.

Step 2: mix the achiote marinade in a small bowl, then sauté the onions and garlic before adding the jackfruit. Mix in the achiote mixture, oregano, and cook for another few minutes to combine.

Step 3: make a batch of refried black beans and pickled onions. Note: we added a few sliced habaneros to ours, but this is optional.

Step 4: make a batch of masa for the tortillas, adding more water or flour to achieve a texture similar to play-dough. Keep the masa covered so it stays hydrated while you’re heating a cast-iron skillet to medium-high.

Step 5: form dough balls (about 50 grams each) and press them between two pieces of plastic in either a tortilla press or on your counter with the bottom of a baking dish. The tortillas can be slightly thicker than regular corn tortillas.

Step 6: cook the tortillas on the first side for 10 seconds. Flip and cook for another minute or so, then flip once more and cook until the tortilla puffs up. Keep the cooked tortillas in a towel or warmer while you cook the rest.

Step 7: cut around the tortilla edge and pull up the top layer to form a pocket (like a pita). Add a spoonful of refried beans, close the tortilla up, and spread it around evenly inside. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Step 8: heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium, and cook the panuchos on each side until golden brown. To serve, top them with shredded jackfruit, pickled onions, and avocado slices. Happy eating!

🌡️ Storage

This panuchos recipe is simple to make, and all the ingredients involved store incredibly well.

Fridge

Corn tortillas will last in the fridge for about 3-4 days with or without the beans in them. We suggest adding the beans at the time of cooking.

As for the jackfruit, it’ll last in your fridge for about a week. For the best preservation of flavor, store it in an airtight glass container.

And if you keep your pickled onions in a mason jar, they will be good in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Freezer

Corn tortillas (without the added beans) will freeze for 7-8 months as long as you’re using a freezer-safe bag.

The jackfruit will last in the freezer for about 2-3 months, but most likely longer.

Reheating

When you want to use these ingredients again, just thaw them overnight in the fridge and follow the same cooking instructions.

💭 Pro tips

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

• Go oil-free. If you want a healthier version of panuchos, leave out the oil! We like them both ways.
• Add some spice. The jackfruit marinade is quite mild, so if you like spice then double down on habaneros in the pickled onions.
• Use cast iron. We really love cooking with cast iron because the taste is like nothing else. Give it a try to see what you prefer!
• Save time. Make your tortillas a day or two early if you know you’re going to be making panuchos. It will save some time when you go to serve them.
• Soak the jackfruit. Don’t forget to soak your jackfruit so it’s extra tender and easily pulls apart for this recipe.

🍴 Tasting notes

There is something about this combination that makes our mouths water just thinking about panuchos. They’re:

• Crispy
• Tangy
• Spicy
• Sweet
• Creamy

If you try this vegan version of panuchos, 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 plant-based versions of popular Mexican snacks, check out our:

• Sopes for an easy-to-make antojito that starts with a base of masa and ends with refried beans, spicy salsa, and vegan cheese.
• Garnachas to highlight crunchy corn bases topped with spicy red salsa, shredded jackfruit, and a tangy cabbage slaw.
• Picaditas for another corn-based bite topped with salsa verde, salsa roja, chopped white onions, and creamy vegan queso.
• Mulitas to try jackfruit carnitas, melty vegan cheese, guacamole, and spicy salsa smashed between corn tortillas.

💬 FAQ