Tostilocos

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Tostilocos are a crazy antojito that packs tons of bold Mexican flavors into one single snack. Jicama, cucumber, Japanese-style peanuts, and tamarind candies are piled on top of tortilla chips, then covered with hot sauce, chamoy, and lime!

📖 About

Tostilocos (pronounced toasty-low-koes) have become more well-known outside of Mexico thanks to social media. The idea of this snack may seem a little crazy, which makes its name quite fitting…

Tostitos (tosti) + locos (crazy) = Tostilocos

Tostilocos are made by cutting a bag of salsa verde Tostitos open and layering in toppings. The most common choices include:

• Jicama
• Cueritos
• Japanese-style peanuts
• Chamoy
• Hot sauce
• Tajin

Although this list is anything but exhaustive, it’s the base selection of many vendors. The intense explosion of flavors may be overwhelming at first, but believe us when we say you’ll definitely be back for more.

History

There are different theories as to how Tostilocos were invented, but most point to Tijuana in the late 90s.

Theory 1:

• Javier Rodriguez recreated a tostada recipe with the only foods he had on hand, which included jicama, cueritos, cacahuates japonés, and chamoy.
• He is credited as the inventor of Tostilocos.

Theory 2:

• This street snack developed organically over a period of time.
• Mexicans used it as a way to reclaim an American product (Tostitos) that was declaring authenticity.

Regardless of how it happened exactly, Mexicans have a unique ability to turn basic ingredients into crazy (loco) combinations of flavors and textures.

🌱 Is it vegan?

Although you might be thinking Tostilocos are pretty vegan-friendly, there are a few things you need to watch out for:

• Salsa Verde Tostitos: This brand of chips contains milk solids and whey protein, making them not vegan. We just use vegan tortilla chips instead.
• Cueritos: Pickled pigskin is also not plant-based, so we leave them to the side. You can replace them with pickled hearts of palm just like Conflicted Vegan does.

🍲 Ingredients & substitutions

For complete ingredient measurements and instructions, see our recipe card.

• Tortilla chips: We use plain tortilla chips, but use any vegan-friendly brand. You can also try El Sabroso Salsitas (not confirmed vegan).
• Jicama: Jicama adds a crisp texture and starchy flavor. Don’t forget to peel it! You can also use pears, green apples, or daikon radishes.
• Cucumber: A popular additive, but this can be replaced with more jicama, celery, or radishes.
• Mango: Ataulfo is our favorite variety. You can also use papaya, pineapple, or watermelon in place of the mangoes.
• Tamarind candy: The most popular is Pulparindo. If you can’t find them, make your own tamarind candy!
• Japanese-style peanuts: Cacahuates Japonés add crunch and a subtle sweetness. Regular peanuts work in their place if you can’t find any.
• Tajin: Chile-lime seasoning adds spice and tang. You can also use lime juice and a pinch of cayenne or ground arbol chiles instead.
• Chamoy: Try making your own chamoy. If it’s more convenient, we also recently found a vegan chamoy online!
• Hot sauce: We’re partial to Valentina hot sauce, but other varieties like Tapatio or Cholula work too.

🔪 Instructions

If you have questions about this Tostilocos recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment.

Step 1: Prep the vegetables by peeling and cubing your cucumber, jicama, and mango if you’re using one. Open the rest of the toppings and sauces you’ll be using as well.

Step 2a (on a plate): Spread the tortilla chips out in an even layer on a plate, platter, or casserole dish. Layer on the diced cucumber, jicama, mango, tamarind candies, and peanuts.

Step 3a (on a plate): Garnish with chile-lime seasoning (homemade or Tajin), chamoy, and Valentina hot sauce. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Step 2b (in a bag): Cut open your bag of tortilla chips lengthwise, then mix in the cucumber, jicama, mango, peanuts, and tamarind candies.

Step 3b (in a bag): Drizzle with chamoy, hot sauce, lime juice, and Tajin. Enjoy your snack immediately. Happy eating!

🥗 Serving suggestions

Nothing goes better with Tostilocos than an ice-cold drink. Here are some of our favorites:

• Chelada: A classic and refreshing way to serve Mexican cervezas.
• Mangonada: A frozen drink filled with mangoes, chamoy, and tamarind candy straws.
• Cantaritos: Tequila mixed with citrus fruits, topped with grapefruit soda, and served in a clay jarrito.
• Tamarind agua fresca: Sweet and tangy tamarind pulp mixed with water and piloncillo sweetener.

🌡️ Storage

Although we don’t recommend storing the entire Tostilocos recipe together (the chips will become soggy), you can absolutely pre-cut everything to store separately in your fridge.

• Fridge: The pre-cut fruits and vegetables will keep for a few days in your fridge. The pantry items will last much longer if kept in airtight containers.

♻️ Variations

• Dorilocos: Try this recipe with Doritos for another version.
• Churilocos: Another popular version uses churritos.
• Nacholocos: Try melting your favorite dairy-free cheese or adding a Mexican cheese like queso fresco or cotija.
• Tostielotes: Add Mexican street corn on top for another wild flavor combo.

💬 FAQ

🍴 Similar recipes

If this Tostilocos recipe hit the spot, you might enjoy some of these other crazy flavor combinations:

• Pepinos locos: A similar snack made with cucumber cups instead of chips.
• Quesabirria tacos: Cheesy, messy, and savory tacos filled with oyster mushrooms.
• Chilaquiles rojos: A Mexican breakfast of crispy totopos, spicy red salsa, dairy-free queso, and cashew crema.
• Chamoy rim dip: A tangy, spicy, and sticky way to coat your favorite drink rims.
• Pambazos: Chile-dipped bread rolls filled with potatoes, soyrizo, and salsa.
• Chicharrones de harina: Crispy, light, and airy wheat pinwheels made in under 10 minutes.

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.