Best Vegan Pambazos
Try vegan pambazos for a mouthwatering fusion of flavors! They feature crispy, sauce-soaked bread with a chorizo and potato mixture. Top it off with lettuce, salsa, crema, and queso.
Equipment
- Skillet
- Steamer
- Spatula
- Blender
Ingredients
Bread
- 4 pambazos, teleras, or soft French rolls
Sauce
- 6 guajillo chiles
- ¼ white onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ - 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 ½ 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 ½-inch pieces. Steam or boil them for 10-12 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Heat about ½ 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 ½ - 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
Don't oversoak: Soak the guajillo chiles just until they are soft enough to blend. Oversoaking can make the sauce too watery and dilute the flavors.
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 you’re frying it for an even crisp on both sides.
Simmering the chile mixture helps soften the chiles and veggies and melds the flavors together for a more cohesive sauce.
Straining the sauce ensures an ultra-smooth consistency. Use a fine-mesh strainer for the smoothest results.
You can peel your potatoes, but I don't find it necessary. Plus, it adds more fiber and nutrients to the dish.
If your potato cubes are on the larger side, mash them slightly in the pan so they stay nicely tucked inside your pambazo.
Leaving the top of the bread partially attached helps hold the fillings in.
Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pambazo | Calories: 614kcal | Carbohydrates: 87.8g | Protein: 31.1g | Fat: 8.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.5g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 424.1mg | Potassium: 1195.9mg | Fiber: 14.8g | Sugar: 11.1g | Vitamin A: 2803.5IU | Vitamin C: 49.9mg | Calcium: 229.1mg | Iron: 8.6mg
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