Dear reader,
I had the pleasure of learning about this particular dish from a fellow teammate, Mr. Garcia. The traditional dish is made with pulled chicken, refried beans, sour cream and cotija cheese. It is prepared to celebrate holidays such as Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day.
Grab your napkins for the ultimate tostada party food. These Vegan Chicken Tinga Tostadas are a delicious appetizer inspired by the authentic Mexican Chicken Tinga, swapping the chicken for pulled oyster mushrooms.
How it’s made:
- Create your base with corn tortillas, baked until they are golden brown and toasty.
- Top your crispy tortillas with a scoop of creamy, spiced black bean mash, followed by the meaty mushroom tinga swimming in a chipotle tomato sauce, fresh shredded cabbage, vegan sour cream, and sliced avocado.
Cheers to crunchy snacks, Mr. Garcia, and the rest my Eleven Madison family who teach and inspire me daily.
Until next time,
Bridget
Vegan Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Equipment
- Vitamix, or any high speed blender
- Large, heavy bottomed, lidded pot or dutch oven
- large baking tray, lined
Ingredients
For the Chipotle Tomato Sauce:
- 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons canned chipotle in adobo
- 3 garlic cloves, 1 left whole, 2 minced
- 1 teaspoon mexican oregano regular oregano works too
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon brown miso paste
For the Tinga:
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil, or any neutral oil
- 8 ounces trumpet mushrooms, torn into long strips
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
- ½ teaspoon cumin
For the Spicy Black Bean Mash:
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt season to taste
- ½ teaspoon mexican hot sauce or to taste
For the Crispy Tortilla Base:
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or any neutral oil
Other Toppings:
- 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
- vegan sour cream for topping tostada
- sliced avocado
- lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- First, make the chipotle tomato sauce. To the blender, add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons canned chipotle, 1 whole clove of garlic, Mexican oregano, black pepper, water, and miso paste. Blend until smooth. About 1 minute.
- Next, make the tinga base. Add the torn trumpet mushrooms to a hot pan with 2 teaspoons of oil and a teaspoon of salt. Saute until the pan is dry and all the water has evaporated out of the mushrooms (about 10 minutes).
- Add the onions and shredded carrots to the pan and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Then, add the chopped garlic and cumin to the pan and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add the blended sauce to the pan. Reduce the sauce in half until it has thickened significantly and can hold together with the mushrooms, onions, and carrots. Salt to taste. Leave the blender as is, (don't clean out the residual sauce!) and set it aside.
For the Spiced Black Bean Mash:
- Add the rinsed and drained black beans, salt, chili powder, and hot sauce to the blender that was used for the chipotle tomato sauce. Blend for 20-30 seconds or so, until the beans appear smooth and creamy (a similar consistency to refried beans).
Assemble the Tostadas:
- Brush the tortillas with olive oil and bake at 400°F for about 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crisp.
- Top the crispy tortillas with a scoop of the spicy black bean mash, followed by the mushroom tinga mixture, dressed cabbage, vegan sour cream (optional), and sliced avocado. Serve immediately.