Oaxacan Tlayudas

Oaxacan Tlayudas are like Mexican-style “pizzas”s made with a crispy tortilla, silky refried beans, optional meat and cheese, delicious cabbage slaw, avocado, and cilantro. This lightened-up version is vegan-adaptable and loaded with healthy veggies!

It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined.
~Henry James~

I’m so excited to share this recipe for Oaxcan Tlayudas with you because I know you are going to love them!

But First, What are Tlayudas?

Thayludas (pronounced they) originate from the Oaxacan region of Mexico and are like Mexican-style pizza. They have a crispy tortilla as the base and creamy black beans as the “sauce,” and are traditionally topped with Mexican string cheese and chorizo, avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro.

Above are traditional Tlayudas, a specialty of Oaxaca, Mexico. They are so delicious! While we were in Oaxaca, we had many versions of Tlayuda, most often with black beans, chorizo, avocado, tomato, cilantro, and melty Oaxacan string cheese.

To be clear, this recipe I’m sharing is not traditional—it is an adaptation. Most of what you’ll find in Oaxaca looks like the ones above, but we happened upon a healthy cafe that served up some vegan tlayudas piled high with crunchy slaw, more like a tostada. Of course, I was smitten and wanted to share.

Why you’ll love  OUr Tlayuda Recipe

• Healthy! This recipe is vegan-adaptable and full of healthy veggies!
• Flavor and Texture! What I love about it most is the great texture — crispy and fresh, they are deliciously addicting!
• Adaptable. Keep them vegan (my favorite) or add melty cheese, chicken carnitas, or turkey chorizo – so versatile! You could also add this walnut chorizo!

How to make Tlayudas! | 30-second video

Tlayluda Ingredients

How to make Tlayludas (Instructions)

Step 1: Toast the tortillas in an oven until crispy.

Step 2: While the tortillas are toasting to a crisp in the oven, make the cabbage slaw. Remember you can always purchase pre-shredded cabbage to save time.

Step 3: Cook the protein. If adding chicken, you can quickly sear it, and season with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. For a fast option, use canned refried black beans, but sometimes, when you have little extra time try making refried beans at home with this recipe…they are so easy and delicious! They only take 10-15 minutes of actual hands-on time!

Or make a batch of this easy Turkey Chorizo!  Or try it with Walnut Chorizo for a totally Vegan version! Or for a true Mexican Fiesta, make the Chicken Carnitas– so tasty!

Or keep it totally vegan- my favorite with refried beans- my favorite!

Step 4: Assemble. Once the tortillas are crispy, begin layering with silky, seasoned refried beans, optional chicken and optional cheese.

You can also melt cheese over the beans. Or keep this totally vegan without chicken or cheese! ( My favorite!) Top with the flavorful slaw.

The crunchy tortilla paired with the warm creamy beans and the cool crunchy slaw is pure MAGIC!!!!  It seems too simple, yet it really works.

Tlayudas de Oaxaca – my new favorite dish! A delicious healthy recipe you can whip up on weeknights.

Make ahead and Storage

The crispy tortillas can be toasted ahead (they keep well) and so can the slaw- make it up to 3 days ahead. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Crispy Tortillas can just stay out on the counter unwrapped.

Chef’s Tips!

• If you have an extra 5 minutes…make the Avocado -Cilantro Sauce or the Chipotle Mayo. Both are vegan adaptable- and add a creamy deliciousness! The Avocado Cilantro Sauce is easy to whip in the food processor and adds a burst of flavor.
• Serve like a taco bar, letting guests make their own- serve with hot sauce, avocado, radishes, cilantro, lime wedges, etc.

More Oaxcan Recipes you’ll love!

• Oaxacan Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Spicy Mexican Oaxacan Bowl
• Spicy Mexican Oaxacan Bowl
• Easy Homemade Refried Beans

Enjoy these healthy vegan Tlayudas and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

I hope you give these guys a try- they are so tasty!!! One of my favorite recipes on the blog.

xo

Tlayudas Recipe

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• Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home Blog
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: vegan main
• Method: baked
• Cuisine: Mexican

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Description

How to makd Tlayudas! This healthy, lightened-up, version is vegan and GF adaptable! Feel free to add walnut chorizo,  chicken carnitas or turkey chorizo! Made with a crispy tortilla, topped with refried beans, cheese (optional) cabbage slaw, avocado and cilantro.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x

• 4 whole-grain tortillas (or sub GF tortillas) 8-10 inches wide, or larger.

Cabbage Slaw:

• 1/2 head of cabbage ( 14–16 ounces), shredded
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 4 radishes -thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion – or sub pickled onions or pickled shallots
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more taste
• 1/2 an english cucumber- sliced
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno- finely chopped- optional
• 1/4–1/2 cup scallions sliced
• 1/4–1/2 cup cilantro- chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus a little zest

Toppings:

• 1 can refried black beans (or make refried beans from scratch!) loosened with 1/4 cup water, seasoned with salt, cumin and coriander
• Optional: Chicken carnitas , walnut Chorizo, or Turkey Chorizo
• Optional: Oaxacan String cheese, Crumbled Queso Fresco Cheese, melty cheese
• Optional sauces- Chipotle Mayo and/or Avocado-Cilantro Sauce (below) I like both!
• Garnish with sliced avocado, cilantro, lime wedges, scallions, fresh summer tomatoes, hot sauce, or sour cream.

Avocado Cilantro Sauce:

• 1 medium avocado (perfectly ripe)
• 4–6 jalapeno slices
• 1 garlic clove
• handful cilantro- 1/4 -1/2 cup ( tender stems, OK)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 275 F
2. Toast tortillas dry, directly on the oven racks ( no sheet pan) until crisp, about 20 minutes. This is key- they need to be very crispy and dry, not bendy. You can make these ahead.
3. Combine the cabbage, carrots, radish, onion, and toss in a large bowl with the salt. ( This will seem like a LOT at first, but will it will release liquid and shrink down.)
4. Add the cucumber, jalapeño, scallions and cilantro, Toss well, then add olive oil and lime juice and a little zest. Let it rest on the counter – or make this ahead and refrigerate.
5. If making the avocado sauce- make this now- placing everything in a food processor and blending until smooth. Taste, adjust salt and spice level adding more jalapeño if needed. Place in a bowl.
6. When ready to assemble, heat the refried beans, adding ¼-½ cup water (to loosen them) and using a fork, whip in a pinch of salt, cumin and coriander to season to taste.
7. If using chicken or chorizo, heat them up now and if using cheese, turn on the broiler.
8. To assemble, carefully lather up some beans on the tortilla ( like you pizza sauce on a pizza). At this point you could add chicken and cheese (and melt)- or leave off and keep it vegan. Top the warmed base with a generous mound of cool slaw. Spoon over avocado sauce(or sliced avocado) or Chipotle Mayo.
9. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, hot sauce, lime wedge, pickled onions or shallots. Serve immediately (with knife and fork) while the beans are warm and the tortillas are still crisp.
10. Enjoy!!!

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Notes

The great thing about Tlayludas is how addable these are…..you can make some with meat and cheese (melted in the oven) while having some totally vegan with just the slaw. Or…let your family or guests “build their own”, with all the sides ready, and the oven set to broil, in case someone wants melty cheese.

Like a Tlayludas smorgasbord! Fun and tasty!

*For a more traditional Tlayuda, use refried black beans, browned chorizo, Mexican string cheese, bake until melty, top with fresh tomato, onion and cilantro!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: -Serves 4 with Avocado Sauce
• Calories: 406
• Sugar: 10.2 g
• Sodium: 788.6 mg
• Fat: 22.5 g
• Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 46.4 g
• Fiber: 14.4 g
• Protein: 10.3 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

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