jackfruit tinga tostadawich with tequila lime mango
Have you ever stacked two tostadas atop each other and called it dinner? Perhaps you should, and here’s your first test.
Wednesday night Tex Mex done up with spicy Mexican-style tinga, veggie-fied with jackfruit. Tinga is a traditional tomato based sauce I associate most with chicken but is clearly suitable for plant products (and probably lots of other stuff). Jackfruit is the sponge of the plant based food world and eats up all sorts of amazing flavors, and this tinga is no exception.
To really do up the din, I stuffed crispy tortilla shells with tinga jackfruit, lots of cheddar cheese, and finished the occasion with scoops of tequila marinated mango. Eating a sandwich and drinking a margarita all at once, more or less.
The tinga is a bold mix of garlic, onions, jalapeno, spices, chipotle pepper, and tomatoes. I opted for tomato sauce for the smoothest texture but diced tomatoes are acceptable if you prefer or just have them on hand instead.
Start with a quick saute of your aromatics and add in paprika, cumin, oregano, and fresh cilantro. Swirl in the tomato paste and chipotle pepper, then shred the jackfruit into the pan with your hands and pour in the tomato sauce and a bit of water. Let that delightful blend simmer for a time. Smells wonderful and tempting and please try not to dig your hands in immediately. We’ve some tostadawiches to make out of it.
Toast the tortillas. I do not have a gas range so I crisped the rounds in my oven at 425 degrees, flipping once to ensure both sides were nice and golden.
Now, assemble those babies up. Spread half of the jackfruit mix over half of the tortillas, top with a bit of cheese. Stack a second tortilla over each and finish with the remaining jackfruit and cheese. The top layer should be more cheese-heavy! Bake about 10 minutes to melt the cheese into a gooey mass.
Your final step? Some tequila mango. Simply mix up some mango chunks with a bit of tequila and lime juice, red onion (I sliced mine into fine slivers more because it looks prettier in front of the camera, but you can dice them if you wish), cilantro, and a touch of salt to taste. Add a dash of the mango over each tostadawich and serve those babies up. I recommend lime wedges and some extra cilantro as your accompaniments – some avocado and sour cream taste lovely, too.
Repeat list? You bet. They’re healthy and different and sloppy like street food, which has a certain summertime charm methinks.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More dinners with jackfruit:
Mojo Jackfruit Plates with Citrus Pineapple Salsa
Barbacoa Jackfruit Taco Boats with Smoky Roasted Jalapeno Peach Salsa
Buffalo Jackfruit Tacos with Bleu Cheese Dressing
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 14-oz can tomato sauce
- 2 cans jackfruit, in brine or water, drained
- 8 corn or wheat tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
tequila lime mango
- 1 mango, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp red onion, diced
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp tequila
- 2 tsp lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, and jalapeno until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in paprika, cumin, oregano, and cilantro for about a minute. Swirl in chipotle pepper and tomato sauce until incorporated, about another minute. Shred jackfruit pieces with your fingers until they resemble pulled pork – no fear if it isn't perfect, they'll continue to soften and shred themselves as they cook! Add to the pan. Pour in tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer at least 10 minutes but up to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the jackfruit cooks, toast the tortillas. Rub each side of the tortillas with olive oil and lay flat, with no overlap, on a baking sheet. Bake 6-8 minutes per side until crisp.
- Divide jackfruit mixture among four tortillas. Sprinkle each with about 2 tbsp cheese, then top with a second tortilla. Spoon the remaining jackfruit tinga among the top four tortillas and finish with the remaining cheese. Bake about 10 minutes until cheese melts and is bubbly.
- Toss together mango, red onion, cilantro, tequila, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle overtop the finished tostadawiches.
