17 Latinx-Inspired Vegan Recipes That Are Absolutely Worth Trying

If you're looking for something new to try, these veganized versions of classic dishes by Latinx creators are a great place to start.

Kathy Hoang / BuzzFeed

1. Tinga Tostadas

Mexican Made Meatless / Via mexicanmademeatless.com

Who doesn't love tostadas? If you love them too, I strongly recommend trying out Mexican Made Meatless's vegan take on tinga, a dish traditionally made from tomatoes, spices, cabbage, and shredded chicken. Leaving out the latter ingredient and replacing it with carrots, onions, and chipotle peppers creates a great meat-free option you can eat over tostadas (or however you like it).

2. Jackfruit Frita Quesadillas

Rican Vegan / Via ricanvegan.com

Beans, nondairy cheese, and jackfruit make for a great 'dilla. Pro tip on this quesadilla recipe from Rican Vegan: if you make a large batch of the jackfruit filling all at once, you can save the rest to make quesadillas again the next day (and maybe even the day after).

3. Vegan Huevo con Tortilla (aka Migas)

Mexican Made Meatless / Via mexicanmademeatless.com

Where are my breakfast lovers? This recipe for plant-based migas takes the concept and makes it vegan by using tofu, tortilla chips, serrano pepper, and a variety of spices for the migas — plated alongside avocado and refried beans to complete the dish.

4. Vegan Jibarito Sandwich

Karla Alveriovalle / Via veggiejeva.co

The layers of this sandwich get more droolworthy with each reveal: lettuce, onion, tomato, special sauce, jackfruit "pulled pork," and, finally, fried plantains! 

5. Esquites

Dora's Table / Via dorastable.com

If you're allergic or avoiding dairy, you may have been missing out on esquites for a while now. Well, this recipe has figured out a way to make the cojita cheese from macadamia nuts, so now you can make street corn (in a cup or not) at home on your own!

6. Vegan Sancocho

Dominican Cooking / Via dominicancooking.com

Yes, it's true: This bowl of sancocho soup doesn't have lots of different types of meat in it as the traditional version would suggest. But what Dominican Cooking created in this tasty recipe is an incredible stew made of delicious root vegetables, plantains, corn, and mushrooms.

7. Vegan Pastelón

Rican Vegan / Via ricanvegan.com

Back on the plantain train, this recipe is a veganized take on a traditional pastelón, which can probably best be described to anyone who hasn't tried it before as lasagna made with plantains.

8. Enfrijoladas

Vegan Mexican Food / Via veganmexicanfood.com

If you're looking for a vegan recipe for enfrijoladas that's got a spicy kick and comes together in under 20 minutes, look no further.

9. Vegan Arroz con Pollo

Karla Alveriovalle / Via veggiejeva.co

Next we have a dish that would actually pair very nicely with the above recipe: arroz con pollo. However, this is a plant-based list, so if you'd like to learn how to make this using jackfruit instead of a real bird, check out this recipe from Veggie Java!

10. Vegan Bacalao a la Vizcaína

Mexican Made Meatless / Via mexicanmademeatless.com

This savory meal, often served during the holidays, is usually made with salted cod. Never fear, plant-based friends, because this recipe uses hearts of palm, nori, and olives to re-create the texture and "fishy" taste. 

11. Pineapple Cucumber Agua Fresca

Dora's Table / Via dorastable.com

You can learn how to make this stunningly bright and fresh drink with this recipe from Dora's Table. It's perfect for a hot day or anytime you feel in need of a ~cool and refreshing~ moment.

12. Puerto Rican Habichuelas Guisadas

Karla Alveriovalle / Via veggiejeva.co

As we move into the colder months here in the US, it's always a good idea to have a go-to recipe for beans. Enter this recipe for habichuelas guisadas, or stewed beans, which uses sofrito, pumpkin, and sazón seasoning for the perfect combination of flavors.

13. Nopales Tiernos

Vegan Mexican Food / Via veganmexicanfood.com

While finding cactus in the grocery store might not be the easiest, depending on where you live, if you do have access or cook it regularly, you simply must try this recipe for nopales. It's a great side dish to have in your recipe repertoire.

14. Vegan Pernil

Rican Vegan / Via ricanvegan.com

Pernil, or roasted pork, is an ingredient used in many dishes (and can be subbed in for in an even larger number of dishes). So if you're ever looking to figure out a way to integrate this ingredient in a plant-based dish, try using jackfruit chunks instead with this recipe.

15. Sopa de Fideo

Dora's Table / Via dorastable.com

You can use any sort of pasta you have at home to complete this truly cozy and comforting edition of sopa de fideo. I generally prefer thin angel hair or even soba noodles for this, but you can experiment with any kind that will lie flat enough to be sautéed evenly in a pan.

16. Ceviche

Vegan Mexican Food / Via veganmexicanfood.com

This version of a veggie-based ceviche requires shredding and cutting lots of fresh vegetables and letting it sit to absorb the spices.

17. Passion Fruit Coconut Nicuatole

Dora's Table / Via dorastable.com

Nicuatole isn't always vegan-friendly, but this recipe uses coconut and passion fruit to mix with corn masa for a sweet, flanlike dessert.

18. The Best Vegan Concha

Dora's Table / Via dorastable.com

Are these not some of the prettiest desserts you've even seen?! You simply must try out this recipe if you're looking for a sweet treat — soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Join BuzzFeed as we celebrate Latinx Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and explore more content celebrating la cultura.

BuzzFeed