Chilaquiles

This dish has truly stolen my heart. I did not know about “chilaquiles” until we went to New York earlier this year. Directly opposite our hotel was a very small, very delicious Mexican eatery, which was serving this for breakfast. I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but I do know that we went back every day for this dish for the entirety of our stay 😂.

What is chilaquiles? Chilaquiles is a typical Mexican breakfast dish. It is made with corn tortillas that are slightly fried (we are baking ours in the oven for this version), covered in a red or green salsa sauce, which softens the tortillas slightly, and then topped with queso fresco, avocado, cilantro, and/or red onions. It can also be served with refried beans, guacamole, and eggs.

Sincerely, this dish is a perfect option for a little bit more time on the weekend and some weekend cooking. It is absolutely divine, does not take super long in the kitchen to make, and is a great option for a savory breakfast. Meaning it allows us to keep our blood sugar levels stable. It is also naturally gluten-free, and I provide some great vegan options below.

Why are Chilaquiles Good For You?

Tomatoes

Here is a fruit that I have not raved about in some time! Fruit you might be asking? Yes, botanically speaking tomatoes are a fruit but are most often used in a vegetable setting. Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family, which also includes both aubergines and peppers. They are high in vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K1, and folate. Tomatoes are also really high in antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds. One of these is beta carotene, which gets converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is important for both our immunity and, in particular, for our eye health. It is great for our retina and has been shown to protect against premature age-related macular degeneration.

Naringenin is another such beneficial plant compound. It is usually found in the skin and has been shown to decrease inflammation in mice. I also wanted to touch on lycopene. Lycopene is a carotenoid and tomatoes provide one of the best sources of lycopene out there. Unlike many other plant compounds, lycopene is astonishingly stable when it comes to processing, making ketchup, tomato mark, and the likes are one of the most concentrated sources out there. Initial evidence suggests and supports the hypothesis may positively affect cancer and heart disease risk rates. But further research is needed here. Lycopene may also lower “bad” cholesterol levels. The combination of lowered “bad” cholesterol levels, potassium, and anti-oxidant power is also incredibly beneficial for your heart health. Altogether, I the evidence is promising that we should consume more or sufficient tomatoes 😉!

How can I adjust these Chilaquiles to my Dietary Requirements?

Both the nachos and the serving are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. The toppings can easily be made vegan but not using eggs, but rather refried beans and no cheese. I am linking you an Easy Refried Beans recipe by Cookie + Kate. Due to the almond flour used, this recipes is not nut-free (but you could swap in another flour). As there are grains in corn, this recipe is, sadly, not paleo.

Similar Recipes on the Blog

There are so many delicious lunch options on the blog!! Be sure to also check out the following:

• Garam Masala Omelette
• Easy Green Shakshuka with Pesto
• Gluten-free Vegetable Frittata
• Five Minute Vegan Egg Scramble
• Spicy Breakfast Bowl

And that is it for this week!! I hope you enjoy this absolute deliciousness of a dish as much for brunch as we did over here. This is one for the books that we will be making over, and over again. As always, please let me know what you think by either commenting below and/or liking the recipe. I love hearing your feedback! Happy brunching everyone 🥳.

Chilaquiles

5 from 2 votes

Recipe by Ann Robejsek Course: BrunchCuisine: Mexican-inspiredDifficulty: Medium

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Baking Time

15

minutes

Total time

40

minutes

Chilaquiles are a delicious, creamy, tomato based sauce mixed with nachos. Topped to your hearts content – this one makes an awesome brunch!

Ingredients

• For the sauce

• 1 small 1 white onion

• 2 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp 1 olive oil

• 1 1 jalapeno (seeds removed if too spicy)

• 3 large 3 tomatoes (about 500 gr.)

• 4 tbsp 4 almond flour

• 1/2 cup 1/2 water

• 1 tsp 1 vegetable broth

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 salt

• For the nachos

• 8 8 corn tortillas

• 1 tbsp 1 olive oil

• A sprinkle of salt

• For serving

• 1/2 1/2 red onion

• 1/2 1/2 avocado

• Cilantro

• 4 4 eggs

• Queso fresco (or feta cheese)

• Lime wedges

How to

• For the sauce
• Peel and chop both the onion and garlic. You do not have to be “miniscule” here, as the mixture will be pureed at the end. Heat a pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion and garlic along with a pinch of salt and fry off until translucent, about 5 minutes. Cut the jalapeno and de-seed if wished (you might want to wear gloves here), chop and add along to the onion-garlic mixture for another 2 minutes or so
• Wash the tomatoes and roughly chop. Add along to the pot together with the almond flour, water, vegetable broth, and salt. Cover the pot, bring to a boil and then simmer for ca. 25 minutes. Remove the lid for the last 10 minutes in order to let some of the water evaporate. Once done, let slightly cool before transferring to a blender and blending until smooth
• For the nachos
• Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) on top and bottom heat. Line a baking tray with parchment paper
• Take the 8 tortillas and cut into 6 – 8 pieces each. Lay out on the baking tray, toss some olive oil and salt on top and mix through. Add to the oven for ca. 15 minutes, be sure to flip the tortilla pieces about 10 minutes in to let them brown on the other side
• For serving
• Now that both the nachos and sauce are cooking, prepare the sides. Fry off the eggs (I like them sunny up for this dish), chop some red onion, lime wedges, avocado, and cilantro
• Once done, serve by mixing the tortilla chips through with the sauce, add to a plate and top with the red onion, avocado, cilantro, and a lime wedge to the side. Enjoy!!

Notes

• ca. 30 minutes to simmer down sauce. 15 minutes for nachos in oven, rest whilst the sauce is cooking.