This plant-based Huaraches recipe takes you step-by-step through how to make these heavenly bean-filled masa cakes topped with tomatillo salsa, sautéed squash blossoms, and chipotle aioli. Gluten-free and vegan-adaptable! Video included.
I don’t know the official count of how many different Mexican dishes are made from a foundation of masa.
Every time I think I’ve heard of them all, another one will pop up on my radar.
Last week I shared an image on Instagram from my dear friend Karla who had posted a few things she had made with corn masa that day (I think there were like seven or eight different things.)
Not ten minutes later, I got a DM from my friend Carlos who told me to look up Bocoles, a type of corn patty, sometimes mixed with black beans made in Veracruz where his mom is from. See?! Endless, I tell you.
Today, the masa recipe we’re going to make are huaraches. Let’s go!
what are huaraches?
Huaraches (pronounced wa-ra-chez) are a Mexican sandal, but that’s not what we’re making. They also refer to a thick masa cake formed into the shape of a Mexican sandal—hence the name.
In the US they are usually not stuffed with anything but have a lot of toppings. In Mexico, you will almost always find them stuffed with beans so that’s what we’re doing here.
how to make huaraches at home
This huaraches recipe requires very few ingredients.
You’ll need masa harina, salt, water, and refried beans. That’s it! Plus whatever you want to put on top–more on that later.
As for the beans you can make your own refried beans or use a can of pinto beans. If you’re going the canned beans route, drain them then mash them with a potato masher or puree them in a food processor if you want them really smooth.
If you need a visual, I love this video from Abuela’s Kitchen that shows how to fill and form the dough.
first step: make the masa
To make the masa dough, combine the masa harina, salt, and water in a bowl, mix until it comes together. Knead the dough two minutes to really get the masa nice and hydrated.
form the huaraches
Divide dough into 6 equal portions. I got high-tech and weighed out my dough at about 4 ounces each or about 1/2 cup of dough. Keep pieces covered with plastic wrap while you’re working so they don’t dry out.
Take one piece and pat it into a flat round about the size of your hand. Keep your hands wet to prevent from sticking. Add about a tablespoon of refried beans, and spread out, leaving about 1/2 inch border all the way around.
Pinch dough together to contain the beans inside. And gently roll into a cylinder or cigar shape.
flatten into the huarache shape
So they sell these handy huarache presses that form the perfect sandal shape, but I don’t have one of those. That’s okay, there are two other ways to make them.
The first way is by using a tortilla press. Line the press with two sheets of plastic like you would if you were making tortillas (in a pinch you can also use wax paper).
Flatten the cigar shape slightly and place in-between the sheets of plastic on the press. Press down gently until it is about 1/2-1/4-inch thick.
If you don’t have a tortilla press either, no biggie, you can use a rolling pin (which I actually think works best).
Again, flatten the cigar shape a little and place between two sheets of plastic. Roll gently with the rolling pin until it is about 1/2 to 1/4-inch thick.
cook the huarache
Heat a comal or heavy skillet over medium high heat for about 3 minutes or until it is very hot but not smoking.
Remove the top piece of plastic from the huarache then flip onto your right hand and remove the bottom piece of plastic. With a quick motion, flip onto the hot comal (remember, wet hands if it is sticking).
Let cook, undisturbed until it is lightly browned and has formed a crust, about 2-3 minutes. Repeat on the other side.
You can enjoy them right away or if you want to get the outside nice and crispy you can fry them in a little oil.
To do this, heat about a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the toasted huarache and let cook until crisp, about 2 minutes on each side.
Top with salsa and toppings and serve!
what to put on top?
I love this plant-based huaraches recipe that is topped with Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa, sautéed squash blossoms, and chipotle aioli but the options are endless. Some of my favorites are:
- Carne Asada is really classic
- Homemade chorizo
- Shredded beef {Carne Deshebrada}
- Borracho beans and Cheese
more masa recipes to try!
- Masa Pancakes with Vanilla Strawberries
- Black Bean Pupusas with Lime Curtido
- Lamb and White Bean Chili with Masa Dumplings {Chochoyotes}
- Vegan Atole
- Strawberry Tamales with Horchata Sauce
- Sweet Potato and Bacon Gorditas
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
move over taco tuesday
Huarache Wednesday is about to become a thing! These savory masa cakes are fun to make and begging to be topped with all your favorites. When you try them, please snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Step-by-Step Huaraches Recipe
This plant-based Huaraches recipe takes you step-by-step through how to make these heavenly bean-filled masa cakes topped with tomatillo salsa, sautéed squash blossoms, and chipotle aioli. Gluten-free and vegan-adaptable!
Ingredients
For the huaraches:
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-2 cups water
- Scant cup of refried beans or 1 (15-ounce) can of pinto beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed with a potato masher
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 recipe Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
For the chipotle aioli:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise] (use vegan [mayonnaise to make this a vegan recipe)
- 2-3 chipotles in adobo, minced (depending on how spicy you like things)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the squash blossoms:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 white onions, sliced (use the other half to make the tomatillo salsa)
- 9 cloves garlic, sliced
- 12 ounces squash blossoms, stems removed and cleaned
Instructions
- Make the masa. Combine the masa harina and salt in a large bowl. Add the water, starting with 1 cup and mix to form a dough. Continue adding water until a soft, smooth dough forms. The dough should be tacky but not sticky or cracking. Knead the dough for two minutes to really hydrate the flour.
- Divide the dough. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, about 4 ounces or 1/2 cup each. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent from drying out.
- Fill with beans. With wet hands pat one of the pieces of dough into a thick circle about the size of your hand (about 4-5 inches wide). Top with about a tablespoon of beans, spread out leaving about 1/2-inch border.
- Roll up. Fold the dough around the beans like you're closing a taco and pinch the ends together to seal, then roll into a thick cylinder or cigar shape.
- Press thin. Either using a tortilla press or a rolling pin (or a huarache press, if you have one), place the dough between two pieces of thin plastic (like the produce bags from the grocery store) and press to flatten slightly with your hand. Press down gently with a tortilla press or set on a counter and roll with a rolling pin until it is about 1/2-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Some beans may squeeze out, that's okay. Wipe off the plastic with a paper towel in-between uses.
- Cook huaraches. Heat a comal or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Remove the top piece of plastic from the huarache. Wet hands and flip huarache over to your right hand. Remove other piece of plastic and swiftly flip huarache onto hot comal.
- Let cook undisturbed until a crust forms and it easily removes from the comal, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side. Repeat with remaining dough and beans. At this step you can let the huaraches cool, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Make the chipotle aioli. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add more lime juice or salt if needed.
- Make the squash blossoms. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and starting to brown. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add squash blossoms, season again with salt and pepper and stir until just starting to wilt, about a minute more. Cover and remove from heat.
- Fry the huaraches. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 huaraches (as many as will fit in a single layer) and lightly fry on both sides until crisp, golden brown and warmed through. Keep warm in a low oven while you fry the rest.
- Assemble and serve. Spread tomatillo salsa over the bottom of each huarache, divide squash blossoms evenly between them, drizzle chipotle aioli over the top and serve!
Notes
Huaraches can be cooked (but not fried), cooled, then wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 155Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 164mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 8gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g
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