Tlacoyos use blue corn masa to make a soft dough that is filled with a delicious bean filling and cooked to tender perfection. Top this homemade, vegan spin on Mexican street food with all your favorite toppings!

Vegan tlacoyos on a plate with fixings. - 1

Filled with spicy refried beans, these blue masa tlacoyos are literally pocketfuls of flavor. Earthy, creamy, tangy, crunchy, and slightly spicy — they’re everything you could want from Mexican street food.

Fortunately, this easy recipe packs all the flavor from traditional street markets without leaving your kitchen. There’s also plenty of room for substitutions, so don’t worry if you’ve run out of refried beans. You can just as easily fill them with vegan taco meat or even vegan birria .

Why You’ll Love This Tlacoyos Recipe

Here are the top 3 reasons you’ll love these tlacoyos:

  • Prep-friendly. You’ll love how easy it is to make these ahead and reheat throughout the week.
  • Family-friendly. Served with all the toppings on the side, even the pickiest eaters will enjoy being able to add their favorite fillings and toppings.
  • Flavorful. This recipe captures the authentic flavor of Mexican street food using easy to find, vegan ingredients. Score!
Two tlacoyos on a plate. - 2

What Are Tlacoyos?

Tlacoyos are typically found in Mexican street markets. They’re thick, oval-shaped pockets made with masa. The dough encloses a variety of fillings like cheese, mushrooms, potatoes, shredded beef, etc.

Depending on the region, they are cooked over a comal or deep fried. They’re a popular street food that is always served with a mountain of toppings. While they’re usually considered a breakfast food , they can be enjoyed any time of day.

Ingredients for tlacoyos on a marble countertop. - 3

Notes on Ingredients

It’s all about the filling, so make sure your beans are flavorful. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make this tlacoyos recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.

For the Masa

  • Blue corn masa harina – You can also use yellow masa harina if you don’t have the traditional blue corn masa harina . Don’t use cornmeal as the texture is not the same.
  • Water & Salt

For the Filling

  • Canned black beans – Use a flavorful brand of black beans ; canned pinto beans will also work.
  • Bean cooking liquid – You can also use water or vegetable broth (I like to use my homemade vegetable broth ).
  • White onion – Yellow onion is a great substitute.
  • Chiles de arbol – These are dried chilis give the filling its signature flavor.
  • Salt
  • Vegetable oil – Corn and canola oil also work.

For the Toppings

  • Toppings – You’ll also need all your favorites such as: diced avocado and tomatoes , shredded lettuce , vegan sour cream , and vegan cheese .
  • Salsa – And, don’t forget the salsa! Their are so many wonderful types of salsa to try like my Easy Pineapple Salsa Recipe , Restaurant-Style Blender Salsa , Black Bean Avocado and Corn Salad (Salsa) , and Avocado Pico De Gallo Salsa .

How to Make Tlacoyos

Adding water to blue masa harina in a glass bowl. - 4

Mix masa, salt, and water.

Make the Masa

  • Mix the ingredients. Whisk the masa harina and salt. Add the water and mix until a loose dough forms. Don’t set it aside once you’ve started or the dough will dry out.
  • Knead. Use your hands to knead the dough until it’s nice and smooth. If it’s too dry, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until it becomes manageable. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls.
  • Rest. Cover the pieces of dough with a damp kitchen towel. Giving them a light spray of cooking oil can also help prevent them from drying out. Set them aside until your filling is ready.
Beans in a pot with chilis and onion. - 5

Combine filling ingredients and cook.

Make the Filling

  • Cook the beans. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and dried chile de arbol . Stir for 2 minutes. Add the beans and their liquid into the pan. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Be careful when you add the beans to the pan because the hot oil will sizzle.
  • Mash the beans. Remove the chiles and onion from the pan. Lower the heat and use a potato masher to mash the beans until they’re creamy. If they dry out too much, add a bit more cooking liquid. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt to taste.
  • Cool the beans. Remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool.
Adding bean filling to flattened masa dough. - 6

Flatten the dough and top with beans.

Make the Tlacoyos

  • Flatten the dough. Use your hands to carefully flatten the dough into a medium-sized oval, about the size of your hand or a little bit bigger. Repeat this for every piece of dough.
  • Fill the tlacoyos. Scoop 1-3 tbsp of refried beans into the center. Fold the sides of the dough in (enclosing the beans) and pinch the seams. Repeat for all the tlacoyos.
  • Shape the tlacoyos. Use your hands to shape the filled tlacoyos into a flattened diamond or oval with pointy tips. They should be about 1/4″ thick. Set them aside and cover them with a damp kitchen towel. Don’t make them any thicker because the cooking time will increase, and it’s harder to cook them through.
Cooking tlacoyos in a skillet. - 7

Cook the tlacoyos.

  • Cook them. Grease a large pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Cooking time will depend on their actual thickness, so cut a piece off one and taste it. If the masa is still raw, let them cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool.
  • Add toppings. Place the cooked tlacoyos on a plate and top them with vegan sour cream, salsa, onion, tomato, vegan cheese, and avocado to taste. Enjoy!
Tlacoyo on a plate with toppings. - 8

Tips for the Best Tlacoyos

  • Use refried beans. Instead of making the refried beans from scratch, you can use canned refried beans . Use your favorite brand.
  • Use store-bought masa. Mexican grocery stores that make their own corn tortillas usually also sell the masa. Check with your grocer to see if their dough is vegan. If it is, you can buy that and use it instead of making your dough from scratch.
  • Add different fillings. Play around with the fillings. You can use sauteed mushrooms and spinach, vegan birria , walnut meat , or even jack fruit meat .
  • Moisten your hands. Keep a small bowl of water nearby so you can moisten your hands at all times and keep the dough from sticking to your fingers.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

  • Store in the fridge: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • To reheat: Sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon of water and then microwave them for up to a minute or until warm. You can also reheat them in a comal or griddle over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.
  • Can I freeze these? Yes, but they’ll need to be cooked first because raw masa doesn’t freeze well. Once they’re fully cooled, wrap each tlacoyo in plastic wrap twice. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag or container and store for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as directed above.

More Vegan Mexican Recipes

  • Sofritas
  • Vegan Birria Tacos
  • Elotes
  • Gorditas
  • Quesadillas with Avocado Cilantro Cream Sauce

Ingredients

For the masa:

  • 2 cups blue corn masa harina , 250 g
  • 2 cups hot water , 475 ml
  • ½ teaspoon salt , 2.5 g

For the filling:

  • 2 cups canned black beans , 400 g
  • ½ cup bean’s cooking liquid , or water, 120 ml
  • ¼ small onion
  • 3-4 dried chiles de árbol
  • salt , to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil , 30 ml

For the toppings:

  • vegan sour cream
  • salsa , Try my restaurant-style salsa !
  • vegan shredded cheese
  • diced onion
  • diced tomato
  • sliced avocado

Instructions

To Make the Masa:

  • Whisk the blue corn masa-harina and salt. Add the water and mix until a loose dough forms.
  • Use your hands to knead the dough until it’s nice and smooth. If it’s too dry, add 1 tsp of water at a time until it becomes manageable. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll them into balls.
  • Cover the pieces of dough with a damp kitchen towel. Giving them a light spray of cooking oil can also help prevent them from drying out. Set them aside until your filling is ready.

To Make the Filling:

  • Cook the beans. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and dried chile de árbol. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the beans and their cooking liquid into the pan. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove the chiles and onion from the pan. Lower the heat and use a potato masher to mash the beans until they’re creamy. If they dry out too much, add a bit more cooking liquid. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt to taste.
  • Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

To Make the Tlacoyos:

  • Use your hands to carefully flatten the dough into a medium-sized oval, about the size of your hand or a little bit bigger. Repeat this for every piece of dough.
  • Scoop 1-3 tbsp of refried beans into the center. Fold the sides of the dough in (enclosing the beans) and pinch the seams. Repeat for all the tlacoyos.
  • Use your hands to shape the filled tlacoyos into a flattened diamond or oval with pointy tips. They should be about 1/4″ thick. Set them aside and cover with a damp kitchen towel.
  • Grease a large pan or griddle with a little bit of cooking spray over medium-low heat. Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Cooking time will depend on their actual thickness, so cut a piece off one and taste it. If the masa is still raw, let them cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool.

To Serve the Tlacoyos:

  • Place the cooked tlacoyos on a plate and top them with vegan sour cream, salsa, vegan shredded cheese, onion, tomato and avocado to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Store in the fridge: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • To reheat: Sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon of water and then microwave them for up to a minute or until warm. You can also reheat them in a comal or griddle over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.
  • Can I freeze these? Yes, but they’ll need to be cooked first because raw masa doesn’t freeze well. Once they’re fully cooled, wrap each tlacoyo in plastic wrap twice. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag or container and store for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as directed above.
Two tlacoyos on a plate. - 9

Tlacoyos Recipe

Ingredients

For the masa:

  • 2 cups blue corn masa harina 250 g
  • 2 cups hot water 475 ml
  • ½ teaspoon salt 2.5 g

For the filling:

  • 2 cups canned black beans 400 g
  • ½ cup bean’s cooking liquid or water, 120 ml
  • ¼ small onion
  • 3-4 dried chiles de árbol
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 30 ml

For the toppings:

  • vegan sour cream
  • salsa Try my restaurant-style salsa !
  • vegan shredded cheese
  • diced onion
  • diced tomato
  • sliced avocado

Instructions

To Make the Masa:

  • Whisk the blue corn masa-harina and salt. Add the water and mix until a loose dough forms.
  • Use your hands to knead the dough until it’s nice and smooth. If it’s too dry, add 1 tsp of water at a time until it becomes manageable. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll them into balls.
  • Cover the pieces of dough with a damp kitchen towel. Giving them a light spray of cooking oil can also help prevent them from drying out. Set them aside until your filling is ready.

To Make the Filling:

  • Cook the beans. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and dried chile de árbol. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the beans and their cooking liquid into the pan. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove the chiles and onion from the pan. Lower the heat and use a potato masher to mash the beans until they’re creamy. If they dry out too much, add a bit more cooking liquid. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt to taste.
  • Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

To Make the Tlacoyos:

  • Use your hands to carefully flatten the dough into a medium-sized oval, about the size of your hand or a little bit bigger. Repeat this for every piece of dough.
  • Scoop 1-3 tbsp of refried beans into the center. Fold the sides of the dough in (enclosing the beans) and pinch the seams. Repeat for all the tlacoyos.
  • Use your hands to shape the filled tlacoyos into a flattened diamond or oval with pointy tips. They should be about 1/4″ thick. Set them aside and cover with a damp kitchen towel.
  • Grease a large pan or griddle with a little bit of cooking spray over medium-low heat. Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Cooking time will depend on their actual thickness, so cut a piece off one and taste it. If the masa is still raw, let them cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool.

To Serve the Tlacoyos:

  • Place the cooked tlacoyos on a plate and top them with vegan sour cream, salsa, vegan shredded cheese, onion, tomato and avocado to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Store in the fridge: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • To reheat: Sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon of water and then microwave them for up to a minute or until warm. You can also reheat them in a comal or griddle over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.
  • Can I freeze these? Yes, but they’ll need to be cooked first because raw masa doesn’t freeze well. Once they’re fully cooled, wrap each tlacoyo in plastic wrap twice. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag or container and store for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as directed above.

Nutrition

Tlacoyos Recipe https://jessicainthekitchen.com/tlacoyos/ November 27, 2024

This vegan lentil stew recipe is layered with rich coconut and curry flavours to jazz up tender cooked lentils. The perfect one-pot meal when you’re craving a cozy, comfort food dinner!

Bread dipped into a pot of lentil stew. - 10

We all have a bag of lentils in the back of our pantry. Sitting there, waiting for us to put it to use. Once you know how to cook lentils , they’re great for making lentil balls and tourtière , but this lentil stew recipe simmers the lentils with all kinds of seasonings and coconut milk, infusing them with the most amazing flavour.

Why You’ll Love This Lentil Stew Recipe

  • A lentil stew with big flavour . Ginger, red curry paste , and aromatics come together to create a rich, fragrant stew that is simply irresistible.
  • Easy one-pot meal . This recipe requires minimal clean up, as everything cooks in one pot! It’s also so hearty and filling, you don’t need to add any sides (although you can’t go wrong with a piece of garlic naan ).
  • Packed with nutrients . Lentils are an excellent source of plant-based protein, fiber, iron, and other essential nutrients. They’re one of my favourite vegan protein sources!
Coconut lentil stew in pot - 11

Notes on Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

  • Sesame oil – Use pure sesame oil .
  • Fresh ginger – Fresh ginger is so much more flavourful than ground ginger. It has more warmth, too!
  • Red curry paste – Make sure to use a vegan red curry paste —not all curry pastes are.
  • Red onion and garlic – These aromatics build the flavour of this lentil stew.
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • Coconut sugar – My go-to sugar for this recipe is coconut sugar but any other sugar you have on hand will also work.
  • Light soy sauce – Tamari , liquid aminos , or coconut aminos are fine too. These add umami and depth.
  • Dry green lentils – I use dry green lentils for this stew because they hold their shape. Don’t use red lentils, as they don’t hold their shape when cooked.
  • Coconut milk – Full-fat coconut milk will give you a richer stew, but lite also works.
  • Vegetable broth – I like to use my homemade vegetable broth .
  • Lime juice
  • Sambal oelek or sriracha – If you want to give your stew a little kick use some optional sambal oelek or sriracha sauce .

How to Make Lentil Stew

  • Cook the ginger and curry paste . Add the sesame oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the ginger and curry paste for a minute.
  • Sauté the aromatics . Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
  • Simmer . Stir in the salt and pepper, sugar, and soy sauce, followed by the lentils, coconut milk, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the lentils are tender, or 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Finish . Add the lime juice and remove from heat. Season to taste and serve with sambal oelek, sriracha, or Scotch bonnet pepper hot sauce .
Pot of vegan lentil stew - 12

Tips and Variations

  • Pick over the lentils . Little pebbles can and do show up in bags of lentils and beans! It’s always worth it to take the time to pick them over.
  • Don’t overcook the lentils . If you cook them too long, they’ll start to get mushy and fall apart. They should be al dente, to borrow a term from cooking pasta!
  • Add some greens . To up the veggie factor in this lentil stew recipe, you can add baby spinach or kale leaves about 5-10 minutes before the stew is done. They will wilt and add extra nutrients to your meal.

What Goes Well With Lentil Stew?

This lentil stew is best enjoyed in a few wonderful ways:

  • Over a plate of rice or cauliflower rice
  • With some fresh bread
  • With vegan naan bread
  • With a side salad
  • Dip some no knead bread into it to soak up the flavour!
Pot of lentil stew with bread - 13

How to Store Leftovers

  • Refrigerator : Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer : This lentil stew freezes well in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
  • Reheat : You can reheat this lentil stew in the microwave or on the stove. If it seems too thick, add a splash of water or broth when reheating.

More Vegan Soup and Stew Recipes

  • Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Gnocchi Soup
  • Vegan Cheeseburger Soup
  • Cabbage Roll Soup
  • Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste , I use this vegan one by Thai Kitchen
  • 1/2 large red onion , minced
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt , to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ -1 tablespoon coconut sugar , or other sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce , or liquid aminos /gluten free tamari/ coconut aminos
  • 1 1/2 cups dry green lentils , rinsed and picked over
  • 1 can coconut milk , ( 13.4 ounces/ 383 g), full-fat or lite)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 tablespoon sambal oelek or Sriracha , optional, for heat

Instructions

  • In a pan over medium-high heat, heat the sesame oil. Add in the minced ginger and curry paste to fry it, stirring into the oil, for about 1 minute.
  • Add in the chopped onion and the garlic and cook until the onion is slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Place the sea salt, black pepper, coconut sugar, and liquid aminos on top and stir everything together. Add in the lentils and stir again.
  • Add in the coconut milk and the veggie broth. Bring the soup to a boil and then lower to a simmer, allowing to simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes, until your lentils are fully cooked through. Stir the stew occasionally. You can let it simmer even more if desired.
  • Squeeze the lime over, stir, and then remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • Add in any of the optional add-ins/toppings. Stir in the sambal oelek (or Sriracha) or scotch bonnet pepper sauce if using.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Refrigerator : Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer : This lentil stew freezes well in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
  • Reheat : You can reheat this lentil stew in the microwave or on the stove. If it seems too thick, add a splash of water or broth when reheating.