Tlayuda con Chorizo
During my travels to Oaxaca, Mexico for the infamous Día de Muertos celebration, I stumbled upon a dish that left a lasting impression: chorizo tlayudas. These oversized, crispy tortillas topped with smoky chorizo, refried beans, and Oaxacan cheese quickly became one of my favorite bites of the trip. Known as “Oaxacan pizzas”, they’re often cooked on a comal - a traditional flat griddle - for that perfect crunch, and they’re finished off with a duo of salsas for vibrant color and maximum flavor. This dish is a crowd-favorite and truly captures the essence of Oaxacan culture and its vibrant street food scene.
Servings: 6 to 8
Special Equipment: Blender or food processor
Ingredients:
1 lb Mexican chorizo*
1 ball Oaxacan cheese*
1 package large corn tortillas*
1can black beans
1 bunch scallions
4-5 roma tomatoes
4-5 tomatillos
1 yellow onion
1 red onion
1 head garlic
1 serrano chile
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 limes
1 bunch cilantro
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon honey
Note If you live in NYC, I highly recommend Zaragoza Market (in Alphabet City) to source quality Mexican ingredients!
Method:
Prepare the ingredients
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the casing from the chorizo and crumble into small pieces. Pull the cheese apart into long strands; cut crosswise into 4-inch pieces. Remove the husks from the tomatillos. Drain and rinse the beans, reserving the liquid. Cut the serrano in half and remove the core and seeds. Large dice the yellow onion. Large dice the red onion. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the green tops from the white bottoms. Roughly chop half the garlic; keep the remaining cloves whole. Halve the limes. Pick the cilantro leaves off the stems. Halve and deseed the chile de arbol and pasilla chile. Place the chiles in a bowl of hot water and let soften for 20 minutes.
Roast the vegetables
Add the tomatoes, red onion, and 6 cloves of garlic to a parchment-lined sheet pan and toss with olive oil, paprika, and cumin. Roast 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are blistered and the onions are browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Make the tomatillo salsa
Place the tomatillos, yellow onion, 2 cloves of garlic, serrano, cilantro and a big pinch of salt in a blender (or food processor), pureeing until smooth and adding water as needed, until smooth; taste then season if desired. Place in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the salsa roja
Add the roasted vegetables to a blender (or food processor) and pulse with 1-2 chipotle peppers, lime juice, 1 tablespoon of honey, and a big pinch of salt. Puree until smooth and taste then season if desired. Place in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook the chorizo
Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a non-stick pan. Add the crumbled chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes, or until crispy and cooked through. Leaving any residual fond in the pan, transfer the cooked chorizo to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb the excess oil.
Make the refried beans
To the pan of reserved chorizo fond, add the chopped garlic and white scallion bottoms; season with salt. Cooking for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant. Add the drained beans and season with chili powder and salt. Cook 3-4 minutes until softened and you are able to mash them with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the reserved bean liquid and continue to cook and mash until a thick paste forms (add more water if needed). Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Cook & finish the tlayudas
To a parchment-lined sheet pan, add a single layer of corn tortillas. Spread each tortilla with the bean paste and top with the chorizo and Oaxacan cheese. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the tortilla is crisped and the cheese has melted. Top with both salsas and garnish with the green scallion tops. Enjoy!