Vegan Mushroom Pepper Tostadillas – Tostadas meet Quesadilla

Tostada meets quesadilla in these Mexican vegan mushroom pepper tostadillas ! Tortillas baked in the oven until crunchy then filled with a spicy mushroom & bell pepper mix and cheese and baked again to reach crispy melty cheesy vegan tostada perfection.

If a Mexican version of a veggie and cheese sandwich sounds like your thing you will love these vegan mushroom tostadillas!

They are like a quesadilla but baked instead of pan-fried – so more like a tostada. But I’ll explain the difference in a second and just call these tostadillas for now. Some might know these under Mexican Pizzas. You can call them whatever you want as long as you try them because these are delish. Admittedly, they are messy to eat! So not the best thing to serve for a first date – but every bite is a heavenly combination of crunchy – toasty and savory- cheesy that will make you fall in love with these double-decker vegan tostadas!

What are tostadas?

Tostada is Spanish and means “toasted”so tostada can refer to various Mexican / Latinamerican dishes which are toasted or use a toasted ingredient. But to keep it simple – Mexican tostadas, (in diminutive also called Tostaditas) are typically wheat tortillas that are baked, deep-fried or toasted in a pan until crispy, then topped with whatever you like! Refried beans, grated cheese, chopped avocado and tomato, sliced lettuce, and salsa are the most common toppings.

For this recipe, we adopt the tostada concept but make our vegan tostadas twice as delicious by adding a second layer of tortilla and cheese on top of the bottom layer and serving it with typical tostadas toppings. So a cross between quesadilla and tostadas.

MORE QUICK Quesadillas and Sandwich VEGAN DINNER FIXES TO TRY

• Vegan Mushroom Quesadillas
• 10 Minute Taco Spiced White Bean Pepper jack quesadillas
• Grilled Cauliflower Cheddar Pesto Zucchini Sandwich
• Black Bean Sweet Potato Chimichurri Quesadilla
• Grilled Red Pepper Hummus Roasted Sweet Potato Sandwich
• Grilled Buffalo Millet and Ranch Sandwich
• Roasted Veggie Sandwich

Ingredients:

• tortillas – I used 8 inch wheat tortillas but you can use small corn tortillas as well
• a homemade Mexican spice blend made from ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle chili powder, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, and oregano.
• mushrooms – white or Cremini mushrooms work well but you can use portobello, shiitake or oyster mushrooms as well
• onions and bell peppers – the classic fajitas veggie mix that is ubiquitous in Mexican dishes
• tomato paste adds some umami to the filling and adds a lovely red color
• I like to add some vegan cheese shreds as well but this is optional
• toppings: romaine lettuce and salsa or pico de gallo

Tips:

• As a variation, you can also use a mixture of jackfruit and mushrooms instead of all mushrooms in the filling.
• For making it into a heartier meal, you can spread a layer of refried beans onto the tortillas along with the filling.
• If you don’t have chipotle chili powder you can use canned chipotle in adobo. Just add in 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce from the can along with the 1 chipotle pepper.
• When preparing your filling make sure not to burn the spices or your filling will turn bitter!

How to make Vegan Mushroom Tostadas:

To make the filling, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Add in the onion, bell peppers, mushrooms and a dash of salt and toss well. Cook until the onions are starting to turn translucent.

Then add in the rest of the ingredients except water and mix well.

Cook the spices for a minute then add in the water and mix in and then continue to cook this mixture until it thickens and the mushrooms are cooked to preference and take off heat.

To prepare the tostadas, line a large baking sheet parchment. Place the tortillas on the baking sheet and put it in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 c) for 3-5 minutes or until they start to get crisp.

Remove the tortillas from the oven then add a layer of the filling on one of the tortillas top with vegan cheese shreds and add another  tortilla press it  down. You can also sprinkle some cheese on the top tortilla if you like.

Repeat until the filling is gone. Place your tostadas back in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake until the cheese melts and the tortillas are crisp. Move the baking sheet around after 7-8 minutes for even browning of the tortillas.

Remove the tostadillas from the baking sheet and slice as you like. To serve, place the tostadillas in a plate top with some lettuce and pico de gallo and serve immediately.

Storing vegan tostadas and quesadillas:

Got leftover? Pop them in the fridge for meals for the next day or two. Refrigerate any tostadilla leftovers for up to 2 days, then reheat on a grill, and serve. That’s dinner!
These vegan tostadas are my new favorite quick dinner fix and with all those veggies and the melted cheese, I just can’t get enough of them!