Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipe Chilaquiles Verdes

Recipe courtesy of Stephanie Cornejal, PPMNY Culinary Instructor

“Chilaquiles verdes” translates to “green chilaquiles” from Spanish. The name comes from the Nahuatl words chilli (chiles) and quilitl (greens or herbs), meaning “chiles and greens,” which describes this delicious and healthy dish of corn tortillas simmered in a green salsa.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Tomatillo Sauce

  • 10 tomatillos, husked and washed

  • 2-3 serrano or jalapeño chiles (depending on your spice preference)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • ¼ white onion
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • A handful of fresh cilantro
  • Salt to taste

For the air fryer tortilla chips

  • 10-12 corn tortillas

For the cashew crema

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight covered in water

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt, optional

For serving

  • Sliced red onion

  • Sliced avocado

Instructions

For the green sauce

1. Wash the tomatillos and chiles and place them in a medium pot. Cover with water. Boil them for about 10 minutes, until softened.
2. Drain (save the water) and cool. Add to a blender with enough of the cooking water to cover the tomatillos and chilies. Blend, then add cumin, garlic, onion, cilantro, and optional salt. Add back some of the cooking water as needed to reach a sauce consistency.
3. Pour the sauce into a hot pan and cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes so the flavors blend. Adjust salt if desired.

For the tortilla chips (two options)

Air Fryer:
1. Cut the tortillas into triangles.
2. Place them in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.

Oven:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cut the corn tortillas into triangles and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Optional: Lightly mist with water or lime juice (instead of oil) and sprinkle with a little salt if desired.
4. Bake for 10–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp. Keep a close eye near the end—they crisp quickly!

For the cashew cream

1. Soak cashews overnight, covered in warm water.
2. Place in blender with ½ of the water, garlic, lime juice, lemon, and optional salt.
3. Blend for 2 minutes until smooth. Add more water if needed. Store in the refrigerator in a jar.

Assembly

1. Toss the tortilla chips with the warm sauce in the pan — just a few seconds so they’re coated but not soggy (or cook longer if softer tortilla chips are desired).
2. Serve immediately and garnish with onion, avocado, cilantro, and cashew crema.
3. Refrigerate all leftovers for 4-5 days.