Nourishing Body, Mind, & Spirit

Traditional-Style Vegetarian Menudo

Servings: 6-8

Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Equipment Needed:

Measuring Utensils, Slotted Spoon, Blender, Knife, Large Pot, Colander

Ingredients:

Pepper Liquid ~

2 Arbol peppers, dried

2 Ancho peppers, dried

2 Guajillos peppers, dried

1 Onion, peeled, quartered

5/6 Garlic cloves, peeled

Menudo Base ~

1 Tablespoon Mexican Oregano

3 Bay Leaves

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 Vegetable Bouillon cube

2 Cups Soy Curls (OR) Textured Vegetable Protein (cut into bite-sized pieces)

25-30 ounces can Hominy (OR) Chickpeas, rinsed

1 teaspoon Sea Salt (OR) Pink Himalayan Salt

1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast Flakes

3 Tablespoons Corn Oil

6-8 Cups Water

Directions:

1. Pepper Liquid ~

   Cut the peppers open to expose the seeds, removing stems if necessary. The more seeds you leave in, the spicier your menudo will be—I removed about 75% of the seeds, and it was still quite spicy! Rehydrate the peppers by placing them in boiling water for 30 minutes. If you can't find all three varieties of peppers, two types will still work well.

   
   

   Add 1 whole onion (quartered) and 5–6 peeled garlic cloves to the boiling water with the peppers. Once softened, use a slotted spoon to transfer everything into a blender. Add 1 cup of the pepper water and blend on high for 1–2 minutes until smooth.

   
   

   Strain the blended mixture through a colander, pressing the pulp with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the remaining pulp in compost or the trash. The strained liquid will serve as the base for your vegetarian menudo.

   
   

2. Menudo Base ~

   In a pot, heat oil and the prepared pepper liquid to a quick boil. Stir in all seasonings, water, hominy, and the plant-based meat. Reduce to a slow boil and let it cook for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the "meat" to absorb the broth.

   
   

   Serving Your Menudo:

   Garnish with your favorite toppings for a traditional-style menudo experience, such as lime wedges, chopped raw onions, minced cilantro, Mexican oregano, minced jalapeños, and shredded cabbage.

   Eat and enjoy!