Black Bean Tetelas with Orange Salsa

Tetelas are a type of street food originating from Oaxaca. Beaming with rays of colorful flavor, Tetelas are pan-fried triangular-shaped corn masa treats that are typically filled with refried black beans and queso fresco.

Of course we like to mix things up, so these Happy Belly Tetelas are inspired by the Sonoran desert and are prepared using local beans & spices sourced through @nativeseedssearch, a southwestern seed conservation nonprofit. Midnight black beans are paired with a flavorful spiced sofrito, crumbled tofu queso and served with an orange salsa for a tangy kick.

Don’t soak your beans or cook them with salt this time around! After the beans have cooked, add the cooked sofrito made with vegetables & spices for a combined rich and juicy flavor.

Black Bean Tetelas with Orange Salsa

Cook the black beans – Rinse the black beans, add to a large pot and cover with about 2” of water. Add the pasilla chile. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 2-3 hours until very soft. Drain, remove the pasilla chile and reserve the cooking liquid.

Make the sofrito – In a large skillet over medium, heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion. Cook until translucent. Add the carrot and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, green chile powder and salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes until browned and aromatic. Add the drained black beans, gently mashing the beans. Add ¼ cup of cooking liquid and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Make the vegan queso fresco – In a small bowl, add the crumbled tofu, nutritional yeast, vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Chill until needed.

Make the salsa – In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients. Note – if you want more spice to the salsa, add a few drops of hot sauce, or to taste.

Make the black bean tetelas – Bring a griddle up to medium heat.

Place 2 tbsp of black beans and 1 tbsp of queso in the center of each tortilla. Fold the bottom up to cover half of the beans and then fold the left and right sides, overlapping to form a triangle. Press to seal. Place folded side down on the griddle. Repeat with the other tortillas. Cook about 3 minutes per side, or until crisp and golden brown. Serve 3 to 4 tetelas on a large plate and garnish with vegan sour cream, cilantro, avocado and orange salsa.

serves about 6

BLACK BEANS

  • 8 oz black beans
  • 4 cups filtered water
  • 1 dried pasilla chile

TORTILLAS

  • 24 6” thin flour tortillas

SOFRITO

  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 cup peeled tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp mild Hatch green chilie powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

VEGAN QUESO FRESCO

  • 8 oz extra firm tofu, crumbled 
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

ORANGE SALSA

  • 5 medium oranges, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, about 1 cup
  • 2 serrano, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1  large scallion, white parts only, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

GARNISH

  • vegan sour cream
  • cilantro
  • sliced avocado