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Tortas Ahogadas Recipe


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  • Author: Maxine Dubois
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

These Tortas Ahogadas are made with carnitas, refried beans, hot sauce, hard rolls and dipped in a tomato sauce. 


Ingredients

Scale

Torta

  • 6 bolillos or hard rolls, halved horizontally
  • 1 pound of Carnitas
  • 1 can refried beans, warmed
  • Sauce
  • 4-5 roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon oregano

Garnish


Instructions

  1. Make the sauce. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic cloves into the pot and boil for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blister and the onion softens. With a slotted spoon, place the contents in a blender and add the cumin, salt and oregano as well. Blend until smooth. Feel free to use some of that boiled water to blend and adjust to your desired consistency. Pour the sauce back in a pan and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. You may add 1/2 cup of water if needed.
  2. Assemble the sandwich. Toast the bread and spread the refried beans on each side of the roll. Add the carnitas and close the sandwich. With a ladle, pour the sauce over the sandwich. 
  3. Garnish: Top with Cotija cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice and hot sauce. 

Notes

  • Use fresh bread rolls: Use crusty, fresh bread rolls for the best flavor and texture. If you can't find bolillo rolls, you can substitute them with French bread or baguettes.
  • Make the tomato sauce ahead of time: The tomato sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. This will save you time when you're ready to make the sandwiches.
  • Adjust the spice level to your liking: Tortas Ahogadas are meant to be spicy, but you can adjust the level of heat by adding more or less chili peppers to the tomato sauce.
  • Use good-quality meat: Choose good-quality meat for the filling, such as pork shoulder or beef chuck. These cuts are flavorful and tender when cooked low and slow.
  • Toast the bread rolls: Toasting the bread rolls before adding the filling helps them hold up better when soaked in the tomato sauce.
  • Serve with lime wedges: Squeezing fresh lime juice over the sandwich just before serving adds a bright, citrusy flavor that complements the spicy tomato sauce.
  • Be messy: Tortas Ahogadas literally translates to "drowned sandwiches," so don't be afraid to get messy! The sandwich should be completely covered in the tomato sauce, so have plenty of napkins on hand.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Cooking
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 237
  • Sodium: 265 mg
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g