Gorditas
A meaty vegan jackfruit filling is tucked into soft, puffy gorditas for a totally new take on Taco Tuesday. Add your favourite toppings and dig in!
You may know gorditas from Taco Bell (can we talk about how they have such great vegan options?!), but have you ever tried making them yourself? Friends, get ready for a treat!
Gorditas are hand-formed tortillas made from masa dough, which are then puffed up on a griddle until soft and browned in spots. Because they puff up, an air bubble forms in the middle, so when you slice into the gordita, it forms a pocket prime for stuffing with all kinds of delicious things. In this case, that’s a vegan jackfruit filling!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Something a little different. I’m not going to turn down jackfruit tacos for Taco Tuesday, but sometimes I want a change of pace. Gorditas might not technically be tacos, but I’d say they’re taco-adjacent, so they count!
- Authentic flavour. Between the masa harina and the blend of spices in the jackfruit, this vegan gorditas recipe brings authentic flavour to the table—even if jackfruit isn’t quite a traditional filling!
- Customisable toppings. Topping options are endless! From salsa, vegan sour cream, and guacamole to more adventurous choices like strawberry salsa or pickled red onions, you can customise your gorditas to suit your preferences.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Gorditas:
- Masa harina – This is a special type of Mexican corn flour that has been treated with lime water, giving it a unique flavor and texture.
- Kosher salt
- Baking powder
- Olive oil – Or another oil you like to use for cooking and baking.
- Warm water
For the Jackfruit:
- Young jackfruit in water – You’ll usually find this canned, although occasionally it’s sold in pouches. Drain off the water before using it.
- Olive oil
- Onion – You can use yellow or red onion for this recipe.
- Jalapeño – Feel free to adjust the amount to your liking. For an extra spicy filling, leave the seeds and ribs on the pepper; to reduce the heat level, scrape them out.
- Garlic
- Seasonings – Cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder, and kosher salt.
- Vegetable broth – I like to use my homemade vegetable broth. You could also use water, but broth adds some extra flavour.
- Lime juice
- Tomato paste – This adds a rich, concentrated tomato flavour to the filling.
- Soy sauce – Swap in tamari or coconut aminos to make your gorditas filling gluten-free.
- Maple syrup – To sweeten and balance the savoury flavors.
How to Make Gorditas
Make the Gorditas:
- Make the dough. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the oil and water to make a dough that’s soft and pliable.
- Knead and rest. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, then cover with a towel and rest until it cools to room temperature.
- Portion the dough. Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll them into balls.
- Roll them out. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into 5-inch circles (a scant 1/4 inch thick).
- Cook. Set the rolled out gorditas in a pre-heated comal, skillet, or griddle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, then 2 to 3 minutes on the opposite side. Flip again and cook until they’re puffy.
- Cool and cut. Cover the gorditas with a clean kitchen towel. After a minute, slice one side open and stuff them with the jackfruit filling.
Make the Filling:
- Prep. Slice the jackfruit and warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook 2 minutes more.
- Simmer. Add the jackfruit to the pan with the spices, vegetable broth, lime juice, tomato paste, and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes.
- Finish. Shred the jackfruit and stir in the maple syrup and salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it’s dried out and starting to get crispy.
Tips for Success
- Make sure the dough is soft. Gordita dough is a little tricky to get right; it should be soft enough that when it’s pressed into a circle it has no more than a few cracks around the edges.
- Plan your cooking. Start cooking the jackfruit while the gordita dough rests. This way, everything should be done at about the same time. However, keep in mind that the total cooking time on the gorditas will depend on how many you can fit on your pan.
- Know it takes some practice. Although this seems like a simple recipe, it can take some practice to get the gorditas to puff up and cook properly. It’s a real balance between moisture and pan temperature. After the first time, you’ll have a better feel for what the consistency is supposed to be to make it work.
- Don’t stress over any mistakes. If the gorditas are gummy inside when you cut into them, they were either not cooked long enough or they were too thick. The good news is that you can still eat the “mistakes”, and they’ll be delicious!
- Cut the gorditas while they are still warm. It’s best to cut the gorditas while they are still warm (whether you’re going to eat them all right away or not) because they become more difficult to cut as they cool.
More Filling Ideas
If you’re looking to switch things up from the jackfruit filling, beans are always a great option! You can also look to some of my vegan taco recipes for filling ideas like my Southwestern Tofu Scramble, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos or BBQ Chickpea Tacos with Kale Cabbage Slaw.
What to Serve With Gorditas
A side of Elotes (Mexican Street Corn) is always great with gorditas, or make Congri, which is a Cuban-inspired rice and beans dish. If you want to keep things light, see this tutorial on How to Make Cauliflower Rice, and flavour the rice with a squeeze of lime and minced cilantro.
How to Store Leftovers
It’s best to store the gorditas and filling separately, so only assemble what you will eat in one sitting. The jackfruit filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container and the cut gorditas should be wrapped in plastic wrap; both can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days. Reheat the filling in the microwave or a skillet over medium heat, and warm up the gorditas in a dry pan.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
If you want to keep your gorditas longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Separate each gordita with parchment paper and place them in a freezer-safe bag. Let them thaw in the refrigerator, then warm them up according to the instructions above. The filling can also be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight bag or container. Thaw the filling in the refrigerator and then reheat as instructed above.
Enjoy friends! If you make this gorditas recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
More Vegan Tex-Mex Recipes
- The Best Vegan Enchiladas
- Taco Bake
- 15 Minute Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas
- Vegan Birria Tacos
- Vegan Enchilada Casserole
Gorditas
Ingredients
For the gorditas:
- 2 cups masa harina, 320g
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, 23g
- 1 ½ – 2 cups warm water, 374–500ml
For the jackfruit:
- 2 young jackfruit in water, drained, 800g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, 23g
- ¾ cup yellow or red onion, diced, 114g
- 1 jalapeño, diced, 25g
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, 16g
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup vegetable broth, or water, 250ml or 227g
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 16g
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
For the gorditas:
- Combine the masa harina, kosher salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add the oil and 1 1⁄2 cups of warm water and begin to mix together. Continue to add the water a little at a time until the dough is soft and pliable like playdough.
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it’s smooth and soft.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest until cooled to room temperature (15-30 minutes).
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll them into smooth balls with your hands. Each ball will weigh 95-100 g. If you want to make 12 smaller gorditas, divide them into 65 g balls.
- Cut the sides of a gallon ziploc bag and place the dough ball inside. Use a rolling pin or square baking pan to press the ball into a circle about 5 inches in diameter and a scant 1⁄4” thick. Repeat with the remaining dough. The dough tends to dry out, so keep it covered while you’re working.
- Heat a comal or skillet over medium high heat. The pan needs to be very hot to prevent the gorditas from sticking.
- Place the gorditas in the skillet and cook for about 2-3 minutes until they begin to have brown spots, then flip and cook on the second side for another 2-3 minutes. Give them a second flip and cook for another 30-45 seconds. They should puff up during the final cooking. If they don’t puff on their own, press down on the gordita with your spatula to make them puff.
- Set the cooked gorditas aside and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Let them sit for just about 60 seconds to cool.
- Once they’ve cooled just enough to touch, slice one side open with a paring knife and fill with your favorite toppings. It’s important to slice them open while they are still hot as it becomes more difficult as they cool.
For the jackfruit:
- Remove the jackfruit from the can. Cut it into small slices. Set aside.
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes until translucent.
- Add the garlic and jalapeno to the onion and continue to cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.
- Add the jackfruit into the pan, along with the spices, vegetable broth, lime juice, tomato paste, and soy sauce. Stir together to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for about 20 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked away.
- Remove the lid and shred the jackfruit with forks or a potato masher.
- Add the maple syrup and salt and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until it’s dried out and a little bit crispy.
- Fill the warm gorditas and top with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Gordita dough is a little tricky to get right, it should be soft enough that when it’s pressed into a circle it has no more than a few cracks around the edges.
- I started the jackfruit cooking while the gordita dough was resting, so everything would be done around the same time.
- The total cooking time on the gorditas will depend on how many you can fit on your pan since each batch will have to cook 6-8 minutes.
- If the gorditas are gummy inside when you cut into them, they were not cooked long enough or were too thick. Since the masa is precooked, it is still safe to eat the undercooked gordita and not really noticeable when the filling is added. It just makes it harder to cut them open.
- It’s best to cut the gorditas when they are still warm because they become harder to cut as they cool down.
- To store: It’s best to store the gorditas and the filling separately, so only assemble what you will eat in one sitting. The jackfruit filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container, while you can wrap the gorditas in plastic wrap; both can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days. Reheat the filling in the microwave or a skillet over medium heat, and warm up the gorditas in a dry pan.
- To freeze: If you want to keep your gorditas longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Separate each gordita with parchment paper and place them in a freezer-safe bag. Let them thaw in the refrigerator, then warm them up according to the instructions above. The filling can also be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight bag or container.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
This was absolutely and unexpectedly delicious. Highly recommend for when you want something a little different but still tasty.
Thanks so much for sharing Judy! SO happy to hear!!