It’s Cinco de Mayo week here at the Happy Gluten Free Vegan and we are so excited to start making some delicious vegan, gluten-free Mexican food! Mexican fare is often the staple of those who are newly vegan and/or gluten-free because it is one of the easiest cuisines to eat when following this dietary lifestyle. With a base of corn, rather than flour, and plenty of delicious veggies and spices as the mainstay of their dishes, it is the perfect option for the conscious consumer.

Today’s recipe comes from one of our favorite cookbooks, Quick & Easy Vegan Celebrations by Alicia C. Simpson. Alicia has an entire mouth-watering section devoted to Cinco de Mayo and does not disappoint! Remember that these are strictly vegan, so in a few recipes, you have to get creative and substitute gluten-free ingredients. Luckily, in this first recipe, it was happily gluten-free, so we are offering the recipe as is. This vegan, gluten free huevos rancheros alternative is full of delicous ingredients such as chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, garlic, black beans and zesty salsa. We went a bit further and topped it off with some melted Daiya cheese, sliced avocado and vegan sour cream. It was unbelievably good, but trust us, if you want to remain true to the recipe, it will be still taste amazing.

Vegan, Gluten-Free Huevos Rancheros

Yields: 4 SERVINGS

HUEVOS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup diced onion
• Two 12.3-ounce packages firm silken tofu
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1⅓ cups plain rice or soy milk
• 2 to 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced

RANCHERO SAUCE

• One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup diced white onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas (use organic to ensure that you are not consuming GMO corn)
• 2 cups cooked black beans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup cupcake tin.

TO MAKE THE HUEVOS:

Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Purée the tofu, turmeric, salt, and milk in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer the tofu mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the bell pepper mixture and the chipotles. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the cupcake cups and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, then remove the “egg” from each cup with a soup spoon.

TO MAKE THE RANCHERO SAUCE:

Purée the tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes while your “egg” is baking.

TO ASSEMBLE THE HUEVOS RANCHEROS:

Arrange the corn tortillas on serving plates and evenly distribute the cooked black beans among them. Top each tortilla with one “egg” and top each, evenly, with sauce.

Accompany this with some delicious orange juice or coffee, and this is a truly satisfying breakfast!