Chilaquiles Verdes with Avocado and Pickled Red Onion
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~$9.60 CAD total · ~$4.80 CAD per serving (estimate)
Ingredients
- 250 gtomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 1 wholejalapeño, stemmed (seeded for less heat)
- 2 clovesgarlic
- ½ mediumwhite onion, roughly chopped
- 10 gfresh cilantro (stems and leaves)
- 1 mediumripe avocado
- ½ mediumred onion, very thinly sliced
- 60 mlwhite wine vinegar
- 1 tspgranulated sugar
- ½ tspfine salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 120 mlwater or vegetable stock
- 150 gthick-cut tortilla chips (sturdy, unsalted or lightly salted)
- 30 graw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 tbspfresh lime juice
Nutrition / serving
- Calories520 kcal
- Protein11 g
- Carbs52 g
- Fat30 g
- Fiber9 g
- Sodiummoderate — depends on the salt level of your tortilla chips; choose lightly salted ones
Cost Estimate
~$9.60 CAD total · ~$4.80 CAD per serving (estimate)
Chilaquiles are one of those dishes that rewards speed over fuss — the whole point is tortilla chips simmered just long enough to drink up a bright tomatillo salsa while keeping a little structure at the edges. This version stays fully plant-based, with sliced avocado, quick-pickled red onion, and a scatter of pumpkin seeds doing the work that crema and cheese usually handle. Blend the salsa the night before and breakfast is on the table in under 15 minutes.
Kid-friendly tip: For younger eaters, swap the jalapeño for a small poblano or omit it entirely — the tomatillo salsa is still tangy and flavourful without the heat.
Instructions
Pickle the red onion
Combine the white wine vinegar, sugar, and ½ tsp salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the sliced red onion, press it down so it's submerged, and set aside for at least 10 minutes — it will turn bright pink and lose its raw bite.
Blend the salsa verde
Place the tomatillos, jalapeño, garlic, white onion, and cilantro in a blender with 120 ml water or stock. Blend on high for 30–40 seconds until completely smooth. Taste and adjust salt. The salsa should be pourable, not thick — add a splash more water if needed.
Toast the pumpkin seeds
Set a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring often, for 2–3 minutes until they puff and turn golden in spots. Tip onto a plate and set aside.
Fry the salsa
Wipe out the skillet, add the olive oil, and set over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pour in the blended salsa — it will spatter, so stand back. Fry, stirring, for 3 minutes until the salsa darkens slightly and smells less raw.
Simmer the chips
Add the tortilla chips to the skillet and fold them gently into the salsa using a spatula. Cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, folding once or twice — you want the chips to absorb the sauce and soften at the edges while keeping some crunch at the centre. Pull the pan off the heat the moment they feel pliable but not soggy.
Slice the avocado
Halve the avocado, remove the pit, and slice each half lengthways into 4–5 thin wedges. Squeeze the lime juice over the slices to keep them bright.
Plate and serve
Divide the sauced chips between two wide bowls or plates. Lay the avocado slices on top, pile on the drained pickled onion, and scatter the toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve within 2 minutes — chilaquiles wait for no one.
Chef's Cool Facts
Tomatillo acidity is structural
Tomatillos contain malic and citric acid, which keep the salsa bright green even after cooking. That same acidity is what cuts through the fat of the avocado and makes the dish taste balanced without any dairy.
Chilaquiles were a thrift dish
The name comes from the Nahuatl word for 'submerged in chilli sauce.' The dish existed specifically to use day-old tortillas — the brief simmer in salsa was the technique that made stale chips edible again, not a flavour choice.
Pumpkin seeds are a pre-Columbian protein
Pepitas have been cultivated in Mexico for at least 7,500 years. At roughly 9 g of protein per 30 g serving, they were a meaningful protein source long before the concept of 'plant-based eating' existed as a category.