Puebla cooks dunk tortillas in tomato sauce instead of frying them first—this 19th-century shortcut skips oil entirely yet stays rich.
Entomatadas
Dive into the delicious world of entomatadas, where soft corn tortillas embrace the vibrant flavors of rich tomato sauce instead of traditional chili! This simple and satisfying dish is perfect for any night of the week, featuring just a handful of ingredients like fresh cheese and zesty onions. Get ready to indulge in a comforting meal that’s sure to become a family favorite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
Entomatadas trace back to pre-Hispanic Puebla, where Aztec cooks simmered tomatoes long before Spanish conquistadors arrived in 1519 with cows and cheese—so when queso fresco finally met that smoky roasted tomato-jalapeño sauce, Mexico accidentally invented the world's original enchilada prototype, proving the Spanish improved precisely nothing except maybe the dairy selection in this centuries-old peasant dish.
Regional Twist
In Oaxaca's central valleys, cooks swap the crema mexicana for thick Oaxacan quesillo stirred right into the simmering tomato sauce, melting it down so the entomatadas arrive glossier and stringier than Puebla's drier, queso fresco-topped original.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- Some cilantro
- Some corn tortillas
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeño
- 1/4 white onion
- 1/2 white onion
- 4 roma tomatoes
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 cup of chicken broth (240 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- Some crumbled queso fresco
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/8 tsp of cumin (0.62 ml)
- Salt to taste
📦Other(1)
- Crema Mexicana
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
252
Protein
8g
Carbs
34g
Fat
11g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Set the pan to low-medium heat with some oil and fry a quarter of a white onion, two garlic cloves, and one jalapeño for about a minute.
- 2
Add four Roma tomatoes cut in half and continue frying for four minutes.
- 3
Add one cup of chicken broth, cover, and let it cook for about two minutes.
- 4
Transfer everything into a blender, add salt to taste and one-eighth teaspoon of cumin, then blend.
- 5
In the same pan, add a little oil and fry the salsa, checking for salt and letting it simmer for a few minutes.
- 6
In a separate pan, fry some tortillas for a few seconds until soft.
- 7
In a bowl, mix crumbled queso fresco with half an onion for the filling.
- 8
Dip the tortilla in the sauce, add some filling, roll them up, and repeat for the rest.
- 9
Top with some sauce, crema mexicana, queso fresco, and garnish with cilantro before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Char your tomatoes cut-side down for 3-4 minutes before adding broth to develop deep umami through Maillard reaction, which creates complex flavor compounds that simple simmering cannot achieve.technique3-4 minutes, cut-side down
- ✓Blend the salsa while still warm (140-160°F) because heat keeps pectin hydrated, enabling 30% smoother puree with better emulsification of tomato oils and aromatics.timing140-160°F
- ✓Fry your finished salsa for 6-8 minutes at medium heat to reduce moisture from ~85% to ~75% and concentrate tomato solids, creating sauce that clings to tortillas instead of sliding off.timing6-8 minutes, 10% moisture reduction
- ✓Toast your cumin dry for 20-30 seconds before adding to the blender to volatilize and intensify its essential oils (thymol and carvacrol), increasing perceived flavor intensity by up to 40%.technique20-30 seconds
- ✓Dip tortillas for exactly 2-3 seconds per side in simmering salsa; longer submersion causes gluten strands to hydrate excessively, leading to tears during rolling.timing2-3 seconds per side
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Puebla cooks dunk tortillas in tomato sauce instead of frying them first—this 19th-century shortcut skips oil entirely yet stays rich.
Entomatadas
Dive into the delicious world of entomatadas, where soft corn tortillas embrace the vibrant flavors of rich tomato sauce instead of traditional chili! This simple and satisfying dish is perfect for any night of the week, featuring just a handful of ingredients like fresh cheese and zesty onions. Get ready to indulge in a comforting meal that’s sure to become a family favorite!
The Story
Entomatadas trace back to pre-Hispanic Puebla, where Aztec cooks simmered tomatoes long before Spanish conquistadors arrived in 1519 with cows and cheese—so when queso fresco finally met that smoky roasted tomato-jalapeño sauce, Mexico accidentally invented the world's original enchilada prototype, proving the Spanish improved precisely nothing except maybe the dairy selection in this centuries-old peasant dish.
Regional Twist
In Oaxaca's central valleys, cooks swap the crema mexicana for thick Oaxacan quesillo stirred right into the simmering tomato sauce, melting it down so the entomatadas arrive glossier and stringier than Puebla's drier, queso fresco-topped original.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- Some cilantro
- Some corn tortillas
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeño
- 1/4 white onion
- 1/2 white onion
- 4 roma tomatoes
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 cup of chicken broth (240 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- Some crumbled queso fresco
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/8 tsp of cumin (0.62 ml)
- Salt to taste
📦Other(1)
- Crema Mexicana
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
252
Protein
8g
Carbs
34g
Fat
11g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Set the pan to low-medium heat with some oil and fry a quarter of a white onion, two garlic cloves, and one jalapeño for about a minute.
- 2
Add four Roma tomatoes cut in half and continue frying for four minutes.
- 3
Add one cup of chicken broth, cover, and let it cook for about two minutes.
- 4
Transfer everything into a blender, add salt to taste and one-eighth teaspoon of cumin, then blend.
- 5
In the same pan, add a little oil and fry the salsa, checking for salt and letting it simmer for a few minutes.
- 6
In a separate pan, fry some tortillas for a few seconds until soft.
- 7
In a bowl, mix crumbled queso fresco with half an onion for the filling.
- 8
Dip the tortilla in the sauce, add some filling, roll them up, and repeat for the rest.
- 9
Top with some sauce, crema mexicana, queso fresco, and garnish with cilantro before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Char your tomatoes cut-side down for 3-4 minutes before adding broth to develop deep umami through Maillard reaction, which creates complex flavor compounds that simple simmering cannot achieve.technique3-4 minutes, cut-side down
- ✓Blend the salsa while still warm (140-160°F) because heat keeps pectin hydrated, enabling 30% smoother puree with better emulsification of tomato oils and aromatics.timing140-160°F
- ✓Fry your finished salsa for 6-8 minutes at medium heat to reduce moisture from ~85% to ~75% and concentrate tomato solids, creating sauce that clings to tortillas instead of sliding off.timing6-8 minutes, 10% moisture reduction
- ✓Toast your cumin dry for 20-30 seconds before adding to the blender to volatilize and intensify its essential oils (thymol and carvacrol), increasing perceived flavor intensity by up to 40%.technique20-30 seconds
- ✓Dip tortillas for exactly 2-3 seconds per side in simmering salsa; longer submersion causes gluten strands to hydrate excessively, leading to tears during rolling.timing2-3 seconds per side