February 4, 2017

This vegan menudo rojo is the perfect winter soup! The broth is slow cooked from an infusion of blended chiles, roasted onions, and garlic – and the dried snow fungus mushrooms make the perfect substitution for tripe! Make a big batch to last the entire week!

What Is Menudo Rojo?

In Mexican cuisine, Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup, made with tripe in a broth with a red chili pepper base. Hominy, lime, onions, and oregano are used to season the broth.

According to TasteAtlas, although menudo is undoubtedly a Mexican dish, it is still unknown in which part of the country it was invented. The northern area claims it came from their farmers who made the dish from leftover parts of their cows. Others claim that it was invented in central Mexico. Regardless of the geographical point of origin, the fact remains that there are two versions of this soup; menudo rojo and menudo blanco. 

My vegan version is adapted from menudo rojo, and uses rehydrated snow fungus mushrooms in place of tripe!

Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’ some delicious vegan menudo rojo!

What Goes In Vegan Menudo Rojo?

For the Base:

• Dried Chiles: where I’m from, I find dried chiles very accessible. I typically buy them at my local supermarket – found in the spices aisle or the “International” aisle (I hate that they still call it this!). If you have a local Mexican or Latin market, even better! You can also find a wide variety of dried chiles on Amazon. Additionally, if you can’t access all the dried chiles, you can substitute equal portions of one out for the other.
• Aromatics: garlic and onion
• Seasonings: Mexican oregano, ground cumin, salt & pepper

For the Menudo:

• Dried Snow Fungus Mushrooms: these are a fantastic sub for the tripe in menudo! Snow fungus, also known as white fungus, silver ear fungus, white wood ear, white jelly mushroom, and tremella from its scientific name, is an edible fungus that grows on trees in Asia. Most commonly, dried snow fungus is provided in stores. The dried snow fungus should be soaked in clean water until soft, and the density of the dried mushroom determines how long the mushrooms should be soaked – although I’ve found 30 minutes to be an overall good soaking time. I find dried snow fungus mushrooms at my local Asian market or on Amazon.
• Aromatics: onions, garlic, and jalapeño (I like my menudo with *a little bit of spice*)
• Vegan Beef Broth: I typically buy this in powder or cube bouillon form, then mix with water to create a very flavorful broth. I can find artificial beef powder or bouillon at my local Asian market, specialty health food stores such as Whole Foods and Sprouts, or on Amazon. If you can’t access it, you can substitute with mushroom powder, or vegetable bouillon.
• Veggies: carrots and hominy
• Seasonings: Mexican oregano, cumin, salt & pepper

How to Make Vegan Menudo Rojo?

The base for this menudo rojo is the real star of the show, so make sure not to burn them. Here’s how to make vegan menudo rojo:

1. Soak the Mushrooms:

Cover dried mushrooms with enough warm water so that they are fully submerged. Set aside for 30 minutes to rehydrate.

2. Make the Base:

Remove stems and as many seeds as you can from the dried chiles. Broil chiles for 1 to 2 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Make sure not to broil the chiles too long, or they will burn and ruin the base of your menudo. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a pot on high heat, add oil and pan fry onions until they become crispy on the edges. Add garlic and toss until fragrant. Add broth, dehydrated chiles, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside to cool, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once cooled, add all ingredients to a blender (including broth). Save the pot aside for menudo. Blend on high until you reach the smoothest consistency. In a fine mesh strainer, strain chile liquid into a bowl of any extra seeds, skin, ect.

3. Make the Menudo:

Once your dried snow mushrooms are rehydrated, chop roughly and set aside. In the same pot you used to rehydrate your chiles, add oil on medium high heat. Once oil is hot, sauté onions, jalapeño and garlic.
Add broth, menudo base or chile paste, rehydrated snow mushrooms, oregano, and cumin. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add hominy and simmer for 10 minutes. Add carrots and simmer another 10 minutes or until carrots are cooked through.

Garnish with desired toppings, serve and enjoy!

Vegan Menudo Rojo for the Soup Season Win!

If you give my vegan menudo rojo, let me know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigsand #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!

xo!