These Puerto Rican Vegan Bacalaitos are crispy, fluffy, fish-free fritters that are great for any occasion.
Bacalaitos are a staple in our Puerto Rican street food culture. You can find them everywhere around the island, especially at food stands, carnivals, and even at your church’s cafeteria. My grandmothers used to make them all the time. I never liked cod-fish, so I used to take it out of my fritter while eating them. These are regularly made using codfish, in Spanish “bacalao”. Here’s my vegan version of these delicious cod-fish fritters.
This is my favorite fritter, even though I don’t make it often. How can you make a vegan version of bacalaitos? Well, the flavors of these fritters come from the marinade. As long as you marinate your protein substitute you will have an amazing crispy and fluffy fritter.
Puerto Rican Pigeon Peas Soup with Plantain Dumplings
Asopao is a Puerto Rican word for a stew thickened with rice. Also, many different “Asopao” recipes are popular in our Puerto Rican cuisine. Asopao de Gandules Vegano is my meatless version of this classic recipe.
Asopao de gandules is typically combined with onions, ham, sofrito, chicken stock, rice, tomato sauce, and olive oil. Therefore, my version is vegan, but you can always add your favorite ingredients.
Plantain Dumplings – Bolitas de Platano
Firstly, for my Asopao de Gandules Vegano I like adding bolitas de platano or “plantain dumplings”. Secondly, the plantain dumplings or bolitas de platanos are easy to make. For making bolitas de platano you can chop the plantain into tiny pieces and shred it in a food processor, but I prefer a hand shredder. See the picture and video for more details.
Making Plantain Dumplings
This soup has a thick consistency and goes well with tostones on the side, but bread is always welcome.
Finally, I hope you try this recipe and like it. If you do try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment and don’t forget to take a picture and share it on my Facebook page or tag it #thehungrydragonfly on Instagram! I love seeing your creations!
Here’s the recipe:
Asopao de Gandules con Bolitas de Platanos Vegano
Serving: 6 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40
Ingredients:
Plantain Dumplings:
1 green plantain – peeled and shredded in a food processor or using a hand shredder
½ tsp. garlic powder
dash of salt
Asopao – Soup
1 can gandules – pigeon peas
1-quart veggie broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup sofrito or green pepper, red pepper, onion, garlic and cilantro, finely diced
½ cup tomato sauce
½ cup short-grain rice
1 carrot, diced
1 medium yellow potato, diced
1/2 tablespoon salt, or to taste
½ tsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp sazon
olives and capers
1 bay leave
1/3 cup chopped cilantro for topping
Instructions:
Form dumplings from a 1/2 tablespoonful of shredded plantain, garlic, and salt. Set aside. See video and pictures for more details.
In a large caldero or saucepan, combine the gandules and the veggie broth. Heat until boiling.
While the stock and gandules boil, add the sofrito and cook for about 4 more minutes. Add tomato sauce and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the broth and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the soup has thickened. Add the cilantro just before serving.
Crispy fried plantains or Tostones are twice-fried plantain slices commonly found in Latin American cuisine and Caribbean cuisine. They are a staple in our Puerto Rican Cuisine. They can be served as a side dish or appetizer.
Fried Plantains with Garlic Pesto
You can find these in Puerto Rico almost everywhere; at any restaurant, cafeteria, even at big chain restaurants and Asian restaurants around. But the best way to eat them is when someone invites you to their home and they make them for you. My grandma used to make the best tostones. I guess when you cook with love you transfer happiness to people.
