This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

Say what. Tinga bowl with shredded hearts of palm, quick spicy chickpeas, spanish rice and other fixins. Tons of chipotle pepper usage.

Jump to Recipe   

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice | Vegan Richa

Tinga dish is shredded meat (chicken) slow cooked in a spicy red chipotle sauce and usually served in tostados, tacos or tortilla. To make a vegan version, I use shredded hearts of palm! Instead of adding it to tostadas or tacos, I made a bowl with it. Paired with spicy chickpeas roasted in a pan, some Spanish rice, salt and pepper corn, salsa and vegan sour cream.

Each of the elements of this bowl are bursting with a ton of flavor. It seems like many things, but it takes about 15 -20 minutes working in parallel. I started up the tinga sauce and spanish rice, then made the chickpeas. Use pre-made salsa and sour cream. Make all of bowl ingredients, or make just the hearts of palm tinga and serve as tacos or tostada with your favorite toppings. Or use refried beans, guacamole and plain rice in the bowl. Easy, spicy and delicious!

Hearts of palm are not necessarily the same tree as the palm tree used for palm oil. They are also called swamp cabbage and the multi stem palms (some are also grown in florida) from which they are harvested need not be destroyed during harvesting. Please use brands from the US or sustainable labeled from South America. Or use shredded jackfruit or soy curls.

Make some for Cinco De mayo!

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice | Vegan Richa

More Cinco De mayo recipes

Look at that fantastic hearts of palm tinga.

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice | Vegan Richa

If you are in Canada, check out Eat Grain for local chickpeas, canadian grown quinoa and other grains! Farm direct dry goods with a story. They might be available in the US as well in the future.

Steps:

Make the spicy tinga sauce.

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice | Vegan Richa

Add shredded hearts of palm and cook until tender and flavorful.

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice | Vegan Richa

Saute the chickpeas with spices and some tinga sauce until heated through and dry.

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice | Vegan Richa

Make spanish rice or use plain brown rice.

Layer the bowl with everything. sprinkle salt, pepper and vegan sour cream or guacamole. Serve!

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice | Vegan Richa

 

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice

5 from 7 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 3
Course: Bowl
Cuisine: Mexican
Vegan Tinga Bowl with Hearts of palm, Vegan tinga de pollo, mexican spiced chickpeas, spanish brown rice, corn, salsa and vegan sour cream. Gluten-free soy-free recipe. Can be made nut-free.
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients 
 

For the Tinga sauce Hearts of palms

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/2 medium white onion
  • 5 cloves of garlic, divded, 1 clove chopped
  • 2 ripe tomatoes
  • 2 chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder, optional, use paprika instead
  • 1/3 tsp salt or to taste
  • 14 oz can of hearts of palm, drained, washed and chopped or shredded

For the spicy Chickpeas:

  • 15 oz can chickpeas
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1/3 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ancho chile or chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tbsp tinga sauce

Other bowl contents

  • 1 recipe Spanish rice, I made the recipe with brown rice for this bowl salsa corn, cilantro, spinach or lettuce
  • salsa, corn, cilantro, spinach or lettuce
  • vegan sour cream , or cashew sour cream, or or nacho cheese sauce or guacamole
  • salt, pepper, lemon juice as needed

Instructions 

  • Make the tinga sauce: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and 1 clove of garlic and a pinch of salt. Mix and cook until translucent. About 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Blend the tomato, chipotle chili pepper, rest of the garlic, oregano, thyme, ancho chili powder and blend until well pureed. Add the blend to the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until it thickens and the garlic smells cooked. Reserve 2 tbsp of the sauce for the chickpeas.
  • Add shredded hearts of palm, salt and 1/4 cup water to the skillet, mix, cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, Stir once in between. Taste and adjust salt and spice.
  • Make the chickpeas. Add oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add drained chickpeas and toss. Add salt, spices and toss well to coat. Add the 2 tbsp tinga sauce, mix, cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the chickpeas soften and sauce dries out and sticks to the chickpeas. Taste and just salt and spice. Add a dash of lemon juice, toss and add to the serving bowl. Or use re-fried beans instead.
  • Prepare the spanish rice or plain brown rice. Prepare salsa and corn. Toast the corn on a skillet if needed and toss with salt and pepper. (optional)
  • Layer the bowl as you like with greens/lettuce, tinga hearts of palm, spiced chickpeas, rice, salsa and corn. Dress with vegan sour cream or guacamole. Serve!

Notes

Variations: use jackfruit, soy curls, seitan, squash or other shreddable stuff to make the vegan tinga
Nutritional values based on one serving

Nutrition

Calories: 883kcal, Carbohydrates: 158g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 677mg, Potassium: 4017mg, Fiber: 29g, Sugar: 41g, Vitamin A: 1240IU, Vitamin C: 36.9mg, Calcium: 207mg, Iron: 12.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Vegan Tinga bowl with Hearts of Palm, Chickpeas, Spanish Rice | Vegan Richa

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

You May Also Like

5 from 7 votes

Leave a comment

If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online and I love hearing from you all!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

42 Comments

  1. Nina says:

    5 stars
    This was amazing! I was worried because I kept adding 1/2 tsp. of chili powder at each step and I thought it was going to be over-chili-fied. I should know better with your spice acumen that it woudl be perfect. The rice was scrumptious on its own. We dressed the spinach with a little olive and lemon. Layered everything just like you did in the picture. Didn’t have hearts of palm so used zucchini as you suggested – was great! We put peas and carrots in the center because we don’t eat corn. Couldn’t wait until cashew sour cream was made because everything tasted so incredible as it was. Put some avocado slices on the top. That Tinga sauce was so scrumptious that it trumped any need for salsa. I think Tinga sauce may be our new sub for salsa. Wow – times 10!

    1. Richa says:

      Awesome!! so glad it turned out great!

    2. Nina says:

      Made your Tinga sauce but left it raw and drained it through a sieve. Then put thick part of sauce in sieve over zoodles (zucchini noodles) – gorgeous! Replaced the chilis in adobo sauce with a slice of serrano pepper. Not sure if works for others. That is one lovely sauce. Thanks:)

      1. Richa says:

        Awesome! also try the chipotle peppers once or try with dry chipotle powder. it has a beautiful smoky flavor!

        1. Nina says:

          Fantastic idea…thanks!

  2. Jessica says:

    5 stars
    This bowl is so delicious and spicy, but everything works well with a helping of avocado. I am going to put that tinga sauce on everything now.

  3. Tracy Minton says:

    Gorgeous! Many years back while visiting Costa Rica, a guide that was taking us thru a jungle like area took his big knife out and cut us off a bit of fresh palm to taste. It was so delicious. Nothing like the typical hearts of palm that come marinated in vinegar and salt. So fresh. Such a treat, and great to wake up to what real fresh local flavors taste like! Happy Cinco. ~Tracy