Ramírez’s own eyes were opened to the breadth of her home country’s cuisine when she moved to Mexico City as a young adult and encountered dishes and ingredients she’d never come across while growing up along the Mexico–Texas border. “I felt like I knew nothing about Mexico or Mexican food because it was so different from where I grew up,” she recalls. When she set out to write Comida Casera, she made a point of featuring veganized dishes from every corner of the country. She also took care to highlight indigenous cooks upholding the plant-forward traditions of their ancestors. “I wanted this cookbook to be all of Mexico,” says Ramírez.

Instead of the usual appetizer-main-side format, Comida Casera is structured around key culinary traditions, from mole markets to antojitos (street food), home-cooked classics, and beyond. Ramírez invites cooks of all skill levels into her kitchen, with a detailed ingredient glossary and step-by-step visual guides for essential techniques like roasting chile peppers, despining nopales, and assembling tamales.

The Culinary Institute of America–trained chef showcases the versatility of plant-based ingredients, transforming rice into chicharrones and dried hibiscus flowers into barbacoa. “Comida Casera honors traditional Mexican flavors and techniques, but relies on the immense world of plants to do so,” she says. There’s a strong whole-food focus to the book. Every recipe is vegan, and most include oil-free variations.

We caught up with Ramírez to talk about the new book (which is out March 18), the magic of Mexican food, and the fateful kitchen mix-up that made her rethink her approach to plant-based cooking. Fix yourself a plate of Tacos de Rajas con Crema and dig into the full conversation below!

Even though you grew up in your family’s restaurant, it wasn’t until you ventured far from home that you yourself fell in love with cooking. How did that happen?

Dora Ramírez: [My siblings and I] would sometimes help when my father was catering big events, but we’d help with little stuff, like peeling carrots. Most of the time, we weren’t super involved, especially not in the kitchen. And my mom stopped cooking at home when I was 6, when the restaurant opened. Because she was like, “Why am I going to keep cooking? There’s a whole restaurant!” So I wasn’t really ever exposed to cooking because I would just go to the restaurant and eat. But then I was a missionary [in Mexico City] for a year after high school, and one of my chores was to help out in the kitchen. That’s when I really discovered the magic of cooking.

What sort of food were they making there that sparked your interest?

DR: I’m from Acuña, a town on the border with Texas, and the food is a mix of Texas, Tex-Mex, and Northern Mexico influences. We’re really close to the town that’s famous for inventing nachos, so nachos are big. In Northern Mexico, we eat a lot of meat and a lot of flour tortillas, and that’s pretty much it. Not a lot of vegetables. Central Mexico is completely different. … There’s an emphasis on vegetables. There’s an emphasis on zucchini flowers. … People have a little vegetable soup to start off their meal, even if they’re eating meat.

What inspired you to go plant-based for your health?

DR: I was having a lot of yeast overgrowth, infections, and rashes, and it got to the point where it was very painful. Doctors would tell me, “You need to take this antifungal medication.” It wouldn’t work. Then they would give me antibiotics. It would be better for a little bit, and then it wouldn’t. I was just in pain all the time.

One friend said, “You need to watch Forks Over Knives.” I told her I didn’t want to. I knew it was a plant-based documentary. I loved cheese. I loved going out to restaurants. I didn’t want to have to change the way I ate. But this friend was insistent. We were in a mommy group together, and every single week she would ask, “Did you watch it yet?” It got to the point where I needed to either stop going to this mommy group or watch this documentary. I ended up watching it just to get her off my back. I was very surprised by it, and I decided to try [going whole-food, plant-based]. I failed several times. I would go plant-based for a week, say, “I don’t see any changes,” and give up. Then one Lent, I went plant-based for 40 days straight, and it was like magic. The inflammation was gone. My skin rash was gone. My pain was gone. I stopped taking all the medications I had been taking. To this day, sometimes I struggle with the yeast overgrowth, so I watch my processed sugar intake. But in general, the switch from eating a meat-centered diet to a plant-based diet resolved my health issues.

Could you talk about the comment from your mom that changed your approach to vegan cooking, as you relate in the book’s introduction?

DR: My mom got diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I’d been vegan for a little bit at that point and read a lot of books by plant-based doctors, including Neal Barnard’s book on reversing Type 2 diabetes. So I was trying to get my mom to eat plant-based, and I made her vegan dishes that I really loved at the time. One of the first things I made were Vietnamese spring rolls. While I was preparing them, I set a block of tofu on the kitchen table. I left the room for a moment, and I heard my mom spitting something out and saying, “What is this?” She had eaten a spoon full of tofu, thinking it was panela. It really did look like a nice fresh panela cheese. It was glistening. She thought it was the most disgusting thing. I said, “Let me cook it for you. You’ll see it’s delicious!” She said, “I’m never eating tofu again.” I tried a couple other dishes until finally she was so frustrated that she said, “Can’t you just make it Mexican?” And it hit me, like, “Oh yeah, that’s right. I can make it Mexican!”

Comida Casera isn’t organized like a traditional cookbook. How did you decide to organize it the way you did?

DR: The book is organized as a journey through the key culinary landmarks in Mexico. We start in the indigenous kitchen, the basis of [Mexican] cuisine. Then we go to the market—in Mexico, there are huge markets where you can buy mole pastes—and we called that chapter Mole From the Market. Then there’s street food, and home-cooked classics. … And because I have culinary training, I have a chapter, Modern Mexico, for what I would serve if I had my own fine-dining restaurant. I wanted the cookbook to represent all of Mexican cuisine, and there’s a recipe for every state in Mexico in the book.

You managed to offer oil-free versions for an impressive number and array of dishes (including chicharrones!). Why was that important to you?

DR: When I started on my whole plant-based journey, I ate oil-free, because my focus was health. But there are certain dishes where you really need the oil, from a culinary standpoint. Mole is an example. Mole has nuts and seeds, so it already has a lot of fat, but there’s a key step to making mole where you have to fry the sauce in oil, which changes its flavor. You can make it without it, but it won’t have that same flavor. So when I saw that there were certain dishes that I couldn’t replicate without oil, I moved back to using some oil.

But you’ll see in the cookbook that even for the recipes that use oil, they use very little of it—maybe two teaspoons. They don’t have huge quantities. I know a lot of people are plant-based for health reasons and need to avoid oil. And I wanted them to be a part of Comida Casera, too. So I had recipe testers make every recipe with and without oil. There are some recipes in the book that don’t include a no-oil variation—that’s because we tested them without oil and they didn’t work.

How did you discover that dried hibiscus makes a good vegan barbacoa?

DR: There has been a big vegetarian movement in Mexico since the seventies, and it’s not uncommon for hibiscus to be used as a meat substitute. The way I’ve seen it used in Mexico is as a filling for tlacoyos, where the hibiscus is very lightly sautéed with onion and garlic and then served in tortillas. In Mexico they can very lightly cook hibiscus so that it’s still chewy and has a lot of texture, probably because hibiscus in Mexico is way fresher and more tender than the kind that we get in the U.S.

But I’d been to a restaurant in Dallas called Nuno’s Tacos, and he does a barbacoa with hibiscus, and it is so good. He wouldn’t give me the recipe, but he did give me tips. As you’ll see in the book, you boil the dried hibiscus forever. But at the end, you come out with a shredded texture that absorbs flavors really well. And the hibiscus has a little bit of tanginess, which works really well with the eggplant in that recipe, because eggplant is so savory.

What was your process like for developing a Cashew Queso Asadero that actually melts?

DR: I did a lot of testing with that one. It uses kappa carrageenan, which is not a common ingredient, and so I tried to make it without it. But without it, it doesn’t melt, and it’s more like gel-like. With the addition of the kappa carrageenan, it really gets that melty texture. I did tests with agar-agar, and we tried an oil-free version that used tofu instead of oil, but it didn’t get good results with the testers. It didn’t melt.

In the book you talk about returning to ancestral foodways, and you describe the practice of la milpa. Could you share about that for our readers?

DR: La milpa was an agricultural practice practiced by the Nahuas. (Nahuas is the broad name for several indigenous groups.) La milpa is based on planting corn, which was their main crop, but with the corn, they intercropped tomatoes, chiles and beans. All of these crops were put together because they helped each other nutrient-wise, and they helped ward off pests for each other. It’s a sustainable system. They even used the weeds—they would cook and eat those, too. Those are called quelites, or wild greens, and I use them in the book, as well as huitlacoche, the fungus that grows on the corn.

The book goes beyond the typical pantry shopping list. You explain the background and use of each ingredient. How did you decide to go so in-depth?

DR: I really want this book to be for everyone. For it to be for everyone, it needs to explain everything. That’s why that chapter is so specific—because I want you to experience Mexican cuisine, really experience it, and to be able to do that, you need to maybe be a little uncomfortable and go to the Mexican store and buy dried chiles, when you’ve never used them before. That’s why I included so much information about dried chiles, the fresh chiles they come from, where you can get them, and how to prepare them. I wanted to remove all the barriers so that people can make these recipes without looking at the book and being like, “Well, I don’t know what that is. Where do I get it? How am I going to make this if I can’t get this?” Even if they’re not going to be 100% the way that they’re made in Mexico, you can very, very closely replicate them in your home.

Speaking of peppers, for the Rajas con Crema recipe, if someone can’t find Poblanos, is there another pepper that would work?

DR: You can make it with bell peppers. The flavor won’t be the same because it won’t have that smokiness or the heat, but you can make it with bell peppers. There’s also canned poblano peppers, which you can drain and use.

What else would you like readers to know about Comida Casera?

DR: I really loved writing the home-cooking chapter (called “Comida Casera”) because I asked my mom, “What did grandma used to make for your family meals?” My mom is one of seven kids. She said, “Look, we were really poor. Sometimes we could only eat rice and beans and a sopita (pasta soup). Sometimes we could maybe afford a little bit of meat. But one thing that I can say about your grandma is that her table was always open to everyone.” There was almost always [a guest] at their family meals, and usually it was somebody who needed a meal. That, to me, is the heart of comida casera (Mexican home-cooking), and the whole message I was trying to express in this book. This is my Mexican table, and everybody’s welcome.

The post Dora Ramirez’s ‘Comida Casera’: A Vegan Journey Through Mexico’s Myriad Cuisines appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

This recipe is excerpted from COMIDA CASERA: More Than 100 Vegan Recipes, from Traditional to Modern Mexican Dishes by Dora Ramírez.

Time-Saving Tip

To cut down on day-of prep time, roast the poblanos and make the Almond Crema the day before and store in separate airtight containers in the fridge. If making the Almond Crema the day of—which is quick and easy to do—just be sure to read the recipe beforehand and soak your nuts ahead of time!

How to Roast Poblano Chiles

You will need to roast the poblano chiles and remove their skin. Roasting the chiles brings out their smoky flavor and makes removing the tough skin easier.

1. Place one or two poblano chiles right on the burner of your gas stove and let the flame char the pepper on all sides. (If you don’t have a gas stove, preheat the broiler to high. Place the chiles on a rimmed baking sheet lined and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the skin is black and charred. Flip the chiles and broil for 1 to 2 minutes on the other side.)

2. Place the chiles in a heatproof container and cover with a lid. Let them sit for 5 minutes. This will trap the steam and soften the chiles’ skin, making it easier to peel.

3. With a paring knife and wearing gloves, scrape the skin off the chiles.

4. If you are making rajas, cut the stem off the chiles, remove the seeds, and cut them into strips.

Note: You might be tempted to run the chiles under water to make the peeling easier, which it would, but you risk washing away the veins of the chile, which would dilute some of the heat.

Copyright © 2025. Available from Balance Books, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

The post Creamy Poblano and Corn Tacos (Tacos de Rajas con Crema) appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

This recipe is excerpted from COMIDA CASERA: More Than 100 Vegan Recipes, from Traditional to Modern Mexican Dishes by Dora Ramírez.

Tips

Time-saver: Use ¾ cup blanched slivered almonds instead (no need to soak or peel them) and blend for an extra 2 minutes. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, pass the crema through a fine mesh sieve.

Cashew variation: For a cashew crema, use 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight in hot water.

Copyright © 2025. Available from Balance Books, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

The post Almond Crema (Crema de Almendras) appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Tips

Optional oil: This is a Forks Flex Recipe, which means it includes a small amount of optional oil. If you include the oil, you’ll add 37 calories, 4 g total fat, and 0 g saturated fat per serving.

Cooked lentils: If you have cooked brown lentils (or canned), this recipe can be prepared in 35 minutes. If not, allow an extra 20 to 40 minutes. (Pro tip: Cook a large batch of lentils on the weekend and store them in the freezer for easy weeknight meals.)

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

• Tucson Spicy Lentil Tacos
• Taco Lettuce Wraps with Melon Salsa
• Vegan Taco Salad Bowls
• Full-On Taco Bar

The post Lentil Taco Salad in Crispy Tortilla Bowls appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Tips

Gloves: Wearing gloves is advised when cooking with hot chiles like jalapeño, as they contain oils that can irritate your skin and eyes. 

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

• Vegan Barbacoa Fajitas
• Veggie Fajitas
• Veggie Fajita Kabobs
• Fajita Pizza

The post Grilled Fajita Platter with Smoky Tomato Salsa appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Tips

Leftover seasoning: The chili seasoning makes 2 tablespoons. Store leftover seasoning in an airtight container; it’ll last up to 3 months.

Gluten-free: To make this gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free dried chipotle and ancho chile powders.

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

• Thai Fruit Skewers with Coconut and Lime
• Summer Fruit Salsa with Melons and Jicama
• Summer Celebration Fruit Bowls
• Rainbow Fruit Salad Platter with Citrus Drizzle

The post Chili-Lime Fruit on a Stick appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

• Grilled Squash and Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs
• Greek-Style Grilled Eggplant-Steak Supper
• Carrot Dogs
• Grilled Street Corn Pizza

The post Vegan Elote (Mexican Street Corn) appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Tips

Hominy: If you can’t find the yellow hominy, then white hominy works just as well.

Stovetop instructions: In step 1, use a large pot and follow the directions as written. Simmer for about 20 minutes until it looks and tastes cooked. Stir in fresh cilantro and continue to step 3.

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

• Vegan Taco Soup
• Sopa de Nopales
• Jackfruit Pozole Verde
• Toni Okamoto’s Sopa de Fideo

The post Pinto Bean and Hominy Soup appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

• Summer Fruit Salsa with Melons and Jicama
• Fresh Tomato Salsa
• Blueberry Salsa
• Peach-Corn Salsa with Chili-Lime Chips

The post Spicy Black Bean Salsa appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

For more sauce inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

• Masala Simmer Sauce
• Thai Red Curry Sauce
• Homemade Harissa
• Vegan Potato “Cheese” Sauce
• 21 Stellar Vegan Sauces: So Much Better Than Store-Bought

The post Easy Mole Sauce appeared first on Forks Over Knives.