The Mexican torta has crossed over the border! Mexican torta sandwiches combine authentic flavor with the familiarity of a classic American sandwich. The torta is a perfect option if your customers are looking for something new, but that still seems a little familiar.

Tortas are street food…easy eats packed with flavor. So what makes a torta a torta? Traditionally, tortas use a Mexican style telera roll. You want one that’s soft on in the inside, slightly crusty outside (think a good French roll) and with a slightly sweet flavor. You used to be able to find them only at Mexican bakeries, but now you can get teleras par-baked. No teleras handy? Try a French roll but pull out some of the soft inside of the roll to make more room for that delicious filling.

That filling can be just about anything, so if you’ve got leftovers, use them here. Shredded beef, ropa vieja- or carne asada-style, makes a classic torta but there’s no reason why you can’t use pork, chicken or turkey. Sauté some onions and peppers, stir in an easy-to-use sauce, add some protein and you have Torta filling in minutes with almost no work.

Toss on crumbles of queso fresco or queso añejo for that slightly salty touch that plays well with the sweet telera. Pepper Jack or chipotle Jack can stand in in a pinch.

Top your torta with street food flavors: chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños (either raw or pickled), sliced avocado or shredded radishes.

And to really heat things up, warm that torta briefly on the grill or in your panini press so the cheese gets all creamy and gooey. Remember to wrap it up well…half the fun of having an authentic torta is eating it “sloppy,” right out of the wrap!

This article was compiled by the trend team at Sandwichpro.com.

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