This spin on Indian chilli cheese toast is absolutely decadent and delicious. It’s sort of like an Indian-inspired jalapeño popper cheese toast! Each toast has 10-15gm Protein, and ready in 15 minutes!
This is another recipe in my series of amazing, hearty summer sandwiches inspired by popular Indian sandwiches. I’m reimagining those sandwiches or components from those sandwiches. The goal is to create sandwiches with lots of texture and flavor while also making them hearty, high in protein and fiber, easy to make, and perfect for an easy summer lunch. These toasts boast 10-16gm Protein and 5-7 gm fiber per toast!
Don’t miss the other sandwiches in this series: my coconut tofu sandwich and curry leaf tofu sandwich!
Indian chilli cheese toast is usually very simple. It doesn’t have anything other than green chillies and cheese, sometimes with a few veg like onion and peppers, herbs, and seasonings. The two main ingredients are shredded cheese and green chillies. It doesn’t have any bean chili. This is all about green chilli.
That combination of green chillies, cheese, salt, pepper, and chaat masala tastes incredible, so I took that idea and added tofu for extra protein and volume. I also added nutritional yeast for more flavor and protein and hemp seeds for even more protein. Then, I added a generous amount of green chillies, piled everything onto toasted sourdough, and broiled it.
Most of the time involved is simply chopping the vegetables and green chillies and crumbling the tofu. After that, it only takes about three minutes under the broiler.
I also make a crispy tempeh and garlic topping to level up the texture and flavor and add even more protein. The crispy garlic is incredibly delicious on top. I add Kashmiri chili powder to the tempeh for color and that deep Kashmiri chili flavor, along with lime zest. All of these flavor combinations are just heavenly.
Depending on the size of your toast and how much filling you use, you can get anywhere from 10 grams of protein up to 16 grams of protein per slice. It also depends on the bread you’re using. Whole grain bread usually has even more protein! If you want to keep it gluten-free, use gluten-free bread, a gluten-free tortilla, or my almond flour gluten-free naan as the base.
You can broil these chilli cheese toasts, air fry them, or even put them on a grill. This recipe is crispy, cheesy, spicy, zesty, and packed with incredible flavor and texture. It’s an absolutely fabulous combination. You need these cheese toasts in your life! And see recipe notes for more flavor combinations!
Why You’ll Love Chilli Cheese Toasts
- crisp bread topped with creamy chilli-cheese mixture that turns golden brown in the oven
- crispy, savory, tangy crumbled lime tempeh topping adds even more flavor and texture!
- easy to make ahead and assemble as needed
- easily made gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
For the Tofu Chilli Cheese Mixture
- 7 ounces extra firm tofu, pressed for 15 minutes
- 1 cup vegan cheese shreds, such as mozzarella or a mix of mozzarella and cheddar
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, or more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 green chillies, finely chopped, such as serrano or Indian green chillies
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, or more, to taste
- 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped greens, such as spinach or baby kale, or 1/4 cup frozen spinach
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds, or more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional, or more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala blend, or use lime zest or 1/8 teaspoon kala namak
- 1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt, cashew cream, or blended silken tofu
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, optional
- lime juice, as needed
For Topping the Cheese Toast
For the Crispy Chilli Lime Tempeh
Prevent your screen from going dark
Make the chilli cheese mixture.
-
Crumble the tofu into a bowl, then use a fork to break it down further, so there are no large chunks remaining. If you are using miso, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons miso into the yogurt before adding it to the mixture. Add all of the remaining chilli cheese mixture ingredients, and mix very well. Press and mix so the cheese is evenly distributed throughout the tofu mixture.
-
If the mixture seems dry, add a little more non-dairy yogurt or a squeeze of lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you want a cheesier flavor, add more nutritional yeast. Set the mixture aside and slice another green chilli for topping. This mix can be refrigerated for up to three days.
Assemble the toasts (see notes for a grilled cheese version!).
-
Lightly toast the bread slices. You don’t want them deeply browned, but you do want a little crispness. This helps prevent the bread from becoming soggy once topped. Spread the chilli cheese mixture generously onto each slice. For a heartier meal, use a thick layer. For snack-sized toasts, use a thinner layer. Top with a little more vegan cheese, then add sliced green chillies and a few drops of oil over the chillies.
-
Preheat the oven to 450° F (232° C). Once preheated, switch to low broil. Depending on your oven, this may be around 500° to 525° F (260° to 275° C). Place the prepared toasts directly on a clean baking sheet. Do not use parchment paper, as it may burn under the broiler.
-
Broil for about 2 minutes, then check. If the cheese has not fully melted and started browning, continue broiling for another 1 to 2 minutes. Once the cheese is melted, golden, and the edges of the toast are lightly browned, remove from the oven.
-
Airfry: air fry at 370deg F(190 c) for 6-8 minutes
Meanwhile, make the crispy chilli lime tempeh.
-
Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is crispy and golden, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and set aside.
-
In the same skillet, add the tempeh and increase the heat to medium. Cook until golden brown, stirring every minute or so. This can take 4 to 6 minutes, depending on your skillet and stove.
-
Add the garlic back to the skillet, and mix well. Turn off the heat, and immediately add the salt, lime zest, and Kashmiri chilli powder. Toss to coat. Transfer the tempeh mixture to a bowl so it doesn’t continue cooking and lose the fresh lime zest flavor, and try not to snack on all of it before serving.
-
Top the chilli cheese toasts with the crispy tempeh and garlic mixture, and serve immediately.
Flavor variations:
- Gochujang: add gochujang to the mixture, omit spiced and some green chilies. For topping, mix a tsp gochujang either sliced onion. Top the toasts and then air fry for caramelized onion on top
- Mediterranean: add in some chopped olives, pepperoncini peppers, Italian herbs, and mix in. Top with fresh basil, and olives after air frying.
Tips:
- Finely chop all of the vegetables, because otherwise they don’t really cook during broiling. You want them to melt into the tofu cheese mixture rather than remain in large chunks.
- Definitely add some greens. Finely chopped spinach or kale works beautifully in this recipe and easily blends into all the herbs and vegetables.
- To make the toast less spicy, omit the pepper flakes and use mild green chillies, such as Anaheim peppers.
- Instead of yogurt, you can blend 1 cup silken tofu until smooth and use that. You can also blend 1/2 cup soaked cashews with 1/2 cup water until creamy and use that instead.
- If you don’t want to use vegan cheese shreds, you can use my vegan mozzarella from the Margherita pizza recipe. Once the mozzarella has thickened, mix it into the tofu and vegetable mixture. You can also dot the tops of the toasts with small dollops of the mozzarella, which will brown beautifully under the broiler.
This recipe is nut-free if you use a nut-free non-dairy yogurt. For soy-free, use chickpea flour tofu and replace the tempeh with finely chopped seitan. It is gluten-free if you use gluten-free bread, a gluten-free tortilla, or my almond flour naan.
Make ahead: You can make the filling ahead of time and use it as needed to make toast. Don’t spread it onto the bread ahead of time, because the bread will absorb moisture and become soggy. Just make the filling and store it in the fridge for upto 3 days. so you can have the toast ready in 3 to 4 minutes. The crispy tempeh can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Calories: 353kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 670mg, Potassium: 306mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 615IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 144mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and substitutes
- tofu – Use extra firm tofu, and press it for 15 minutes. For soy-free, use my chickpea flour tofu or use cooked chickpeas or white beans
- vegan cheese shreds – Mozzarella or a mix of mozzarella and cheddar will both work. Choose soy-free and/or nut-free cheese, if needed. Or, you can use my vegan mozzarella from the Margherita pizza recipe, if you don’t want to use store-bought vegan cheese. We are also topping the toasts with a little extra cheese.
- nutritional yeast – Adds a cheesy flavor to the tofu mixture.
- ground spices – For the cheese mixture, you need black pepper, pepper flakes, chaat masala (or a mix of lime zest and Indian black salt), and some dried oregano. We are using Kashmiri chili powder in the chilli lime tempeh, as well.
- aromatics – For the tofu chilli cheese mixture, you need hot green chillies (like Serrano or Indian) and red onion. A sliced green chilli also tops the toast. The chilli lime tempeh uses fresh garlic.
- veggies and herbs – The cheese mixture uses finely chopped bell pepper, cilantro, and greens of choice.
- hemp seeds – Adds protein to the cheese mixture.
- non-dairy yogurt – Makes the cheese mixture even creamier! You can use cashew cream or blended silken tofu instead, if you prefer. Choose a soy-free and/or nut-free cream element, if needed.
- lime – You may want to add some lime juice to the tofu mixture, and lime zest gives the crispy tempeh a great flavor!
- bread – Use a good, bakery bread like sourdough or multigrain. Gluten-free is fine to use, or you can use my gluten-free almond flour naan.
- tempeh – For the topping. You can grate, crumble, or finely chop it.
- oil – To help the toasts brown and to crisp up the tempeh and garlic in the pan.
💡Tips
- You don’t want any large chunks of tofu in the cheese mixture. A little texture is ok, but small pieces only.
- The miso is optional in the cheese sauce but adds a ton of umami! Use soy-free miso, if needed.
- Toasting the bread slices before topping and broiling prevents it from getting soggy.
- We remove the garlic from the pan while making the chilli lime tempeh, then put it back in near the end of cooking. This makes a garlic oil to infuse the tempeh with flavor!
- Finely chop all of the vegetables, because otherwise they don’t really cook during broiling. You want them to melt into the tofu cheese mixture rather than remain in large chunks.
- Definitely add some greens. Finely chopped spinach or kale works beautifully in this recipe and easily blends into all the herbs and vegetables.
- To make the toast less spicy, omit the pepper flakes and use mild green chillies, such as Anaheim peppers.
- You can also make these as grilled sandwiches. However, because the filling is quite voluminous, it doesn’t stick together as well and won’t get as crispy. I prefer making them as open-faced sandwiches.
How to Make Chilli Cheese Toasts
Crumble the tofu into a bowl, then use a fork to break it down further, so there are no large chunks remaining. If you are using miso, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons miso into the yogurt before adding it to the mixture. Add all of the remaining chilli cheese mixture ingredients, and mix very well. Press and mix so the cheese is evenly distributed throughout the tofu mixture.
If the mixture seems dry, add a little more non-dairy yogurt or a squeeze of lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you want a cheesier flavor, add more nutritional yeast. Set the mixture aside and slice another green chilli for topping.
Lightly toast the bread slices. You don’t want them deeply browned, but you do want a little crispness. This helps prevent the bread from becoming soggy once topped. Spread the chilli cheese mixture generously onto each slice. For a heartier meal, use a thick layer. For snack-sized toasts, use a thinner layer. Top with a little more vegan cheese, then add sliced green chillies and a few drops of oil over the chillies.
Preheat the oven to 450° F (232° C). Once preheated, switch to low broil. Depending on your oven, this may be around 500° to 525° F (260° to 275° C). Place the prepared toasts directly on a clean baking sheet. Do not use parchment paper, as it may burn under the broiler.
Broil for about 2 minutes, then check. If the cheese has not fully melted and started browning, continue broiling for another 1 to 2 minutes. Once the cheese is melted, golden, and the edges of the toast are lightly browned, remove from the oven.
Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is crispy and golden, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the tempeh and increase the heat to medium. Cook until golden brown, stirring every minute or so. This can take 4 to 6 minutes, depending on your skillet and stove.
Add the garlic back to the skillet, and mix well. Turn off the heat, and immediately add the salt, lime zest, and Kashmiri chilli powder. Toss to coat. Transfer the tempeh mixture to a bowl so it doesn’t continue cooking and lose the fresh lime zest flavor, and try not to snack on all of it before serving.
Top the chilli cheese toasts with the crispy tempeh and garlic mixture, and serve immediately.
Chilli Grilled Cheese Directions
Assemble the sandwich as directed above, but add another slice of bread on top. Heat a frying pan on medium heat, and add some oil.
Once the oil is hot, add the closed sandwich, and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the bread is nice and toasty.
Make-Ahead Directions
You can make the filling ahead of time and use it as needed to make toast. Don’t spread it onto the bread ahead of time, because the bread will absorb moisture and become soggy. Just make the filling and store it in the fridge, so you can have the toast ready in 3 to 4 minutes. The crispy tempeh can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
What to Serve with Chilli Cheese Toasts
Contrast all of that rich flavor with a refreshing kachumber salad, or make it a heartier meal with sides like garlic spinach potatoes, Nepali potatoes, or a cauliflower pepper fry.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is nut-free if you use a nut-free non-dairy yogurt. For soy-free, use chickpea flour tofu and replace the tempeh with finely chopped seitan. It is gluten-free if you use gluten-free bread, a gluten-free tortilla, or my almond flour naan.
Credit: Source link