Meat eaters can find a lot to love about Mexican food: tacos al pastor, carne asada, birria… The list goes on. For those of us seeking a more plant-based bite, La Tortilla Catering’s food truck has options.
The food truck delivers on the meatless mission with a taco-heavy menu. Popular cauliflower tacos offer hand-battered cauliflower, a jolt of chipotle sauce, with red cabbage and cilantro in blue corn tortillas. The vegan chorizo brings something closer to meat texture, while maintaining the integrity of traditional chorizo’s taste. It’s made with a soy meat substitute marinated in chiles and spices.
If you want more classic options, choose from burritos, chimichangas, quesadillas, or their best-selling nachos supreme, all either stuffed or topped with your choice of five proteins. Then, round your meal off with sides and desserts.
La Tortilla started almost four years ago off Lake Street in south Minneapolis. Janette and Luis Morales had been attending Urban Ventures classes and programming focusing on helping families reach financial independence, when a mentor recommended they start a catering company. With a longtime love of food and cooking, it made sense to them. They started catering with traditional recipes for events hosted by friends and family, but after Luis suffered a health scare and their family’s everyday diet changed to healthier and plant-based options, so did the company’s food. The switch resonated with their audience more than they expected.
Vegetarian Mexican dishes can be hard to find, even at Mexican restaurants. “They only serve rice and beans or cactus or mushrooms” says Janette. So they began experimenting, and seeking feedback. They catered a big party, and a lot of people loved the new recipes. As word of mouth spread, their business grew and they were able to purchase Urban Ventures’ neglected food truck in 2020.
Honoring and remembering the community that has gotten them this far, La Tortilla buy most of their produce from the Urban Ventures community farm. The Moraleses have become advocates for the Hispanic and Latino community, bringing their truck to El Colegio High School where they feed kids, and serve free meals to graduating students and their families every spring. Plus they teach cooking classes, business classes, and continue to serve free or discounted food for organizations like CLUES, Lake Street Works, and more.
Help keep the cycle of serving alive at La Tortilla, and maybe try a meatless taco, before their season ends. Find them at @latortillafoodtruck.