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Indian chilli cheese toasts on a cutting board with some sliced in half
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Chilli Cheese Toast with Crispy Lime Tempeh

This spin on Indian chilli cheese toast is absolutely decadent and delicious. It’s sort of like an Indian-inspired jalapeño popper grilled cheese. Each toast has 10-15gm Protein, and ready in 15 minutes!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main, Sandwich, Snack
Cuisine: Indian, Indian Fusion
Keyword: chilli cheese toast
Servings: 4
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

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

  • 1/2 cup vegan cheese shreds
  • 1 green chilli thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 7 to 8 slices sourdough or other sturdy bread, such as multigrain bakery bread

For the Crispy Chilli Lime Tempeh

  • 4 ounces tempeh grated, crumbled, or finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
  • zest of 1/2 lime
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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.

Video

Notes

For a grilled cheese version: Assemble the sandwich as directed, 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.
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.

Nutrition

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