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Torta de Milanesa

Torta de Milanesa is a popular Mexican sandwich with crispy breaded steak and toppings like queso fresco, refried beans, avocado, and more.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 6 tortas
Calories: 948 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

For the milanesa de res
  • 1 ½-2 pounds top round beef, sliced into 6 thin slices
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 4 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 4 teaspoons onion powder
  • 4 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 4 teaspoons chili powder
  • 3 teaspoons fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup Vegetable oil, for frying (canola, corn, or avocado)
For the tortas
  • 6 telera bread rolls, halved lengthwise
  • 2 avocados sliced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can refried beans, warmed
  • 10-12 ounces queso fresco, sliced
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • ¾ cup salsa (chile de arbol salsa, salsa verde, or roasted tomato salsa)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Line a large cutting board with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Lay the beef steaks on top in a single layer, and cover them with another piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper.
  2. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy skillet like a cast iron, pound each steak to about 1/8-1/4 inch thickness.
  3. Prepare 3 shallow bowls - the first with the panko breadcrumbs, the second with the flour, and the third with the beaten eggs.
  4. To the breadcrumbs, add the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix together to combine.
  5. Heat the frying oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  6. Bread the beef by dredging both sides with flour, then dipping it into the egg mixture, and finally dipping it into the panko crumb mixture. When dipping into the panko mixture, make sure to press down so the crumbs stick to the beef.
  7. Working in batches of 1 or 2 so as to not overcrowd the pan, carefully add the breaded beef to the hot frying oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. The meat is very thin and will cook quickly.
  8. Transfer the milanesa to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Repeat this process with the remaining steaks.
  9. Assemble the tortas by spreading a layer of the refried beans on the bottom half of the bread rolls, followed by slices of avocado, queso fresco, and tomatoes. Add the fried milanesa de res, then top with shredded lettuce and a drizzle of salsa. Gently press the top half of the bread roll over the torta and repeat until they have all been assembled. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Meat: This cut of beef is best for tortas de milanesa since they are already very thin. They cook very quickly, which is also a plus. Many Mexican grocery stores sell the meat already pounded thinly which saves you the step of having to do it yourself. It’s sometimes labeled as “milanesa” in these cases.
  • Bread: If you can’t find telera bread rolls, bolillo bread or soft French bread rolls are great substitutes. You can also make this torta using chicken with my milanesa de pollo recipe.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1torta Calories 948kcal (47%) Carbohydrates 75g (25%) Protein 52g (104%) Fat 50g (77%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 9g Monounsaturated Fat 24g Trans Fat 0.5g Cholesterol 211mg (70%) Sodium 2367mg (99%) Potassium 1215mg (35%) Fiber 9g (36%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 1380IU (28%) Vitamin C 11mg (12%) Calcium 425mg (43%) Iron 9mg (50%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6tortas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 948

% Daily Value*

Serving 1torta
Calories 948kcal 47%
Carbohydrates 75g 25%
Protein 52g 104%
Fat 50g 77%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 9g 53%
Monounsaturated Fat 24g 120%
Trans Fat 0.5g 25%
Cholesterol 211mg 70%
Sodium 2367mg 99%
Potassium 1215mg 26%
Fiber 9g 36%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 1380IU 28%
Vitamin C 11mg 12%
Calcium 425mg 43%
Iron 9mg 50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.