THIS right here is the genuine, authentic recipe for Montana's famous antojitos. A Mexican street vendor favourite, antojitos ( which translates literally into snacks ) are the perfect party appetizer. Crispy on the outside, filled with gooey cheese on the inside.
It was a bit of a "thing" for me to get this recipe so I do hope you'll make it.
For those of you who haven't heard the story, there was a certain fella in my extended family whom we referred to as Uncle Shifty. It just suited him. Because he was shifty.
He used to manage a Montana's restaurant chain where they served deliciousssss antojitos. Really good antojitos.
At the time of his employment at the restaurant we didn’t see Uncle Shifty on a regular basis, but when we did he’d sometimes show up with an antojito or two. Once for Christmas he showed up with 30 of the snacks.
Sadly I didn’t have room in my freezer for them so I gave away 5 steaks to free up space. Yes. They're that good.
Every time I got one of those crispy slices of creamy spiced Mexican perfection I’d scarf it down, throw my hands in the air and scream “done!”, Survivor-style. The drawback to this (aside from looking like a lunatic) was I never took the time to actually look inside one to see what made it taste so good.
So after years … and I mean years of asking Uncle Shifty what was in these chain restaurant antijitos I got the entire recipe. Or more specifically earned the entire recipe. It was a struggle on many levels.
When Uncle Shifty would call the house I'd ask about the antojitos. One phone call with him I might get the first 3 ingredients and then a story about his new car.
The second phone call I might get the oven temperature and a recap of his latest sexual escapade. This went on and on. I heard a lot of things I didn’t need to know in order to get this recipe and now I’d like to share it with you. The recipe that is, not the accompanying stories.
You do not want those.
Table of Contents
What are antojitos??
Don’t know what an antojito is? Don’t worry about it. If you like tasty, delicious appetizer treats you’ll like em. You dip them in sour cream!
They're the ultimate finger food full of diced vegetables, hot sauce, peppers and lots of cheddar and cream cheese. Best of all you can eat them with one hand while jumping up and down on the couch, while leaving your other hand available for holding a beer. This is a virtue that comes in handy during Superbowl season.
A tortilla gets slathered with cream cheese first, and then you start piling on the rest of the toppings.
Add finely diced peppers and onions over the cream cheese.
You can never go wrong with a handful of cheddar cheese. Ever.
Then it's just a matter of rolling them up like a cigar and baking them in the oven.
I make a TON of these for every Christmas Eve. I always fully intend to serve them all but at the last minute throw ¾'s of them in the freezer for myself when no one is looking.
They're that good. They're greedy good.
Montana's Antojitos Recipe
Antojitos
Ingredients
- 8 large Flour tortillas white crisps up the best but whole wheat if you lean that way
- 1 package Cream cheese either spreadable, or regular left out to soften a bit
- 16 Pickled jalapeno peppers diced very fine
- 2 jalapeno peppers diced very fine
- 1 red pepper diced very fine
- 1 red onion diced very, very small
- 1 bunch green onions sliced very thin
- 1.5 cups Shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 bunch Parsley chopped fine
- Hot sauce Melinda’s is the actual brand used in the chain, if you can’t find it use Tabasco, or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
Instructions
- Spread tortilla with a layer of cream cheese. Not too little, not too much.
- Dot with hot sauce. Use a lot of you like things hot, use little if you don't. Using a small icing spatula or knife, spread the hot sauce out over the whole tortilla so it’s even.
- Systematically top with remaining ingredients. Because you have so many ingredients, you don’t need to load them on. Just a nice amount. Your tortilla should be filled with toppings but not so full they're building up over each other. Go easy on the jalapenos if you don’t like too much heat.
- Roll the tortilla up like a cigar. A big fat cream cheese filled cigar.
- Lay seam side down on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. For extra crispiness brush the antojitos with olive oil before cooking.
- Once the antojito is cooked and has cooled slightly, slice on the diagonal into 6 to 8 pieces. Serve with sour cream.
Notes
Nutrition
There are things I now know about Uncle Shifty that I can never unknow so please, do me a favour and share this recipe with everyone you know. It will ease my mind to know that what I have endured will have helped at least one person to have a tasty snack.
My mind is even FURTHER eased by the fact that this year? I might not have to share them at all.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
I just made these and have frozen them raw. I'm sure they're going to be wonderful but how am I going to pronounce them when my Christmas guests ask what they are? here in the UK we like to pronounce our J's like J but I'm thinking in Spanish it might be an H? So would they be anto-heee-toes? or antoheee-toes? Or something else?
Yes, as an 'H" :) Merry Christmas! (BTW, I'll be making these for our family Christmas breakfast - I'm so excited! I can also see myself using quite a few more jalapenos or some other peppers with a bit more zip since we like it spicy!)
Fun to make and delish, thanks for the recipe
I'm glad you liked the antojitos Judy! ~ karen
I made this it was great and there is no way you can chop up all that and do it tiny in 30 minutes. Why do you expert recipe makers lie to us novices? They were delicious. When I buy a food processor, I’ll make them again.
Years ago an antojito craving brought me to this recipe in this wonderful patch of the web where I’ve enjoyed a whole lot of fun ever since!! Thanks, really, to Uncle Shifty I guess... but I love your hilarious and interesting posts Karen, so I’m glad I had that craving - I neeeeed these again in fact!! Sooo good
You're welcome! I endured a lot for you. ~ karen!
These things are the best appetizer/main course/dessert ever. I make them all the time, football schedule be damned. I understand the struggle of listening to Uncle Shifty's stories, but they were worth every uncomfortable moment (of yours, ha). Thank you!!
Excellent! And you're right, they really do go with anything and everything. They are ALWAYS appropriate, lol. ~ karen!
You have just ruined the rest of my life, and have given me the equivalent of a part time job! I did not know about Instagram flower sellers! I peeked a little, but I have to get up and get moving today, so I can't fully look. And, perhaps I will buy things from them and try to grow stuff from seeds. I have never successfully grown Anything from a seed. I'll have to review how You do it. There must be a mistake, you have early menopause, right? You are only about forty. But, it is a good thing to blame all your behavior on perimenopause. That can last for years, so it is a good excuse.
I'm late to the "reply party" but I had to tell you (if you ever see this) that we are making this for the 2nd year for our Super Bowl party! I love them! Just hope the music is better this year!
Karen
911!!!!
What is in the dip-it looks tasty and if you are using it it must be good! I promised my husband dip with these for the Super Bowl. Im sure it has sour cream-anything else?
Bless you and your blog!
LOL, hi Lolla! The dip just has a drizzle of regular olive oil on it BUT if you want to add something to the sour cream, find yourself (or make) basil oil and drizzle the top of the sour cream with that. For me, sour cream is the best dip for them because it's cool, crispness cuts the heat of the antojitos. Just add the basil oil! :) ~ karen!
Exactly what I needed to know. Thank you! We will be feasting on these along with slow cooker pizza meatballs and onion, mushroom and cheese puff pastry
Here's my address, could you overnight a couple dozen of Uncle Shifty's prize appetizer antojitos please? Thanks I knew I could count on you Karen, you're a dream.
Love ya lots,
Aunt Ruthie.
211 Bass Drive
Las Vegas, Nevada
89074
Done. They'll be there before ... the end of the decade. Can I get an amen? ~ karen!
Delicious!
We had it for dinner two nights ago, plus some shredded chicken so I could feel good about calling it dinner. Then I made it again for breakfast for myself yesterday. Then took the remaining chopped ingredients with some extra goop and made a stir fry out of it for lunch. Not much of it left for lunch today, but I’m looking forward to it!
Thank you for your self-sacrifice in bringing us this treasure!
I'm glad you appreciate the struggle I had to go through. ;) Happy you enjoyed it! ~ karen!
Ok, am I completely crazy or did you post this recipe like at least 5 years ago?
If not, I'm having the strangest deja vu ever...
8 years ago! I redid all the photos because it was one of the first posts I ever wrote and the photos were dismal, lol! I also rewrote some of it and entered the recipe into a printable version etc. etc. Updated it all to make it better basically. :) ~ karen!
I have made these following your recipe and they are addictive! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for letting me know Robyn! ~ karen
Hi Karen. I am not one to comment, maybe I should be. However, you need to know how much I enjoy you, your blog, your sense of humor (like mine) , the stories (God bless Uncle Shifty) and now this!!! I will probably eat these things till I founder on them! :) Keep on being a continual amusement, source of humor and joy!
Hi Linda!! Yes, that seems like a good way to go. Death by antojito, lol. ~ karen!
Well, I know what I'm making for the next hippie night soiree!
PS - you forgot about Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - best Super Bowl halftime ever, in my humble opinion...
If you freeze them, do you thaw them before baking? If you bake them frozen, do you adjust the time and/or temperature? Thanks!
Thanks to Uncle Shifty for sharing. This is my kind of food.
And this is why I follow you... I'd never heard of Montana's restaurant or Antojitos. Thanks to you, I'm a little smarter (and possibly a little fatter after I try these) today.
Thanks for all you endured to get this recipe, Karen! My husband loves ANY food with jalapeño and Frank’s Hot sauce in it so I cannot wait to try out this recipe Super Bowl or no Super Bowl. I’m a newbie here and I love love love your blog. You always make me smile.
Thanks Lee Ann. Welcome and enjoy! ~ karen
I’ve been too lazy to try my grain free tortilla recipe. I think this will be a perfect test run for it!
You haven't been lazy, you've been busy. There's a difference. ~ karen!
Love your comments about Uncle Shifty. I plan on heading to the grocery this evening to try your recipe with the assistance of my daughter. Sounds fun and delish. Although, I won't be eating them while watching the Superbowl this year as i am a Saints fan. :-(
Sorry bout the Saints! I don't follow football but I know it was close! ~ karen!