Description
This easy Pupusa Recipe teaches you how to make bean and cheese-filled tortillas. Pupusas are simple to customize and typically served with curtido for a tasty lunch, dinner, or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups masa harina
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 3/4 cups warm water
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (or oil of choice; for frying)
- 15 oz. refried beans
- 1 packet chicken seasoning (preferably Goya)
- 1 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1/2 head green cabbage (sliced)
- 1 large carrot (peeled and sliced thinly or use 1/2 cup pre-shredded carrots)
- 1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 cup boiling water (or more)
Instructions
- Start by making the curtido: bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the cabbage and boil it until soft; reserve 1/2 cup of the water, then drain the rest. Transfer the cabbage to a bowl and add the carrot, onion, salt, vinegar, and the reserved hot water. Allow the mixture to sit while you prepare the pupusas.
- Next, make the filling: stir the refried beans, chicken seasoning and cheese together in a bowl; set aside.
- Next, make the dough: add the masa and salt to a large mixing bowl, then add the water in 1 cup at a time, using your hands to stir everything together to form the dough. Once all of the water has been added, the dough should feel similar to play-doh.
- Now, it’s time to assemble the pupusas! Grab a small handful of the dough and use your palms to flatten it into a disc. Use your fingers to lift the edges up a bit so it resembles a shallow cup, then add 1-2 tablespoons of the bean mixture into the center. Fold the sides up so that the dough forms a ball, then use your palms to flatten it back out into a disc. It’s ok if it isn’t perfect! This process takes several tries to get right. Repeat this process until all of the bean mixture is used up.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a cast iron skillet (or heavy bottomed skillet) over medium heat. Add 3 pupusas and cook them for 2-3 minutes, then use a spatula to flip them over and cook for 1-2 minutes until they’re golden on the outside. Repeat this process with all of the pupusas.
- Serve pupusas with curtido on top (and salsa roja, if available) and enjoy!
Notes
- This pupusa recipe is easy to customize.
- The process of assembling pupusas takes practice.
- Serve pupusas with curtido and optional salsa roja.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan Frying
- Cuisine: Salvadoran
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pupusa
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 15mg