This easy Pupusa Recipe will teach you how to make these bean and cheese-filled tortillas. The pupusas are easy to customize, and are typically paired with curtido for a tasty lunch, dinner or snack.

Oh look, another recipe from my in-laws! 

Last week I shared their Panes con Pollo recipe, and today I’m sharing the infamous pupusa recipe. The first documentation I have of me trying pupusas is in 2015, though to be honest, I’m fairly certain I tried one before then, I just wasn’t as obsessed with taking food photos back then. 

To say it was love at first bite would be an understatement. I loved the simplicity of them, and how they were SO flavorful, and that there were many kinds to choose from. 

For this pupusa recipe, I opted to stick with beans and cheese as the filling, but I’ve included other variations in the recipe card “notes” section below.

What are pupusas?

Pupusas are made with masa harina (cornmeal flour) and water to make homemade tortillas that are then filled with anything from cheese to beans to pork, or even veggies like zucchini. They’re typically paired with a fermented cabbage mixture known as curtido, and have been declared the national dish of El Salvador. 

Though they’re comparable to Honduran and Colombian arepas, they have slight differences, one of then being that pupusas tend to big a bit larger and flatter. 

Recipe features

• An easy pupusa recipe that I’d argue anyone can make!
• Filled with beans and shredded cheese, but can also be filled with pulled pork, zucchini or just cheese.
• Paired with fermented cabbage, or curtido, for a flavor-packed meal.

Ingredients

Masa harina – The staple ingredient used to make the dough. No substitutions!

Refried beans – Traditional pupusas use homemade refried beans, but my mother-in-law assured me it’s acceptable to use store-bought ones (it’s much quicker this way). 

Seasoning – Goya chicken seasoning is the way to go; you should be able to find it at most conventional grocery stores.

Mozzarella cheese – Shredded or freshly grated

Cabbage – Green cabbage is the main ingredient for the curtido, though you could sub purple cabbage and it’d be fine

Carrots – Buy pre-shredded carrots to save time

Onion – White onion or yellow onion

Vinegar – White vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work

Instructions

Step 1: Assemble the curtido. First, bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the cabbage and cook it until it’s soft. Reserve 1/2 cup of the boiling water, then drain the rest. Add the cabbage to a large bowl, along with the carrots, onion, vinegar and reserved water. Allow it to sit and ferment while you prepare the pupusas. 

Step 2: Make the dough. Add the masa and salt to a large mixing bowl, then slowly pour in the warm water and mix everything together with your hands until it resembles the texture of play-doh. 

Step 3: Make the filling. Next, add the refried beans to a separate bowl, then pour in the chicken seasoning (Goya) and shredded mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine. 

Step 4: Create the pupusas. Grab a handful of the dough and use your palms to press it into a disc. Use your thumbs to press around the edges so they lift up a bit, then add a tablespoon or two of the bean mixture to the center. Fold the edges of the dough up around the filling so that the whole thing is in the shape of a ball. Then, once again use your palm to flatten it back into a disc. It’s ok if it isn’t perfect looking! It takes several tries to get the hang of it. 

Step 5: Cook. Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed skillet with a small amount of oil over medium heat, then add 3-4 pupusas at a time and cook them for 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the second side, or until they’re slightly golden brown.

Step 6: Serve. To serve, add 2 pupusas to a plate, then top them with some of the curtido.

Tips and tricks

• In order to keep the dough moist, cover the bowl with a damp dish towel, which should prevent the dough from drying out.
• You may need to wet your hands when working with the dough, as it tends to dry out kind of easily. It’s ok if some of the filling seeps out when you flatten the dough back into discs. This will actually create crispy bits, which in my opinion, makes them extra delicious. 
• I recommend buying pre-shredded carrots to speed up the curtido-making process.

What about salsa roja? 

Guys, I know! I know, I know. I got this recipe from one of Miguel’s aunts, and they don’t make the salsa roja, and I felt a little weird just making up a recipe. But, generally speaking, pupusas are served with salsa roja, which consists of tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chicken seasoning.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store pupusas in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Freezer: If you’d prefer to prep these ahead of time, make the pupusas but DON’T cook them. Instead, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to eat/cook them, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then cook them as usual. 

Reheating: Reheat pupusas in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until they’e warmed through.

More recipes you’ll love

• Polish Pierogi Recipe
• Panes con Pollo
• Easy Black Bean Soup

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!