Pupusa Recipe
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.
Servings: 14 pupusas
Ingredients
for the dough:
- 3 cups masa harina
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 3/4 cups warm water
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or oil of choice; for frying
for the filling:
- 15 oz. refried beans
- 1 packet chicken seasoning (preferably Goya)
- 1 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
for the curtido:
- 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!
Video
Notes
*Calories are per pupusa with a spoonful of curtido and are an estimation
Variations:
- Zucchini: shred the zucchini, then season it with salt and chicken seasoning. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a nut milk bag, or place it on top of several paper towels and squeeze out the excess moisture; pour it into a bowl, then stir in the mozzarella cheese.
- Chicharron (pork): make sure to use a fattier cut. Cut the pork into bite-size pieces, then boil it and add some salt, Old Bay seasoning and garlic. Once it's soft, transfer it to a skillet and pan-fry it until brown. Transfer it to a food processor, along with tomato, onion, green pepper, and 2 garlic cloves; pulse everything together a few times, then add chicken seasoning to taste. Strain out any water, then stir in the mozzarella cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 568mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1024IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg
