Description
Pupusa Recipe – a simple step by step guide to making griddled Salvadoran Corn cakes filled with refried beans and cheese with cilantro and scallions. Easy and delicious! Vegan adaptable!
Ingredients
Pupusa Dough
- 2 cups masa harina corn flour (corn meal or polenta is not the same)
- 1 2/3 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Fillings: (see notes)
- 1/2 –1 cup shredded cheese- Oaxacan Cheese, mozzarella or jack
- 1/2 –1 cup refried beans (homemade or out of a can) Refried black beans are great here
- 1 shallot, diced & sautéed
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1–2 scallions, finely sliced
Serve with Curtido, Salsa Roja (or hot sauce) sour cream or avocado, cilantro, lime.
Quick Pickled Curtido
- 1 cup green cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salsa Roja Ingredients:
- 2 large roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 th of an onion, rough chopped
- 1 garlic cloves
- 1/2 jalapeno ( or serranos) halved
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2–1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoons olive oil (or water)
Instructions
- Make the Curtido: Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, stir for 30 seconds, turn off the heat, cool and refrigerate until using. You can so this up to a week ahead.
- Make the pupusa dough. Mix the masa harina flour with salt in a medium bowl. Add the warm water and oil and kneed until it becomes a soft pliable dough. (see notes) If it is sticky, add more corn flour.
- Gather your fillings together. If using the shallot, finely chop and saute until deeply golden and tender.
- Form Pupusas. Fill a bowl with warm water ( for hand dipping) with a tiny splash of olive oil. Line a sheet pan with parchment, or simply place a piece of parchment on the counter. Dip your hands in the oiled water, and divide the dough into eight equal balls. Flatten each ball into a 4-inch round in the palm of your greased hand, creating a cup. (TIP: If the edges crack or crumble, the dough needs a little more water.)
- Place a little of the filling inside (1 tablespoon beans, 1 tablespoon cheese, 1 teaspoon shallots, cilantro and scallions) and fold the edges up and around up to enclose. Roll into a neat, sealed round ball.
- Place on the parchment. Flatten one more time using your palm ( to about ½ inch thick). Repeat with all the pupusas. You can store these uncooked for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Cook them. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet (or griddle) over medium heat. Cook each side until crispy and golden, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Keep warm in an oven until serving.
- Serve with Curtido, Salsa Roja or hot sauce, sour cream or avocado, cilantro and lime.
Notes
To test the dough for the right water content, form a ball the size of a golf ball. Flatten, if edges split or crack, you may want to add little more water. Alternatively, if the dough feels sticky add little more corn flour.
You can keep these totally vegan by leaving out the cheese (or using alternative meltable vegan cheese).
I like the combination of using both refried black beans and cheese, along with the shallots, cilantro and scallions. Up to you. You can keep them kid-friendly by just using cheese.
Make a double batch, saving leftovers to be reheated for another meal.
To make Salsa Roja: Place all ingredients (except the oil) in a blender and puree. Heat oil in a medium pot. Carefully pour in the tomato mixture- it will spatter so hold a lid over the pot at an angle, like a shield with the other hand. Bring to a simmer, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until thickened and darkened. Cool and serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cakes
- Calories: 286
- Sugar: 3.6 g
- Sodium: 1016 mg
- Fat: 5.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.7 g
- Fiber: 5.8 g
- Protein: 9.2 g
- Cholesterol: 7.9 mg