Pupusas Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
12
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Calories
220 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Salvadoran
Pupusas Recipe
Description
Pupusas are thick handmade corn tortillas stuffed with a mixture of sautéed red beans and cheese. This recipe begins by blackening onion layers in oil, then blending those with canned red beans and their cooking liquid to create a smooth, flavorful paste seasoned with salt. The bean mixture cools while preparing the masa dough, made from corn masa flour, salt, and hot water, which is mixed to a sticky consistency and rested.
The dough is divided into balls, flattened, and filled with the bean and cheese mixture before being sealed and shaped into thick patties. These pupusas are then cooked on a hot griddle or skillet until golden and cooked through, resulting in a tender dough with a creamy, savory filling.
You can assemble pupusas ahead and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a container, preserving freshness for up to three months. Thaw and cook as directed. Leftover dough stores well refrigerated or frozen, and cooked pupusas keep refrigerated for several days or frozen for longer storage.
Ingredients
Filling
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ onion cut in half and split into layers, white
- 1 (15-ounce) can red beans Central American or red kidney beans
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces queso Oaxaca grated, or mozzarella cheese
Dough
- 3 cups corn masa flour instant
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2⅔ cups water hot
Instructions
Filling
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion layers to the skillet and cook, turning frequently, until blackened on all sides. Remove from the heat, and scoop the onions out of the skillet and into a blender or food processor, preserving the oil.
- Add the red beans and the bean liquid to the blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the bean mixture back into the skillet with the oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until thickened. Stir in the salt and adjust seasonings according to taste. Let the beans cool while you make the dough.
Dough
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the corn masa flour, salt, and hot water, until the dough is thick and sticky. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Scoop the dough into 12 equal-sized balls, about 1/4 cup each (I used an ice cream scoop to make things easier). Cover the balls with a damp towel so they don’t dry out while assembling the pupusas. Stir the cheese into the cooled beans.
Assemble
- Flatten a dough ball in your hand (spray your hands with cooking spray to prevent the dough from sticking if preferred). Pinch the sides of the dough up to form a cup shape.
- Drop 2 tablespoons of the bean mixture into the center of the dough, then fold the edges over to enclose the beans completely. Gently flatten the dough to a 4-5 inch disk. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook the pupusas for 3-4 minutes per side until the center puffs up slightly and the sides have browned spots. Serve warm.
Notes
- Make pupusas ahead, freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer to freezer-safe containers; store for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen pupusas before frying according to cooking instructions.
- Leftover dough can be refrigerated for 1-2 days or frozen up to 3 months; thaw to room temperature before shaping and add warm water if dry.
- Cooked pupusas store in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for 1-2 months; reheat properly before serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 220 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 220kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 31g | 10% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 7mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 549mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 233mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 64IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 100mg | 10% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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