Pupusas (Honduran Style)

  • Total time - 50 minutes (plus time for making curtido)
  • Active preparation - 30 minutes
  • Servings: 8
  • Country: Honduras
Hot, toasted pupusas with melting cheese, served with a pile of red curtido and a bowl of red tomato salsa.

The key to perfect Pupusas lies in the correct consistency of the corn masa – it must be soft, moist, and not crack. Pupusas are traditionally filled with one, two, or three ingredients. The most popular are Pupusas Revueltas (cheese, bean, and chicharrón mixture).

Serving with Curtido (a tangy cabbage relish) and Salsa Roja (tomato sauce) is essential. A Pupusa without Curtido is an incomplete experience!

Ingredients

I. For the Masa

  • 2 cups Corn Flour (Masa Harina, e.g., Maseca)
  • 1.5 cups (or as needed) Warm water
  • 1 tsp Salt

II. Filling (Pupusas Revueltas)

  • 1.5 cups Cheese (Quesillo, Mozzarella, or Oaxacan cheese), shredded
  • 1 cup Refried Red Beans (Frijoles Refritos), thick
  • 1 cup Crushed Pork (Chicharrón), finely ground

III. Accompaniments

  • 1 as needed Curtido (tangy cabbage relish)
  • 1 as needed Salsa Roja (tomato sauce)
  • 1 for greasing hands/pan Vegetable oil

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing the Masa

In a large bowl, mix the Masa Harina and salt. Gradually pour in the warm water and use your hands to form a soft, pliable dough. If it's too dry and cracks, add a tablespoon of water. If it's too sticky, add a little flour.

The dough should be very soft to be easily shaped. Cover with a damp cloth and let stand for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Shaping and Filling

Grease your hands with a little oil or moisten them with water. Break off a golf-ball-sized piece of masa.

Flatten the ball into a disk and use your thumb to create a deep indentation, like a small bowl.

Place 1-2 tablespoons of filling (e.g., the mixture of cheese, beans, and chicharrón) into the indentation.

Carefully seal the meat by pinching the edges of the flour over the filling, forming a ball again. Remove any excess masa at the top.

Gently flatten the pupusa back into a disk about 1 cm thick, being careful not to let the filling burst out.

Step 3: Cooking

Heat a cast-iron griddle (comal) over medium-high heat (without oil or with minimal oil).

Cook the pupusas for 4-5 minutes on each side. When done, they should be golden brown and slightly puffed with melted cheese, which may seep out in places, creating crispy edges.

Step 4: Serving

Serve the Pupusas immediately, hot, with a generous amount of cold Curtido (cabbage salad) and drizzled with Salsa Roja (tomato sauce).