Embark on a culinary journey to discover the delectable flavors of pupusas masa cakes, a traditional Salvadoran dish that has gained immense popularity worldwide. These soft and pillowy flatbreads, crafted from fresh masa dough, are generously filled with a savory blend of bacon, cheddar cheese, and a symphony of spices. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or a novice in the kitchen, this article will guide you through the steps of creating this delectable masterpiece, ensuring that you impress your family and friends with every bite.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
PUPUSAS
These easy and delicious homemade Pupusas are filled with beans and cheese served with traditional toppings like curtido and salsa roja. Hopefully you feel them transport you to the streets of El Salvador!
Provided by Lauren Allen
Categories Main Course
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Make Dough: Add masa harina (corn flour) and salt to a large mixing bowl. Add the warm water, little by little, mixing the dough with your hand. You may not need all of the water. You want the masa to be the consistency of a soft play dough. If the dough is too wet, mix in some more masa harina. If it's too dry, add a little more water. Mix in butter and chicken bouillon, if using.
- Scoop into balls: Scoop the dough into large, golf-ball-size portions. You can scoop all of the dough into balls before continuing, or make 1 pupusa at a time. Be sure to keep the dough covered with a damp cloth as you work, to keep it from drying out.
- Flatten and add filling: Use the palms of your hands to pat the dough into a disc, about 4 inches in diameter. Scoop about half a tablespoon of the beans and place it in the center of the dough circle, followed by a pinch of shredded cheese.
- Shape into disc: Gently bring the edges of the dough up and around the filling, pinching it closed into a ball. Gently pat the dough between your palms to form it into a disc again. Be gentle so you don't have big cracks of filling come through, but if you do have some, its fine! They don't need to be perfect.
- Cook: Heat a large un-greased skillet or pan over medium heat. Place pupusas on the hot pan and cook for about 2-4 minutes on each side. You will know the pupusas are ready to flip when the edges are set and the bottom is lightly golden.
- Serve immediately, topped with Curtido and Salsa Roja.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 108 kcal, Carbohydrate 15 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 4 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 9 mg, Sodium 173 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 0.3 g, TransFat 0.04 g, UnsaturatedFat 1.4 g, ServingSize 1 serving
CHEESE PUPUSAS
Cheese pupusas - stuffed, griddled masa cakes - and their accompanying slaw, curtido, are quintessential Salvadoran street foods. This recipe is adapted from Janet Lainez, who has been making them for homesick Latinos every summer at the Red Hook Ball Fields for nearly 25 years. She likes to use mozzarella rather than Salvadoran cheese - preferably Polly-O, established in Brooklyn, 1899.
Provided by Francis Lam
Categories cakes
Time 40m
Yield 9 pupusas (3 to 4 servings)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a large bowl, mix the salt well into the masa harina. With your hands, knead the water into the masa harina in a few additions; work in all the water evenly. The dough will feel like stiff mashed potatoes. Lay a 12-inch square of plastic wrap or a zip-lock on a smooth work surface.
- Divide the cheese into 9 equal piles. Roll a 2-ounce ball of dough in your hands, about the size of a golf ball, and pat it out in your hand to form a disc a little larger than your palm. (If the dough is very sticky, lightly moisten or oil your hands.) Pat a pile of cheese onto the masa, leaving just a little space around the edges (cup your hand slightly if it helps). Carefully close your hand to bring the edges of the disc closer, and use your other hand to pat and pinch it together to enclose the cheese in a rough ball. Patch any holes with a little more masa, but don't worry too much - cheese that leaks out will brown deliciously in the pan. Moisten or oil the plastic wrap, and pat out the pupusa on it, forming a disc about 4 inches wide. Repeat, forming a second pupusa.
- Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, and very lightly grease it with oil. When the oil appears thin, lay the pupusas in the pan, and cook until richly browned in spots, about 4 minutes. (If you can fit 3 or 4 pupusas at a time in the pan, increase heat to medium-high.) It's O.K. if the cheese starts to bubble out. Flip the pupusas, and cook another 4 minutes, until they're browned and cooked through. Serve finished ones immediately with curtido, and repeat forming and cooking the remaining pupusas.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 490, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 46 grams, Fat 24 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 24 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 544 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams
PUPUSAS
From the streets of El Salvador, these are masa 'cakes' with a filling that is fried. The usual fillings are meat or cheese but there is no reason why beans etc could not be used.
Provided by Missy Wombat
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 15m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Mix the masa harina, water into a dough which is soft but not sticky. Be prepared to add more flour if necessary. If it is too dry, add more water.
- To make a 3 inch round pupusa, take about half a cup of dough and roll it into a ball. flatten with your hand.
- Put the filling in the centre [in this case, cheese, cilantro, salt and pepper].
- Work the edges up over the filling and again form a ball, completely enclosing the filling.
- Flatten each ball to about 1/4 inch or less and cook the pupusas on a hot, lightly oiled griddle for about 3 minutes per side, or until both sides are lightly browned.
- Serve warm.
PUPUSAS
This is a fairly authentic version of the popular Salvadorean dish. It does take some time, however it is well worth the effort! You can purchase pre-made chicharron at specialty markets, however this recipe tastes just like it. I also make the salsa roja and curtido ahead of time (the salsa freezes very well, and the curtido can stay in the fridge at least a week).
Provided by ZZ
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork
Time 2h54m
Yield 15
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Combine tomato sauce, water, cilantro, green bell pepper, onion, crushed garlic, bouillon cube, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Let salsa roja cool for 10 minutes.
- Fill a blender halfway with the salsa roja. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Pour into a bowl. Repeat with remaining salsa roja. Return to saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes more stirring occasionally. Allow to cool completely, about 1 hour, and refrigerate.
- Place cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Add 4 cups boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well. Mix in vinegar, scallions, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Chill curtido until serving.
- Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until almost fully cooked and not yet crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer bacon and grease (if desired) to a food processor. Add tomatoes, quartered green bell pepper, Monterey Jack cheese, and minced garlic. Puree and season the chicharron with salt.
- Mix masa harina and 1/2 cup water together in a bowl by hand. Add the remaining water slowly, about 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition, until dough is moist but still firm. Cover with a wet towel.
- Heat 1/2 cup oil a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Take a golf ball-sized piece of dough and roll into a ball in your hands. Make a hole in the dough ball with your thumb; put a small amount of chicharron inside the hole, close it up, and flatten the ball with your hands into a thick tortilla shape. Place pupusa in the skillet and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining dough and chicharron.
- Serve each pupusa topped with 2 tablespoons of curtido and 1 tablespoon of salsa roja.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 233.7 calories, Carbohydrate 33.8 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Fat 7.7 g, Fiber 7.7 g, Protein 9.9 g, SaturatedFat 2.8 g, Sodium 676 mg, Sugar 5.9 g
BACON CHEDDAR PATTY CAKES
I always seem to have leftover mashed potatoes in my fridge. This is a great recipe to use them up.
Provided by Rae
Categories Side Dish Potato Side Dish Recipes
Time 30m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon slices, crumble, and set aside. Leave the bacon drippings in the skillet.
- Mix the mashed potatoes, eggs, onion powder, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl; stir in the crumbled bacon and Cheddar cheese.
- Form the mixture into 8 patties. Heat the bacon drippings over medium heat, and pan-fry the patties in the drippings until crisp on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 485.6 calories, Carbohydrate 36.5 g, Cholesterol 160 mg, Fat 30.2 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 16.6 g, SaturatedFat 14.2 g, Sodium 1342.1 mg, Sugar 3.5 g
PUPUSAS CON CURTIDO (MASA CAKES WITH SPICY SLAW)
Pupusas are considered to be a national dish of El Salvador. They can also be found in Guatemala and Honduras.
Provided by Member 610488
Categories Cheese
Time 25m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Combine vinegar, sugar, oregano, chiles, carrots, onions, and cabbage in a bowl. Season with salt; toss; let chill.
- Put masa harina and 1 3⁄4 cups water into a bowl; stir to form a dough.
- Pinch off a 1 1⁄2 oz piece of dough; roll it into a ball. Pat dough into a thin disk.
- Squeeze 1 1⁄4 oz cheese into a ball. Press cheese into center of dough; cupping dough, stretch edges of dough around cheese and seal.
- Pat dough to form a 3 1⁄2" wide disk. Repeat to make 12 pupusas in all.
- Heat a 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 3 batches, cook pupusas, turning, until golden, 10-12 minutes. Serve hot with slaw.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 689.6, Fat 38.8, SaturatedFat 23.3, Cholesterol 107.2, Sodium 665.6, Carbohydrate 51.4, Fiber 5.6, Sugar 5, Protein 35.7
SALVADORIAN WHITE CORN CAKES WITH PORK, BEANS, AND CHEESE: PUPUSAS
Steps:
- In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine corn flour, water, and butter. Mix until incorporated into dough. Let dough rest for 1/2 hour.
- In a medium saute pan melt lard. Add onion and pork and cook until translucent, set aside and cool.
- Portion the dough in small balls, approximately 1 ounce, and flatten with hands. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the pork stuffing on top of each flattened dough and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with another flattened disk of dough and seal edges by pinching them together.
- Cook in electric flat top or cast iron griddle for approximately 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with refried beans.
SALVADORAN STUFFED MASA CAKES
Provided by Rubén Martínez
Categories Bean Pork Quick & Easy Mozzarella Meat Hominy/Cornmeal/Masa Gourmet
Yield Makes 16 cakes
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Toss together cheese, beans, pork rind, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with your hands, then press mixture firmly into 16 (1 1/2-inch) balls (for filling).
- Combine tortilla flour, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and knead with your hands until a uniform dough forms, about 1 minute. (Dough should be moist but not sticky. If necessary, knead a little more tortilla flour or water into dough.)
- Flatten 1/4 cup dough between moistened palms into a 4-inch disk. Wrap disk around a ball of filling, enclosing it, and form into a smooth ball. Reflatten between your palms into a 4-inch disk (1/2 inch thick; filling should remain hidden). Put on a tray lined with plastic wrap and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Make 15 more pupusas.
- Heat a comal or large (2-burner) griddle over medium-low heat until hot, at least 2 minutes. Brush lightly with oil, then cook pupusas in batches, turning and pressing lightly with a metal spatula every 2 to 3 minutes, until crusty and browned in spots (some cheese may ooze out), 10 to 12 minutes total per batch. Serve immediately.
Tips:
- Use fresh masa harina. Fresh masa harina will produce pupusas that are light and fluffy. If you can't find fresh masa harina, you can use instant masa harina, but the pupusas will be denser.
- Season the masa dough well. The masa dough should be seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can also add other seasonings, such as cumin, chili powder, or oregano.
- Use a variety of fillings. Pupusas can be filled with a variety of ingredients, such as refried beans, cheese, pork, or vegetables. Get creative and experiment with different fillings to find your favorite combinations.
- Cook the pupusas over medium heat. Cooking the pupusas over medium heat will help them to cook evenly without burning.
- Serve the pupusas with your favorite toppings. Pupusas can be served with a variety of toppings, such as salsa, sour cream, avocado, or pickled cabbage.
Conclusion:
Pupusas are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They are easy to make and can be filled with a variety of ingredients, making them a great option for a quick and easy meal. Whether you are looking for a traditional Salvadorian dish or something new to try, pupusas are sure to please.
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