Northern Virginia Salvadoran Pupusas
Thick corn masa cakes stuffed with cheese and beans, griddled to order and served with curtido, a staple of the region's Salvadoran community.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Equipment
- •Griddle or comal
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- fat
- 12
- carbs
- 44
- protein
- 10
- calories
- 320
Instructions
- 1
Mix the cabbage, carrot, vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Let this curtido (pickled slaw) sit for at least 1 hour.
- 2
Mix the masa harina, warm water, and salt into a soft, bendable dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- 3
Divide the dough into 8 equal balls.
- 4
Flatten each ball and place a spoonful of cheese and beans in the center. Fold the edges up around the filling to seal it.
- 5
Gently pat the filled ball into a flat, smooth disc about 1/2-inch thick.
- 6
Cook on a hot, lightly greased griddle for 4–5 minutes per side. Flip when browned spots appear and the cheese melts.
- 7
Serve hot. Top each one with curtido and tomato salsa.
Chef's tips
Wet your hands with water while shaping the dough so it does not stick or crack. Cook the pupusas over medium heat so the inside cooks through without burning the outside.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked pupusas up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat on a dry skillet over medium heat until warmed through and crisped.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding too much filling, which makes the dough split open.
- •Using heat that is too high, which browns the outside before the inside cooks through.
Serving suggestions
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