Pupusas – Skinnytaste

Pupusas are stuffed tortillas made with corn masa, cheese and beans served with curtido. They’re easy to customize with any filling you wish.

Pupusas

I love pupusas and love to keep a stash in my freezer to whip up for lunch anytime. If you like homemade tortillas, you’ll love these cheesy, stuffed corn pupusas. The filled dough is flattened into a circle, then cooked on a griddle. The result is a warm, satisfying dish that is a staple of Salvadoran cuisine. The cold, tangy, spicy curtido is made with shredded cabbage, carrots, pickled jalapeño, and vinegar, which contrasts beautifully with the rich, warm flavors of the black bean pupusas. They’re naturally gluten-free and can be made with dairy-free cheese to keep them vegan.

Pupusa Ingredients

• Pupusa Dough: Corn flour (masa), salt, warm water, vegetable or canola oil
• Black Bean Pupusa Filling: Minced poblano peppers, onion, and garlic, black beans, salt, shredded part-skim mozzarella. Note: Don’t drain the black beans – you want the liquid.
• Curtido Ingredients: Shredded green cabbage, shredded carrots, jarred pickled jalapeño and the brine, white vinegar, olive oil, dried oregano, salt
• Avocado for topping the pupusas

How to Make Curtido

1. Ferment the Cabbage: Rinse the cabbage in a mesh strainer and slowly pour boiling water over the cabbage. Rinse it with cold water, drain well, and dry.
2. Add the Other Ingredients: Put the cabbages in a large bowl with the carrots, jalapeños, two tablespoons of jalapeño brine, vinegar, oregano, and salt. Toss well and refrigerate until ready to eat.

How to Make Pupusas

1. Make the Pupusa Dough: Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and oil and mix with a spatula until the dough forms. Cover with a damp towel while you make the filling.
2. Cook the Black Bean Filling: Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, and pour in the oil once hot. Add the poblano, onion, cilantro, and garlic, and cook until soft. Add the beans and salt, and cook for a few minutes until the liquid evaporates and the beans thicken. Transfer to a medium bowl, let cool for five minutes, and then add the cheese.
3. Form the Pupusas: Knead the dough in a bowl with a spatula for 20 seconds. Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and form into a slightly flattened dough ball. If the dough seems dry and cracks, add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time. Cut the dough into eight equal pieces and cover with a damp towel.
4. Flatten the Pupusas: Fill a small bowl with ¾ cup of water and ½ teaspoon of oil – wetting your hands will help prevent the dough from sticking to them. With slightly damp hands, roll each piece into a ball and flatten it into a ¼-inch disk, using your fingers pressed onto your palm.
5. Fill the Pupusas: Scoop three tablespoons of the black beans into the middle of the disc. Bring all the edges to the center to cover the filling completely. Dampen your hands again and flatten them to form a 5 to 5 ½-inch disc. Be careful not to squish out the filling. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
6. Cook the Pupusas: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and spray with oil. Cook for seven to 10 minutes, turning halfway. They’re ready when they are browned and crisp on the outside.
7. Serve: Top each black bean pupusa with avocado and curtido.

Variations

• Filling: You can make pupusas with any filling. Swap the black beans for refried beans, leftover slow cooker shredded chicken, barbacoa, carnitas, chorizo, zucchini, or all cheese.
• Poblanos: Substitute bell pepper or jalapeño for poblano.
• Don’t like cilantro? Omit it.
• Black Beans: Use pinto, refried, or pink beans.
• Cheese: Swap mozzarella for cheddar, Monterrey jack, or dairy-free cheese for vegan pupusas.
• Vinegar: Sub apple cider vinegar.
• Time Saver: Buy a bag of coleslaw mix if you don’t have time to shred the cabbage and carrots.

What are pupusas served with?

Pupusas are traditionally served with curtido, lightly fermented cabbage slaw with chili peppers and carrots, and a mild, tomato-based salsa. I also like to top mine with avocado.

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