![Bean and Cheese Pupusas](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.foodandwine.com/thmb/46bmHRdbl9-MmNYLvHvj_LKpX1o=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Bean-and-Cheese-Pupusas-FT-RECIPE0523-29be211a90054437b397d0fae65d75df.jpg)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
In El Salvador, pupusas — tender masa harina cakes encasing fillings like creamy refried beans and melted cheese — are one of the country’s most popular street foods. “Only in my adult life did I become more interested in learning to make pupusas,” says chef Evelyn Garcia, who grew up in a half Salvadoran and half Mexican household. “I think I was just so spoiled with my mother or grandmother always making them that I never took the time. Now, I make them so much I’ve even started a pop-up for them specifically.”
Garcia’s Houston pop-up workshop, Pupusa Lab, shows off the versatility of these snackable stuffed corn cakes. To make them, Garcia begins with masa harina, a fine flour made from dehydrated nixtamalized corn, and kneads it with water and salt to form a soft, malleable dough.
“I believe the most important tip for making pupusas is to pay attention to the consistency of the dough,” she says. “The dough should be slightly sticky. This ensures that the filling and dough flatten out at the same time and that the filling will be spread evenly throughout the pupusa.” A simple mixture of water and oil prevents the dough from sticking to your hands as you mold and pat the filled disks. The shaping process is forgiving: If the disk cracks, just patch it with a little extra dough.
A stint on a hot griddle or in a cast-iron skillet creates a delicately crisp crust surrounding tender, fluffy masa, gooey cheese, and endless filling options. “My mother would always play around with different fillings by adding things like minced poblanos or even mushrooms,” Garcia notes.
Finally, a plate of pupusas wouldn’t be complete without Salsa de Tomate, a simple pureed tomato sauce, and Curtido, a lightly fermented cabbage slaw. A colorful and versatile condiment, curtido is a staple on the Salvadoran table, Garcia says. “I’m a lover of all things sour, and it is the perfect side dish to cut through the richness of the cheesy pupusas.” To show off the versatility of these tasty bites, Garcia likes to swap the refried beans for chopped spinach (see Note).
Ingredients
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2 3/4 cups instant masa harina (such as Maseca) (about 11 3/4 ounces)
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1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
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2 3/4 cups boiling water, divided
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1 pound low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
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2/3 cup canned black or red refried beans
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1/2 cup cold water
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for skillet
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Curtido and Salsa de Tomate, for serving
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1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Directions
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Make the dough
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Stir together masa harina and salt in a large bowl. Slowly stir in 2 1/2 cups boiling water until water is fully absorbed and mixture is cool enough to handle. Knead masa with hands until a soft, pliable, and slightly sticky dough forms, about 4 minutes. If necessary, knead in up to an additional 1/4 cup boiling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency. Cover dough with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature.
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Mix the filling
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Meanwhile, mash together cheese and refried beans in a medium bowl using your hands until cheese is softened and mixture is somewhat blended. Roll cheese mixture into 12 balls (about 2 1/2 tablespoons each). Set aside.
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Set up your pupusa production
Preheat oven to 200°F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, and set aside. Stir together 1/2 cup cold water and oil in a medium bowl.
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Form a masa round
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Dip hands in oil mixture, and rub together to coat. (This will prevent masa from sticking to your hands and will keep the dough hydrated as you shape.) Scoop a golf ball–size portion of masa (about 21/2 ounces), and roll into a ball using your hands. Flatten dough ball to form an even round about 3 1/2 inches wide.
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Stuff with filling
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Place 1 cheese-and-bean ball in center of masa round. Bring sides of dough up around filling, spreading and pressing to completely and evenly encase filling ball in masa.
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Shape the pupusa
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Gently pat ball between your palms to flatten into an even disk (about 4 inches wide), rubbing hands in oil mixture as needed. Patch any cracks that occur with a little extra dough. Place pupusa on a baking sheet; cover with damp paper towels. Repeat process with remaining masa and filling to make a total of 12 pupusas.
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Cook the pupusas
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high, and rub surface with a lightly oiled paper towel. Working in batches, cook pupusas in the skillet until lightly charred in spots and centers puff slightly, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer cooked pupusas to prepared baking sheet, and place in preheated oven to keep warm while cooking remaining batches. Serve hot with curtido and salsa de tomate. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
To make ahead
Pupusas can be prepared through step 4 and frozen on baking sheet until hardened, about 1 hour. Transfer to a large ziplock plastic bag, and freeze up to 1 month. Proceed with step 5, cooking pupusas directly from frozen.
Note
For spinach and cheese pupusas, thaw 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, wrap in a kitchen towel, and squeeze firmly to remove as much moisture as possible. Knead together spinach, 3 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, 4 grated garlic cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt in a medium bowl until mixture is cohesive. Roll into 12 (2 1/2-tablespoon) balls. Proceed with recipe as directed, using spinach balls in place of cheese-and-bean balls.
Suggested pairing
Fresh, tingly rosé Txakoli: 2021 Ameztoi Rubentis