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cheese pupusas
Pupusas are thick corn tortilla cakes stuffed with savory ingredients such as beans, meat, or—in this recipe—cheese.
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Gather Cooking Equipment
- Dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Medium bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Plastic wrap
- Scissors
- Large zipper-lock plastic wrap
- Large plate
- Dish towel
- Ruler
- Clear pie plate or 8-inch square glass baking dish
- 12-inch nonstick skillet
- Spatula
- Serving platter
Prepare Ingredients
STIR: In bowl, stir together masa harina and salt. Add warm water and oil. Stir well until no dry masa remains and soft dough forms, about 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
CUT: While dough rests, use scissors to cut side seams of large zipper-lock plastic bag, leaving bottom seam intact. Open bag and spray inside of bag lightly with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.
PORTION: When dough is ready, roll dough into 8 equal balls (about ⅓ cup each). Place on large plate and cover with damp dish towel.
2up pupusa dough hydration
Too dry
Just right
FILL: Pat 1 dough ball into 4-inch circle. Squeeze ¼ cup Monterey Jack into ball. Place cheese ball in center of dough circle, pull sides over, and pinch at top. Roll into smooth ball. Repeat with remaining dough.
Food for Thought
Cabbage Slaw
Pupusas are traditionally served with curtido, a fresh and crunchy cabbage slaw.
To make it: In medium bowl, combine 3 cups shredded green coleslaw mix, ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Use rubber spatula to stir mixture together. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
What's a Pupusa?
Pupusas are thick corn tortilla cakes stuffed with savory ingredients such as cheese, beans, or pork. They are especially popular in El Salvador, where they are fried in oil and sold on the street as snacks. They are made with masa harina—a finely ground and treated corn product—which you can find in the international aisle or near the flour in your grocery store. A clear pie plate or baking dish makes it easy to see the size of your pupusa as you press the dough flat.
