Pupusas are one of my favorite Salvadoran dishes. I wish I had learned to make them sooner, but I only realized how much work they take after I moved away from my family. Over time, I’ve tried different recipes to recreate the flavors I remember, using whatever ingredients I can find nearby. I also watched a lot of YouTube videos to learn how to shape pupusas by hand, which took a lot of practice. If you’re new to this, a tortilla press can help. Revuelta pupusas are my favorite, and once you get the hang of it, they’re worth the effort. I like my pupusas with lots of filling, so I usually use more filling than masa. Feel free to add extra filling if you want. This recipe is an even ratio of masa to filling.
Quesillo cheese may be difficult to find outside of areas with a large Central American population, mozzarella is a great alternative. Scroll down to see other filling options and recipes.
Ingredients:
3 cups masa harina
3 1/2 cups lukewarm water (or as needed)
1/2 cup oil of your choosing (avocado oil works best)
2 cups quesillo or mozzarella cheese (you may need more, see note above)
1/4 cup whole milk (optional)
Instructions:
Step 1: Combine the quesillo or mozzarella with the milk in a bowl, working it together with your hands until well blended. Leave it out to reach room temperature while you prepare everything else.
Step 2: In a large bowl, slowly pour in about 1 cup of water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Add more water a little at a time, mixing with your hands until the dough feels like Play-Doh. For pupusas, I like my masa a bit wetter than usual. It should still feel like Play-Doh, but with extra moisture so the pupusas stay soft and flexible when you eat them. The dough should feel cool and evenly moist. Cover it with a towel and set it aside. Keep a small cup of water nearby in case the masa dries out as you work.
Step 3: Keep a small bowl of water handy to moisten your hands as you work. Take a chunk of masa a bit bigger than a golf ball and roll it into a smooth ball. Press it flat using your fingertips, turning it as you go to create an even, round shape.
Step 4: When your masa is about 5 inches across, curve your hand to make a shallow well in the center. Spoon a golf ball-sized amount of the cheese mixture into the well, and add more cheese if you like. Bring the edges up and over the filling, pinching them together at the top. Remove any extra masa and gently press the ball back into a disk, working it until it's about 6 to 7 inches wide. If you see any cracks, dampen your hands and smooth them out.
Step 5: Dip your fingers into your reserved oil and gently coat the outside of the pupusa. This creates a nice crispy exterior when it cooks.
Step 6: Heat your comal or griddle to medium-high. Place the pupusa on the hot surface and cook until it puffs up and develops a golden-brown crust, roughly 5 minutes per side. Move it to a plate and keep it covered with a towel to stay warm.
Step 7: Continue forming and cooking pupusas until you've used up all your masa and filling.
Serve hot with curtido and salsa roja or vacuum seal for freezing
Freezer Tip:
I vacuum-seal pupusas with parchment paper between each one to make them easier to separate later, just like I do with my tortillas. They keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Cheese and Bean Filling
If you want to try something different from plain cheese pupusas, this cheese and bean combo is a classic. The key is to refry the beans to remove extra moisture so your pupusas don’t get soggy, and let everything cool completely before mixing in the cheese. This mixture can be frozen for future use!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pureed bean mixture (frijoles licuados)
1 1/2 cups quesillo or mozzarella cheese
Oil for frying
Note: If you like your pupusas stuffed with more filling than masa like I do, up it to 3 cups of each
Instructions:
Step 1: Add the pureed beans to an oiled skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly as the beans cook, letting the extra moisture evaporate. You want them a little dried out but not completely dry.
Step 2: Remove from heat and let the beans cool completely. They need to be cool to the touch before you move on.
Step 3: Once the beans are fully cooled, mix in the quesillo or mozzarella cheese and blend everything together with your hands. It’s important to wait until the beans are cool so the cheese doesn’t melt during mixing. The cheese should only melt when you’re cooking the pupusa.
Step 4: Use this filling the same way you would the plain cheese filling in Steps 3-7 in the original recipe. Or add this filling to your souper cubes for freezing.
Revuelta Filling
Revueltas are the ultimate pupusa, combining beans, cheese, and pork (Chicharrón). The trick is to keep the fillings separate until you’re forming the pupusa. You’ll layer them instead of mixing, which gives you those distinct flavors in every bite. This mixture can be frozen for future use!
Ingredients:
For the bean and cheese portion:
1 cup pureed bean mixture (frijoles licuados), refried
1 cup quesillo or mozzarella cheese
For the pork:
1 pound boneless pork shoulder or pork of your choice, diced
1 tablespoon pork fat or beef tallow (optional)
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium Roma tomato
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt to taste
Ground pepper to taste
Instructions:
Step 1: In a bowl, combine the diced pork with the cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until the pork is well seasoned.
Step 2: Heat a Dutch oven or similar pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the pork fat or beef tallow (if using) and let it heat up.
Step 3: Add the seasoned pork and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cooking time will vary depending on your stove. I use gas, so mine cooks a bit faster. You want all the pieces browned and any moisture evaporated.
Step 4: Transfer the cooked pork to a plate and let it cool completely.
Step 5: Once cooled, add the pork, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, and onion to a food processor. Pulse until everything is broken down into small pieces and well combined. If the mixture looks too dry, add a splash of water. Let this cool completely.
Step 6: Prepare the bean and cheese filling following the instructions in the Cheese and Bean Filling recipe above, using 1 cup of beans and 1 cup of cheese.
Step 7: To assemble your revuelta pupusas, don't mix the two fillings together. Instead, take about half a golf ball-sized portion of the bean and cheese mixture and half a golf ball-sized portion of the pork mixture. Add more mixture if desired. Layer them on top of each other in your flattened masa, then form the pupusa following Steps 3-7 in the main recipe above. Or add this filling to your souper cubes for freezing.
