Pupusas

Method

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

1. Make the curtido first: pour boiling water over the cabbage, carrot and onion, drain immediately, then mix with the vinegar, water, sugar, oregano, chilli and salt. Refrigerate at least 3 hours, ideally overnight.

   Mark done

2. Simmer the salsa ingredients in 200 ml water for 12 minutes, blend smooth, and keep warm.

   Mark done Start 12 min timer

3. Mix the masa harina, salt and warm water with your hands for 3 minutes into a soft, smooth dough that does not crack when flattened.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

4. Rest 15 minutes, then check the texture again and add water if needed.

   Mark done

5. Set a bowl of water with a splash of oil beside you and wet your hands.

   Mark done

6. Take a golf-ball of dough, flatten it into a disc in your palm, and hollow the centre into a cup.

   Mark done

7. Fill with a tablespoon of cheese and beans, then gather the edges up over the filling and pinch closed, sealing completely.

   Mark done

8. Roll it back into a ball and pat it gently between wet palms into a disc 1 cm thick and 12 cm across, turning as you go.

   Mark done

9. Cook on a dry, hot griddle for 4 minutes a side until blistered brown in patches and the cheese is molten within.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

10. Serve immediately with curtido piled on top and salsa roja poured over.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Wet hands, constantly. Dry hands and masa dough are incompatible.
• Seal completely before flattening. A leak is unrecoverable once it hits the griddle.
• Curtido needs at least three hours and is better after a day, so make it first.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Curtido and salsa roja, both essential
• Horchata or a cold beer
• Fried plantain

Storage & Reheating

Cooked pupusas keep 3 days refrigerated and freeze 2 months. Reheat on a dry griddle for 3 minutes a side.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.