Pupusas with Salsa Roja and Curtido
Pupusas with Salsa Roja and Curtido
Ingredients
For the Salsa Roja
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ciruela pepper
- salt, to taste
- fresh black pepper, to taste
- dried oregano, to taste
For the Curtido
- 750 g cabbage, finely shredded or julienned
- 1-1.6% salt, of cabbage weight, for salting
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 1 small red onion, julienned
- 1 chile serrano, finely sliced, with seeds
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 3 cloves
- dried oregano, to taste
- salt, to taste
- fresh black pepper, to taste
For the Masa
- Maseca, as per package instructions
- water, as needed
For the Filling
- 500 g Queso Oaxaca, shredded
- 100 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
For Assembly and Cooking
- 250 ml oil, for cooking
Instructions
- 1
Begin preparing the Salsa Roja: Blanch the 4 Roma tomatoes in boiling water until their skins start to peel, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully remove the blanched tomatoes from the water and peel off their skins.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add the peeled tomatoes, 1 chopped small onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 ciruela pepper to a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and consistent.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Pour the blended sauce into a pot and heat over low heat. Season with salt to taste, fresh black pepper, and dried oregano. Let the sauce boil gently over low heat to reduce it a little bit, stirring occasionally. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min
- 4
Prepare the Curtido: Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1-1.6% of its weight in salt (e.g., 7.5-12g for 750g cabbage). Massage the salt into the cabbage by hand and let it sit for a few minutes to draw out moisture.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
While the cabbage rests, julienne the 2 carrots and 1 small red onion. Finely slice the 1 chile serrano, keeping the seeds for spice. Squeeze out the excess water from the cabbage using a clean cloth or by hand.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Combine the squeezed cabbage, julienned carrots, julienned red onion, and sliced chile serrano in a large bowl. In a separate container, mix 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 cups water. Pour the vinegar-water mixture over the vegetables.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Add 3 cloves, dried oregano, salt to taste, and fresh black pepper to the curtido mixture. Mix everything thoroughly. Allow the curtido to marinate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the pupusas, or longer for more flavor.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Prepare the Masa: Follow the instructions on your Maseca package to mix the masa flour with water. Knead the mixture until the dough is smooth, with a consistency similar to play-doh, but slightly on the wetter side. This may take 5-10 minutes of kneading.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Prepare the Filling: Shred the 500g Queso Oaxaca and 100g mozzarella cheese. Mix the cheeses together in a bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Assemble the Pupusas: Take a portion of the masa dough (about the size of a golf ball) and form it into a ball. Press the masa ball in the palm of your hand to form a small, shallow tortilla or disc, creating a small well in the center.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Add a generous amount of the mixed cheese filling into the center of the masa disc. Carefully fold the edges of the masa over the cheese to enclose it, pinching the dough to seal it completely. Remove any excess masa from the sealed ball and gently flatten the filled masa ball into a disc shape with your hands, about 1/2 inch thick.
⏱️ 15 min
- 12
Cook the Pupusas: Preheat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Spread a bit of the 250ml of oil on the preheated pan. Place the flattened pupusa onto the oiled cast iron pan.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Cook the pupusa for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. The cheese should be melted and gooey. Repeat with the remaining masa and filling, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
⏱️ 30 min
- 14
Remove the cooked pupusas from the pan. Serve the pupusas hot with the prepared curtido and salsa roja.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Pupusas with Salsa Roja and Curtido
For the Salsa Roja
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ciruela pepper
- salt, to taste
- fresh black pepper, to taste
- dried oregano, to taste
For the Curtido
- 750 g cabbage, finely shredded or julienned
- 1-1.6% salt, of cabbage weight, for salting
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 1 small red onion, julienned
- 1 chile serrano, finely sliced, with seeds
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 3 cloves
- dried oregano, to taste
- salt, to taste
- fresh black pepper, to taste
For the Masa
- Maseca, as per package instructions
- water, as needed
For the Filling
- 500 g Queso Oaxaca, shredded
- 100 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
For Assembly and Cooking
- 250 ml oil, for cooking
Instructions
- 1
Begin preparing the Salsa Roja: Blanch the 4 Roma tomatoes in boiling water until their skins start to peel, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully remove the blanched tomatoes from the water and peel off their skins.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the peeled tomatoes, 1 chopped small onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 ciruela pepper to a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and consistent.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Pour the blended sauce into a pot and heat over low heat. Season with salt to taste, fresh black pepper, and dried oregano. Let the sauce boil gently over low heat to reduce it a little bit, stirring occasionally. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 min - 4
Prepare the Curtido: Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1-1.6% of its weight in salt (e.g., 7.5-12g for 750g cabbage). Massage the salt into the cabbage by hand and let it sit for a few minutes to draw out moisture.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
While the cabbage rests, julienne the 2 carrots and 1 small red onion. Finely slice the 1 chile serrano, keeping the seeds for spice. Squeeze out the excess water from the cabbage using a clean cloth or by hand.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Combine the squeezed cabbage, julienned carrots, julienned red onion, and sliced chile serrano in a large bowl. In a separate container, mix 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 cups water. Pour the vinegar-water mixture over the vegetables.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Add 3 cloves, dried oregano, salt to taste, and fresh black pepper to the curtido mixture. Mix everything thoroughly. Allow the curtido to marinate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the pupusas, or longer for more flavor.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Prepare the Masa: Follow the instructions on your Maseca package to mix the masa flour with water. Knead the mixture until the dough is smooth, with a consistency similar to play-doh, but slightly on the wetter side. This may take 5-10 minutes of kneading.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Prepare the Filling: Shred the 500g Queso Oaxaca and 100g mozzarella cheese. Mix the cheeses together in a bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Assemble the Pupusas: Take a portion of the masa dough (about the size of a golf ball) and form it into a ball. Press the masa ball in the palm of your hand to form a small, shallow tortilla or disc, creating a small well in the center.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Add a generous amount of the mixed cheese filling into the center of the masa disc. Carefully fold the edges of the masa over the cheese to enclose it, pinching the dough to seal it completely. Remove any excess masa from the sealed ball and gently flatten the filled masa ball into a disc shape with your hands, about 1/2 inch thick.
⏱️ 15 min - 12
Cook the Pupusas: Preheat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Spread a bit of the 250ml of oil on the preheated pan. Place the flattened pupusa onto the oiled cast iron pan.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Cook the pupusa for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. The cheese should be melted and gooey. Repeat with the remaining masa and filling, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
⏱️ 30 min - 14
Remove the cooked pupusas from the pan. Serve the pupusas hot with the prepared curtido and salsa roja.
⏱️ 5 min