Black Bean Pupusa Recipe with Lime Curtido (2024)

FAQs

What country are pupusas and curtido from? ›

Pupusas are the beloved national dish of El Salvador, believed to originate with the Indigenous Pipil tribe over 2,000 years ago. During the 1980s civil war in El Salvador, many El Salvadorans fled the country, bringing pupusas all over the globe.

Hydrating the masa harina with boiling rather than room-temperature water allows it to more completely absorb the water, resulting in a better-hydrated dough that resists cracking and stays tender when cooked.

If the dough cracks on the outside edges when it is pressed, then add a little bit more water to achieve the right texture. You can fill your pupusas with cheese, shredded pork or refried beans.

If at this point you also notice some cracks along the edges of your pupusa, this just means the masa is dry and you need to add a little extra water to your masa. And if the masa is overly sticky when forming your pupusas, it may just need a little extra masa harina.

A pupusa is a thick griddle cake or flatbread from El Salvador and Honduras made with cornmeal or rice flour, similar to the Colombian and Venezuelan arepa. In El Salvador, it has been declared the national dish and has a specific day to celebrate it.

El Salvador's national dish, the humble pupusa, is not only super cheesy and delicious, it is also so revered it has its own special day!

Note: Pupusas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat, cooking for 3 minutes on each side.

If it's too dry, add a little more water. Mix in butter and chicken bouillon, if using. Scoop into balls: Scoop the dough into large, golf-ball-size portions. You can scoop all of the dough into balls before continuing, or make 1 pupusa at a time.

We Eat Pupusa with our Hands

Pre-hispanic belief taught that cutting tortillas with a knife was sinful because corn was a divine grain, but using your fingers was okay.

Arepas tend to be more savory, with a corn-forward flavor that is enhanced by the fillings. Pupusas, on the other hand, have a more complex flavor profile, with the tanginess of the curtido and the richness of the cheese and pork filling balancing out the corn flavor of the dough.

How thick should pupusas be? ›

The pupusa should be about ½ inch thick, by this step you should have your nonstick griddle or skillet oiled and heated on med-high. You want a nice hot surface, so the pupusa won't stick. Make sure your pupusa is oiled as well but not too much.

Another very short video here lasts about a minute and shows you how to make them start to finish. You can also completely assemble your pupusas one day ahead of time and wrap well in plastic wrap.

Pupusas are made from masa harina (cormeal flour) or rice flour that are mixed with water to make a corn masa mixture. They are usually stuffed with delicious things like refried beans, shredded pork or cheese.

Pupusas are traditionally served with a vinegary cabbage, carrot and onion salad called curtido. The salad is typically lightly fermented, kind of like sauerkraut, but it's still delicious if you don't have the time to let that happen.

This corn-centered dish is a staple food item throughout Central America, specifically El Salvador. Pupusas are thick corn tortillas that can be stuffed with various fillings, including various meats, refried beans, cheese, and even squash flowers.

Pupusas originated in El Salvador and western Honduras, and are extremely popular in Central and South America. They're similar to Mexican gorditas and Venezuelan arepas.

Pupusas originated from the native Pipil people in El Salvador and were first eaten by them almost 3,000 years ago! In today's lesson, you will learn how to make a cheese and loroco pupusa by collecting all the items to bring to the pupuseria, a special restaurant where they make pupusas.