Pupusas Revueltas (Cheese & Bean)

El Salvador’s national dish — thick corn masa cakes stuffed with cheese or cheese and refried beans, served with salsa roja.

Ingredients

Masa

• 1¼ cups (~155 g) masa harina (Bob’s Red Mill Masa Harina 680g — Lazada)
• ~1 cup warm water
• ¼ tsp salt

Filling (choose one)

Pupusas de queso (cheese only) — makes 5:

• 125 g mozzarella, diced (that’s ~25 g or ~2 tbsp per pupusa)

Pupusas revueltas (cheese + beans) — makes 5:

• 65 g mozzarella, diced (that’s ~13 g or ~1 tbsp per pupusa)
• ⅓ batch refried beans (see refried_beans.md) — that’s ~1 tbsp per pupusa

Salsa roja

• 3 Roma tomatoes (or ½ can crushed tomatoes)
• ⅓ small onion, quartered
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 small jalapeño or serrano pepper (optional)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ½ tbsp vegetable oil

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Instructions

1. Make the salsa roja

If using fresh tomatoes

1. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Char the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and pepper, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots — about 8–10 minutes for the tomatoes, 5–6 minutes for the onion and garlic.
3. Peel the garlic. Remove stems from the pepper.
4. Blend everything together with salt and cumin until smooth.

If using canned tomatoes

1. Blend crushed tomatoes, raw onion, garlic, pepper, salt, and cumin until smooth.

Finish the salsa

1. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Pour in the blended salsa — it will sputter, be careful.
3. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until thickened and deepened in color.
4. Taste and adjust salt. Set aside.

2. Make the masa

1. Combine masa harina and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add warm water gradually, mixing with your hands.
3. Knead for 3–5 minutes until you get a smooth, pliable dough — like Play-Doh consistency. It should not crack when you press it.
4. If it’s too dry and cracking, add water 1 tbsp at a time. If it’s too sticky, add masa harina 1 tbsp at a time.
5. Cover with a damp towel and let rest 10 minutes.

3. Prepare the filling

• Cheese only: grate all 125 g mozzarella. Use ~2 tbsp per pupusa.
• Cheese + beans: grate 65 g mozzarella. Make a third of a batch of refried beans (see refried_beans.md). For each pupusa, place ~1 tbsp beans + ~1 tbsp cheese in the center.

4. Form the pupusas

1. Divide the dough into 5 equal balls (~50 g each). Keep covered with a damp towel.
2. Take one ball. Cup it in your hands and press your thumb into the center to create a deep bowl.
3. Place 2 tbsp filling inside the bowl.
4. Pinch the edges together to seal the filling inside — like closing a dumpling.
5. Gently pat and press the ball between your palms, flattening it into a disc about ½ cm thick and 10–12 cm wide. Work carefully — if it tears, patch it with a bit of dough.
6. If this is your first time, expect a few to come out ugly. They’ll still taste great.

5. Cook

1. Heat a dry cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. No oil.
2. Place pupusas on the hot surface. Cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown spots appear and the edges look dry.
3. Press gently with a spatula — you should hear a slight hiss.
4. The cheese should be melted inside. If the outside is browning too fast, lower the heat.

6. Serve

1. Serve immediately — 3 for the hungry one, 2 for the other.
2. Spoon salsa roja over the top, or serve on the side for dipping.

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Tips

• The dough is the key. It should feel soft and pliable, not crumbly. If it cracks when you form it, add more water. This is the #1 beginner mistake.
• Don’t overstuff. 2 tbsp of filling is enough. More = blowouts.
• Flatten gently. Pressing too hard or too fast tears the dough. Patience.
• No oil in the pan. Pupusas cook on a dry surface — the slight char is what you want.
• Masa harina source: Bob’s Red Mill Masa Harina 680g — Lazada (363 THB) — do NOT substitute with corn flour, polenta flour, or P.A.N. (arepa flour). None of those are nixtamalized and the dough won’t work.

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Variations

Variation	Filling per pupusa	Total for 5
Pupusas de queso	~2 tbsp diced mozzarella	125 g mozzarella
Pupusas revueltas	~1 tbsp refried beans + ~1 tbsp diced mozzarella	65 g mozzarella + ⅓ batch refried beans

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Result

Thick, golden-brown corn cakes with a slightly crisp exterior and soft, steamed masa interior. Bite in and molten cheese (and beans) spills out. The smoky salsa roja cuts through the richness. This is Salvadoran comfort food at its best — humble, filling, and deeply satisfying.