Salvadoran Black Bean & Cheese Pupusas

with Cabbage & Radish Curtido

30 MIN

2 Servings

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From the Test Kitchen

Pupusas, a hallmark of traditional Salvadoran cuisine, are thick, handmade corn tortillas stuffed with beans, cheeses and other savory ingredients. Popular in El Salvador for centuries, pupusas made their way to the U.S. in the 1980s, and here they’ve been enjoyed ever since. We’re making ours with queso Oaxaca, a deliciously stringy, semi-hard cheese, and beans seasoned with onion, cilantro and authentic spices. As per custom, we’re shaping and filling the tortillas ourselves—so get ready for some hands-on action!

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Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

665 Cals (est.)

fresh

ingredients

1 cup Instant Masa Harina
1½ cups Black Beans
8 oz Green Cabbage
2 oz Radishes
1 Lime
1 Red Onion
1 large bunch Cilantro
2 oz Queso Oaxaca
2 Tbsps Sugar
2 tsps Pupusa Spice Blend (Ancho Chile Powder, Chipotle Chile Powder, Ground Cumin & Garlic Powder)

time-saving

tips & techniques

step-by-step

instructions

Cook Along

1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Drain and rinse the beans; transfer to a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Remove and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the leaves. Cut the radishes into matchsticks. Quarter the lime. Peel and halve the onion; thinly slice one half and small dice the other. Pick the cilantro leaves off the stems; mince the stems and keep the leaves whole. Grate the Oaxaca cheese.

2 Cook the beans:

In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the diced onion, cilantro stems and spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the mashed beans and ¼ cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until thickened. Set aside to cool.

3 Make the radish curtido:

While the beans cook, in a large bowl, combine the cabbage, radishes, sugar, as much of the sliced onion as you’d like and the juice of all 4 lime wedges. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

4 Make the pupusas:

In a large bowl, combine the masa harina and ¾ cup of water; season with salt and pepper. (The dough should be slightly damp and easy to shape. If it seems too dry, add up to an additional ¼ cup of water.) Using wet hands, divide the mixture into 4 equal-sized balls; carefully flatten into rounds, each about 5 inches in diameter. Divide the cooked beans between the centers of 2 of the rounds; spread into an even layer, leaving a small border around the edge of each (you may have extra beans). Top with the Oaxaca cheese and remaining dough rounds. Using your hands, carefully press down to seal the edges of the pupusas around the filling.

5 Cook the pupusas:

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a thin layer of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Carefully add the pupusas. Cook, gently pressing down to ensure even browning, 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a clean, dry work surface.

6 Plate your dish:

Carefully slice the pupusas in half. Divide the sliced pupusas and radish curtido between 2 dishes. Garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serve with any remaining cooked beans on the side. Enjoy!