~498 cal · 38g protein · 52g carbs · 16g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Griddled masa cakes with cabbage slaw and red salsa
🇸🇻 San Salvador
Pupusas are so central to El Salvador that the country has a national Day of the Pupusa. Griddled to order at pupuserías everywhere, they’re eaten by hand — torn open, curtido and salsa piled on top of the molten filling.
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Make it yours
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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2.5 cups masa harina
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1.5 cups quesillo or mozzarella, grated
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1 cup refried beans
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4 cups green cabbage, shredded (curtido)
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1 + 1/2 cup + 1 tsp carrot, grated + white vinegar + oregano (curtido)
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3 tomatoes
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1/2 onion (for the salsa roja)
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for the griddle neutral oil
Instructions
1
Make curtido first: pack the cabbage, carrot, oregano, and a pinch of salt into a jar with the vinegar and a splash of water. It’s best after a few hours.
2
Mix masa harina with warm water and salt into a soft, non-sticky dough.
3
Flatten a ball in your palm, cup it, fill with cheese and beans, then pinch closed and pat gently back into a disc — the filling must stay sealed inside.
4
Griddle dry (or lightly oiled) over medium 4–5 minutes per side until freckled and the cheese threatens to escape.
5
Blend and briefly cook the tomatoes and onion into a thin salsa roja. Serve pupusas hot, topped with curtido and salsa.
Salvadoran pupusería tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
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San Salvador. Pupuserías on every corner, curtido on every table.
🗺️
El Salvador. The smallest country with the loudest griddles.
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North America. A collision of Indigenous, colonial, and immigrant tables.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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