Basic Cheese Pupusas

A basic pupusa dough is stuffed with a mixture of cheese, cream, and scallions and topped with pickled cabbage in this Salvadorean recipe.

• Preparation Time: 40 mins
• Cooking Time: 12 mins
• Total Time: 52 mins
• Calories: 197 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• salt to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 carrot, grated
• cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, or more to taste
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 3 cups masa harina flour (Mexican corn masa mix)
• 1 scallion, finely chopped, or more to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 0.5 cup water, or more as needed
• 0.5 cup apple cider vinegar
• 0.5 onion, thinly sliced
• 0.25 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1.5 cups water, or more as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook uncovered until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain.

Step 2

Mix cabbage, apple cider vinegar, water, onion, carrot, oregano, red pepper flakes, and 1 pinch salt together in a large bowl. Refrigerate until flavors combine, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 3

Combine masa harina, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl; knead until a smooth, moist dough forms. Add water if dough cracks when you press down on it. Let dough rest, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, heavy cream, and scallion together in a bowl to make a paste.

Step 5

Divide dough into 8 balls. Press your thumb into the center of each ball to form an indentation. Fill indentations with ricotta cheese paste. Pinch edges together around the filling; flatten and smooth into round 1/4 inch-thick patties between your palms.

Step 6

Grease a skillet with cooking spray; preheat over medium heat. Cook pupusas in batches until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Step 7

Drain cabbage mixture and serve alongside pupusas.