Salvadoran FoodSalvadoran rice and mora pupusas with quesillo, beet curtido, and fire-roasted tomato sauce
An original recipe inspired by traditional flavors from El Salvador: pupusas made with rice dough and finely chopped mora leaves, filled with melty quesillo, served with a crunchy beet curtido and a fire-roasted tomato sauce with garlic and oregano.
Ingredients
- 240 g rice flour (for the dough)
- 420 ml warm water (approx., for formar the dough)
- 6 g salt (divided entre dough, curtido and sauce)
- 40 g mora leaves (finely chopped)
- 200 g Salvadoran quesillo cheese (desmenuzado or chopped fino)
- 30 ml vegetable oil (for cocinar and untar the manos)
- 150 g beet (pelada and grated fina)
- 180 g green cabbage (finely grated)
- 70 g carrot (grated)
- 60 g red onion (en pluma fina)
- 60 ml white vinegar (for the curtido)
- 8 g sugar (for balancear the curtido)
- 2 g dried oregano (divided entre curtido and sauce)
- 500 g ripe tomato (for the sauce)
- 12 g garlic (without pelar for roasting)
- 30 g green chile (without semillas for sauce suave)
- 80 g white onion (en trozos for roasting)
- 120 ml water (for licuar the sauce)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Make the curtido: in a large bowl combine the beet, cabbage, carrot, and red onion. Add the white vinegar, 2 g (1/3 tsp) salt, sugar, and 1 g (1/2 tsp) dried oregano. Mix well, lightly massage with your hands, and let it rest for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest.
- 2
2. Make the sauce: place the tomatoes, garlic, green chile, and white onion on a griddle, cast-iron skillet, or baking tray. Roast over medium heat, turning until charred in spots, or bake at 425°F / 220°C for 18 to 22 minutes. Peel the roasted garlic.
- 3
3. Blend the roasted tomatoes, garlic, green chile, white onion, 120 ml (1/2 cup) water, 2 g (1/3 tsp) salt, and 1 g (1/2 tsp) dried oregano until smooth.
- 4
4. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Keep warm.
- 5
5. For the dough, mix the rice flour with 2 g (1/3 tsp) salt in a bowl. Add the chopped mora leaves, then gradually pour in the warm water, mixing until a soft dough forms that is moist but not sticky. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- 6
6. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Lightly oil your hands with some of the vegetable oil. Take one portion, shape it into a ball, then make an indentation in the center. Fill with about 25 g (around 1 oz) of quesillo and carefully seal.
- 7
7. Gently flatten each pupusa into a disk about 10 cm (4 inches) wide and medium thickness. If the dough cracks, lightly moisten the edges with a few drops of water and smooth again.
- 8
8. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and lightly grease it with some of the vegetable oil. Cook the pupusas for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through, golden in spots, and the cheese is melted inside. Repeat with the remaining pupusas, using the rest of the oil as needed.
- 9
9. Serve the pupusas hot with plenty of beet curtido and the fire-roasted tomato sauce on the side.
- 10
10. If you want to keep them warm while finishing the batch, place them on a tray in a 200°F / 95°C oven for up to 15 minutes.
Chef tips
Chop the mora leaves very finely so they blend evenly into the dough. If the quesillo releases a lot of moisture, drain it slightly before filling so the pupusas do not split open.
Substitutions
You can substitute the mora leaves with tender spinach in the same amount. Quesillo can be replaced with low-moisture mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese. If you do not have white vinegar, use apple cider vinegar in the same amount.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ratings & reviews
Sign in to rate this recipe
Sign inRelated recipes
Salvadoran sweet plantain and red bean cakes with queso duro blando and roasted tomato chirmol
55 min
Salvadoran corn and squash fritters with fresh curd center, fire-roasted tomato sauce, and crisp radish salad
55 min
Salvadoran corn and mora herb fritters with seared fresh curd, tomatillo sauce, and sesame
55 min
Salvadoran rice and chipilín cakes with fresh cheese, carrot slaw, and creamy roasted tomato sauce
50 min
Salvadoran purple corn bites with black beans, fresh cheese, and warm cashew apple sauce
55 min
Salvadoran Yuca and Quesillo Cakes with Fresh Cucumber and Mint Salad
55 min