Salvadoran FoodSalvadoran rice and squash cakes with cheese, roasted tomato sauce, and pickled red onion
Golden, crisp-edged cakes with a tender center, made with cooked rice, grated squash, fresh cheese, and herbs. They are served with a roasted tomato sauce and a quick pickled red onion topping for brightness and balance. This is an original recipe inspired by home-style Salvadoran flavors.
Ingredients
- 300 g cooked white rice (cold or at room temperature)
- 220 g grated squash (puede ser calabaza tierna or ayote sazón grated and escurrido)
- 120 g crumbled Salvadoran fresh cheese
- 2 units eggs
- 40 g rice flour (for dar estructura)
- 30 g chopped scallions
- 10 g chopped cilantro
- 6 g minced garlic
- 6 g salt (divided)
- 1 g black pepper
- 1 g ground cumin
- 45 ml vegetable oil (divided, for frying and the sauce)
- 400 g ripe tomatoes (cut a the mitad)
- 100 g white onion (en trozos for roasting)
- 60 g green pepper (en trozos)
- 1 g dried oregano
- 120 ml water (for ajustar the sauce)
- 120 g red onion (en pluma fina)
- 60 ml white vinegar
- 8 g sugar
- 60 g thinly sliced radish
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. Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Place the tomatoes, white onion, and green pepper on a tray; add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, half of the minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the dried oregano. Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and lightly charred at the edges.
- 2
2. Meanwhile, make the pickle. Combine the red onion, radish, white vinegar, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let it rest for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- 3
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooked white rice, drained grated squash, crumbled fresh cheese, eggs, rice flour, scallions, cilantro, the remaining minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and ground cumin. Mix well until you have a moist mixture that can be compacted by hand.
- 4
4. Shape the mixture into 8 medium cakes, pressing each one firmly so it holds together during cooking.
- 5
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the cakes in batches for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown and set. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- 6
6. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven. Blend them with the water until you get a thick but pourable sauce. Taste and adjust with the remaining salt if needed.
- 7
7. If you want to serve everything hot, pour the sauce into a small saucepan and warm it over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, without bringing it to a hard boil.
- 8
8. Serve 2 cakes per plate, spoon the roasted tomato sauce over them, and finish with the pickled red onion and radish on top or on the side.
Chef tips
Drain the grated squash well so the mixture does not become too wet. If the mixture feels loose, add 1 extra tablespoon of rice flour. For a crispier crust, let the shaped cakes rest for 10 minutes before pan-frying.
Substitutions
You can use a mild semi-firm fresh cheese instead of Salvadoran fresh cheese. The squash can be replaced with well-drained zucchini. If you do not have scallions, use the same amount of very finely chopped white onion.
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 imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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