Bean and Cheese Pupusas with Flor de Calabaza

This recipe was part of a sponsored collaboration with Vive Mejor and DiMe Media. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Pupusas and I have a yummy history together. They are one of the few dishes that vividly remind me of home. It’s also a topic that always sparks up conversation, be it because of their origin or the way they are eaten.

I won’t start that debate of “where were pupusas invented?”, because I have no problem admitting they are originally from El Salvador. I even learned how to make pupusas for the first time in El Salvador and they tasted really well. However, I’m also allowed to say that my favorite pupusas are back in Honduras. Pupusas are also eaten with a fork and knife in Honduras, as opposed to just using your hands like they do in El Salvador, but hey, I said I wasn’t going to ignite any debates… at least not in this post.

Today I’m more focused on talking about one of my favorite pupusa recipes so far Bean and Cheese Pupusas with Curtido. They are rich, creamy yet tangy, soft and crunchy and so, SO TASTY!

How can a “pocket” of masa harina make me so excited? Well, first you have the easiness of cooking pupusas: you just make corn “masa” (which translates to “dough”), add your fillings, close, and voilá! Pupusas usually come with side components (fillings, curtido and salsa), but you can make these the day before.

You may have pupusas that feature chicharrón con queso, loroco (a well-known edible flower of Central America) and cheese, chicken, or even shrimp! The filling possibilities are ENDLESS, which is why I decided to add a colorful touch with flor de calabaza or squash blossoms! These added earthiness and softness to each bite.

Another reason why I loved finding Vive Mejor’s recipe for pupusas, was their curtido, which had a unique twist to it. Curtido, an essential pupusa topping, is usually made out of coleslaw, along with some veggies and a vinegar.

Some curtidos I’ve tried in the past have downgraded the dish they accompanied because they ended up being too strong or too acidic, but luckily this version has found a perfect balance of flavors. I’d never thought of adding mayo to curtido, but Best Food’s Mayonnaise combines really well with the fresh veggies adds a light and tangy side to these pupusas.

Finally, I also appreciated how the recipe could be whipped up faster than others thanks to Knorr’s Chicken Bouillon. For as long as I can remember, Knorr’s bouillon has been used in my family to add a punch of flavor with little effort. It really does make a regular dish into something memorable, which is probably the reason why the recipe included chicken bouillon not only for the beans but also inside the salsa and the water used to mix with the harina masa and shape the pupusas. A little goes a long way, so you need less than two teaspoons!

See below to see how I cooked the squash blossoms, my addition to Vive Mejor’s pupusas recipe. Hope you enjoy these pockets of joy and let me know what is your favorite pupusa filling!

Bean and Cheese Pupusas with Flor de Calabaza

Pupusas are one of the few dishes that vividly remind me of home. Try this authentic recipe with a personal touch!

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Centroamerican, Honduran, Salvadoran

Servings 20 pupusas

Calories 242 kcal

Ingredients

  

• ⅓ cup of Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise
• ⅓ cup and 1 tsp of cider vinegar, divided
• ¼ tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of light brown sugar
• ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes
• ½ small head cabbage, finely shredded
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 small white onion, divided
• 4 plum tomatoes (about 12 oz.)
• 1 small clove garlic, peeled
• 4 finely chopped serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded if desired
• 1½ tsp Knorr® Chicken flavor Bouillon, divided
• 5 tbsp of oil, divided
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1½ cups cooked, no salt added red kidney beans
• 8 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
• ½ medium poblano pepper, finely chopped
• 4 cups of masa harina

Instructions

 

• For Curtido, combine Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, 1/3 cup cider vinegar, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes in large bowl. Add cabbage and carrots. Finely slice 1/2 of the white onion and stir into cabbage and carrots; refrigerate until ready to use.
• For Salsa, process remaining 1/2 of the white onion, roughly chopped, plum tomatoes, garlic, chilis, 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp. Knorr® Chicken flavor Bouillon and remaining 1 tsp. of vinegar in blender until smooth.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in medium skillet over medium high heat. Carefully pour contents of blender into skillet and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.
• For refried beans, heat 1 tsp. oil in medium skillet and cook yellow onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to blender, reserve skillet.
• Add beans, 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp. Bouillon to blender or food processor and process until smooth. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in reserved skillet and fry bean mixture, stirring, until very thick and darkened slightly; reserve.
• For cheese filling, process cheese and poblano pepper in food processor until paste-like consistency; reserve.
• For pupusas, combine masa, remaining 1/2 tsp. Bouillon and 3-1/2 cups water in large bowl to form a slightly sticky dough, adding more water, little at a time, if needed. Cover and let rest 10 minutes before forming pupusas.
• Divide dough into 20 egg-size balls, cover with a damp towel. Form each ball into a deep bowl shape, fill with 1 scant Tbsp. cheese mixture, pressing into side of dough, then top with 1/2 Tbsp. bean mixture.
• Bring edges together to seal. Gently pat and squeeze ball to form a flat disk, about 4-in.; repeat.
• For the squash flowers: turn a pan on and once hot, add cleaned squash flowers and toss for a couple of minutes until they are slightly cooked. Add to pupusas on top of the cheese and beans or even only with cheese. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brush with 1 to 2 tsp. oil.
• Cook pupusas in batches, until golden, with slightly darker spots, about 6 minutes, turning once. Serve with Curtido and Salsa.

Notes

Keyword bean and cheese, flor de calabaza, pupusa

If you liked this bean and cheese pupusas recipe, you might like some of my other recipes too.

And remember, if you try this recipe and want to share your pictures, remember to tag me @lacooquette on Instagram. I’d love to share your pictures on my IG stories.

Note: www.vivemejor.com is no longer online.