Salvadoran · Lunch & handhelds

Cheese and bean pupusas

Name: Cheese and bean pupusas
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 8 pupusas
Cuisine: Salvadoran
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked Central American small red beans; 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid; 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided; 1/2 small white onion, chopped; 12 ounces Salvadoran quesillo or a mixture of Oaxaca cheese and low-moisture mozzarella, shredded; 3 cups masa harina; 2 1/2 cups warm water, plus more for shaping; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1/2 small green cabbage, finely shredded; 1 medium carrot, grated; 1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 cup white vinegar; 4 cups boiling water; 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped; 1/4 small white onion, chopped; 1 garlic clove; 1/2 serrano chile; 1/2 cup water

Thick Salvadoran corn cakes enclosing creamy red beans and melting cheese, served with oregano curtido and a light cooked tomato salsa.

About 2 hr 45 minTotal

About 1 hr 30 minActive

$Cost

AdvancedDifficulty

Makes 8 pupusas

Equipment

Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.
Best starting skillet
Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet · L8SK3
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched the recipe’s diameter and preheating method, then checked material, heat retention, cooktop fit, weight, care, stable model identity, and exact destination. Kwilt has not cooked with this skillet.
Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet · L8SK3: The 10.25-inch seasoned surface matches the recipe footprint and retains enough heat to create the crisp cornbread edge promised by a preheated skillet method. Trade-off: It weighs more than five pounds, the handles become hot, and avoiding rust requires prompt hand washing, drying, and light oiling.
Another workable path: Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan with the recipe’s fat; the crust will be lighter but the crumb and flavor remain valid.
Sources
Lodge cast-iron material and care
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 8 pupusas

2 cups cooked Central American small red beans
1/2 cup bean cooking liquid
3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
1/2 small white onion, chopped
12 ounces Salvadoran quesillo or a mixture of Oaxaca cheese and low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
3 cups masa harina
2 1/2 cups warm water, plus more for shaping
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 small green cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium carrot, grated
1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup white vinegar
4 cups boiling water
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 small white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1/2 serrano chile
1/2 cup water

Instructions

Cook chopped onion in 1 tablespoon oil until deeply golden. Blend beans with their measured liquid, add carefully to the skillet, and cook while stirring until a very thick smooth paste forms, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cool completely; mix equal volumes of cold beans and shredded cheese.
Put cabbage, carrot, sliced onion, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water for 2 minutes, drain thoroughly, then add vinegar. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Simmer tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic, serrano, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt for 12 minutes. Blend smooth, return to the pan, and simmer until light but no longer watery, 5 minutes.
Mix masa harina, warm water, and remaining salt into a moist smooth dough. Rest covered 10 minutes. Divide into eight balls; oil hands with 1 tablespoon oil.
Cup one dough ball in your palm, add about 1/4 cup bean-cheese filling, pinch closed, and gently pat between damp or oiled hands into a 5-inch disc about 1/2 inch thick. Repair cracks with wet fingers.
Cook on a lightly wiped with remaining oil over medium-high, turning every 1 to 2 minutes, until browned on both sides, slightly puffed, and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve hot with drained curtido and tomato salsa.

El SalvadorSalvadoran household and street cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Pupusas are thick Salvadoran griddled masa cakes formed around fillings such as cheese, beans, pork, or loroco and served with crisp curtido and a light cooked tomato salsa.

Pupusas are strongly identified with El Salvador, while related forms also exist in Honduras. Curtido and thin cooked tomato salsa are integral table companions; they are served beside the pupusa so the griddled masa stays intact. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Use small red beans and an accessible quesillo substitute while authoring curtido and salsa, preserving the Salvadoran plate rather than serving an isolated stuffed corn cake.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe