How to make this vegan black bean pupusa recipe right in your own kitchen plus step-by-step instructions on fermenting your own lime curtido to serve with them!
This post was first published March 21, 2016 and last updated March 25, 2022
Have you ever tried making your own pupusas? They’re fun! They’re projecty without being difficult and hot off the griddle amazing.
Cooking pupusas is totally rewarding, they feel like a real accomplishment and if you go the extra step to make homemade curtido? Well, pat yourself on the back because you are winning at life. Let’s jump in!
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What are Pupusas?
Pupusas are from El Salvador and they closely resemble many antojitos from Mexico. They’re like smaller versions of huaraches or rounder versions of tlacoyos.
They are masa cakes that are stuffed with something (usually refried beans and mozzarella cheese) then cooked on a hot comal or griddle. Traditionally pupusas are served with a fermented cabbage relish called Curtido (more on that below) and salsa roja.
How To Make This Pupusa Recipe
- Combine the corn flour (masa harina) and boiling water in a large bowl.
- Test to see if the dough is ready by squeezing a golf ball sized piece of dough in your hand. It should be soft but not sticking to your hands.
- Fill the pupusas with black beans (see detailed instructions in recipe below) and lay on a baking sheet. For cheese pupusas fill with the same amount of shredded cheese.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Place the pupusa in the pan and cook until golden and toasted, about 5 minutes per side.
- Eat cooked pupusas while still warm with curtido.
How To Make Curtido
I’m proud to say with the help of my friend, Autumn, and her new book Beyond Canning I can now call myself a fermenter and I can’t wait to do it again! The fermenting recipes in Autumn’s book focus on small-batch fermentation using 1 quart jar and a super-cool tool called an air-lock system that fits right over the top.
I chose to try the Lime Curtido recipe. I’ve always loved that crunchy, slightly sour slaw that comes with pupusas but I’d never tried to make it myself.
The curtido takes about two weeks to ferment and I would take a taste here and there to see how it was progressing. It started off sharp, spicy, and salty with all the flavors poking out like spikes on a cactus paddle.
By the end of the two weeks however, everything had mellowed and melded the cabbage and carrots getting sweeter and the jalapeños not so spicy, making a delicious accompaniment to tacos, burgers, and of course, pupusas.
The pupusas are filled with black beans and are an excellent contrast to this slightly spicy, sour curtido.
Rave reviews for This Pupusas Recipe
I’m so excited that so many of you love this Pupusa recipe as much as I do. Here’s what some of you are saying:
Yum! Made up a bunch to freeze and send in my daughter’s lunches for school. She loves pupusas! -Lorna
Added some cilantro, lime juice, and seasoning in with the beans for a bit more kick. -Lin
Pupusas turned out great thanks to @holajalapeno! -Rose
More Vegan Recipes To Try!
- Vegan Ceviche with Avocado and Lime
- Papas con Chile {Crispy Potatoes in Red Sauce}
- Sofrito Black Beans
- Step-by-Step Huaraches Recipe
- Veracruz-Style Hominy Recipe
- The BEST Pinto Bean Recipe
- Vegan Refried Beans
Get those skillets over medium
And get ready to make toasty homemade pupusas. When you do please let me know by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) !
Black Bean Pupusas with Lime Curtido Recipe
Lime Curtido recipe taken with permission from Beyond Canning by Autumn Giles.
How to make this vegan black bean pupusa recipe with step-by-step instructions on fermenting your own lime curtido to serve with them!
Ingredients
For the Lime Curtido:
- 510 grams green cabbage, shredded
- 115 grams carrots, thinly sliced
- 85 grams white onion, thinly sliced
- Zest of 1 lime
- 12 grams salt
- 30 grams jalapeño, thinly sliced
For the Pupusas:
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 recipe Simple Black Beans, mashed
- Avocado oil, for cooking
Instructions
For the Lime Curtido:
- In a large nonreactive bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, onion, lime zest, and salt. Reserve the jalapeños for now.
- Work the salt into the vegetables using your hands for about 2 minutes. If you’ve ever massaged kale for a salad, that’s the motion you want to employ here. In slightly less technical terms, it’s basically smooshing. The vegetables should begin releasing their liquid.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the jalapeños into the shredded vegetable mixture.
- Use your hands to pack the curtido tightly into a quart mason jar, a handful at a time.
- Once all the curtido is packed into the jar, push it down with your fist, the back of a wooden spoon, or both, a few times. Now the curtido should be just covered with its own brine.
- Now, wash your hands! You don’t want jalapeño hands.
- Secure the jar with an airlock and allow to ferment for up to 2 weeks. Begin tasting for doneness after 3 days.
- Cover, label, and refrigerate for long-term storage
For the Pupusas:
- Combine masa harina and salt in a medium bowl. Add water and mix until combined, let sit covered for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze some dough in your palm, dough should feel like soft play-doh, not too dry that it cracks when you squeeze it but not too wet that it squishes through your fingers and sticks to the side of the bowl. If it is too dry add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is the right consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10-15 minutes.
- Take about 1/3 cup of dough and use your palms to flatten into a 1/2-inch thick circle. Place a tablespoon or so of the black beans in the middle. Fold dough up over beans and pinch together to make a ball.
- Gently flatten the ball back into a 1/2 inch patty, being careful not to rip open the dough. You can take a piece of dough from the outside of the pupusa and cover any rips or tears. Form into a circle and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent from drying out. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or comal over medium heat for 5 minutes. Grease the pan with a teaspoon of oil, using a paper towel to coat it all over.
- Rub a little oil all over the outside of a pupusa and place on the hot pan. Cook for 5 minutes on one side or until toasted and a little charred in a few places. Flip and cook on the other side. Repeat with remaining pupusas.
- Serve hot with the Lime Curtido and sour cream if desired.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 146Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 756mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 4g
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