Papusas With Salsa Roja

pupusas with salsa roja on a white plate with a dish cloth in the background

4.50 from 4 votes

Thick circles of toasted Salvadorian flat bread are stuffed with rich melted cheese. They're delicious all by themselves, but even better when dipped in a simple thin red salsa. It's an El Salvadorian classic dish that's easy to make, and akin to the American combination of grilled cheese & tomato soup.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: American, El Salvadorian, Hispanic

Servings:

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

For The Papusas

2 cups masa harina
1 ½ – 1 ¾ cups warm water
½ tsp. salt

For The Filling

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
½ cup cotija cheese crumbled or shredded

For The Salsa Roja

3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped white onion
1-2 cloves garlic chopped
1 jalapeño pepper chopped
2 cups tomatoes peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cilantro chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make The Papusas

In a large bowl, mix the masa, salt and 1 ½ cups water together with your hands to make a dough.
Dump the dough onto the counter. If you press it and it cracks, you need to knead in more water.
You’ll know you have enough water when you press it and it looks smooth.
Break off a handful of dough and roll it into a ball. Slightly flatten the ball and make an indention in the dough. Add about a tablespoon of the cheeses that have been mixed together.
Fold the dough like a taco and press together. Fold in the opposite ends and press together.
Set the dough on the counter and press the dough together to cover the filling. Carefully flatten it out into a ¼-inch thick disc. Don’t press too hard or the filling will poke through the dough.
Continue with the remaining dough.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium to medium-high heat. Place pupusas on the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 5 minutes, until brown.
Flip. Continue cooking 5 more minutes. Remove from skillet and cook remaining pupusas. Serve with Salsa Roja for dipping.

To Make The Salsa Roja

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and pepper and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
Stir in the tomatoes and the oregano and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool a bit.
Once the mixture has cooled, puree the tomato ‘sauce’ in a blender until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Add in salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve.

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