Description
Sopes, a beloved Mexican street food, bring authentic flavors to your kitchen with crispy corn masa bases topped with savory ingredients. Hearty and delicious, these small, thick tortillas cradle rich fillings that connect you directly to traditional Mexican cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup cooked shredded chicken, beef, or chorizo
- 1 cup refried beans (black or pinto), warmed
- 2 cups masa harina (corn flour, such as Maseca)
- 1 ½ cups warm water (plus more as needed)
- ½ cup shredded lettuce or finely chopped cabbage
- ¼ cup diced tomato or pico de gallo
- ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese
- ¼ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Salsa (red or green), to taste
- Chopped onion and fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Combine masa harina, salt, and warm water to create a smooth, malleable mixture. Adjust water content if dough appears dry or fractures during shaping.
- Sope Forming: Portion dough into uniform balls, gently flatten into thin circular discs approximately 3/4 inch in diameter with slightly raised edges.
- Initial Cooking: Utilize a dry griddle or skillet over moderate heat, carefully cooking each sope until lightly bronzed and structurally stable, approximately 1-2 minutes per surface.
- Edge Refinement: While sopes remain warm but manageable, delicately sculpt upward-curving borders using fingertips or protective cloth to create a robust containment zone for forthcoming toppings.
- Crisp Enhancement: Introduce a minimal oil layer in a skillet at medium-high temperature, quickly frying sopes until achieving a golden, crisp exterior. Transfer to absorbent paper for excess oil removal.
- Final Composition: Layer warm refried beans across sope surface, then strategically arrange complementary ingredients including protein, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, crumbled cheese, Mexican crema, vibrant salsa, and optional garnishes for a complete culinary presentation.
Notes
- Check dough consistency carefully, adding water gradually to prevent dryness or cracking during shaping.
- Maintain medium heat while cooking sopes to ensure even browning without burning the delicate masa dough.
- Shape rim while sopes are still warm but cool enough to handle, using gentle finger pressure or a kitchen towel for clean, even edges.
- Use medium-high heat when pan-frying, ensuring oil is hot enough to crisp exterior without absorbing excess oil.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 20mg