Latin American Food: What Are Pupusas?
Latin American food embodies unique, robust, and memorable flavors—and pupusas are no exception!
Did you know that Leonardo Dicaprio declared in an interview that this typical dish from El Salvador was one of the best he’s ever tasted? Even better than tacos!
Pupusas have crossed borders around the world, positioning themselves as one of the most popular Latin American dishes.
But what exactly are pupusas? Let’s explore their history, impact, where you can find them, and even some yummy recipes for homemade goodness!
What are Pupusas?
Pupusas (pronounced “poo-poo-sahs”) are tortillas made of corn or rice dough, similar to Mexican tortillas, but slightly thicker and stuffed with various ingredients, such as:
- cheese
- chicharrón (extraction of pork meat)
- beans
- shrimp
- fish
Although people eat both types of dough (corn or rice), the most popular pupusas are made of corn.
People eat them with curtido de repollo (seasoned cabbage) or with natural tomato sauce.
Origin and History of the Pupusas
The word pupusa derives from the word “pupusawa” which means to puff up (or inflate), and has been linked to the Pipil tribes who inhabited the territory of El Salvador.
The name pupusa also comes from the poptl (Náhuatl) language, which was previously spoken in the Country of El Salvador, and it means “large, stuffed, thick handmade tortilla made from rice or corn dough.”
There is no exact creator of the pupusa. In fact, people think of them as a gastronomic phenomenon. However, it’s believed that they originated somewhere between Mexico and Costa Rica, in the Mesoamerican region (a region that’s also recognized as “corn culture”).
This belief is an assumption based on similar dishes that appear in neighboring countries, such as the gorditas in Mexico, and the arepas in Colombia and Venezuela.
On the other hand, a publication of the National Museum of Anthropology affirms that pupusas were a fundamental part of the diet of pre-Columbian settlements in Ahuachapán, El Salvador (probably Quichés who emigrated from Guatemala), at the beginning of the 19th century.
So, the controversy continues!
Pupusas in El Salvador
Pupusas are one of the traditional foods in El Salvador, which is why you’ll mostly find them in this country (and in its neighbor countries, such as Honduras and Guatemala).
If we focus specifically on El Salvador, there are plenty of places where you can find this delicious Latin American food. These are called pupuserías: establishments that offer pupusas as main dish.
Places to Find Pupusas in El Salvador
If you’re planning to travel around El Salvador and want to try this amazing Latin American food, the following places are likely to offer you the best quality pupusas!
1. La Carreta
This place is very popular because of its delicious pupusas. It’s located in the heart of Antiguo Cuscatlán, one of the municipalities with the longest tradition of pupusas in El Salvador, which is located in the Libertad department of the country.
Visit their Facebook page!
2. La Antigua
With a unique and special artisan flavor, this pupusería (which is also located in Antiguo Cuscatlán, in the Libertad department of El Salvador), offers both the traditional corn pupusas, as well as the delicious rice pupusas.
Visit their Facebook page!
3. Pupusódromo Los Planes de Renderos
Los Planes de Renderos is one of the most touristic places in the San Salvador department. In this case, we’re not talking about one small pupusería, but about an establishment where several small pupuserías converge. Here, people taste many options of the delicious Salvadoran flavor.
Visit their Facebook page!
4. Pupusería El Mirador
Located in the Carretera Antigua to the municipality of Zacatecoluca (in the La paz department of El Salvador), this pupusería lets you contemplate an impressive view of the Salvadorian territory, that’s why it’s called El mirador (viewpoint). They offer both traditional pupusas and gourmet Salvadorian food.
Visit their Facebook page!
5. Pupusería Chely
This is one of the most traditional and famous pupuserías located in San Salvador, with more than 15 years of experience. They have up to 25 different types of pupusas, always with the possibility of choosing between corn and rice dough.
Visit their Facebook page!
Economic Role of Pupusas
As we’ve seen, this Latin American food makes up a large part of the Salvadoran culture, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.
In fact, BBC Mundo included pupusas among the five most important contributions that Central America makes to the life and economy of the United States. According to the BBC, pupusas continue to gain more popularity in large US cities, especially in those with the largest number of Hispanics.
What’s more, the International Organization of Migration explains that with a population of approximately 1.3 million Salvadorans residing in the United States, it’s easy to find a nearby pupusería in different cities, since it is the Salvadorans themselves who have been in charge of developing and marketing this typical food.
Regarding the numbers, the Salvadoran Ministry of Economy published that in the last five years, the contribution of pupusas (only in exportations) has generated $87 million dollars in income, a figure that according to Coexport is increasing every year.
Día Nacional de la Pupusa
Due to the pupusas’ popularity, this Latin American food with its savory combination of exquisite ingredients and its rising economic worth deserves its own day of celebration.
In 2005, the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador established the Día nacional de la pupusa on the second Sunday of November each year.
The idea of the day isn’t necessarily to consume large quantities of pupusas (considering that many people eat them on a daily basis), but to commemorate the iconic essence of this national dish in relation to the Salvadoran culture.
Popular Types of Pupusas
When we talk about the “types” of pupusas, we refer to what they have inside—that is, what they’re stuffed with.
Here is a list of the most popular ones you’ll find no matter where you visit in Latin America.
- La pupusa de queso (cheese pupusa)
- La pupusa de chicharrón (pork rind pupusa)
- La pupusa de ayote (squash pupusa)
- La pupusa de frijoles (bean pupusa)
- La pupusa de chipilín (chipilín pupusa)
- La pupusa de jalapeño (jalapeño pupusa)
- La pupusa de camarón (shrimp pupusa)
- La pupusa de pollo (chicken pupusa)
Ingredients
In your quest to find the perfect pupusa, make sure you’ve memorized some important vocabulary words to order exactly what you want!
| Spanish | English |
| el queso | cheese |
| el chicharrón | pork rind |
| el ayote | squash |
| los frijoles | beans |
| el chipilín | chipilin |
| el jalapeño | jalapeño |
| el camarón | shrimp |
| el pollo | chicken |
Condiments
Of course we can’t leave the condiments behind!
Pupusas come with natural tomato sauce and pickled cabbage. If you like extra spicy food, ask for spicy tomato sauce or add pickled jalapeños (called escabeche) as a topping for this special Latin American food.
Delicious, I know!
How to Make Pupusas at Home
We’ve been talking about all the wonders of pupusas, but if you don’t know where to get one near you, it’s time to make them at home!
Below is a traditional pupusas de queso recipe with step-by-step directions for you to make this famous and delicious Latin American food at home!
Prepare the Corn Dough
There are different brands of cornflour to prepare the dough. In El Salvador, people usually use the Maseca type. Simply add the cornflour to a bowl, and pour hot water in it as needed. In general, for each cup of cornflour, add 1 cup of water, but keep in mind that you want to reach a good consistency: malleable but not sticky.
Make as many cups of dough as you like, calculating your quantity based on the number of pupusas you want to make. Once the dough is prepared, cover it and set it aside.
Prepare Your Filling
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of shredded cheese (or mix mozzarella and ricotta together)
- 3 or 4 tablespoons of cream
- ½ to 1 cup of ground chipilín or loroco (to your taste)
- Optional: 1 chopped green chili (or passed through the food processor)
- Salt to your liking
Mix all of these ingredients into a thick paste that’s not runny.
Bring Your Pupusas to Life
- Roll the dough into a ball and then shape it by curving your hand and creating a hollow of your palm where the ball sits. Indent your finger into the center and close one end of the ball over itself.
- Flatten the pupusa between your palms so that it’s circular and flat. Be gentle so as not to break open the filling.
- Add just a small splash of oil before cooking over low heat on a teflon or iron griddle (or clay, if you prefer). *If you have an electric iron, you can use it with a temperature between 325 ° to 350 ° F.
- Let the pupusas cook until they’re golden brown on the outside. Take them off the griddle and serve them on a plate, adding some sauce or cabbage on top.
- Enjoy!
Prepare Your Cabbage Condiment
Ingredients:
- ½ to 1 chopped cabbage (not so fine) passed through boiling water
- 1 sliced
medium onion, or 3 entire small onions - 1 carrot (cut lengthwise)
- ½ cup of cooked green beans (not too soft)
- Optional: 1 beetroot
- Optional: ¾ cup of radishes
- Optional: 1 finely chopped red hot chili
- ¾ cup of vinegar
- ¼ cup of water (the ratio of vinegar and water can change depending on your preference)
- 1½ teaspoon of oregano,
- salt to taste
Procedure:
1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients (except the water and vinegar).
2. In a smaller bowl, mix the vinegar and water (depending on how strong you like it). To be sure, taste your mixture before adding it to the rest of the ingredients to see if you approve. If you like it, add it to the rest of the mixture.
3. Let the mix stand in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving (for a slightly preserved flavor, refrigerate it overnight before serving).
4. Serve it on top of your pupusas.
Prepare a Traditional Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
- large tomatoes (the number of tomatoes depends on the amount of sauce you want to make).
- 1 green chili
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 chicken cube
- Optional: coriander (as much as you like)
- ½ cup of water (if you use more tomatoes, add more water)
- salt to taste
Procedure:
- Cook all the ingredients in the water.
- Remove the skin from the tomatoes.
- Put everything in a blender and blend until it gets the texture of a sauce.
- Move the sauce to a pan and cook it for another 10 minutes over low heat, turning it every so often.
- Serve on top of your pupusas and enjoy!
¡Es Hora de Comer Pupusas!
All Latin American food is great, but pupusas are simply amazing, aren’t they?
This famous dish is worth trying at least once, and definitely sharing it with friends and loved ones! Cooking brings people together and gives them the chance to work as a team.
It’s a moment in which you bond with others, share memories, and remember the lessons your ancestors left you. Also, it’s a space to have fun and promote a healthy competition by creating the best dishes or drinks to share with your family and friends.
And what better way to introduce Salvadoran culture to your home than cooking pupusas? It’d be a great way to enjoy your time with your loved ones while you try one of the most delicious and recognized dishes in the world!
Leave a comment and tell us if you’ve already tried the pupusas or want to make some on your own!
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