Stuffed Corn-Masa Cakes
El Salvador is synonymous with pupusas, the lightly-charred, corn-masa cakes filled with soft, savory ingredients. In appearance, they’re similar to the Mexican gordita, the Venezuelan arape and the Guatemalan doblado. With the exception of the Venezuelan arape, these foods, along with Mexican and Central American tortillas and tamales are made using masa harina.

A Salvadoran pupusa is made with corn masa and filled with various ingredients, such as quesillo. San Salvador, El Salvador
Poo-poo-sa, Pupusawa, Pupusa
I hear foreigners say, pa-, pe-, po-pusas and other vowel configurations. The correct pronunciation, something like “poo-poo-sas” should appeal more to your inner 3-year old. While the Spanish word, pupusa evolved from the ancient Pípil word, pupusawa, it seems the date of origin of the first pupusa is unknown.
Mesoamerica, Nixtamal, Comals
I read that pupusa tools were found at the Mayan archeological site in El Salvador, Joya de Cerén, which was covered by a volcano eruption in 600 A.D.. Consequently, it’s the best preserved Mayan village in Mesoamerica. I inquired when I visited the site. The archeologists found evidence of tamales made with black corn and filled with beans. Though, two distinct pupusa characteristics were not present, processed nixtamal corn and comals.

Pupusas being cooked and lightly-charred on the comal at Pupusería Lily, Antiguo Cuzcatlán, El Salvador
Migration, Civil War and the Spread of Pupuserías
In the mid-20th century, due to migration and proximity, Salvadorans in the larger cities spread pupusas to other parts of El Salvador and Guatemala and Honduras. I recently saw a few pupuserías in Nicaragua. Civil war refuges of the 1980’s and 1990’s have set up pupserías all over North America. According to European travelers I spoke to from England, Finland, Germany, Hungary and Sweden, they can’t find pupusas back home…yet.

Enjoying the pupusas we made at home in San Salvador, El Salvador
My First Pupusa in El Salvador
I had my first Motherland pupusa at Pupuseria Lily, in the San Salvadoran neighborhood, Antiguo Cuzcatlán. No hipster ingredients here. They were simple, traditional and delicious. Aside from the typical ingredients, pupusas are best cooked on a comal. Comals are passed down from generation to generation, as food will cook and taste better and better after continued use.

Traditional pupusa menu at Pupusería Lily, Antiguo Cuzcatlán, El Salvador
How to Make Pupusas: The Tools
- Comal = a flat grill or griddle made of sandstone, clay or iron

Making pupusas at a restaurant in El Tunco, La Libertad, El Salvador
How to Make Pupusas: The Ingredients for Different Types of Pupusas
- Pupusa revuelta = a classic pupusa made with chicarrón, cheese, beans.
- Chicharrón = It’s not fried pork rind like in Mexico but cooked ground pork meat.
- Quesillo cheese = a soft, fast-melting, salty artisanal cheese.
- Ayote = a green squash of various sizes.
- Loroco = a vine with edible flowers. A staple ingredient in various sauces and dishes.
- Mora = an herb used in drinks and dishes.
- Chipilín = a legume high in minerals but used as an herb in many local cuisines. Interesting, it’s considered a harmful weed in the US.

A restaurant in El Tunco, El Salvador. Loroco is an edible flower popular in Central American cuisine
How to Make Pupusas: The Condiments
- The Curtido = pickled cabbage, carrot and onion slaw similar to sauerkraut or kimchi. It can be spicy to add balance to the pupusa.
- Salsa Roja = red sauce = watery tomato sauce blended with olive oil, onion and garlic. Hot pepper and other spices optional. Note, onion and garlic are staple ingredients in Salvadoran dishes.

Curtido, a pickled cabbage relish condiment for pupusas in San Salvador, El Salvador

Salsa roja, a watery red sauce condiment for pupusas. The tongs are used for the curtido. El Salvador
How to Make Delicious Pupusas at Home
My friend’s nanny in San Salvador taught me to make pupusas. Assuming you buy the pre-made masa harina, pupusas are easy to prepare:
- Follow the directions on the masa harina bag to reconstitute the masa flour. Generally, you’ll add a little warm water, a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of oil until dough is pliable.

Maseca brand Masa de Maíz. San Savador, El Salvador.Maseca brand Masa de Maíz. San Savador, El Salvador
- Set aside a separate bowl of water to dip your hands, like you would dip your hands in flour when making sugar cookies.

Pupusa dough at Pupusaría Lily in San Salvador, El Salvador
- Grab a fist full of dough. With your hands, roll it into a ball and then begin to flatten it about 1/4 inch thick like you were making fresh tortillas.

Rolling the pupusa dough in San Salvador, El Salvador
- Add a dollop of beans and place in the center. Add cheese and any other ingredients.

Adding the beans and top dough to make pupusas in San Salvador, El Salvador
- Fold the cake like an envelope to cover the ingredients. Once again, it will look like a ball and you will need to flatten the dough. The nanny’s pupusas were about a 1/4 inch thick. Mine were thicker. Finding the right density takes some practice.
- Round the disc by holding it on its side and rolling the edge in the palm of the other hand.

Flattening the pupusa dough before grilling in San Salvador, El Salvador
- Fix any holes or separations in the dough by dipping a finger in the water and brushing over the mark.
- Place on a comal or heavy skillet lightly-brushed with olive oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the pupusa is lightly charred.
- Enjoy with curtido or salsa roja! Buen provecho!

Eating Pupusas in San Salvador, El Salvador

Eating Pupusas in El Salvador

All About Pupusas in El Salvador
Oh my gosh! This is like a dream come true. A college friend of mine would always make pupusas and I’ve really missed them! I assumed they were difficult to make but I think I’d give it a try. I also didn’t realize that there are so many different kinds of pupusas. 🙂
Yay! So glad you’ll be able to make them at home. They’re not difficult at all. 🙂
I AM SO HUNGRY NOW!! I love papusas!!! Great info and guide on how to make them. I think I will try my hand at making them now 🙂
Haha riiight! I’m sure you’ll do great!
These look so yummy! Thanks for sharing! I haven’t heard of them before but I may have to give them a try soon! 😄
They are sooo yummy!
o0o0o0 That looks delicious! I would love to try to make these!
I hope you do. 🙂
Never heard of these til now but they look like a great way to get rid of all these baking ingredients in my kitchen and get my latino flavor going at the same time!
Getting our latino flavor going should be our life’s pursuit! 🙂
I want to eat pupusa! looks so yum! – i love those kind of food 😀 thanks for sharing I know nothing about Salvadorian (?) food!
I understand! If it’s made with masa harina, I’m probably eating it.
Looks tasty! I haven’t heard of this food though so thanks for telling us about it and even better, how to make it! 🙂
So tasty! Hope you get to try a few some day. 🙂
I’ve never heard of this dish before but it looks absolutely delicious! I’m definitely gonna try this although I’m not sure if I’d have a standard of judging whether or not I’ve succeeded and it tastes good haha.
You’ll know or find a pupusería during your travel. 😉