Sopes

Sopes

Sopes are thick little masa rounds from Mexico, pinched up at the edges to form a rim that holds a generous layer of refried beans, seasoned meat, lettuce, crema and salsa. They are griddled twice — once to set the shape, then again after topping to crisp the base.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4 (makes 8 sopes)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) masa harina, masa de maíz flour for tortillas; do not substitute with cornmeal
• •350 ml (1¼ cups + 1 tbsp) warm water
• •1 tsp fine sea salt
• •baking powder, ½, optional, gives a slightly puffier rim
• •2 tbsp lard or neutral oil, lard is most traditional; vegetable oil works
• •250 g (9 oz) refried black or pinto beans, homemade or good-quality canned, warmed
• •300 g (10½ oz) cooked shredded chicken or crumbled chorizo, or ground beef seasoned with cumin and oregano
• •150 g (5 oz) shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
• •120 ml (½ cup) Mexican crema, sour cream thinned with a little milk is the standard substitute
• •120 g (½ cup) salsa roja or salsa verde
• •60 g (½ cup) crumbled queso fresco or cotija
• •1 tbsp vegetable oil, for griddling

Steps

1. 1 Whisk the masa harina, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Pour in the warm water and add the lard. Mix with a wooden spoon, then knead with your hands for 2–3 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and holds together when pressed — it should feel like Play-Doh. If it cracks, add water a teaspoon at a time; if it sticks heavily, add a little more masa harina.
2. 2 Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates.
3. 3 Divide the dough into 8 equal balls (about 80 g / 2¾ oz each). Keep unused balls covered so they do not dry out.
4. 4 Place a ball between two sheets of plastic or cut-up zip-top bag and press with a tortilla press, a heavy skillet or your palm into a disc about 10 cm / 4 inches across and 8 mm / ⅓ inch thick. Thicker than a tortilla is correct.
5. 5 Heat a dry comal or large cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Cook each disc for about 1 minute per side, until the surface looks dry but is still pale — they will finish cooking later. Stack and cover the par-cooked rounds to keep them soft.
6. 6 Working one at a time, pinch a border about 1 cm / ½ inch high all the way around each sope, drawing the edges inward and upward with your thumb and forefinger. This is the rim that holds the toppings.
7. 7 Heat 1 tbsp oil in the skillet over medium heat. Fry the formed sopes rim-side down for about 1 minute to set the shape, then flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom. They should be cooked through — the surface should look matte and dry, not doughy. Drain on paper towels.
8. 8 Warm the refried beans and the seasoned meat so they are hot. For safely cooked chicken: poach or pan-fry to an internal temperature of 74 °C / 165 °F. For ground beef, cook until no pink remains and juices run clear. Chorizo is fully cooked once it has rendered its fat and crisped.
9. 9 Top each sope with a generous spoonful of refried beans, then the meat, then a handful of shredded lettuce. Drizzle with crema, spoon salsa over the top, and finish with crumbled queso fresco.
10. 10 Serve immediately while the base is still crisp and the crema is cool.