Pupusas with Cilantro Salsa & Curtido

Pupusas with Cilantro Salsa & Curtido

At Far Rockaway Educational Campus, TFFJ students took on the challenge of making pupusas from scratch—and they delivered!

Pupusas, a beloved dish from El Salvador, are thick corn tortillas stuffed with cheese, refried beans, or other fillings. But no pupusa is complete without its signature sides: a tangy curtido (cabbage slaw) and a rich red salsa. For this hands-on cooking demo, students prepped everything from kneading the masa to blending a fresh cilantro salsa using cilantro and chives from our farm. Their teamwork and enthusiasm made for a delicious experience.

Now, it’s your turn! Try making this recipe at home and bring a taste of this student-led kitchen to your own table.

Ingredients

For the Pupusas:

• 4 cups maseca (corn flour)
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup refried beans

For the Cilantro Salsa: (TFFJ Produce Highlighted 🌿)

• Cilantro 🌿 (a generous handful)
• Chives 🌿 (a handful)
• 5 tomatoes
• 1 jalapeño
• 1/2 cup water
• Salt to taste

For the Curtido (Cabbage Slaw):

• 1 small cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup hot water

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Curtido (Cabbage Slaw)

1. Cut the cabbage, carrots, and onion into thin strips.
2. Place in a bowl and add vinegar, hot water, and salt.
3. Let sit for 20-30 minutes to pickle and develop flavor.
4. Stir, drain excess water, and adjust salt if needed.

Step 2: Make the Cilantro Salsa

1. Blend cilantro, chives, tomatoes, jalapeño, water, and salt until smooth.
2. Pour into a pan over medium-high heat.
3. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced.
4. Let cool slightly before serving.

Step 3: Prepare the Pupusas

1. In a bowl, mix cheese and refried beans.
2. In another bowl, combine maseca and warm water—knead until smooth.
3. Take a small handful of dough, flatten into a tortilla shape, add filling, and close into a ball. Flatten again into a thick tortilla.
4. Heat a griddle or pan, grease lightly with oil, and cook pupusas until golden brown on both sides.

Step 4: Serve

• Serve hot pupusas with curtido and cilantro salsa on the side.

Enjoy!