Mexican Sopes Recipe You Will Love

I am literally in love with this Mexican sopes recipe. 

Sopes look like a thick masa cake prepared with masa harina, water, salt, and oil that resembles a maize tortilla. They come from central Mexico and serve as plates for a variety of toppings such as chicken, veggies, and salsa.

 

Mexican sopes are a type of finger food that may be picked up and eaten like a sandwich or a piece of pizza. If you like, you may eat them with a fork and knife.

 

If you love sopes don’t want to make sopes every day you can make them in bulk and store them in your freezer. This way you can always throw them in the oven for about 15 minutes when you crave them. 

 

Ingredients of the Mexican sopes recipe

Mexican sopes Dough

• 2 cups masa harina
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½  cups of water
• ⅓ cup of melted lard 
• 2 cups of vegetable oil for frying

If you don’t have lard you can use melted vegetable shortening or ⅓ cup of vegetable oil. 

Toppings for your Mexican sopes recipe

• 1 cup of warmed refried beans 
• 1½ cups each of shredded chicken breast and finely shredded lettuce
• ¼ cup of chopped white onions
• 1 chopped large avocado 
• ½ cup each of Salsa, sour cream and crumbled queso fresco

 

You can substitute the chicken breast for shredded beef or pork. Generally, you can use any protein of your choice for this recipe.

Optional Toppings:

• Guacamole
• Chopped tomatoes
• pickled jalapenos
• pickled carrots
• hot sauce

If you want the real Mexican experience you can add these toppings that bring the heat in the sopes for example the jalapenos. 

Steps to follow for the Mexican sopes recipe

To begin, make the dough. Whisk together the masa harina and salt in a large mixing basin. Stir in the melted lard (cooled to lukewarm) or vegetable oil, as well as the water. Knead the dough by hand for 3 minutes, or until it is smooth and malleable but not sticky. Form the dough into a ball and cover it with a moist dishtowel to rest for 5 minutes after kneading.

Investigate the dough. If the dough seems dry and crumbly, or if the surface cracks after you shape it into a rough ball, gradually add additional water, kneading after each addition. 

Depending on the humidity level, the amount of water used might change. If you reside in a humid environment, you might wish to lower the temperature.

Separate the dough into two halves. Transfer the dough to a cutting board and flatten it into an even disc after 5 minutes. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces using a knife (like cutting a pizza). When you’re not dealing with the dough, keep it covered with a moist dishtowel.

Form the dough into a ball. Set aside a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll the dough into a ball and lay it between two sheets of plastic wrap, working with one piece of dough at a time. Using a tortilla press, flatten the sopes.

Cooking time

Firstly, prepare the sopes. 3 minutes before serving, preheat a well-seasoned cast-iron pan to medium heat (350 degrees). Use a nonstick skillet if you don’t have a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. When the pan is heated, gently place four sopes in a single layer. Cook for about 60 seconds, or until the bottoms feel dry and light golden spots form. Cook for another 30 seconds on the other side.

Pinch the sopes. Transfer the sopes to a clean, flat surface and let them cool for 45 seconds then proceed to quickly pinch the dough around the edges to create a ½-inch rim.

Then fry the sopes in a shallow pan. Using paper towels, line a baking sheet. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in the now-empty cast iron pan to 350 degrees with care. However, fry 4-6 sopes until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes on each side, adjusting heat as needed to keep the temperature consistent. Transfer the sopes to the prepared baking sheet and use paper towels to absorb any leftover oil.

Conclusion

Prepare the sopes. On each sope, spread a layer of refried beans. Meat, lettuce, onions, avocado, salsa, crema, cheese, and any other preferred toppings should be placed on top. Warm the dish before serving.

But if you loved following this sopes recipe, be sure to check out our Mexican tacos recipe.

If you have finished making your sopes, please take photos and send them to us. We will post them on our blog for the world to see how great you have become.