Sopes
These thick little masa cakes have crisp edges, tender centers, and pinched rims that hold beans, salsa, cheese, and all your favorite toppings. They are a fun weekend project and a very satisfying way to turn masa flour
Total
55 min
Servings
Makes 8 sopes, serving 4
Level
Medium
Sopes are small, thick rounds made from masa harina, the same corn flour used for tortillas. While still warm, each round is pinched around the edge to make a shallow rim. That little border keeps the toppings in place.
The base is usually cooked on a hot pan, pinched, then lightly fried until crisp on the outside. From there, sopes can be simple or generous: refried beans, salsa, lettuce, crema, cheese, avocado, shredded chicken, or chorizo all work well.
This recipe keeps the toppings classic and flexible. Once you learn the shape and texture of the masa, you can make sopes for lunch, dinner, or a build-your-own snack spread.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
12 items · Makes 8 sopes, serving 4
- 2 cups masa harina, preferably for tortillas
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/2 cups warm water, plus 1 to 3 tablespoons more if needed
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, plus more for frying
- 1 cup refried beans, warmed
- 1 cup shredded cooked chicken, cooked chorizo, or sautéed mushrooms, optional
- 1 cup shredded lettuce or finely sliced cabbage
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese
- 1/3 cup Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with a splash of water
- 1/2 cup salsa roja or salsa verde
- 1 avocado, sliced or diced, optional
- Lime wedges, for serving
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Mix the masa dough
Stir the masa harina and salt together in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups warm water and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix with your hand or a spoon until a soft dough forms. It should feel like fresh play dough: moist, smooth, and not sticky. If it cracks when pressed, knead in more warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
2. Rest and divide
Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. This gives the masa harina time to absorb the water. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls and keep them covered so they do not dry out.
3. Press into thick rounds
Cut open a plastic food storage bag or use two pieces of parchment paper. Place one dough ball between the plastic or paper and press it with a tortilla press, heavy skillet, or flat plate into a round about 4 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Do not press it as thin as a tortilla.
4. Cook the bases
Heat a dry cast-iron skillet, griddle, or heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the masa rounds for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until they look dry in spots and have a few light brown marks. Work in batches if needed.
5. Pinch the rims
While each round is still warm enough to bend, place it on a board. Use your fingers to pinch up the edge all the way around, making a low wall. If the masa is too hot, use a clean kitchen towel to protect your fingers. If the edge cracks badly, the dough may be too dry; sprinkle the next dough balls with a few drops of water and knead briefly.
6. Fry until crisp
Pour enough neutral oil into a skillet to cover the bottom by about 1/4 inch. Heat over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Fry the shaped sopes in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until the bottoms are crisp and lightly golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt if you like.
7. Warm the toppings
Warm the refried beans in a small pan or microwave until spreadable. Heat the chicken, chorizo, or mushrooms if using. Keep the lettuce, cheese, crema, salsa, avocado, and lime wedges ready for serving.
8. Fill and serve
Spread each hot sope with refried beans. Add chicken, chorizo, or mushrooms if using, then top with lettuce, cheese, crema, salsa, avocado, and a squeeze of lime. Serve right away while the bases are crisp.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Cook and pinch the sope bases up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Fry them just before serving for the best texture.
- Storage: Store leftover plain bases in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet, then crisp with a little oil if needed. Fully topped sopes soften quickly and are best eaten the same day.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked, untopped bases in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 375°F oven until hot, then pan-fry briefly if you want crisp edges.
- Dough texture matters: Masa dough dries out fast. Keep the dough balls covered with a towel, and add a few drops of water if the surface starts to crack.
- No tortilla press: Use a heavy skillet or a pie plate to press the dough. Press gently and evenly so the sopes stay thick enough to pinch.
- Topping swaps: Try black beans instead of refried beans, shredded beef instead of chicken, pickled onions instead of lettuce, or roasted vegetables for a meat-free version.
Cook's note
Masa harina is not the same as cornmeal or regular corn flour. It is made from nixtamalized corn, which means the corn has been treated with an alkaline solution before grinding. This gives sopes their proper flavor, aroma, and texture. Look for masa harina in the Latin American section of many supermarkets.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I bake sopes instead of frying them?
Yes, but they will be drier and less crisp. Brush the pinched bases lightly with oil and bake at 425°F for 8 to 12 minutes, flipping once, until firm and lightly browned. Pan-frying gives the more traditional texture.
Why are my sopes cracking when I pinch the edges?
The dough is usually too dry or the rounds have cooled too much. Add a little warm water to the remaining dough and keep the cooked rounds covered. Pinch each one as soon as it is cool enough to handle.
Can I use store-bought tortillas to make sopes?
Not really. Tortillas are too thin to pinch into a rim. Sopes need a thicker masa base so they can hold their shape and toppings.
What is the difference between sopes and tostadas?
Tostadas are thin, crisp tortillas. Sopes are thicker masa cakes with pinched edges and a softer center. Both can hold similar toppings, but the texture is different.
Are sopes gluten-free?
Most sopes are naturally gluten-free when made with masa harina, water, salt, and oil. Check the masa harina package and any toppings, especially prepared beans, chorizo, and crema, if you are cooking for someone who must avoid gluten.
05Keep cooking
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