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Sopes

2 reviews
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 15 min. Cook: 35 min.

Makes

12 servings

Updated: Nov. 23, 2023
Sopes are a common Mexican street food, often eaten as snacks. Each cup is typically topped with refried beans, meat, and cheese—but they're endlessly customizable. Experiment with toppings to see what variation of this sopes recipe is your favorite. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sopes
Sopes Recipe photo by Taste of Home
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups masa harina
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/3 cups warm water
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 cup salsa, divided
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1 cup refried beans, warmed
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine masa harina and salt; stir in water. Knead until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough into 12 portions; shape into balls and cover with a kitchen towel.
  2. Working between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, press 4 balls into 3-1/2-in. circles. On an ungreased griddle, cook dough circles over medium-low heat until bottoms are lightly set, 1-2 minutes. Turn and cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; quickly pinch edges of circles to form a 1/2-in. rim. Return to the griddle; cook until bottoms are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough.
  3. In a small saucepan, combine chicken and 1/2 cup salsa. Cook over medium-low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. In a large skillet, melt shortening over medium-high heat. Cook sopes until crisp and lightly browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain.
  4. To assemble, layer each sope with refried beans, chicken mixture and remaining salsa. Sprinkle with lettuce and queso fresco. Serve immediately.
Sopes Tips

How do you press the sopes dough?

You can press the sopes dough with your hands, with a heavy dish, or with a tortilla press (one of the handy Mexican cooking tools we like to have at home). Regardless of the pressing method, place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to make it easier to transfer to the griddle. Then, gently press down to flatten the dough into a round, 3-1/2-in. disc. The resulting sope should be thicker than a tortilla, between 1/3- to 1/2-in. thick.

What else do you put on sopes?

Sopes can be topped with a variety of ingredients. You can use almost anything found in traditional Mexican recipes, so there are endless variations. Most sopes are made with refried beans, although you can use other beans like black beans or pinto beans. It’s common to add shredded meat (such as chicken, beef or pork), but you can also keep sopes vegetarian-friendly. From there, add freshness to the dish by including toppings like lettuce, chopped tomatoes, cheese, salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream or avocado slices.

Should sopes be soft or crispy?

The masa harina used to make sopes gives them a soft, tender texture. Cooking them on the griddle creates a lightly crispy exterior, giving sopes a delightful textural contrast. If you like your sopes extra-crisp, feel free to cook them a few additional minutes.

—Lindsay Mattison, Taste of Home Contributing Writer

Nutrition Facts

1 sope: 179 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 19mg cholesterol, 380mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 2g fiber), 9g protein.