How to Make Mexican Sopes (Sopes de Frijoles y Chorizo)

Sopes are one of my favorite traditional Mexican antojitos (street foods). Loaded with delicious fillings like Refried Beans, chorizo, shredded beef, pork or chicken, or a variety of guisados like Picadillo, Pork Chile Colorado, and/or Rajas con Crema (just to name a few). But why stop there?! Sopes can also be topped with shredded lettuce, crumbled queso fresco, Mexican crema, and a variety of fiery salsas for an irresistible treat. For those of you unfamiliar with Mexican sopes the base is like a thick handmade corn tortilla with a small border to keep the yummy fillings from spilling out. And like tacos and tostadas, sopes are eaten with your hands. Traditionally sopes are fried in manteca (lard) before adding the fillings, but vegetable oil works just as well and that is how I prefer to fry my sopes.

Pre-made sope shells are now readily available at the supermarket, but there's really nothing like the delicious taste of a homemade sope. In this recipe I teach you how to make the masa (dough) from scratch using masa harina, but you can also use one pound of corn tortilla masa from your local Mexican grocery store or tortillería to prepare the sopes. Sopes are a great way to use whatever leftovers you have in the fridge, but they're also a fun treat for any Mexican fiesta.

Have you ever tried Mexican sopes? What are your favorite sope fillings?

Mexican Sopes 


For the sopes:

• 2 cups masa harina (I use Maseca brand) 
• 1-1/4 cups warm water 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (for frying)

For the fillings: 

• 2 cups Refried Beans (homemade or canned) 
• 8 oz. Mexican chorizo 
• 1 cup shredded lettuce 
• 1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream 
• Salsa Taquera Roja or Chile de Molcajete 

Directions:
Heat a comal or griddle over low heat. Combine the masa harina with salt and water until the dough is smooth and comes together. Working in batches of 3 to 4 sopes, divide the dough into 1-1/2 inch balls. Using a tortilla press lined with plastic, flatten each ball of dough into a 4-inch circle.

Heat the sopes on the griddle or comal for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute.

Carefully - because the sopes are still hot - pinch the edges to form a 1/4-inch border. Repeat process with remaining masa (dough).

Once all of your sopes have been made, it's now time to prep them for serving. Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry sopes 3 to 4 at a time for about 1 minute per side or until golden brown. Transfer fried sopes to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Now you're sopes are ready to fill with your desired fillings.

For Sopes de Frijoles con Chorizo (Bean & Chorizo Sopes): Heat the refried beans; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium skillet. Fry the Mexican chorizo until completely cooked; remove from heat.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of Refried Beans in each of the sopes. Top with 2 to 3 tablespoon cooked chorizo. Garnish with crumbled queso fresco or shredded Manchego cheese, shredded lettuce, and Mexican crema or sour cream. Serve with Salsa Taquera Roja, Chile de Molcajete, or your favorite salsa. Enjoy!

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