Cheese Options For Pupusas: A Guide To Melty Deliciousness

Pupusas are a popular food in El Salvador and Honduras. They are thick corn tortillas or flatbreads filled with cheese and other ingredients such as refried beans, shredded pork, pickled jalapeño, and roasted squash. The most popular cheese used in pupusas is quesillo, a mild, salty, and slightly stringy cheese from El Salvador. However, other types of cheese such as mozzarella, Monterey Jack, gouda, tallegio, sharp cheddar, and fontina can also be used. Pupusas are typically served with curtido, a lightly pickled cabbage mixture, and salsa roja, a red tomato salsa.

Mozzarella is a suitable cheese for pupusas

Mozzarella is an ideal cheese for pupusas because of its mild, salty, and slightly stringy characteristics, which melt and stretch easily without becoming too runny. Its subtle flavour and texture mean it can be combined with other cheeses, such as Monterey Jack, or even substituted with them if you're unable to get your hands on some mozzarella.

When making pupusas, it's important to ensure that the dough is soft, pliable, and slightly sticky. This is achieved by mixing masa harina (corn flour) with warm water. The dough should be formed into balls, flattened into discs, and then stuffed with cheese and other fillings before being sealed, reshaped, and cooked on a skillet or griddle.

The versatility of pupusas means you can get creative with your fillings, and mozzarella's mild flavour won't overpower other ingredients. It's a great melting cheese that will stretch beautifully when you bite into your pupusa, creating that satisfying, cheesy pull.

So, if you're looking to make some delicious pupusas, mozzarella is definitely a suitable cheese to use!

Quesillo is the traditional cheese used in pupusas

Quesillo is a mild, salty, and slightly stringy cheese that can be hard to source outside of El Salvador. It is similar to Mexican Oaxaca cheese, and Monterey Jack and mozzarella are often used as substitutes.

Pupusas are made by mixing masa harina with warm water to create a slightly sticky dough, which is then flattened, filled, covered, and flattened again before pan-frying. The quesillo cheese is shredded and placed in the centre of the flattened dough, which is then enclosed around the cheese and flattened once more to the desired thickness.

The process of making pupusas is a labour of love, often passed down through generations, and the final dish is a delicious combination of flavours and textures.

Oaxaca cheese is a good substitute for quesillo

Quesillo, also known as queso Oaxaca, is a semi-hard white cheese with a creamy texture and a mild, slightly sweet taste. It is made in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and is one of the country's most famous cheeses.

Oaxaca cheese is not always easy to find outside of Mexico, so you may need to find a substitute. One good option is Oaxaca cheese, which, as the name suggests, is a good match in terms of both taste and texture. It is a mild, slightly tangy cheese with a semi-hard texture, similar to quesillo.

If you can't get hold of Oaxaca cheese, there are several other suitable substitutes. Mozzarella is one of the most similar cheeses to quesillo in terms of taste and texture. It melts well and has a mild flavour, although it does not stretch quite as much as Oaxaca cheese.

Muenster is another good option, as it has a similar flavour to Oaxaca cheese and melts well. For the best results, grate your own rather than buying it pre-grated.

Monterey Jack is another suitable substitute. It has a stronger flavour than Oaxaca cheese but melts in a similar way. The un-aged variety is milder and a closer match to the flavour of quesillo.

Finally, Queso Asadero is a Mexican cheese that is very similar to quesillo. It is a type of string cheese, like quesillo, but it is drier because it is made with whey rather than hot water.

Jack and mozzarella are also good substitutes

Pupusas are a popular food in El Salvador, consisting of thick corn tortillas filled with cheese and other ingredients, such as refried beans, shredded pork, or squash. They are typically served with a pickled cabbage mixture called curtido and Salsa Roja.

While the most authentic cheese to use in pupusas is quesillo, a mild, salty, and slightly stringy cheese from El Salvador, it may not be readily available in some places. However, good substitutes for quesillo include Monterey Jack and mozzarella, which are more accessible in other parts of the world.

For example, a user from Canada on Reddit suggested using a mix of Jack and mozzarella cheese in their pupusas, as they were unable to find quesillo or Oaxaca cheese in their location. Another user from Mexico City shared a similar experience, noting that they received their Salvadoran mother's approval for using a mix of mozzarella and Queso Oaxaca.

When making pupusas, it is important to ensure that the dough is soft and pliable. This can be achieved by mixing masa harina with warm water and a pinch of salt. The dough should not be sticky and should not crack when formed into a ball. Once the dough is ready, it can be filled with shredded or melted cheese, such as mozzarella, and other desired ingredients before being pan-fried or cooked in a cast-iron skillet.

Pupusas are a Salvadoran dish

The most popular fillings for pupusas are queso (cheese), frijoles molidos (refried beans), chicharrón (pork ground into a paste), or a combination of two or three fillings (known as Revueltas). Other additions such as loroco (a green flower bud) and ayote (squash) may also be included. The pupusas are generally accompanied by Curtido (a lightly pickled cabbage mixture) and Salsa Roja (red tomato salsa).

When it comes to the type of cheese used in pupusas, the most traditional option is quesillo, a mild, salty, and slightly stringy cheese similar to Mexican Oaxaca cheese. However, other types of cheese such as mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or a combination of cheeses can also be used as substitutes. Some recipes also include ricotta, heavy cream, and scallions to make a cheese paste for the filling.

Pupusas are typically served with Curtido and Salsa Roja, which provide a contrast in flavors and add a refreshing, light, and tangy element to the dish. The preparation of pupusas may vary, but they are a beloved dish in El Salvador and its neighboring countries, and they have become widespread through migration and travel.

Frequently asked questions