Mexican Sopes Recipe – An Alternative To Tacos!
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If you love Mexican food then put the ingredients for this authentic Mexican Sopes Recipe on your shopping list! This popular street food consists of a thick, rimmed corn tortilla which is fried and then filled with delicious toppings like refried beans, taco beef, avocado, and cheese. If you’ve never tried them before, you’re in for a real treat!
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Mexican Sopes Recipe
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
A sope is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a fried masa – a maize (corn) dough – base with savory toppings. Not to be confused with the very similar tostada which is also a fried corn tortilla, sopes have got a little “wall” around the edges which hold all the toppings in place.
To make the dough for the sopes you will need corn masa, also known as masa harina. It is a very fine flour and has a distinctive taste. It’s not the same as cornmeal or cornstarch (cornflour in the UK).
In the US it’s quite easy to find corn masa, and in the UK you may actually find it in your local supermarket (check the World Foods aisle). I actually found Maize Meal in Tesco, so we can get it here too!
Making sopes is a fun and easy way to enjoy Mexican cuisine without having to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. This recipe takes around 40 minutes from start to finish.
These delicious little treats are perfect for parties or a quick and tasty dinner. Plus, they’re versatile – you can top them with just about anything you like!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon, Amazon Fresh, or other stores if available online.
It may not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, Avocados
- Protein – Ground Beef (Beef Mince)
- Dairy – Queso Fresco – meaning “fresh cheese” is a mild, fresh, soft, and slightly tangy white cheese used in Mexican cuisine. You could substitute it for shredded Cheddar or Mozzarella, or crumble over some Feta or goat cheese.
- Corn Masa
- Taco Seasoning
- Canned Refried Beans
- Salsa
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Mexican Recipes
Looking for more Mexican dishes to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Pozole Rojo de Pollo (Red Pozole with Chicken)
- Grilled Carne Asada
- Mexican Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
How Do I Make Mexican Sopes?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Mexican Sopes
Ingredients
- 4 cups corn masa
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 4 lbs 1.8kg ground beef
- 4 packets taco seasoning
- 2 15-oz/400g cans refried beans
- 2 cup lettuce
- 12 cherry tomatoes; halved
- 4 avocados diced
- 1 cup queso fresco; crumbled
- Salsa for topping
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the corn masa and water. Add a little water at a time while mixing with your hands. The dough should not be sticky. More like a bread dough texture. Take a piece of the dough with water on your hands and make small circular patties. Then pinch up the edges to form a "wall" around the edge, to create a shallow bowl shape.
- Pour the oil into a deep saucepan and heat to 180°C/350°F. Use a food thermometer for checking the oil. Place the sope dough bowl side down into the oil and fry for about 2 minutes or till light golden color. Flip and do the same for the opposite side. Remove from oil and set on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat until all sopes have been cooked. Remember to maintain the oil temperature to ensure proper cooking.
- Brown the ground beef in a pan, then add the taco seasoning. Stir well, and when cooked set aside.
- Heat beans according to the can instructions.
- Place sopes on a plate, add refried beans, ground beef, and top with top with lettuce, queso fresco, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and salsa. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Special Dinner!
You’ve made the appetizer (or main dish), but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a special meal or dinner party:
- Appetizer: 7 Layer Dip Cups – An Easy Tex-Mex Appetizer for Parties!
- Soup: Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup
- Salad: Quick & Easy Beef Taco Salad for Taco Tuesday!
- Main Dish: Vegan Black Bean Lettuce Wraps
- Side Dish: Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
- Beverage: Sparkling Mexican Paloma Cocktail with Blanco Tequila & Grapefruit
- Dessert: Decadent Chocolate Walnut Brownies with Chocolate Frosting
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.