Tlacoyos
Oval Masa Cakes
Oval masa cakes with a trench of mashed fava beans, peas, or requesón hidden inside, griddled slowly and finished with nopales and green salsa — no meat required.
Tlacoyos
✦ Antes de Empezar
Before you cook
What can I use instead of requesón?
The filling is flexible — use mashed cooked fava beans, peas, or requesón, whichever is easiest to find; all three work in the same trench-and-seal shaping.
Ingredientes· 6View
Tlacoyo Base
- 2 cupsCorn Masa Harina (preferably blue corn)blue corn is highly traditional for tlacoyos
- 1.5 cups water + 1/2 tsp saltWarm Water & Salt
- 3/4 cupRefried Black Beans or Requesónthick, used as stuffing
Nopales Salad Topping
- 1 cupCooked Sliced Nopales (Cactus)tossed with tomato, onion, cilantro
- 1/2 cupSalsa Verde
- 1/2 cupQueso Frescocrumbled
Instrucciones
5 pasosPrepara la masa
Mix the dough
Mix the masa harina, water, and salt. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
Forma y rellena
Shape and fill
Shape a portion of dough into a thick oval, make a trench down the center, and add the filling.
Sella la masa
Seal the masa
Close the masa around the filling and shape into a long diamond or canoe-like oval.
Cocina en el comal
Cook on the comal
Cook slowly on a medium comal for 4 to 5 minutes per side, pressing gently.
Sirve
Serve
Top with nopales, salsa, cheese, and onion. Serve hot.
Authentic Culinary Gear for this Recipe
Heritage Mexican cooking relies on dedicated craft tools to develop authentic blisters, toasts, and emulsified textures.
10.5" Heavy Cast Iron Comal
Distributes high, dry radiant heat for charring poblanos, toasting chiles, and warming tortillas.
Cast Iron Tortilla Press (8")
Heavy calibrated leverage to press fresh heirloom masa dough into thin, supple rounds with zero sticking.
Heirloom Masa & Dried Chiles
Single-origin Mexican dried chiles (Ancho, Guajillo, Pasilla) and heirloom nixtamalized corn masa.
✦ Recommended gear reflects genuine kitchen utility standards. Outbound links support our independent culinary archive.
