Mexican Sopes Recipe

This Mexican Sopes recipe is easy to prepare even with scratch made Sopes. The Sope have become more than just Mexican street food. The versatile dish has become popular with home cooks even outside of the region. Try making them yourself, with my suggested topping or your own selections.

The thick corn tortilla covered with classic Mexican ingredients will soon be a family favorite! It's a great choice whether for a week night dinner, game day or a special treat on Cinco de Mayo!

What are sopes?

Sopes are a traditional Mexican dish made from thick corn corn tortillas that are fried or toasted and then topped with various ingredients. The toppings can include refried beans, beef, pork, chicken, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, salsa and whatever your favorite toppings are.

Mexican Sopes are generally considered a street food and are eaten like an open face sandwich. They can also be served as an appetizer, side dish or they can also be filled with any type of meat you like and served as a main course. Sopes are typically eaten with the hands but can also be eaten with a fork or spoon.

How to Make Sopes

Let's make Mexican Sopes! Follow along here with pictures and tips or hop down to the printable recipe card at bottom of article. I think you will find making sopes easy once you start.

The recipe makes 4 servings (8 sopes, 2 per person)

Prep Time: 20 Mins Cook Time: 20 Mins Total Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Here is all you need to make your own homemade Mexican Sopes.

Sopes Dough

• 2 cups corn masa harina*
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• vegetable oil for frying (corn oil, canola oil, or melted lard are other options)

Toppings for the Sopes

• 2 pounds ground beef or 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, shredded beef or pulled pork
• 2 packets taco seasoning
• 15 oz. can refried beans
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 6 cherry tomatoes; halved
• 2 avocados
• ½ cup queso fresco cheese, crumbled
• spicy salsa or salsa verde

Supplies: paper towels, thermometer for cooking oil

*Make sure to use masa harina and not some other ground corn product. The dried maize corn used for it has been through a process called nixtamalization, where it is soaked in lime water. This softens the kernels and releases pectin. It also changes the taste, look and nutrition of the corn.

Instructions:

Gather your ingredients to get started.

In a large mixing bowl, combine corn masa, salt and water. Add water a little at a time, while mixing with your hands. The dough should have a soft play dough texture and not be sticky.

NOTE: If you make the dough ahead make sure to put it in a well sealed plastic bag with the air pressed out to keep it moist.

Divide the dough into eight pieces and cover with a piece of plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Keep a small bowl of water out to Wet your hands as you remove the corn dough balls one at a time to form the sopes.

Roll them into a ball of dough and flatten to make small round patties. Then form the edges into a lip to create a shallow bowl shape.

Pour oil into pan a few inches deep. Place over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350 degrees F. (Check temperature with a food thermometer).

Place the sope raised edge side down into the hot oil and lightly fry the dough for about 2 minutes. Flip and fry another minute or two until light golden brown and crispy.

Remove the cooked sopes from oil and set on a dry kitchen towel, paper towel lined plate or wire rack.

NOTE: if you prefer not to deep fry, cast iron skillet or griddle well greased with vegetable shortening or lard can be used to make sopes. The results will not be quite as crisp all around, but still tasty. Rather than forming edges before cooking, they are pressed in after cooking with this method.

Cook the hamburger in a skillet until lightly browned and crumbled. Drain off the grease and mix in the taco seasoning.

Heat up the refried beans in the microwave or a saucepan on the stove.

Take each sope smear some beans on it then add the seasoned beef. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, diced avocado, salsa and queso fresco cheese crumbles. Serve warm.

Other Topping Options

There is no need to stick with my choices. Generally the fried corn cakes are slathered with refried beans as a base for other toppings, but even that isn't set in stone. Here are a few for your consideration:

• Mexican Crema
• Sour Cream or Seasoned Sour Cream
• Black Beans or White Beans
• Chipotle sauce or hot sauce
• Ranch dressing or my Chick-fil-a Avocado Lime Ranch dressing
• freshly chopped cilantro
• seared shrimp or a firm fish like tuna or Mahi mahi (in place of other meat)
• Sliced Blackened Chicken or Blacked Salmon would also be delicious on Sopes
• Try some pickles veggies on a sope. Pickled carrots or radish slices are fun choices and a great way to add flavor to vegetarian sopes. See my pickled daikon radishes or quick pickled carrots.
• Make vegan sopes, by choosing appropriate beans without animal products and sticking with vegan toppings for your shells. Fried seasoned tofu with a splash of tomato sauce in place of meat or a plant based meat substitute and lots of veggies sounds perfect.

Storage and Reheating

If you want to make fried sopes ahead of time or have leftovers, the best way to store them is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep them fresh and prevent them from drying out.

You can also freeze sopes for up to three months if you want to save them for a later date. When ready to eat, simply thaw the frozen sopes in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheat Sopes on a hot skillet over medium heat until hot throughout and edges are crisp. They can also be reheated in the oven or an air fryer as well. The microwave is not recommended.

Other Mexican Recipes

Here are a few other Mexican or Tex-Mex recipes you may also enjoy separately or served with a sope or two.

• Leftover Instant Pot Carnitas - Mexican pulled Pork or Salsa Chicken would be wonderful on you sopes.
• Spanish Cauliflower Rice or Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad would be delicious side dish choices.
• For a fantastic combo plate serve sopes with my Mexican Stuffed Peppers or Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Corn.
• If you are looking for a starter or additions to a football party spread make some Chilis Southwest Egg Rolls or my Easy Queso Dip Recipe.

For dessert, why not finish the meal with Mexican Fried Ice Cream or Tres Leches Cupcakes.