I had been told that when and if I visit El Salvador I have to binge on Pupusas, because they are good and very cheap. I had no clue what Pupusas were but “good & cheap” sounded good to me. Since I spent over a week in El Salvador I can tell you that now I know for sure what they are and damn are they freaking good and yes very cheap. They are a backpackers dream meal, I went crazy with them.
So what is a “Pupusa”???
More Pupusas!!!
“A Pupusa is a traditional Salvadoran dish made of thick, hand-made corn tortilla that is usually filled with a blend of the following: cheese, cooked pork meat ground to a paste consistency, refried beans. The two most common pupusas are the pupusa de queso (cheese) and more popular pupusa revuelta with mixed ingredients of queso (cheese), frijoles (beans), and chicharrón. Pupusas are typically served with curtido (lightly fermented cabbage slaw with red chilies and vinegar) and a watery tomato salsa” (copied this from Wikipedia click on it to read more about Pupusas).
You never forget your first. I remember having my first Pupusas at 4:35pm during a crazy transportation day. They were 3 for $1 and damn did they hit the spot just right (since I had not had anything to eat up until then that day). Then after having a successful transportation day I had 4 more for dinner (they were only $0.40 each).
Here you can see a lady making Pupusas.
Only a few hours in El Savlador and I loved the fact that I would be able to eat Pupusas just about everyday. When you are in El Salvador you will find a Pupusa stand or two or five just about everywhere. You will find them in the markets, on the plaza, on the main street, hell even in the middle of nowhere.
At first I was keeping track of how many I ate, I was curious to know how many I would eat while in El Salvador. The tally ended after a few days; I couldn’t keep up and gave up. I now have no clue how many I ate but I know it has got to be roughly over 35 during the time I was there. As for the amount I have had during my trip it has to be well over 60. You can find Pupusas in Honduras and Guatemala as well, but don’t be fooled they will not be as good as the ones from El Salvador.
I know Pupusas could not be healthy for you, but damn they are just so good. Have you had a Pupusa before what is your take on them? If you haven’t what is a dish you couldn’t get enough of while you were traveling, because it was so good and cheap?
Are they fried? They sounds delicious. Every street food snack they have here in Colombia seems to be deep fried. But they’re so good.
jill- Jack and JIll Travel recently posted..Cueva de La Vaca – From Caving Virgins to Caving Addicts
Nope they are not deep fried (thank god), if they were they would be 10x’s more fattening…lol!!! I think deep fried food anywhere though is so damn good. Its always the unhealthy food that is so good.
*sigh* I love chicharron – cannot find it up here in New York. Thanks, now I am hungry.
Justin Hamlin recently posted..A Smack in the Face Reminder
Justin a Pupuseria has got to be somewhere in NYC. Come on NYC is the home of just about every nationality… some type of Salvadorien diner has to be there.
remember, I am not in NYC though 😉 80 miles north in the small, more rural towns. Nothing like having to go 80 miles for Chicharron when in CA we used to go to the corner! LOL
Justin Hamlin recently posted..A Smack in the Face Reminder
Oh fuck that is right… I dont know why I keep thinking you are in NYC! Oh & hello in California you could find anything everywhere jajaja!
Dude! Why’d you have to go and start talking about food. Those sound SO good. We were like that with gyros in Greece (go figure!).
The NVR Guys recently posted..Most Memorable Mileage Run Moments
Jaja sorry guys… y’all know I love to eat & well Pupusas were just fucking awesome! When you are down here one day you have to try them. Oh & I love Gyros too so I am sure when I am in Greece I will go crazy too.
60?!?!?
While you are eating pupusas, I’m eating $.80 tacos al pastor. Just sayin’.
Regardless, they look soooooo gooooood.
Erica recently posted..A Post For My Father – Templo Mayor- Mexico City
Oh girl dont get me started I am so ready for Mexican food… its crazy. I will be joining you very soon (like tomorrow). Can’t wait to see you in a few days in Oaxaca!!!
Jaime recently posted..Photo Round Up – Week 10
LOVE me some pupusas! So dang good!
Glad I am not alone… they are so dang good!!!
Really? You didn’t know want a pupusa was? No way you are from Houston tx!!!!
En serio I had no clue what they were. Ummm I have never seen a PUPUSERIA in Houston. Find us one & when I go home we will jave lunch there!
I can not believe that but yes I will find us a spot. You must share about the mexican food too!
Oh girl of course… I am so ready for Mexican food its crazy!!!
looks delicious man… looks like a shawarma..
flip recently posted..One Thing I Hate About Travelling
They really are delicious but ummm whats a Shawarma???
Shawarma’s are the bomb. Sort of a middle eastern gyro. Great hangover food. I don’t know if I’ll make it down to El Salvador, but these do look damn good.
Oh my. I am going to get so fat in Central America.
megan recently posted..Getting drunk on the road to Kathmandu
You will loose it with all the walking & hiking you will do. I have been eating like a pig and have lost a lot of weight.
Jaime recently posted..Photo Round Up – Week 10
I ate them in Toronto all the time, two little women made them in the back of a Latin grocery store. The idiot that I am I always thought they were Mexican until I got to Mexico and saw nothing like them.
My favourite are bean and cheese.
ayngelina recently posted..The cutest ghetto in Latin America
I am going to have to find a Pupusa restaurant when I get to Houston. I had never heard of them until I made it down here & yeah ummm they are not Mexican. They are though a lot like Mexican Gorditas.
I tried them in Houston!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀 I have a friend from El Salvador (Valeria, Leonardo’s Wife… u know’em? )
She makes Pupusas (or buy them, IDK lol) And they come with Fried Platano Macho, Frijoles and sour cream!!!!! I tought that it was a weird (for not saying NASTY) but it actually tastes good, ando so the Pupusas
🙂 I’ll give you her phone so when you go back stay for a month in Home, she can tell u where to buy them.
R recently posted..RamiroGordz- @MaggyDavalos ATM! Daaarlin c u 2morrow
Siii estan tan ricas!!! Cuando llege a Houston me pasas el # pa ver que onda.
Dear Jaime,
As the man who I believe can take partial credit for you ever having encountered my beloved papusas in the first place, and the guy who ate 28 of them in our first 24 hours in El salvador, i would like to let you know the best papusas in the world are in fact in Honduras, near the the shady neighborhood bus station where they play the great live music. That said Papusas are the best. i brought my parents to a restaurant that served them in phoenix where no one spoke english (my spanish works!) when i got back… good but not the same…
Mark yup thanks to you I now know what Pupusas are all about. I however can not agree or disagree with you on your comment because well I have never tried those so I wouldnt know. So far though for me the best have been in El Salvador. Hope all is well now that you are back home. Miss ya ;)~
Omg Jaime, you have no idea what you have done to me! I LLOOOVVVEEE pupusas! I just had some the other day and as delicious as they were and always are, I now HAVE to go to the place of origin just to taste them the way there were created! Ahhh!! They are ridiculously delicious! Thanks for making my mouth water and my stomach not want anything but pupusas! :p
LOL glad I can make your mouth water Jackie… I have to agree I love love love PUPUSAS… I could so use one right now… even though Moroccan food is not that bad.
Hi – thanks again for submitting your post to our Footpath Feasting series – we included your delicious post here: http://grantourismotravels.com/2011/10/02/footpath-feasting-the-best-street-food-stories-on-the-web/
Wow I had forgot I submitted it Lara. Thanks for reminding me… I will check it out!