Gorditas Recipe

Gorditas are Mexico's beloved stuffed pockets: thick corn cakes split open and filled with melting cheese, beans, and salsa. Crisp outside, tender inside, and endlessly adaptable, they are a street-food favourite that works just as well at home. One warm gordita is rarely enough.

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

60 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

560

Ingredients

• 400 g masa harina
• 420 ml warm water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 250 g shredded melting cheese
• 300 g refried beans
• 200 g shredded cooked pork or chicken
• 150 ml salsa roja
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
• 100 ml sour cream
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 avocado, sliced, to serve

Instructions

1. Mix the masa harina, salt, and warm water into a soft, pliable dough and rest it covered for 15 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into 8 balls and flatten each into a thick disc about 10 cm across and 1 cm thick.
3. Cook the discs on a dry heavy pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden spots appear and they begin to puff.
4. Brush the pan with a little oil and cook each disc for one more minute per side for a crisp finish.
5. Let the gorditas cool for 2 minutes, then split each one open along the edge with a knife, forming a pocket.
6. Fill each pocket with a layer of refried beans and shredded meat, then tuck in the cheese so it melts from the warmth.
7. Top with salsa roja, tomato, onion, and coriander, and finish with a drizzle of sour cream.
8. Serve warm with lime wedges and avocado slices on the side.

Pro tips

• A 1 cm thickness is the sweet spot: thinner and they dry out, thicker and they stay doughy.
• Fill while warm so the cheese melts into the pocket naturally.
• Split carefully with a serrated knife to keep the pocket intact.
• Warm the refried beans before filling so the gordita stays hot to the last bite.

Frequently asked questions