If you come to Honduras, one of the first things you’d probably eat is a baleada: a traditional dish made of a flour tortilla filled with mashed, refried beans and a variety of other options like eggs, avocado, and more. They are very traditional and quick to make!
Check out the recipe below to get a taste of this Latin American dish. For the most authentic preparation, follow the recipe to make your own tortillas — Honduran tortillas are a bit thicker than traditional Mexican tortillas. Making your own at home is easy, though it does take a bit of time!
MAKE HONDURAN BALEADAS
Tortillas:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt — pinch
1/2 to 3/4 cup water or milk
3 tablespoons butter, lard or oil
Toppings:
Beans
Scrambled eggs
Sliced avocado
Crumbled queso fresco
Honduran cream
Shredded chicken or beef or chorizo
Hot sauce
Honduran Cream
1 cup sour cream
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ tsp fine sea salt
To make tortillas:
- Mix together the flour baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup of the water or milk to form a dough. Work in the butter, lard or oil until smooth. Add more liquid or flour as needed to form a smooth dough that isn’t too sticky.
- Move the dough to a floured work surface and knead until smooth. Cover with a clean dish towel and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat an ungreased griddle or skillet over medium flame (in Latin America, we have a shallow skillet called a comal used especially for tortillas). Cut the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball out into roughly an 8-inch round, about 1/8-inch thick.
- Place a dough round onto the hot griddle and cook for about 1 minute on each side, or until the tortilla has browned spots and is lightly puffed. Set aside and repeat with the remaining dough rounds.
- Fill the tortillas with refried beans and any other ingredients listed above, and enjoy your baleadas!
Written by Julissa Arana, Latin America Engagement Facilitator