Sopes con Frijoles y Salsa Ranchera (Thick Corn Cakes with Beans)
Thick, hand pinched masa cakes fried until crisp outside, topped with refried beans, ranchera sauce and fresh toppings.
Made with Salsa ranchera and Refried beans (frijoles refritos). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.65 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the masa harina and salt in a bowl. Stir in the warm water, then knead for 2 minutes into a soft dough that does not stick. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
10 min - 2
Divide into 8 balls. Press each between two sheets of baking paper to a disc about 9 cm wide and 1 cm thick.
- 3
Cook each disc in a dry non stick pan over a medium heat for 1 minute per side, until lightly speckled but not hard.
2 min - 4
While still warm, pinch up a low rim around the edge of each disc with your fingers.
- 5
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the sopes, rim side up first, for 2 minutes per side until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
4 min - 6
Warm your ready made refried beans and your ready made salsa ranchera (see the base recipes). Spread beans into each sope, spoon over the sauce, and top with lettuce, cheese, soured cream and onion.
Tips
- The dough should feel like soft play dough. If it cracks at the edges, add a splash of water.
- Pinch the rim while the sopes are still warm or it will crack.
- You can cook the discs ahead and fry them just before serving.
Storing and freezing
Eat at once while crisp. Cooked, unfried discs keep 2 days in the fridge. Toppings keep 3 days.
Questions
What is the difference between a sope and a tostada?
A sope is a thick, soft masa base with a pinched rim, partly fried. A tostada is a thin, fully crisp tortilla.
Which masa harina should I buy?
Use masa harina for tortillas, such as Maseca. Ordinary cornmeal or polenta does not work.
More made with salsa ranchera
Huevos Motuleños (Yucatecan Eggs with Plantain and Beans)
NFChiles Rellenos de Barbacoa en Caldillo (Stuffed Poblanos in Tomato Sauce)
NFPizzas de Tortilla Mexicanas (Crisp Tortilla Pizzas with Salsa Ranchera)
EFNFPapas Rancheras (Ranch Style Potatoes)
GFDFNFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.