Sopes de Pescado Ahumado (Smoked Mackerel Sopes)
Thick little masa cakes with a pinched rim, filled with refried beans, flaked smoked mackerel, bright salsa verde and pickled onion.
Made with Salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa) and Pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas) and Refried beans (frijoles refritos). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.70 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. Add the warm water gradually, kneading to a soft, smooth dough like play dough that does not crack when pressed. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
10 min - 2
Divide into 8 balls. Press each between two sheets of baking paper or a cut-open freezer bag to a disc about 8 cm wide and 1 cm thick.
- 3
Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Cook each disc for 2 minutes each side, until set and lightly speckled. While still warm, pinch up the edge all round to form a low rim.
4 min - 4
Fry the sopes in the oil in a clean pan over a medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes a side, until golden and crisp outside but still soft inside. Drain on kitchen paper.
4 min - 5
Warm your ready made refried beans (see the base recipe) with a splash of water until steaming hot all the way through. Spoon a layer into each sope.
- 6
Top with the flaked smoked mackerel, lettuce, a spoonful of your ready made salsa verde (see the base recipe), the pickled red onions, queso fresco and coriander. Eat at once.
Tips
- Shape the rim while the sopes are still hot from the dry pan, because they crack when cold.
- If the dough cracks at the edges when pressed, knead in a teaspoon of warm water at a time until smooth.
- Hot smoked mackerel is already cooked and flakes easily. Smoked trout or flaked cooked white fish also work.
- Make the sopes up to a few hours ahead, then re-crisp them in a hot oven for 5 minutes before filling.
Storing and freezing
Eat fresh. Plain cooked sopes keep in the fridge for 2 days and can be frozen for 1 month. Reheat on a baking tray until hot and crisp, then fill. Keep the smoked fish chilled and eat within 2 days.
Questions
Can I use regular plain flour instead of masa harina?
No. Masa harina is corn flour treated with lime water (nixtamalised) and gives the right flavour and structure. Plain flour or ordinary cornflour will not form the dough. Look for brands such as Maseca in world food aisles.
What is the difference between sopes and tostadas?
Sopes are thick, soft masa cakes with a pinched rim that holds the toppings. Tostadas are flat tortillas fried or baked until crisp.
Is this dish gluten free?
Yes, if the masa harina is plain corn and labelled gluten free. Smoked mackerel, beans and salsa verde contain no gluten. Queso fresco contains milk, so leave it off for dairy free.
More made with salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa)
Molotes Oaxaqueños de Pollo (Oaxacan Fried Masa and Potato Rolls)
GFEFNFTacos de Chorizo con Nopales (Chorizo and Cactus Tacos)
DFEFNFBurritos Bañados en Salsa Verde (Smothered Burritos)
EFNFQuesadillas de Champiñones con Salsa Verde (Mushroom Quesadillas)
EFNFSee every dish made with salsa verde (cooked tomatillo salsa)
Double 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.