The most common snack or meal in all of Honduras are Baleadas Hondureñas, a dish made by layering refried beans, cheese, and sour cream in a freshly made tortilla. You only need 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to make this recipe!
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What are Baleadas?
Baleadas are a Honduran street food that is very well-known throughout the country. A typical Baleada Hondureña is made by spreading refried beans, cotija cheese, and sour cream in a homemade tortilla.
Baleada History
Baleadas Hondureñas were invented around 1964 in the La Ceiba region of Honduras. There are a few theories about where baleadas originated and how they got their name.
My favorite theory claims that a woman making Baleadas on the street was shot, but ultimately survived. In the years following the incident, her patrons would call her the baleada (meaning “shot woman”), and soon the food she was making became named after her.
Ingredients to Make Baleadas
- Tortillas: See note below about choosing the right tortillas.
- Refried Beans: In Honduras, Honduran Red Beans are used. Refried black beans are a good substitute.
- Cheese: Cotija Cheese is the best choice. You may need to crumble it yourself. In a pinch, feta cheese tastes kind of similar to cotija. Queso Duro is another popular cheese choice.
- Sour Cream: In Honduras, Mantequilla Blanca is used. It is similar to sour cream but a little runnier. Sour cream is a good alternative.
Variations
There are so many other delicious toppings you can add to your Baleada as well. Here are some good options:
- Avocado Slices
- Sauteed Red Onion
- Scrambled Eggs (this makes Baleadas Especiales)
- Hot Sauce
- Ground Beef
- Chorizo
- Chicken
- Or anything else that sounds delicious
How to Make this Recipe
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Step 1: Use a spoon to spread refried beans onto one half of the tortilla.
Step 2: Sprinkle cotija cheese on top and add some dollops or sour cream.
Step 3: Add any additional toppings on your Baleadas Hondurenas, then fold the tortilla in half. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Store each leftover ingredient separate from the rest, and the next day cook a fresh tortilla and assemble from scratch.
If you’ve already assembled your baleada, put it in an airtight container overnight. You can warm it in a frying pan the next day to keep it from getting soggy.
One of the most important things to know about Baleadas is that they must be made with homemade tortillas if you want them to really taste like they do in Honduras. Check out that blog post for tips on how to make great homemade tortillas.
Most grocery stores carry uncooked tortillas in the refrigerator section. The dough is already prepared and rolled but you will need to cook them on the stovetop. If you are going to buy tortillas in the store, buy these instead of the already cooked ones in the Mexican food aisle.
The 3 main components of a Baleada Hondureña are refried beans, cheese, and sour cream. This is a “Baleada completa”.
If you tried these Baleadas Hondureñas or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Baleadas Hondureñas Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 homemade flour tortillas, or buy the ready to cook store bought ones
- 1 cup refried beans
- ½ cup cotija cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Use a spoon to spread ¼ cup refried beans onto one half of the tortilla.
- Sprinkle ⅛ cup cotija cheese on top and add some dollops of sour cream.
- Add any additional toppings, then fold the tortilla in half. Enjoy!
Notes
- Sour Cream: In Honduras, Mantequilla Blanca is used. It is similar to sour cream but a little runnier. Sour cream is a good alternative.
- Tortillas: Homemade tortillas are preferred, but you can also buy uncooked tortillas in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
- Refried Beans: In Honduras, Honduran Red Beans are used. Refried black beans are a good substitute.
- Cheese: Cotija Cheese is the best choice. You may need to crumble it yourself. In a pinch, feta cheese tastes kind of similar to cotija. Queso Duro is another popular cheese choice.
- You can put avocados, ground beef, red onions or eggs inside the tortilla too
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