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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Recipe Origins
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. 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. The word “Baleada” in English means “shot”, so both theories revolve around bullets.
The first theory is more tame, saying that the name comes from the fact that beans look a little bit like bullets. In this version, the woman making the baleadas compared the tortilla to a shell, the beans to the bullet, and the cheese to the gunpowder.
The other 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.
However they got their name, Baleadas Hondureñas are a special treat, and I know you’ll love eating them!
Want to enjoy a more protein-packed, traditional taco? Tacos de Camaron will do the trick!
Why Make this Recipe
- Easy: With 4 ingredients and 5 minutes, you can have a super simple and delicious dinner or snack! I love whipping these up on nights I’m particularly tired of cooking.
- A Taste of Honduras: Baleadas are probably the most well-known food to come out of Honduras. If you want a taste of Honduran culture, this recipe is the place to get it.
- Customizable: If everyone in your house likes something a little different, you can customize each person’s baleadas to fit their tastes. See below for some suggestions of other toppings.
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- 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.
Fresh vs Store Bought Tortillas
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.
If you don’t feel like making homemade tortillas, I’ll give you advice on how to cheat this juuuust a little.
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.
Love easy-filling snacks? These Picaditas also made with fresh dough, are a quick Mexican snack that you’ll enjoy too.
Additional Toppings
The 3 main components of a Baleada Hondureña are refried beans, cheese, and sour cream. This is a “Baleada completa”. However, 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
- Hot Sauce
- Ground Beef
- Chorizo
- Or anything else that sounds delicious
How to Make this Recipe
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Step 1: Add the Beans
Use a spoon to spread refried beans onto one half of the tortilla.
Step 2: Add the Cheese
Sprinkle cotija cheese on top and add some dollops or sour cream.
Step 3: Add the Sour Cream
Add any additional toppings on your Baleadas Hondurenas, then fold the tortilla in half. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Because this recipe is so easy to make, I would recommend only assembling Baleadas Hondurenas as you eat them. Store each leftover ingredient separate from the rest, and the next day cook a fresh tortilla and assemble from scratch.
If this is not possible, you can certainly store your already-made baleadas in the fridge! Cover the plate with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep them airtight.
You can then put the baleada back in a frying pan the next day to warm it up, which will keep it from getting soggy. You can also microwave the leftovers, but this could lead to a soggy baleada.
While the refried beans add some protein to this dish, you can also add more! Feel free to pre-cook any meats (ground beef, chorizo, chicken, etc) before making your Baleadas, and then add that into the tortilla.
Did you like this recipe for Baleadas Hondureñas? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you!:
- Homemade Guacamole Recipe
- Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans
- Red Beans and Plantains from Burundi
- Pollo Con Tajadas
- Elote Lote
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: 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.
- Can put avocados, ground beef, red onions or eggs inside tortilla too
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