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Chorizo and Bean Sopes

Name: Chorizo and Bean Sopes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 250 g Refried black beans; 200 g Mexican chorizo; 80 g Cotija cheese; 270 ml Warm water; 150 ml Vegetable oil; 4 cdas Soured cream; 300 g Masa harina (nixtamalised maize flour); 1 pinch Salt; 1 cup Red salsa

45 min (20 prep + 25 cook) Easy 4 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Maize sopes with refried black beans, Mexican chorizo, soured cream and cotija cheese.

About this recipe

Chorizo and bean sopes are one of the most popular and hearty Mexican street food snacks. On a thick maize dough base cooked on a comal, with raised edges to hold the toppings, a layer of refried black beans is spread, topped with crumbled and fried Mexican chorizo, then crowned with soured cream, crumbled cotija cheese and salsa. A complete meal in a single bite.

History & Origin

Sopes have pre-Hispanic roots in central Mexican cuisine, where they were made with maize dough and fillings of beans, chilli and herbs. Their characteristic shape, with edges pinched up to contain the toppings, emerged as a practical solution for eating standing at market stalls. Mexican chorizo, of Spanish origin but wholly adapted with local chillies and spices, arrived to stay in the 16th century and is now one of the most popular fillings for sopes, tlayudas and gorditas. The combination of chorizo with beans is one of the most classic and satisfying in Mexican popular cooking, found at fondas across the country from Mexico City to Guadalajara, Puebla and Oaxaca.

Estimated cost

£7.00

Total cost

£1.75

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

650

Calories

25g

Protein

50g

Carbohydrates

40g

Fat

10g

Fibre

800mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Make the dough: mix 300 g masa harina with enough warm water (250-270 ml) and a pinch of salt to form a soft dough. Shape 8 balls and flatten each into a disc 9 cm wide and 7-8 mm thick.
2
Cook the sopes on a hot dry comal over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until half-cooked (golden spots but still pliable). While still hot, pinch the edges up to form a 1 cm rim.
💡 Do this quickly while the dough is hot and pliable.
3
Fry the sopes in hot oil (1 cm deep) for 1-2 minutes per side until well golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.
4
In a dry pan, fry 200 g crumbled Mexican chorizo over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until well cooked and slightly crispy. Set aside.
5
Assemble the sopes: spread a layer of hot refried beans over each sope. Top with chorizo, soured cream, crumbled cotija cheese and red or green salsa to taste.