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Panuchos de Cochinita (Yucatecan Bean-Stuffed Tortillas with Cochinita Pibil)

Name: Panuchos de Cochinita (Yucatecan Bean-Stuffed Tortillas with Cochinita Pibil)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 12 Yucatecan corn tortillas; 400 g Shredded cochinita pibil; 300 g Cooked black beans; 1 pieza grande Red onion; 3 Sour orange or lime; 1 Habanero chilli; 1 Avocado; 400 ml Vegetable oil for frying; 1 tsp Salt

50 min (30 prep + 20 cook) Easy 4 servings Yucatán

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 30 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Yucatecan fried tortillas stuffed with black beans, topped with cochinita pibil and pickled red onion.

About this recipe

Panuchos are Yucatán's most representative antojito: corn tortillas that puff during cooking, creating an air pocket inside where strained black beans are inserted, then topped with shredded cochinita pibil, pickled red onion in sour orange and habanero chilli. The combination of creamy beans, achiote-marinated cochinita and the acidity of the pickled onion creates a balance of flavours that is the quintessence of Yucatecan cuisine.

History & Origin

The panucho is a dish born of ingenuity: the Yucatecan corn tortilla, when cooked on the griddle, sometimes puffs up to create an interior space. Yucatecan cooks, rather than seeing this as a defect, turned it into an advantage, inserting strained beans into that space to create a more complete and nutritious mouthful. The word 'panucho' probably comes from Maya and has been the subject of etymological debate for generations. What is indisputable is that the panucho with cochinita pibil has become Yucatán's gastronomic ambassador to the world, served from street stalls in Mérida to Mexican restaurants in New York, Madrid and Tokyo. The red onion pickled in sour orange — the obligatory accompaniment — has its own roots in pre-Columbian Maya cuisine, where sour orange was adopted from the Caribbean with unusual enthusiasm by the Maya, who found it similar to their local acidic fruits.

Estimated cost

£11.00

Total cost

£2.75

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

450

Calories

22g

Protein

44g

Carbohydrates

20g

Fat

Fibre

560mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Prepare the pickled onion: slice the red onion into thin rings. Blanch for 30 seconds in boiling water. Drain and marinate in sour orange juice (or lime juice), salt and sliced habanero. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2
Prepare the strained beans: blend the cooked black beans with their broth until you have a smooth, thick paste. Fry in hot oil until thickened and changed in colour. Set aside.
3
If you have cochinita pibil ready, simply shred it. If not, see the Cochinita Pibil recipe (pork marinated in achiote, sour orange and spices, slow-cooked).
4
Cook the tortillas on the griddle until they puff up. When still warm, carefully open them on one side with your fingers or a knife, creating a little pocket. Insert 1 tablespoon of strained beans inside.
5
Fry the stuffed panuchos in hot oil at 170°C for 1–2 minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.
6
Place a portion of warm shredded cochinita pibil on top of each panucho and a generous spoonful of pickled red onion. Add sliced avocado to taste.