StewsMedium

Papadzules

Name: Papadzules
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 200 g Hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas); 12 Corn tortillas; 6 Eggs; 3 Tomato; 1 Habanero chilli; 3 leaves Epazote; 1 to taste Salt

45 min (20 prep + 25 cook) Medium 4 servings Yucatán

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 10 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

Yucatecan enchiladas filled with egg in a vibrant pumpkin seed sauce.

About this recipe

Papadzules are a uniquely Yucatecan dish: soft tortillas filled with chopped hard-boiled egg, bathed in a vivid green sauce made from ground pumpkin seeds, and finished with a drizzle of tomato sauce. A pre-Hispanic recipe from the Mayan tradition and one of the Yucatan's culinary treasures.

History & Origin

Papadzules are one of the oldest dishes in Mayan cuisine, with records dating back to before the Spanish Conquest. Their name in Maya means 'food of the lords' (papa: food, dzul: lord or foreigner), as it was a dish served to nobility. The pumpkin seed sauce is of purely pre-Hispanic origin, and the use of hard-boiled egg as a filling makes it a dish that could be prepared without meat. Today it is an emblematic Lenten dish in Yucatán and a favourite in regional cuisine restaurants.

Estimated cost

£13.33

Total cost

£3.34

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

497

Calories

24g

Protein

38g

Carbohydrates

24g

Fat

Fibre

890mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cuece the eggs durante 12 minutes en water hirviendo. Enfría, pela y pica finely.
2
Tuesta the pumpkin seeds en un comal (griddle) seco over medium heat, moviéndolas constantemente until se inflen y doren ligeramente (5 minutes).
💡 No the quemes; se amargan rápidamente.
3
Licúa the pumpkin seeds tostadas with 400 ml de water hot y the hojas de epazote hasta obtener a salsa verde espesa y cremosa. Cuela si es necesario.
4
Char the tomatoes and habanero chilli on the comal. Blend until you have a red salsa. Strain and set aside.
5
Heat the pepita sauce in a frying pan over low heat (it must not boil or it will split). Pass the tortillas through the sauce to soak them.
6
Rellena each tortilla with egg chopped, enróllalas y cabbageócalas en un dish. Baña with more salsa de pepita y decora with líneas de tomato sauce roja encima.