Sopes: the pre-Hispanic antojito with a pinched rim

What is it?

Sopes are one of the most popular and representative Mexican antojitos. They are made with small, thick tortillas (8 to 10 cm in diameter) made from nixtamalised maize dough, which after being partially cooked on the comal are pinched at the rim to form a raised 'plate' or 'border', and are then finished by frying in lard or oil. This shape allows them to hold the toppings without spilling: a layer of refried beans, on top a stew — chicken tinga, chorizo with potato, picadillo, shredded beef, mushrooms in chipotle — green or red salsa, julienned lettuce or cabbage, cream, crumbled fresh cheese and chopped onion. They are an emblematic dish of Mexican 'antojería', sold in markets, fairs, tianguis and traditional cuisine restaurants throughout the country, but with their epicentre in central Mexico. Pati Jinich, Animal Gourmet and El Universal document them as an essential antojito of the popular repertoire.

Origin and history

Sopes are an antojito of clear pre-Hispanic origin. The word 'sope' comes from the Nahuatl 'tlatsopelic', which means 'thick tortilla', and appears documented in codices and colonial chronicles such as that of Sahagún in the 16th century. Mesoamerican cultures — Mexica, Tlaxcaltec, Otomi — already prepared thick tortillas with a raised rim to serve thick stews without them running off. Larousse Cocina notes that the sope is one of the oldest antojitos of the national repertoire, alongside tlacoyos and gorditas. After the conquest, the incorporation of pork lard allowed sopes to be fried or browned, a profile they maintain today. Each region developed its own variant: the classic Mexico City sope measures 8-10 cm; the Veracruz sopecito is smaller and is called 'picaditas'; Puebla sopes are served with refried beans and egg; the Nayarit ones carry prawn and oyster. The industrialisation of nixtamalised dough and maize flour (Maseca, Minsa) has led to quick home versions, but fresh nixtamal dough is still considered superior. In the 20th century the sope became popular as a street antojito in Mexico City markets such as La Merced and San Juan.

Characteristic ingredients

The dough used is fresh nixtamalised maize or maize flour (Maseca or another) hydrated with warm water and salt. The consistency must be firm but malleable. Balls of dough of 50-60 grams are formed and pressed in a tortilla press or between two plastic sheets to a thickness of approximately 1 cm — thicker than a normal tortilla. They are partially cooked on a dry comal on both sides (1-2 minutes per side) until they are cooked but not browned. Immediately, while they are still hot, the edges are pinched with the fingers to form the characteristic 'plate' that holds the toppings. Afterwards they are lightly fried in pork lard or hot oil so they brown and crisp up. The classic filling is refried beans — black in the centre and south, pinto in the north — as the base, on top a stew, salsa, lettuce, cheese and cream. Regional variants: sopes of chicken tinga (Mexico City), of chorizo and potato (Bajío), of chicharrón in green salsa (State of Mexico), of oyster or prawn (Nayarit), of egg and bean (Puebla), of mole with shredded chicken (Oaxaca). Some stalls prepare them to order, others have pre-cooked batches ready to serve.

Cultural significance

Sopes are one of the pillars of Mexican street and traditional cuisine, part of the corpus of 'antojitos' that also includes gorditas, tlacoyos, quesadillas, huaraches and tlayudas. The 2010 UNESCO declaration of traditional Mexican cuisine — the Michoacán paradigm — explicitly includes maize antojitos as living cultural manifestations. Sopes are ubiquitous at patron-saint fairs, Sunday tianguis, markets, fondas, traditional cuisine restaurants and events such as the national holidays. In Mexico City, markets such as Mercado de San Juan, Coyoacán and Mercado Hidalgo are obligatory references. The organisation of traditional antojito makers such as those of the Coyoacán market has five generations of cooks who maintain family recipes. Chefs such as Mónica Patiño, Yuri de Gortari and Pati Jinich have taken them into haute cuisine as an example of the elegance of popular cooking. Economically, sopes sustain thousands of family micro-businesses in markets throughout the country. In popular culture they appear in songs, novels and films as icons of the Mexican table.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between sope, gordita and huarache?

All three are maize-dough antojitos. The sope is small (8-10 cm), round, with a pinched rim and is served with toppings on top. The gordita is thicker and is stuffed: it is split open on one side like a pouch. The huarache is long and large (15-20 cm), oval, and is also served with toppings on top. All three share the dough but differ in shape, size and way of serving.

What do sopes taste like?

They taste of lightly toasted nixtamalised maize dough fried in lard, with a sweet-savoury profile that complements creamy refried beans, the chosen stew (spicy if it is tinga or chorizo, mild if shredded beef), green or red salsa, the freshness of lettuce and onion, the unctuousness of the cream and the saltiness of the fresh cheese. It is a balanced explosion of textures and flavours.

How are sopes served?

They are served hot, freshly pinched and fried, on a flat plate. They are spread with refried beans, covered with the stew, bathed with green or red salsa, decorated with lettuce, cabbage or coriander, drizzled with cream, sprinkled with crumbled fresh cheese and chopped onion. They are eaten by hand (taking care not to spill the contents) or with a fork. They are accompanied with agua fresca, atole or beer, and refreshed with extra hot sauce to taste.

Where do sopes originate from?

They originate from Mesoamerica, with clear pre-Hispanic roots. The Nahuatl word 'tlatsopelic' means thick tortilla. Mexica, Tlaxcaltec and Otomi cultures were already preparing thick tortillas with pinched rims to serve stews. Today they are ubiquitous throughout Mexico, with regional variants: classic in Mexico City and the Bajío, seafood in Nayarit, mole in Oaxaca, chicharrón in the State of Mexico.