Baleadas Recipe

Baleadas is a traditional Honduran street food recipe. Handmade tortillas are filled with fried beans, scrambled eggs, and other delicious toppings. Comfort food from Honduras, for sure. You are going to want to add them to your weekly meal plan. 

Other comfort foods that my family loves are stuffed cabbage rolls, copycat chipotle carnitas recipe, Bisquick sausage balls, and crockpot ham and potato soup. We are definitely an eclectic bunch! 

What is Baleadas?

Baleadas is the quid-essential Honduran street food!  Everyone has their own twist and everyone claims their baleadas are the best. A hand-formed tortilla is filled with seasoned refried red beans seasoned with Maggi brand consommé de Pollo, scrambled eggs, Honduran cheese crumbles, similar to queso fresco, and topped with a squeeze of crema. But there are many variations to include the addition of green avocado, pickled onions, spicy relish or even fried, seasoned pork. 

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An authentic Honduran recipe:

One of the benefits of being a culinary school graduate is that I have Chef friends all over the world. When I have a question about cuisine, they are just a message away. Thanks to my friend Matt for his insights on baleadas. Matt has been a private chef in Honduras and spent is off-hours exploring the streets of the local towns searching for fresh, local food.

How do you pronounce Baleadas?

I am not a native Spanish speaker but I pronounce baleadas as ‘Bali Aad Ass’. If you have a different way of pronouncing it, please let me know in the comments below. 

What’s the difference between a baleada and a quesadilla?

Quesadillas can be made with a tortilla folded over a filling of shredded cheese and heated, broiled, or fried and they can contain chicken or other fillings. Whereas a baleadas is a thick hand-formed tortilla filled with mashed seasoned beans.

How to make homemade flour tortillas for baleadas:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. 
2. Add the shortening and use your fingers to incorporate the shortening into the flour mixture until small balls of flour and fat form.
3. Add water 1/4 cup at a time until ball forms. Not all of the water may be used.
4. Work the ball with the heel of your hand until a ball forms.
5. Roll the dough into a snake.
6. Cut the dough into 12 portions. 
7. Allow the dough to rest for at least an hour.
8. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or until needed.

How to cook tortillas for baleadas:

1. Heat a cast-iron or nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. 
2. Using the palms of your hands, press the flour tortilla into a flat circle. 
3. Continue pressing with your hands and fingertips to form a flat tortilla. 
4. Cook the tortilla on the hot pan until it cooked and lightly puffed on each side.
5. Do not cook to a crisp. 

Baleadas Filling Ingredients:

• refried beans
• consommé de Pollo
• scrambled egg per tortilla
• Honduran cheese crumbles (queso fresco is a substitute)
• Crema (sour cream thinned with lime juice)
• Green avocado slices
• Pickled onions

Traditionally the beans are started with clean, dry beans, covered with water and cooked until soft. Added to the pan is onion, green pepper, cayenne and consommé de pollo. But I don’t always have time to make fresh beans so I make my beans this way:

How to prepare the beans for Baleadas:

1. Combine a can of refried beans with 1/2 square of consommé de Pollo in a pan until warm.
2. Add a splash of water to loosen the beans if desired. 

How to make a simple Baleadas:

1. Warm a tortilla on a nonstick or cast iron pan.
2. Spread a layer of beans on the warm tortilla.
3. Add a sprinkling of Honduran cheese crumbles and a scrambled egg. 
4. Fold in half and enjoy!

How to make Baleadas with all the extras:

1. Warm a tortilla on a nonstick or cast iron pan.
2. Spread a layer of beans on the warm tortilla.
3. Add a sprinkling of Honduran cheese crumbles and a scrambled egg. 
4. Add a few slices of thin-sliced green avocado.
5. Drizzle on crema or thinned sour cream.
6. Fold in half and enjoy!

Baleadas near me:

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Printable Baleadas Recipe:

Baleadas

Sarah Mock

A traditional Honduran street food is the baleadas. Handmade tortillas are filled with fried beans, scrambled eggs and other delicious toppings. Comfort food from Honduras, for sure.

4.5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Dough resting 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 35 mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark, toggle to button to the right to turn GREEN

Course Easy Recipes

Cuisine Honduran

Servings 12

Calories 262 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Fresh tortilla ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups of flour
• 2 tablespoons of shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 3/4 cup water

Baleadas Filling Ingredients:

• 1 can refried beans
• 1/2 square consommé de pollo
• 1 scrambled egg per tortilla
• Honduran cheese crumbles queso fresco is a substitite
• Crema sour cream thinned with lime juice
• Green avocado slices
• Pickled onions

Instructions

 

How to make homemade flour tortillas for baleadas:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. 
• Add the shortening and use your fingers to incorporate the shortening into the flour mixture until small balls of flour and fat form.
• Add water 1/4 cup at a time until a ball forms. Not all of the water may be used.
• Work the ball with the heel of your hand until a ball forms.
• Roll the dough into a snake.
• Cut the dough into 12 portions. 
• Allow the dough to rest for at least an hour.
• Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or until needed.

How to cook tortillas for baleadas:

• Heat a cast iron or non stick skillet to medium hight heat. 
• Using the palms of your hands, press the flour tortilla into a flat circle. 
• Continue pressing with your hands and fingertips to form a flat tortilla. 
• Cook the tortilla on the hot pan until it cooked and lightly puffed on each side. Do not cook to a crisp. 

How to prepare the beans for Baleadas:Traditionally the beans are started with clean, dry beans, covered with water and cooked until soft. Added to the pan is onion, green pepper, cayanne and consommé de pollo. But I don’t always have time to make fresh beans so I make my beans this way:

• Combine a can of refried beans with 1/2 square of consommé de pollo in a pan until warm.
• Add a splash of water to loosen the beans if desired. 

How to make a simple Baleadas:

• Warm a tortilla on a non stick or cast iron pan.
• Spread a layer of beans on the warm tortilla.
• Add a sprinkling of Honduran cheese crumbles and a scrambled egg. 
• Fold in half and enjoy!

How to make Baleadas with all the extras:

• Warm a tortilla on a non stick or cast iron pan.
• Spread a layer of beans on the warm tortilla.
• Add a sprinkling of Honduran cheese crumbles and a scrambled egg. 
• Add a few slices of thin sliced green avocado.
• Drizzle on crema or thinned sour cream.
• Fold in half and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 9gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 400mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1g

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

published March 26, 2109

Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 12 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.