A traditional Honduran street food is the baleadas. Handmade tortillas are filled with fried beans, scrambled eggs and other delicious toppings. A comfort food from Honduras, for sure. You are going to want to add them to your weekly meal plan.
I made my own pickled onions to serve along side this dish and you might enjoy spicy pickled banana peppers with your version of baleadas. My family likes to have salsa verde, chipotle corn salsa and black bean salsa served with their baleadas. It may not be traditional but they call these additions, delicious.
What is Baleadas?
Baleadas is the quid-essential Honduran street food! Everyone has their own twist and everyone claims their baleadas is 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.
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 a 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 to 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. Where as a baleadas is a thick hand formed tortilla filled with mashed seasoned beans.
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
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.
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
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!
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Printable Baleadas Recipe:
Baleadas
Ingredients
- 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 Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per ServingCalories 262 Total Fat 11g Saturated Fat 4g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 6g Cholesterol 32mg Sodium 400mg Carbohydrates 33g Fiber 3g Sugar 1g Protein 9g
Jenn says
Fantastic recipe! I love how detailed the instructions are and all the tasty flavors here!
Sandi says
What a delicious idea for tacos. My family loved the flavor combination you created!
Sarah says
Jenn, You are welcome! I want you to be as successful as possible with my recipes. I love to give as detailed instructions as possible.
Sarah says
You are more than welcome. I would definitely NOT skip the pickled onions. Game changer, for sure.
Charles says
Such a great recipe! We had these for lunch today and once I let the tortilla dough rest enough they turned out great! Don’t rush the dough.
Donald K says
Love the addition of the pickled onions. Thanks for the recipe.
Kennie says
I made this for breakfast this morning and it was so good and so easy!