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Tlacoyos are a traditional Mexican street food made from corn masa stuffed with beans or cheese, shaped into a long oval, and cooked on a comal. They’re popular in central Mexico, where you’ll find them sold by street vendors topped with nopales, salsa, crema, and queso fresco. And yes, you can totally make them at home!
A Note from Isabel
Growing up, my family was more of a gorditas and sopes household, so tlacoyos weren’t really on my radar until later in life. Once I tried them, though, I was hooked. They remind me a lot of tetelas in the sense that the masa is stuffed with a filling, usually beans, but the shape is totally different. That long, oval football shape is part of what makes them so fun to make.
My go-to topping combo is nopales and salsa, which is also the most traditional way to eat them (a little salsa morita or salsa de cacahuate is so good with tlacoyos). But if I don’t have nopales on hand, a good pico de gallo or even some chorizo works really well too. The shaping takes a little practice at first, but I’ve added step-by-step photos to make it super easy.
What Are Tlacoyos?
Tlacoyos are a staple street food in central and southern Mexico, where you’ll find vendors selling them off comales on the side of the road. The word tlacoyo comes from Nahuatl (the indigenous language of the Aztecs), and the dish has been around for a very long time, long before it became something people started making at home.
They’re made from masa harina dough that’s stuffed with a filling, most commonly refried beans or fava beans, then shaped into a long oval (kind of like a flat football) and cooked on a dry comal or griddle. Once cooked, they get loaded up with toppings.
Common fillings include:
- Refried black beans (most common, what I use here)
- Mashed fava beans (very traditional, especially in Mexico City)
- Refried pinto beans
- Queso fresco or Oaxacan cheese
Traditional toppings include:
- Ensalada de nopales (cactus salad)
- Salsa roja or salsa verde
- Mexican crema
- Queso fresco or cotija
- Avocado or shredded lettuce
Ingredients You’ll Need
| Ingredient | Notes / Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Masa harina | The base of the dough. White corn is most common, but blue or yellow work too. I like Masienda, but any brand is fine. |
| Warm water | Hydrates the masa harina into a pliable dough. Warm water helps it come together more easily. |
| Salt | Just enough to season the dough so it’s not flat-tasting. I like to use fine salt or table salt instead of kosher or coarse salt so it mixes more easily. |
| Black beans | I used canned to keep things really easy, but you can use beans that you cook from scratch. If using canned, don’t drain and discard the liquid. The liquid helps the beans mash to a creamy consistency without drying out. |
| Oil | Used to cook the beans and, optionally, to lightly fry the finished tlacoyos. Olive oil, avocado oil, or your favorite vegetable oil works. |
How to Make Tlacoyos
Make the dough. Mix the masa harina, salt, and warm water until a smooth, pliable dough forms. It should feel like play dough. If it’s too dry and cracks, add a little more water. Divide into 6 balls and keep them covered with a damp cloth.
Make the beans. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the black beans with their liquid and simmer, mashing until a little chunky but smooth, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Shape and fill. Press one dough ball between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic liner on a tortilla press into a flat disk. Add 1½ to 2 tablespoons of beans to the center, then fold the right and left sides of the masa over so they meet in the middle. Press and pinch the edges to seal, then pinch the top and bottom tips into points to create that classic football shape. Flatten gently in your palms until about 10 inches long.
Cook. Place on a hot dry comal or skillet over medium-high heat and cook 3 minutes per side until firm with a few golden-brown spots. Keep finished tlacoyos covered with a kitchen towel while you cook the rest.
Serve. Top with nopales salad, salsa, crema, queso fresco, or whatever you’re working with.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the dough covered. Masa dries out fast. Keep the balls you’re not working with under a damp cloth the whole time.
- Keep your hands slightly damp. A small bowl of water nearby helps when shaping. Wet hands keep the dough from sticking and cracking.
- Don’t overfill. Stick to about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of beans. Too much and the dough won’t seal properly.
- Try frying them. Once cooked on the comal, you can pan-fry them in a little oil for a couple of minutes per side. It gives them a crispier, sturdier texture that holds up really well to heavier toppings.
- Add cheese to the filling. A little shredded Oaxacan cheese or Monterey Jack mixed in with the beans adds a melty layer that’s hard to say no to.
Storing and Reheating
Store cooked tlacoyos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap before putting them in a freezer bag.
To reheat, cook in a dry or lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for a few minutes per side until warmed through and slightly crisped back up. You can also reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Either way, add toppings after reheating, not before.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What’s the difference between tlacoyos and sopes? Sopes are thick, round masa cakes with pinched edges that hold toppings on top. Tlacoyos are longer and oval-shaped, with the filling sealed inside the dough before cooking, not added on top.
- What do you traditionally put on tlacoyos? The most traditional topping is ensalada de nopales, which is a simple cactus salad with tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime. Salsa, crema, and queso fresco round it out.
- Can I make tlacoyos ahead of time? Yes. You can shape and partially cook them on the comal, then finish them off in a pan right before serving. Or cook them fully and reheat as described above.
- Are tlacoyos gluten-free? Yes, as long as you use masa harina made from 100% corn with no added wheat. Most brands are, but always check the label.
More Mexican Recipes
Tlacoyos
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying (optional)
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, undrained
For serving
- Salsa roja, salsa verde, or pico de gallo
- Cooked nopales
- Queso fresco or cotija cheese
- Diced avocado
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Stir in the water until a dough forms.
- Using your hands, knead the dough until it fully comes together and all the water is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, then roll each into a ball. Cover them with a clean damp cloth or plastic wrap to keep the dough moist while you prepare the black beans. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add black beans and bring to a simmer.
- Mash the beans with a potato masher until they are mostly mashed, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
- Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. While the griddle is heating up, lay a piece of parchment paper on an open tortilla press and place 1 dough ball on the bottom half. Place another piece of parchment paper over the dough and gently close and press the upper portion of the tortilla press to flatten it out.
- Open the tortilla press and carefully place 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons of black beans in the center of the masa, spreading evenly. Carefully fold in the right and left sides of the masa circle so that they meet in the center. Lightly press and pinch the masa together to seal, then pinch together the top and bottom tips of the masa to create a football shape.
- Lightly flatten the tlacoyo in the palms of your hands until it’s about 10 inches long from top to bottom.
- Place the tlacoyo on the hot skillet and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer it to a plate and cover it with a kitchen towel to keep it soft. Repeat this process until all the tlocayos are cooked.
- To fry (optional), heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, lightly fry each tlocayo until lightly toasted on each side, about 2 minutes.
- Serve the tlacoyos by topping with your favorite salsa, nopales, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, avocado, or queso fresco.
Notes
- Beans. You can use a can of black beans or about 1 ½ cups cooked black beans with ⅓ cup cooking liquid. You can also use any other type of beans you prefer.
- Tlacoyos are traditionally served with a nopales salad. To make this, mix together 15 ounces trimmed, chopped, and cooked nopales, ½ diced white onion, 1 diced Roma tomato, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in August 2023 and has been updated with new photos and more helpful tips.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
I’m not sure how I found you, but you certainly know your stuff. Wonderful explanations of “what” an item is and is not. Easy to follow instructions and your pictures make you want to eat it right away. I will be using your website for all my Mexican dishes. Do you by chance have a restaurant? (In Arizona?)
Thanks so much, Rita! I definitely do not have a restaurant, haha. I’m just a home cook that learned to cook from my parents.
I just tried making tlacoyos using your recipe, and they turned out amazing! The step-by-step instructions made it so easy to follow. I love how versatile they are, too—definitely adding this to my regular rotation. Thanks for sharing such a delicious dish!
I absolutely loved this post about tlacoyos! The combination of flavors and textures is so unique, and I can’t wait to try making them at home. Your tips on using fresh masa and the different fillings were super helpful. Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe!