Sope Dough (Masa Dough for Griddled Sopes)

Name: Sope Dough (Masa Dough for Griddled Sopes)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 cups (240 g) masa harina, for tortillas, measured by spooning into the cup and leveling; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 3 tbsp (40 g) lard, soft, at room temperature; 1¼ cups (300 ml) water, warm, about 110°F (43°C), plus up to 2 tablespoons (30 ml) more if needed; 1 tbsp (14 g) lard, softened or melted, for brushing the sopes while crisping

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A soft, tender masa dough made with masa harina, lard, water and salt, pressed into thick rounds, griddled, and pinched into sturdy edges that hold beans, meat, salsa and cheese. Ready to top in under an hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 8 sopes (4-inch / 10 cm rounds)

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Steps

Before you start

Use masa harina for tortillas (such as Maseca or Bob's Red Mill), not cornmeal or corn flour; they will not hydrate into dough.
Warm the water to about 110°F (43°C), comfortably warm to the touch, so the masa hydrates quickly.
Cut two squares of plastic (a zip-top bag cut open works) to fit your tortilla press, or have a flat-bottomed plate and plastic wrap ready.
Have your toppings prepared before you start cooking, because sopes taste best served right off the griddle.

1
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk the 2 cups (240 g) masa harina and ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt until evenly combined.
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Ready when: No streaks of salt; the flour looks uniform.
2
Knead the dough
- Add 3 tablespoons (40 g) soft lard and pour in 1¼ cups (300 ml) warm water.
- Mix with your hands, squeezing the lard into the masa, then knead in the bowl for 3 minutes.
- Add extra warm water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time if the dough feels dry or crumbly.
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Ready when: The dough is soft and smooth like Play-Doh, does not stick to your hands, and a pressed ball shows no cracks around the edge.
Tip: Too wet and sticky? Knead in 1 tablespoon of masa harina. Cracked edges mean it needs a little more water.
3
Rest the dough
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes so the masa fully absorbs the water.
- Use this time to preheat the griddle (next step).
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Ready when: The dough feels softer and more pliable than before resting.
Tip: Keep the dough covered at all times; masa dries out quickly and forms a crust.
4
Heat the griddle
- About 5 minutes before the rest ends, set a dry cast-iron griddle or comal over medium-high heat.
- Do not grease it yet.
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Ready when: A few drops of water sizzle and evaporate within 2 seconds.
5
Portion into balls
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 70 g (2½ oz) each.
- Roll each between your palms into a smooth ball about 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) wide, and keep them under the damp towel as you work.
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Ready when: Balls are smooth and crack-free.
Tip: If a ball cracks when rolled, wet your fingertips slightly and re-roll.
6
Press the rounds
- Place a ball between two plastic squares in the center of the tortilla press and press gently into a round about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Without a press, flatten the ball between plastic with the bottom of a heavy plate.
- Press all 8 rounds before cooking, stacking them with plastic between.
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Ready when: Rounds are even in thickness, about ¼ inch thick, with only tiny edge cracks.
Tip: Sopes are thicker than tortillas. Don't press them thin or the rims won't hold toppings.
7
Griddle the first side
- Peel off the top plastic, flip the round onto your palm, then peel off the bottom plastic and lay it on the hot dry griddle.
- Cook 2–3 at a time for about 1 minute, then flip and cook the second side for 2 minutes.
- Flip once more and cook 1 minute.
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Ready when: The surface looks dry and set with a few light brown freckles, and the round releases easily from the griddle.
Tip: The sope should be cooked but still soft and pliable, because you need to pinch it while hot.
8
Pinch the rims
- Move a hot sope to a clean towel.
- Working carefully, as soon as you can handle it (a few seconds), pinch and pull up the edge between your thumb and forefinger all the way around to form a ¼-inch (6 mm) raised rim, leaving the center as a shallow well.
- Repeat with the rest.
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Ready when: Each sope has a continuous, even rim about ¼ inch high.
Tip: Dip your fingertips in cool water if the sopes are too hot to handle. Wait too long and the rim will crack.
9
Crisp with lard
- Brush the griddle lightly with part of the 1 tablespoon (14 g) lard over medium heat.
- Set the sopes rim-side up and brush the bottoms and rims with a bit more lard.
- Cook 2 minutes per side, bottom first, until golden and lightly crisp outside.
- Work in batches.
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Ready when: The bottoms and rims are golden brown with some darker spots and feel firm when tapped, while the inside stays tender.
Tip: Use only a thin film of lard; too much makes the sopes greasy and soggy.
10
Top and serveOven 200°F / 95°C
- If you are crisping in batches, keep finished sopes warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven, or wrapped in a towel.
- Top while warm with refried beans, meat, lettuce, salsa, crema and cheese.
- Serve right away.
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Tip: Sopes hold well in the 200°F (95°C) oven or a towel for up to 20 minutes while you finish the batch.

Good to know

Tips

Do the crack test: press a small ball flat. Cracks around the edge mean add water; sticking to the plastic means add masa harina.
Brands of masa harina absorb different amounts of water, so judge by feel rather than by the exact measurement.
Keep the pressed rounds and dough covered at all times so they don't dry out.
Shape the rims while the sopes are hot and pliable; once cooled they crack instead of bending.

Make ahead

Make the dough up to 24 hours ahead. Press plastic against the surface, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature 30 minutes and knead in a splash of water until soft before shaping. Griddled and pinched sopes (before the final crisping) can be made 4 hours ahead and left at room temperature under a towel, then crisped in lard just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Cooked, untopped sopes keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours, in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months with parchment between them. Reheat from chilled or frozen on a dry griddle or skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until hot and crisp. Uncooked dough keeps refrigerated up to 24 hours.

Substitutions

lard → vegetable shortening or neutral oil. Shortening is a 1:1 swap with similar tenderness; use 2½ tablespoons (35 ml) oil for the dough. Flavor will be milder.
lard → neutral vegetable oil. Use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) for brushing the sopes. Avocado or canola oil work well.
water → warm low-sodium chicken broth. Adds savory flavor. Reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon if the broth is salted.
masa harina → fresh masa for tortillas. Use about 500 g fresh masa in place of the masa harina and water, and add water 1 tablespoon at a time only if needed.