In Mexico City, a “Pambazo” is a sandwich made of a particular type of bread stuffed with potatoes and chorizo and then drenched in a guajillo sauce, served with lettuce, cheese, and cream. There are other sandwiches with the same name in other parts of the country, like in the State of Veracruz, where the sandwich is filled with refried beans, ham, and even chorizo and pickled chipotle peppers. This particular bread, also called Pambazo Mexicano, is very similar to a Kaiser roll but dusted with flour and without the seeds.
Pambazo Mexicano
Some of the research I did found that the name comes from colonial times, when the bread could be said to delineate the social classes. Since bread made with white, refined flour was mostly consumed by the higher classes (like viceroys, bishops, etc.), the commoners ate bread made out of brown flour. This cheap bread was thus very popular, and was called “pan bajo”, or “lower bread”.
How to make Pambazo Recipe
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the diced potatoes in a saucepan with hot water and cook at medium-high heat. It will take about 10-12 minutes for the potatoes to be cooked. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Place the guajillo peppers in a bowl with hot water to soften while the potatoes are cooking.
- In the meantime, cook the chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat. It will be ready in about 8 minutes.
- By this time the potatoes should be ready, so remove them from heat and drain. Next, stir them into the skillet with the chorizo, and keep cooking for three minutes. This is just enough time to allow the flavors to blend and the potatoes to get a little more tender. Set aside.
- Place guajillo peppers, 1 cup of soaking water, garlic clove, oregano, and peppercorns into a blender. Process until you have a smooth sauce. Strain and place in a bowl.
- Heat a griddle and add a ½ tablespoon of oil. Place the sliced rolls upside down and brush their tops all over with the Guajillo salsa. Flip the rolls so the tops get a little warm and crispy. This step will be about a minute per side. Repeat the process with the rest of the rolls, adding oil to the skillet as needed.
Pambazo Recipe
- To assemble the Pambazo, place some chorizo and potatoes on each toasted roll, then top with the shredded lettuce, cream, and cheese. Serve with a hot salsa or pickled jalapeños. Enjoy!
PAMBAZO MEXICANO: CHORIZO-POTATO SANDWICH
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups potatoes, diced
- 3 guajillo peppers seeds, and veins removed
- 2 chorizos 3 oz. each
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 8 black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 6 Teleras or Kaiser rolls sliced lengthwise
- 1 ½ cup of shredded iceberg lettuce
- ¼ cup crumbled cheese
- 2 tablespoons Mexican cream
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the diced potatoes in a saucepan with hot water and cook over medium-high heat. It will take about 10-12 minutes for the potatoes to be cooked.
- Place the guajillo peppers in a bowl with hot water to soften while the potatoes are cooking.
- In the meantime, cook the chorizo in a skillet over medium-high heat. It will be ready in about 8 minutes.
- By this time the potatoes should be ready, so remove them from heat and drain. Next, stir them into the skillet with the chorizo, and keep cooking for three minutes. This is just enough time to allow the flavors to blend and the potatoes to get a little more tender. Set aside.
- Place guajillo peppers, 1 cup of soaking water, garlic clove, oregano, and peppercorns into a blender. Process until you have a smooth sauce. Strain and place in a bowl.
- Heat a griddle and add a ½ tablespoon of oil. Place the sliced rolls upside down and brush their tops all over with the Guajillo salsa. Flip the rolls so the tops get a little warm and crispy. This step will be about a minute per side. Repeat the process with the rest of the rolls, adding oil to the skillet as needed.
- To assemble the Pambazo, place some chorizo and potatoes on each toasted roll, then top with the shredded lettuce, cream, and cheese. Serve with a hot salsa or pickled jalapeños. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Pambazo Mexicano
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More recipes:
Chorizo Potato Crispy Tacos
Mexican Tinga Recipe
Receta en Español Pambazo de chorizo y papa.
Sylvia Rocha
oh dear!! I'm gonna be eating plenty of these!!! thank you SO much for posting!! mmmmmm
Kate
This sandwich looks too good!! I love the history behind it too. 🙂
Maggie Unzueta
It looks delicious!
Beth
I'm not familiar with guajillo peppers. Is there a substitution? I live in the Willamette Valley part of Oregon and the town of Woodburn, fortunately, has some great panaderias, little restaurants, and small shops. I need to get over there to find a tortilla press, so I'll look for these peppers while I'm there. ¡Muchas gracias, Mely!
mmartinez
Hello Beth,
Try looking for them in your local Latin store, I had seen them even at Walmart. An also online.
Belinda
You can use california or new Mexico Chile pods I personally like those better they're not as sweet.
Christin
Idk why my sauce came out bland with only a slight oregano flavor . Maybe the peppers I used were too small.
Mely Martínez
Hello Christin,
Maybe that could be the reason.
dhoniboyd Simonson
I've had them with beans but never with potatoes, but I am going to try it tomorrow. Thanks for sharing. 🙂