Tetelas are tasty triangle-shaped corn masa treats that are stuffed with black beans and cooked on a griddle. They are really easy to make for breakfast, lunch or dinner. At home, we can’t even wait for them to get out of the griddle before we start eating them! That’s the best way to eat them, by the way: straight off the griddle!
Tetelas Oaxaca Recipe
You will find Tetelas in the Mixtec region of the State of Oaxaca. The Mixtec region is located in the north-central part of the state and is one of the 8 regions of the state of Oaxaca. Tetelas are also found in the State of Puebla, particularly in the areas bordering the state of Oaxaca. And they are not also called Tetelas, some regions on both states will also call them "Memelas".
When it comes to the beans for the tetelas, they can be plain mashed black beans or refried beans with onion. Some people also make a paste from guajillo peppers and add it to the beans for extra flavor. Whichever way you decide to make them will render some delightful tetelas!
This dish serves as an example of the vast imagination that Mexicans have when it comes to food; they take advantage of the versatile corn masa and create dishes that range from salty to sweet. We have corn breads, empanadas, tortillas, tostadas, tamales, gorditas, bocoles, and many other dishes that use corn dough.
Although beans are the popular stuffing for tetelas, they can also be found stuffed with other fillings like pork cracklings, mushrooms, and cheese, just to name a few.
How to make Tetelas Oaxaca
NOTES:
- To make the beans, puree 1½ cups of cooked beans using your blender. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil or lard in a skillet, fry a ¼ cup of chopped onion in it and add the bean puree. Stir from time to time to keep the beans from sticking to the pan. The bean puree has to be dry, but still creamy.
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix the masa-harina with the water and knead well to form a smooth dough. If the dough feels a little too dry, add one or two tablespoons of water little by little. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized balls, and cover them with a wet kitchen napkin. I usually grab a paper towel, get it wet under the faucet, and cover the dough with it (corn Masa dough tends to dry easily).
- Heat your griddle over a medium-high heat.
- Place one of the masa balls between the 2 sheets of plastic and gently press on your tortilla press (or under the glass pie dish). The tortilla should measure about 6 inches in diameter and be somewhat thin.
- Remove the top plastic from the tortillas and spread about 1 tablespoon of the beans on. With the help of the plastic sheet still on the bottom, fold over one side of the tortilla, then the second side, and finally flip over the third remaining side to close the tetela. It will look like a triangle, as shown in the picture.
- Remove the formed tetela from the plastic and place on the hot griddle. Cook for about 1 minute, then flip to cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side, and finally flip it again to cook for about one more minute. Remove the tetela when you see that it is completely cooked and has some brown spots. Place in a basket with a kitchen napkin to keep warm while you finish the rest of the tetelas. Continue this process with the rest of the dough.
To serve, top the Tetelas with cream and cheese and add the salsa. You can also open one side with the help of a knife and add the cream and cheese on the inside.
Provecho!
Mely,
📖 Recipe
Tetelas Oaxaca Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Cups of Masa-Harina
- 1¼ cups of warm water*
- 1 ⅓ cups of refried black beans
TO GARNISH:
- ¾ cups Mexican Cream
- ¾ cups Queso Fresco crumbled
- Raw Green Salsa or Red Spicy Salsa
YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
- 2 sheets of plastic
- Tortilla press or a glass pie dish.
- A griddle to cook the Tetelas
Instructions
- Mix the masa-harina with the water and knead well to form a smooth dough. If the dough feels a little too dry, add one or two tablespoons of water little by little.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized balls, and cover them with a wet kitchen napkin. I usually grab a paper towel, get it wet under the faucet, and cover the dough with it (corn Masa dough tends to dry easily).
- Heat your griddle over a medium-high heat.
- Place one of the masa balls between the 2 sheets of plastic and gently press on your tortilla press (or under the glass pie dish). The tortilla should measure about 6 inches in diameter and be somewhat thin.
- Remove the top plastic from the tortillas and spread about 1 tablespoon of the beans on. With the help of the plastic sheet still on the bottom, fold over one side of the tortilla, then the second side, and finally flip over the third remaining side to close the tetela. It will look like a triangle, as shown in the picture.
- Remove the formed tetela from the plastic and place on the hot griddle. Cook for about 1 minute, then flip to cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side, and finally flip it again to cook for about one more minute. Remove the tetela when you see that it is completely cooked and has some brown spots. Place in a basket with a kitchen napkin to keep warm while you finish the rest of the tetelas. Continue this process with the rest of the dough.
- To serve, top the Tetelas with cream and cheese and add the salsa. You can also open one side with the help of a knife and add the cream and cheese on the inside.
Maggie
These were wonderful! Thank you so much for the recipe. I had them for breakfast this morning. <3
Mely Martínez
Hello Maggie,
So glad to know you like the Tetelas. Enjoy!
Renay
Was nervous about my first time working with masa, turned out amazing! I stuffed with queso fresco instead of frijoles as I hoped that would be a bit easier to fold in, and my folding technique needs practice for sure, but they tasted amazing regardless! I also added chicken bouillon to flavor the masa.
Mely Martínez
Hello Renay,
That's a brilliant idea - adding chicken bouillon would really enhance the flavor!
Regina
We had some in Oaxaca a few weeks ago, they were so good. Can't wait to try making them!
Steve
They came out pretty good for being my first time. I just wanted to recreate some of the meals we had in our trip to Oaxaca this summer.
Mushas gracias!
Steve
Anne
These look delicious! I'm thinking about making them for a party...
Can I assemble ahead, cover in fridge with a damp paper towel, and then fry on the griddle when we're ready to eat? If so, how far ahead of time could they be assembled?
I noticed in another comment that you mentioned freezing them. Is that prior to griddling? If I did that, would I just put them directly on the griddle from frozen?
Thanks for your guidance!
mmartinez
Hello Anne,
You can make them, cook them, and then only reheat to serve. I'm not sure how well they will keep in the fridge if they are not cooked. You can freeze the already cooked ones.
BERTA
All the recipes look pretty fast and easy to make
I’ll let you know when I make them.
Berta
Rebecca
As a nurse I'm always looking for a hand held meal that can be heated quickly and eaten in the car on my way to work at 6am. Do you think these would freeze well?
mmartinez
Hello Rebecca,
Yes, they freeze well. And you can add any filling you might think, like ground beef, potatoes, chicken, mushrooms, let your imagination go wild.
Kathryn Pauline
Oh my goodness, these look absolutely gorgeous and delicious 😍
Maggie U.
Fresh from the comal... the best! Pinning for later.
Nate
Ah, great timing! I've been working on a menu for a while and recently added tetelas. You can imagine my delight when I checked your blog today 😀 Thanks for the great content!
mmartinez
Hello Nate,
Have fun with the addition to your menu.