Making tlacoyos: masa, fillings and toppings

What tlacoyos are and when to make them

Tlacoyos are elongated ovals of corn masa with a filling sealed inside. They are cooked on a dry griddle and topped afterward. This guide covers a bean-filled version. You make a pliable dough, wrap it around mashed beans, pinch it into a pointed oval, cook it until firm and browned, then add toppings. Make them when you want a stuffed masa dish that you can finish with whatever toppings you have on hand.

Ingredients for six bean-filled tlacoyos

These proportions come from Isabel Eats' recipe, which makes six pieces.

2 cups masa harina
1 teaspoon fine salt
1½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, undrained

You will also need a skillet, two liners for pressing the dough flat, and a kitchen towel for holding the finished pieces.

Step-by-step method

1. Make the masa. Combine the masa harina, salt and warm water, then knead for about 3 minutes. Divide the dough into six balls and keep them covered so they don't dry out.
2. Make the filling. Heat the oil in a pan, add the beans with their liquid, and simmer while mashing for about 2 minutes.
3. Press. Flatten one dough ball between the liners.
4. Fill. Spoon 1½ to 2 tablespoons of beans into the center.
5. Seal and shape. Fold the sides of the dough in over the filling and seal the seam. Pinch both ends into points, then press gently into an elongated oval.
6. Cook. Place the oval on a hot, dry skillet over medium-high heat and cook for about 3 minutes per side.
7. Hold and top. Keep finished tlacoyos under a towel while you cook the rest, then add toppings.

When to change course

If the dough cracks when you press or fold it, knead in a little more water.
If the filling pushes through the dough or the seam won't close, you used too much filling. Use less on the next piece.

Judging progress and doneness

Stage	What to look for	If it's off
Dough	Presses flat and folds without cracking	Knead in a little more water
Sealing	Filling stays fully enclosed and the ends hold their points	Use less filling
Cooking	Firm surface with browned spots on both sides	Keep cooking, turning as needed
Holding	Finished pieces kept covered	Cover with a towel

An alternative dough and griddle approach

Recetas Mexas takes a different approach. It adds lard to the dough, uses a thick bean mash as the filling, and cooks the tlacoyos on a dry griddle over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Treat this as a separate recipe and follow its own proportions. Don't apply its lower heat and longer timing to the oil-free Isabel Eats dough above, or mix the two dough formulas.

Toppings

Isabel Eats suggests these optional toppings: cooked nopales, salsa, cheese and avocado. Add them after the tlacoyos come off the skillet.

Scaling up: a worked example

Here is an illustrative calculation, not a tested batch. Doubling the six-piece recipe gives 12 tlacoyos. You would need 4 cups masa harina, 2 teaspoons salt, 3 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons oil and two 15-ounce cans of black beans. Divide the dough into 12 balls and keep them covered while you shape and cook in rounds.