These New Mexican Sopapillas are delicious fried tortilla dough. This classic New Mexican staple is a light and airy pillow of perfection that is deep-fried and delicious. This recipe is an authentic sopapilla recipe found in New Mexican kitchens.

Soapillas are always on the table when Stacked Red Chili Enchiladas are served in any New Mexican household. When Arturo and I started dating and he brought me home for the first time, his mom made us a feast of enchiladas, sopapillas, and Pinto Beans. I was in heaven. The light and delicious little pillow puff of pastry melts in your mouth and is the perfect utensil for eating beans and enchiladas.

Making Sopapillas with Tortilla Dough

This recipe calls for the same ingredients and method as our Homemade Tortillas; however, to cook the dough, you fry it in unbelievably hot oil instead of a dry skillet.

Tips on making Authentic New Mexican Sopapillas

Lard, or Manteca, is the best; however, vegetable shortening will work if you can’t find it.
Don’t worry about the sopapills being round when you roll them out. The disc will be cut into fourths.
The oil you will fry them in needs to be very hot, 450 to 500 degrees. It is almost dangerous.
They can be made a little ahead of time and served at room temperature. However, they are not as good for next-day leftovers.

Sopapilla Ingredients

Flour
Baking powder
Salt
Lard
Warm water

How to make New Mexican Sopapillas

Start by adding the flour, baking powder, and salt and mixing to combine. Then add the Lard. Work in the lard until it’s well incorporated.

Create a well in the bowl of your dry ingredients and add water a little at a time. (You may not use all the water, which could take more; it depends on the humidity.)

The dough will be sticky at first. Knead it until the bowl is clean and your shoulder is tired, and then knead it for two more minutes.

Once the dough is kneaded to the proper texture, divide it into eight 2-inch balls.

You’re now ready to begin rolling out and cooking the sopapillas.

Work a dough ball into a disc with the center thinner and edges thicker.

Begin rolling out the dough on a floured surface. Do not apply too much pressure as you roll them out.

The consistent back-and-forth motion creates the rolled-out Sopapilla. Don’t worry about getting them perfectly round; that will come with time and practice. You will want to roll them out to about 1/16th of an inch thick.

Once the disc is rolled out, you will cut it into quarters with a butter knife.

Begin frying the sopapilla by placing one of the quarters into the hot oil. Hold one corner of the dough to make it puff up. Fry for 1-2 minutes, flip, and allow the other side to brown for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined bowl.

Repeat this process until all are done and enjoy!

New Mexican Sopapillas

Our New Mexican Sopapillas are delicious fried tortilla dough. This classic New Mexican staple is a light and airy pillow of perfection that is deep-fried and delicious. This recipe is an authentic sopapilla recipe found in New Mexican kitchens.

5 from 1 vote

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Course Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Mexican, New Mexican

Equipment

Deep Fryer or large dutch Oven

Ingredients

4 cups flour
3 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup lard
1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water

Instructions

Start by adding flour, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine.
Add lard and work in until well incorpated.
Create well in the bowl of your comined dry ingredeints add water a little at a time. (You may not use all the water, which could take more; it depends on the humidity.)
The dough will be sticky at first. Knead it until the bowl is clean and your shoulder is tired, and then knead it for two more minutes.
Once the dough is kneaded to the proper texture, divide it into eight 2-inch balls.
You’re now ready to begin rolling out and cooking the sopapillas.
Work a dough ball into a disc with the center thinner and edges thicker.
Begin rolling out the dough on a floured surface. Do not apply too much pressure as you roll them out.
The consistent back-and-forth motion creates the rolled-out tortilla. Don’t worry about getting them perfectly round; that will come with time and practice. You will want to roll them out to about 1/16th of an inch thick.
Once the disc is rolled out, you will cut it into quarters with a butter knife.
Begin frying the sopapilla by placing one of the quarters into the hot oil. Hold one corner of the dough to make it puff up. Fry for 1-2 minutes, flip, and allow the other side to brown for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined bowl.
Repeat this process until all are done and enjoy!