About this recipe
An Estrujada Veracruzana is a thick corn tortilla pan fired on a comal or skillet until lightly browned. Once cooked, it is partially crushed (“estrujada”), then bathed in a flavorful salsa and topped with delicious ingredients like crema, onion, avocado, and beans.
This dish is a staple in the Huasteca Veracruzana region, particularly in Tuxpan, Veracruz. The tortillas are about 7 inches in diameter, thicker than regular tortillas, and when you “break” it the texture changes a bit and soaks up the salsa beautifully.
Why is it called estrujada?
The word “estrujada” comes from the Spanish verb “estrujar,” which means to squeeze or crush. In this recipe, the tortilla is lightly pressed or crumbled using a molcajete pestle, spoon, or fork after cooking. There are two ways to prepare them:
- Leaving the tortilla whole and slightly pressing it.
- Breaking it up completely into smaller pieces.
How to serve them?
Estrujadas are traditionally served covered in salsa and topped with:
- Crema Mexicana (or a vegan alternative)
- Sliced red onion, or you could use the Quick Mexican Pickled Onions
- Avocado slices or a good scoop of guacamole
- Chopped cilantro
- Refried beans as a base layer (optional) it is best when they are loose.
- Crumbled queso fresco (use vegan cheese for a dairy-free version)
- They are sometimes served with carne asada or cecina.
What does it mean, Estrujar?
transitive verb
- Estrujar. To squeeze or twist a thing tightly to extract the juice, liquid, or substance it contains, “squeeze a lemon.”
- Estrujar. To squeeze a soft or pliable thing until, generally, to deform, wrinkle, or spoil it, “he squeezed the paper between his hands.”
Ingredients for making the estrujadas
- Masa harina, oil, as needed.
- I made mine with chile de arbol and garlic to serve with tomato sauce.
- To finish, you can use crema mexicana, sliced red onion, and chopped cilantro.
How to make the estrujadas?
Prepare the masa. In a large bowl, mix the masa harina and salt. Add the warm water little by little while mixing with your hands. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and manageable. If it is too dry, add a little more water; if it is too wet, add a bit of masa harina.
Prepare the salsa. Wash the tomatoes, peel the garlic, and cook them in a pot with water and the chiles you want. The chile de arbol is very spicy, so add one if you wish to flavor. When the vegetables are soft, remove them from the water and blend them with a good pinch of salt.
Heat the comal. Heat the griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.
Prepare the estrujadas. Take a portion of dough from a large lemon and form a ball with your hands. Place the masa ball in the center of the tortilla press between two sheets of plastic wrap. Lower the press lever to flatten the dough and form a tortilla about 1/4 inch thick. It is thicker than a regular tortilla.
Lift the lever and carefully remove the formed tortilla. Transfer the tortilla to the hot comal. Cook on one side for about 2-3 minutes or until the surface looks dry. Turn it over for two or three more minutes. When fully cooked, add a slight vegetable oil, turn it over a third time, and let it brown for a minute.
how to squeeze “estrujar” the tortilla?
- Once the tortilla is cooked, please remove it from the griddle and place it on a flat surface.
- Use the pestle of a molcajete, a spoon, or a fork to crush and partially break the tortilla. This is the “estrujar”.
How to finish theM?
Put an estrujada one on a plate and bathe with salsa. Finish with sliced red onion and crema mexicana. You can also top them with beans, avocado slices, cilantro, and fresh cheese (vegan).
Serve them for breakfast or as an accompaniment to the main dish. In Mexico, non-vegans serve them with carne asada or cecina.
Estrujadas veracruzanas: A Traditional Mexican Dish from Tuxpan
Equipment
- 1 Comal
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina nixtamalized corn flour
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil as needed
- 3 tomatoes
- 3 chiles de árbol
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ red onion sliced
- ½ cup Mexican crema
Instructions
Make the masa
- In a large bowl, mix the masa harina and salt.
- Add the warm water little by little while mixing with your hands.
- Knead until the dough becomes smooth and manageable, the consistency we are looking for is like playdough.
- If it is too dry, add a little more water; if it is too wet, add a bit of masa harina.
Make the salsa
- Wash the tomatoes, peel the garlic, and cook them in a pot with water and the chiles you want.
- The chile de arbol is very spicy, so if you just want flavor add one.
- When the vegetables are soft, remove them from the water and blend with a good pinch of salt.
Heat the comal
- Heat the griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.
Make the estrujadas
- Take a portion of dough from a large lemon and form a ball with your hands.
- Place the dough ball in the center of the tortilla press between two sheets of plastic wrap.
- Lower the press lever to flatten the dough and form a tortilla about 1/4 inch thick.
- Transfer the tortilla to the hot comal.
- Cook on one side, for about 2-3 minutes or until the surface begins to look dry.
- Turn it over for two, three more minutes.
- When it is fully cooked, add a little vegetable oil and turn it over a third time and let it brown for a minute.
- Once the tortilla is cooked, remove it from the skillet and place it on a flat surface. Use the hand of a molcajete, a spoon, or a fork to crush and partially break the tortilla. Bath in salsa and finish with the red onion slices and Mexican crema.
Notes
- Finish with sliced red onion and crema mexicana.
- You can also top them with beans, avocado slices, cilantro and fresh cheese (vegan).
- For the estrujadas to be smooth, the masa must be well hydrated.
- The corn tortilla should be well-cooked but not dry.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
- What Is a Molcajete? How to Use It Like a True Mexican Home Cook - April 29, 2025
- Black Bean Pozole (Mexican Black Bean Soup) - April 28, 2025
- Healthy and Easy Lentil Salad Recipe (Perfect for Meal Prep) - April 25, 2025