A tortilla folded on a white plate, filled with beans, avocado slices, cheese, and cilantro.
Carroll, Lauren /CRS
Carroll, Lauren /CRS

Baleadas — Honduras

Prep Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 10 min Servings: 4

Baleadas are a beloved dish in Honduras, though their exact origins are unclear. The Indigenous Lenca people ate flatbreads topped with beans, and over time, the flour tortilla was introduced. Since then, debates have continued about who first created the baleada.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil 
  • 1 small yellow onion, quartered 
  • 1 32-ounce can, or 2 16-ounce cans, red kidney beans 
  • 8 ounces sour cream 
  • ½ cup heavy cream 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 
  • 8 small flour tortillas, warmed 
  • 2 cups crumbled white cheese, such as queso duro, cotija or feta 

Preparation

  1. Rinse the kidney beans, then use a blender to blend with a little water until creamy. 
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. 
  3. Add the quartered onion and cook, flipping occasionally, until lightly browned and the oil has absorbed the onion flavor, about 5 to 7 minutes. 
  4. Discard the onion, keeping the flavored oil in the pan. 
  5. Add the blended beans to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the oil is absorbed and the beans are heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste. 
  6. Remove the beans from the heat and keep warm. 
  7. In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, heavy cream and salt. Set aside. 
  8. To assemble, spread a thin layer of the beans onto each warm tortilla. 
  9. Drizzle with the sour cream mixture, sprinkle with cheese and add any desired garnishes. 
  10. Fold each tortilla in half and serve immediately. 
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