Thick corn masa cakes split open and stuffed with chicharrón stewed in a spicy green or red salsa — a quintessential central-Mexican antojito. The gordita (meaning 'little fat one') is thicker than a sope, with a pocket cut into it for filling. Eaten by hand with salsa, these are sold at markets and street stalls across the central highlands.
Gorditas are one of the foundational antojitos of central-Mexican cooking. The name 'gordita' ('little fat one') refers to the cake's thickness. Unlike a sope (where toppings sit on top), a gordita is split open to create a pocket for filling. The chicharrón (pork rind) filling is a classic central-Mexican choice — stewed chicharrón in green or red salsa is a homestyle preparation using the chicharrón prensado (pressed pork rind) sold at every market. Gorditas de chicharrón are sold at mercados, street stalls, and fondas across the central highlands.
A gordita de chicharrón is a thick, palm-sized masa cake, charred on the outside, soft inside, split and crammed with stewed chicharrón in a vibrant salsa verde. The masa is hearty and slightly crisp from the comal; the chicharrón filling is savory, slightly gelatinous, and tangy from the salsa. Eaten by hand, with more salsa spooned in.
Gorditas' defining feature is the pocket. The masa is shaped into a thick disc, cooked on a comal until set, then (using a knife) split along the edge to create an interior pocket — without cutting all the way through. The chicharrón filling is prepared separately: pressed pork rind is simmered in a blended tomatillo or tomato salsa until it absorbs the sauce and softens. The filling is stuffed into the masa pocket. The masa's exterior develops Maillard browning on the comal, giving a charred crispness that contrasts the soft interior and the saucy filling.
Variations
Fillings also include cheese, beans, picadillo, or tinga; salsa verde and roja are both common.
On the Palate
Where Gorditas de Chicharrón sits in the Mexican flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
6 steps · 35 min active + 10 min waiting
- 110 min
Mix masa with a little lard and salt; form into thick balls; press into 4-inch discs.
- 28 min
Cook the discs on a hot comal 2-3 minutes per side until set and charred in spots.
Watch outCook the discs on the comal until set and charred in spots — those blistered dark marks are the flavor and the crisp shell against the soft inside.
- 315 min
Meanwhile, simmer pressed chicharrón in a blended salsa verde (tomatillo, chile, onion, garlic).
- 42 min
Cut a slit along the edge of each gordita to create a pocket.
Watch outCut the pocket along the edge without going all the way through — slice too deep and the filling falls straight out the far side.
- 55 min
Stuff generously with the chicharrón filling; add shredded lettuce, crema, and crumbled cheese.
- 61 min
Serve immediately with extra salsa, eaten by hand.
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