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Thick, puffy corn cakes fried to a golden crisp and stuffed with a savory, spiced ground beef filling. Topped with fresh lettuce, cheese, and crema, it's a satisfying Tex-Mex classic that brings authentic street food flavor to your kitchen.
For 4 servings
Prepare the Savory Beef Filling
Make the Masa Dough
Thick, puffy corn cakes fried to a golden crisp and stuffed with a savory, spiced ground beef filling. Topped with fresh lettuce, cheese, and crema, it's a satisfying Tex-Mex classic that brings authentic street food flavor to your kitchen.
This tex_mex recipe takes 50 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 891.71 calories per serving with 39.66g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
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Form and Pre-Cook the Gorditas
Fry the Gorditas
Assemble and Serve
Substitute the ground beef with shredded chicken (tinga), pork (carnitas), or spicy chorizo.
For a vegetarian version, use a filling of refried beans and cheese, or a mixture of sautéed mushrooms, corn, and zucchini with Mexican spices.
For a lighter version, you can bake the gorditas. After the initial comal cooking, brush them lightly with oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and puffed.
Ground beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues, supporting muscle mass, and maintaining overall body function.
This dish provides important B vitamins, particularly B12 from the beef, which is crucial for nerve function and the formation of red blood cells. The corn masa also contributes B vitamins like niacin.
Beef is a significant source of heme iron, a form that is easily absorbed by the body. Iron is vital for transporting oxygen in the blood and preventing fatigue and anemia.
A serving of two Beef Gorditas contains approximately 750-850 calories, depending on the specific ingredients used, such as the fat content of the beef and the amount of toppings.
Beef Gorditas are a delicious and satisfying meal, but they are typically considered an indulgence. They are high in calories, fat, and sodium. However, they also provide a good source of protein and fiber. To make them healthier, use leaner ground beef, bake the gorditas instead of frying, and load up on fresh vegetable toppings.
Yes, you can prepare the masa dough up to 24 hours in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before forming and cooking. You may need to knead in a teaspoon of warm water if it has dried out.
The most common reason is the oil temperature; it must be hot enough, around 350-375°F (175-190°C). If the oil is too cool, they will absorb it and become heavy. Another reason could be that the dough was too dry, or the crucial pre-cooking step on the comal was skipped, which helps create a 'skin' to trap steam.
Both are made from masa dough. A gordita is cooked and fried until it puffs, then sliced open to create a pocket for fillings. A sope is a thick disk with a pinched border, which is fried and then loaded with toppings on top, not stuffed inside.
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