Pupusas are a sacred dish in El Salvador—made with love, respect, and a lot of masa. But somewhere along the global food journey, people got… creative. A little too creative. Some ingredients are just not meant to be anywhere near a pupusa. Ever. Period.
So if you’re thinking about experimenting, here’s a list of 10 ingredients you should never use to make pupusas, unless you’re actively trying to upset your Salvadoran abuela, lose all your Instagram followers, or summon a curtido-fueled curse from El Tunco.
1. Ketchup 🍅😱
Let’s make this very clear: Ketchup is not salsa roja.
Why it’s wrong:
Ketchup is sweet, tangy, and utterly disrespectful to the traditional tomato-garlic salsa Salvadorans have perfected for generations.
Verdict:
If you pour ketchup on a pupusa, you’re banned from Pupusa Day.
2. Pineapple Pizza Topping 🍍🍕
We love a good pineapple on pizza debate—but pupusas are not part of it.
Why it’s wrong:
Hot pineapple chunks inside corn dough = soggy, sugary chaos. It overwhelms the masa and disrespects the filling balance.
Verdict:
Save it for your Canadian cousins.
3. Raw Onions 🧅💣
Some people try to add raw onions directly into the pupusa filling. No. Just… no.
Why it’s wrong:
Onions should be sautéed, pickled, or left for the curtido. Raw onions will leave your pupusa tasting bitter, watery, and angry.
Verdict:
Let curtido do its job.
4. Blue Cheese 🧀😬
You might think “fancy cheese” = elevated pupusa. But blue cheese? That’s culinary sabotage.
Why it’s wrong:
Its pungent funk clashes with masa’s delicate sweetness. It’s like mixing Mozart with reggaetón—confusing and aggressive.
Verdict:
Mozzarella, quesillo, or Oaxaca only. Keep the blue in your salad.
5. Ground Cinnamon and Sugar (Inside a Savory Pupusa) 🍩🤢
Some confused souls try to blend cinnamon and sugar into cheese pupusas. You’ve made a pupusa… churro?
Why it’s wrong:
Sweet inside a savory pupusa just confuses everyone—especially if curtido’s on the side.
Verdict:
Make dessert pupusas if you want sweets. But keep sugar away from the chicharrón.
6. Mayonnaise 🧴🫢
There is no situation where mayo belongs in a pupusa.
Why it’s wrong:
It adds a weird greasy flavor and ruins the crispy-melty texture dynamic. No Salvadoran anywhere asked for “Pupusa à la Tuna Sandwich.”
Verdict:
Not on top, not inside, not even on the plate.
7. Hot Dog Slices 🌭💔
We’ve seen it. We wish we hadn’t. Chopped hot dogs inside a pupusa is a cry for help.
Why it’s wrong:
Cheap sausage doesn’t belong with authentic masa. It tastes like regret and carnival food.
Verdict:
Please talk to someone before doing this.
8. Peanut Butter 🥜🚷
Some brave (foolish) souls have tried stuffing pupusas with peanut butter for protein. This ain’t your post-workout snack.
Why it’s wrong:
It melts into a greasy mess that fights the masa and murders your curtido.
Verdict:
Pupusas are not protein bars. Please respect the tortilla.
9. Fish Sauce or Anchovies 🐟🧂
No. Just no. These salty bombs will overpower everything and leave your pupusa tasting like a shipwreck.
Why it’s wrong:
Fermented fish and masa are not friends. Ever.
Verdict:
This isn’t ceviche. Keep it landlocked.
10. Marshmallows 🍬🔥
The internet has ruined many things. Pupusa s’mores is one of them.
Why it’s wrong:
Marshmallows expand, burn, and leak into sticky lava bombs that ruin the comal and your soul.
Verdict:
Make a quesadilla salvadoreña instead. It’s our actual dessert.
Bonus: Tuna and Pickles 🐟🥒😵
Yes, someone tried this. Yes, we screamed.
Verdict: You just invented sadness.
Summary
Pupusas are delicious because of their balance—earthy masa, gooey cheese, savory fillings, and tangy toppings. But not everything belongs inside a pupusa. Respect the masa. Honor the tradition. And please—leave the ketchup at home.
