Air-Fryer Sopes: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Sopes are a Mexican dish that can be traced back to Central and Southern Mexico. They are made from masa elote (corn dough) and are usually deep-fried. However, this article will show you how to make them using an air fryer, a healthier alternative to deep frying.

To make sopes in an air fryer, you will need the following ingredients: corn flour (also known as masa harina), water, ground turkey or beef, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese. You will also need an air fryer, of course!

The process is quite simple. First, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray the basket with olive oil. In a large bowl, mix the corn flour and water until a dough forms. Knead the dough for a few minutes, then form it into shallow bowls using your hands. Spray each bowl with olive oil and place them in the air fryer basket. Air fry the sopes for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

While the sopes are cooking, you can prepare the fillings. Cook the ground turkey or beef in a skillet with taco seasoning until it is no longer pink. Warm the refried beans in the microwave or on the stovetop. Once the sopes are done, layer on a heaping tablespoon of refried beans, followed by the meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and avocado.

Garnish with chopped cilantro or a drizzle of sour cream, and enjoy!

Choosing the right air fryer

Sopes are a delicious Mexican street food that can be made in an air fryer. But which air fryer is the right one for you?

Types of Air Fryers

Firstly, it's important to know the different types of air fryers available. There are two primary types of air fryers on the market today. The conventional design has a drawer-like basket where you place food to cook. The basket, where you put your food, typically has a handle that locks the basket into place and activates the cooking element. You can also pull out the basket and use the handle to toss the food to ensure even cooking.

Newer iterations come outfitted with a mesh tray or rack. Unlike air fryers with baskets, these units cook food in a flat or shallow receptacle, much like a countertop toaster oven. Some models have room for just one tray, but there are several models on the market that have multiple racks, and a small number even come with attachments for rotisserie cooking, dehydrating, and grilling.

Thanks to the popularity of air fryers, some toaster ovens now come with air-fry modes. On the surface, this sounds like a great way to cut down on excess appliances, but these air-frying toaster ovens often can’t achieve the same level of crispiness as true air fryers.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an Air Fryer

Price

The air fryers on the market vary in price, from $30 to $400. Most air fryers tend to hover around $100, so you don't have to break the bank to get a high-performing air fryer.

Capacity

Air fryers are designed to neatly fit on your counter. Most aren’t big enough to cook for a crowd, unless you cook in batches. But there are a handful of roomy air fryers that can accommodate substantial batches of food, multiple cuts of meat, a whole chicken, and even baking pans. Our guide to the best large air fryers focuses on models with a basket size of 5 quarts or more, while our roundup of the best small air fryers highlights models with a capacity under 5 quarts.

Advanced Features

There are a ton of appliances vying to occupy precious countertop space, so it’s advantageous to purchase an air fryer with settings you know you’ll use. Modes like dehydration, baking, and rotisserie cooking combine the functionality of multiple appliances into a single device. Additional presets for particular foods, and indicators to let you know when to check on your food, can also be helpful. Many models also have a “keep warm” function to keep your food hot and crispy.

Warranty

The shortest warranty of the air fryers we tested is 60 days—not exactly a confidence booster. Others in our air fryer ratings have a one- or two-year warranty, but you may run across some with coverage of up to three years.

Basket-style or Oven-style

The first thing to determine when purchasing an air fryer is whether or not you want a basket-style or oven-style. The basket-style features a tub you slide from the air fryer to put your food in. Most just have one basket, but there are some large-capacity models out there with two. These removable baskets are also often dishwasher-safe, making cleanup just a bit easier. In terms of size, the basket-style air fryers tend to range from around 2-quarts to as much as over 5-quarts.

The oven-style air fryers, also known as multi-ovens, are essentially toaster ovens with an increasingly robust set of extra features for different foods. Cooking space for these air fryers can be quite large. For instance, some can fit a whole chicken or 14-pound turkey.

Recommended Air Fryer Brands

• Black+Decker
• Chefman
• Cosori
• Cuisinart
• Dash
• Elite Gourmet
• Gourmia
• GoWise
• Hamilton Beach
• Instant
• Ninja
• Oster
• PowerXL

Making the dough

• Corn flour (also known as masa harina)
• Water
• Salt (optional)
• Lard, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil (optional)

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the corn flour and salt (if using).
• Stir in the water and melted lard, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil (if using). The amount of water can vary depending on the humidity levels, so add it slowly and adjust as needed.
• Knead the dough by hand for about 3 minutes until it is smooth, pliable, and not sticky. The dough should have the consistency of Play-Doh.
• Form the dough into a ball and cover it with a damp dish towel. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.
• After the dough has rested, transfer it to a cutting board and flatten it into an even disc.
• Using a knife, cut the dough into equal pieces. The number of pieces will depend on the size of the sopes you want to make.
• Keep the dough covered with a damp dish towel at all times to prevent it from drying out.

Once the dough is prepared, you can move on to shaping and cooking the sopes.

Shaping the sopes

Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place it between two sheets of plastic wrap. Press down with a clear dish to create a disc that's about 3.5 inches wide. Transfer the sope to a baking sheet and cover with a damp dish towel. Repeat this process with the remaining dough. Alternatively, you can use a tortilla press to flatten the sopes.

The sopes should be about 1/3 to 1/2 an inch thick, with a rimmed edge to hold the fillings. They should resemble small bowls that can be filled with your desired toppings.

Frying the sopes

Step 1: Prepare the Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to ensure the air fryer is hot enough to cook the sopes evenly and give them a golden brown colour.

Step 2: Prepare the Sopes

Take the dough you have shaped into small bowls and spray them with olive oil or cooking spray. This will help give the sopes a crispy texture and prevent them from sticking to the air fryer.

Step 3: Air Fry the Sopes

Place the sopes in the air fryer basket or on a wire rack and air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. The exact cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer, so keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn.

Step 4: Check for Doneness

Once the sopes have reached a golden brown colour, remove them from the air fryer and set them on a plate. They are now ready to be filled with your choice of toppings and served!

Tips for Frying Sopes in an Air Fryer:

• If you are making a large batch, you may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer.
• Be careful not to overfill the sopes with toppings, as this can make them difficult to eat.
• If you prefer a softer texture, reduce the cooking time slightly.
• For extra crispiness, spray the sopes with a little more oil before air frying.

Adding toppings

Once your sopes are cooked, it's time to add your toppings!

First, spread a layer of refried beans on each sope. This acts as a "glue" for the rest of your toppings, preventing them from sliding off. You can also use mashed avocados mixed with lime juice and salt as a base if you're not a fan of beans.

Next, add your shredded meat. Beef, chicken, and pork are all popular choices, but feel free to get creative and use whatever type of meat you like, as long as it's seasoned well. If you're vegetarian, you can sauté some tofu with taco seasoning or add a chunky salsa or sautéed veggies like sweet potatoes, zucchini, onions, peppers, mushrooms, or corn.

Now it's time for the cheese. Crumble queso fresco on top of your sopes or add Cotija cheese, shredded sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Jack cheese. You can even stir the cheese directly into the beans if you like.

Finish off your sopes with your choice of fresh veggies. Shredded lettuce, diced onions, diced tomatoes, sliced radishes, cilantro, jalapenos, salsa, and avocado or guacamole all make great toppings.

And there you have it! Your very own delicious sopes, ready to be devoured.

Frequently asked questions