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Mexican Pacholas recipe.

Mexican Pacholas

author Maricruz Avalos Flores
4 servings
These Mexican pacholas are made with finely ground beef, bread soaked in milk, grated onion, parsley, and spices. Shaped into thin patties and cooked on a griddle, they're perfect for an easy homemade meal.
prep 20 minutes
cook 10 minutes
total 30 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 2 lb ground beef (read note 1)
  • ½ bolillo bread (read note 2)
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 small onion (grated)
  • fresh parsley (finely chopped, to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons guajillo powder or chile ancho powder (read note 3)
  • chili powder (to taste)
  • olive oil (for cooking)

Instructions
 

  • Place the bread in a small bowl with the milk and let it soften. Mash it with a fork until you have a soft mixture.
  • Add the ground beef to a large bowl along with the soaked bread, grated onion, parsley, cumin, pepper, chili and guajillo powder, and onion powder. Mix everything well until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the meat.
  • Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Place each portion between two sheets of plastic wrap or plastic bags and roll it out with a rolling pin into a thin, large patty. Handle them carefully as you remove the plastic.
  • Lightly grease a griddle or large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Cook the pacholas for a few minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through. Work in batches if needed, and avoid moving them too much while they cook.
  • Serve the pacholas hot with pico de gallo, salsa, or your favorite Mexican sides.

Notes

  1. Ask your butcher to grind the beef twice for a finer texture. If that's not possible, pulse it in a food processor in small batches.
  2. My abuela used bolillo to make pacholas. If you can’t find it, white sandwich bread or French bread works well as a substitute.
  3. Some regional versions of pacholas use ancho or dried guajillo chiles, while others use different seasonings. You can use guajillo chile powder for convenience, or soak dried guajillo chiles in hot water until soft, then blend them with a little water to make a paste. Paprika can also be used as an alternative, though the flavor will be different.
  4. Rolling the meat between sheets of plastic makes it easier to shape the patties thinly without sticking.
  5. Adjust the spices and parsley to your taste.
  6. Since the pacholas are thin, keep an eye on them so they don't dry out.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 789kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 232mg | Potassium: 729mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 5mg