Pastelitos are Honduras' crispy fried meat pies — golden turnovers of dough filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground beef and potato, then fried until crunchy. They are a favorite street food, party snack and market treat.

The dough is usually made from corn masa or wheat flour, rolled thin, filled, folded into a half-moon and sealed at the edges. The classic filling is picadillo — ground beef cooked with potato, sweet pepper, tomato and spices — though chicken and rice versions are also common.

Pastelitos are fried until crisp and served hot, typically topped with curtido (pickled cabbage) and a spoonful of tomato salsa. They sit alongside enchiladas, catrachas and baleadas in the beloved world of Honduran antojitos and fried snacks.

For the best pastelitos, keep the filling well-seasoned but not too wet, seal the edges firmly so they don't open, and fry in hot oil until deep golden and crisp.

Honduran Pastelitos Recipe

Prep: 40 min · Cook: 20 min · Yield: 12 pastelitos

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina (or 2 cups flour)
1 to 1 1/2 cups warm water (or water and a little oil for flour dough)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb ground beef
1 small potato, finely diced
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 sweet pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Oil, for frying
Curtido and salsa, to serve

Instructions

Cook the beef with onion, sweet pepper, tomato, potato and cumin until the meat is browned and the potato is tender. Season and let cool.
Mix the masa harina, salt and warm water into a soft dough.
Divide into balls, flatten each thin, add a spoonful of filling, fold into a half-moon and seal the edges firmly.
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Fry the pastelitos until deep golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, and drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with curtido and tomato salsa.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are pastelitos?

Pastelitos are Honduran fried meat pies: turnovers of masa or flour dough filled with seasoned ground beef and potato, fried until crisp and golden.

What is the filling in pastelitos?

The classic filling is picadillo, a mix of ground beef with potato, sweet pepper, tomato and spices. Chicken or rice fillings are also popular.

Are pastelitos the same as empanadas?

They are close cousins. Pastelitos are the Honduran version of the fried, filled turnover found across Latin America, often made with masa and a beef-and-potato filling.