Description
Pambazos Sandwiches are a bold and flavorful Mexican street food featuring bolillo rolls soaked in smoky adobo sauce and stuffed with a spiced meat and potato filling. Topped with lettuce, crema, Cotija cheese, and pickled red onions, these crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside sandwiches are a true indulgence.
Ingredients
For the Adobo Sauce:
2 ounces dried guajillo chiles (about 8–10)
3/4 cup cold water
1 clove minced garlic
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
For the Sandwiches:
4 fresh bolillo rolls
1/2 pound spiced ground meat
12 ounces Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cups shredded lettuce
1/2 cup Mexican crema or thin sour cream
1/2 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup pickled red onions (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Adobo Sauce: Toast guajillo chiles on a griddle until fragrant. Remove from heat, discard stems and seeds, and soak in 2 cups hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and blend with 1 cup fresh water, garlic, ketchup, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and cumin. Strain for smoother texture if desired.
- Cook the Filling: In a skillet, cook diced potatoes with spiced ground meat and chopped onion over medium heat until potatoes are tender and meat is fully cooked. Drain excess grease.
- Prepare the Rolls: Optionally scoop out some bread from inside bolillos. Dip the rolls briefly in the adobo sauce to coat them.
- Griddle the Sandwiches: Fill the soaked rolls with the meat and potato mixture. Cook on a hot griddle or skillet, pressing gently, until the bread is crispy and golden.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Open the top of each roll, add shredded lettuce, crema, Cotija cheese, and pickled red onions. Close and serve warm.
Notes
Vegetarian Option: Replace meat with grilled veggies or plant-based protein.
Spicy Kick: Add chili flakes or hot sauce to the adobo for more heat.
Cheese Swap: Substitute Cotija with feta or queso fresco if needed.
Make-Ahead: Adobo sauce and filling can be prepped ahead and refrigerated.
Storage: Refrigerate assembled sandwiches for up to 2 days; reheat on a griddle.
Freezing: Freeze the filling or un-topped sandwiches for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch/Dinner
- Method: Stovetop, Griddle
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
