Pambazo Bread Recipe

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Bread for Pambazo Sandwiches

Bread for pambazo sandwiches can be challenging to find in your typical grocery store in the United States. If you don’t have a specialty store or Mexican bakery nearby, you’ll likely want to learn to make your own. We’ll share our Pambazo Bread Recipe with you below.

pambazo sandwich from bread recipe

No Mexican Bakery? No Problem!

We’ve got you covered. And if you’re nervous about making yeast bread, it’s okay. We’ll guide you along the way and point you to success. Homemade bread tastes and smells delicious, just follow the recipe details.

Pambazos – Mexico’s Authentic King of Street Food. [with Recipe]

Imagine your favorite street food. And that’s kind of how pambazos are. They’re one of the kings of Mexico’s authentic street food. In other words, it’s quite commonplace to find these sandwiches available from street food vendors in Mexico, a kind of Pambazos Veracruzanos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Following are questions that are asked frequently about Pambazo Bread Recipe. We trust you will find these answers helpful. If you have other FAQs, please feel free to submit them in the comments box below. We read every one.

What are pambazos?

You might be wondering, what is a pambazo? A pambazo is a Mexican dish that is like a sandwich. When it’s prepared, the white bread is brushed with Mexican red guajillo pepper sauce and fried. It’s then filled with all kinds of ingredients and eaten like a sandwich.

Are pambazos spicy?

No, pambazos are not a spicy sandwich. We would say that they’re warmer and comforting to the taste and are quite delicious.

When and how are pambazos consumed?

A pambazo can be consumed anytime as far as Mexican culture is concerned. Sometimes they’re enjoyed as an appetizer and other times, they’re eaten as a full meal. Though they’re readily available by street vendors any time, they’re particularly enjoyed around Mexican Independence Day and Mexican Revolution Day.

Process Photos:

pambazo bread dough starting with yeast
mix yeast, sugar, warm water, let sit until foamy
pambazo bread dough ball
add flour, create a nice dough ball, cover, let rise.
pambazo bread dough cut into 8 portions
divide dough into 8 equal portions
pambazo bread dough being shaped
flatten and shape dough
pambazo bread being shaped with straw
Create indents with a straw one-third of the way in, and from the other side.

Storage

What is the best way to store a pambazo sandwich? We recommend storing it before it’s assembled, otherwise it will tend to get soggy. Just wrap the bread in a zipped storage bag or store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Fridge

The filling of the sandwich should be stored in the refrigerator. It can be placed in an airtight container and kept for about 3 days. It’s best to store the sandwich filling before it’s assembled.

Reheat

If you want to reheat your sandwich or simply just the bread after it’s been stored. We recommend the conventional oven or a toaster oven. We don’t recommend the microwave as it tends to make things too soggy or too hard.

Homemade Bread

If you’re not too familiar with making different versions of homemade bread, there’s no need to worry. We’ll help you be successful. Just follow our step-by-step guidelines in the instructions below. Homemade bread is always worth it because the freshness tastes and smells wonderful.

pambazo bread recipe bun

Pambazos, Mexican Spicy Chorizo & Potato Sandwich

Some people think of pambazos as a spicy sandwich but they’re not really. Keep it on the mild side! The flavors that are included create a rich taste. The pepper is not a spicy pepper, but one that has just a little flavor. It is low on the Scoville scale of heat. Pambazos are consider a family friendly dish just follow the recipe details.

The History of Pambazos Mexicanos: Recipe Origin

The history of pambazos are of Mexican authenticity. The dish was originally thought to have been served to the lower class because it’s made with ingredients that are quite economical.

The idea of dipping the bread into the salsa-like sauce is to give it more flavor and give it the well-known orange appearance.

Pambazo Sandwich: Origins and Grandma’s Recipe

This recipe is as good as grandma’s recipe. I don’t know about your grandma, but mine was a fantastic cook. She was a farmer’s wife and made really good food. This recipe is that good. Fresh made bread that’s delicious.

Pambazo Mexicano: Chorizo-Potato Sandwich

Our recipe below is just a pambazo bread recipe. But you might be interested in making the entire sandwich because they’re so delicious. Just follow along and we’ll show you the steps.

For The Salsa

If you really like this form of salsa sauce, you might be into making Homemade Salsa for Life. It’s not your Raw Green Salsa, but it’s good.

Peppers. Using 5 large Guajillo Chiles are ideal. California or New Mexico peppers will also work as substitutes. Remember to remove the seeds first. If you’re in a pinch, using Adobo Sauce can work as a substitute for the peppers.

Garlic. 1 garlic clove that has been peeled is sufficient.

Onion. Use ½ large onion diced finely.

Salt. ½ teaspoon of salt should be used.

Pepper. Add ½ teaspoon of pepper to the mix.


For The Pambazo

The pambazo is the potato and protein portion of the filling of the sandwich. And the procedure is quite simple.

Potatoes. You’ll need 2 to 3 potatoes peeled and cubed into small pieces. You can use either russet or yellow potatoes for this.

Beef. Use ½ pound of beef chorizo. Or for a vegan alternative, you can use soy chorizo.

pambazo bread recipe

Toppings

Here are the loaded sandwich toppings you’ll want to include.

Cheese. Use 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese.

Lettuce. 2 cups of shredded lettuce such as iceberg or romaine are ideal sandwich toppings.

Onions. Mexican pickled onions are delicious as a topping.

Salsa. You might also like to include salsa verde as an optional topping.

Cream. Use ½ cup Mexican crema.

Recommended Equipment:

Electric Mixer.

Baking Sheet.

Parchment Paper.

How To Make Pambazos Authentic Recipe Sandwiches

If you’ve decided to make more than just the bread and go for the whole sandwich, we’ve got you covered.

The step-by-step recipe

Following is the step-by-step overview of how to make pambazo sandwiches. Follow along and you’ll be satisfied with the delicious outcome of this Mexican dish.

Start by making the salsa sauce

You’ll start by making the sauce. To do this, add the onion, peppers and garlic to a small pot. Use enough water to just cover the peppers and onions. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to medium low. Cook for about 5 minutes until the peppers begin to soften.

Transfer the peppers, onion, garlic, and water to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Make the filling

To make the potato and chorizo filling, heat the cubed potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft.

In a skillet, heat the chorizo on medium heat for about 10 minutes and crumble as you go.

Remove from heat and mix the potatoes and the chorizo. Smash a little bit if desired.

Prepare the pambazo bread

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brush the outside of the bread with the salsa sauce. (Pambazos are also referred to as Mexican Salsa-Dunked Sandwiches in some instances.) Then, fry in the oil for a few minutes, just until heated.

Turn and fry the other side of the telera bread as well.

Assemble

Slice the bread in half to prepare it for assembly and the toppings.
Open the bread and add the potato and chorizo mixture. Top with shredded lettuce, pickled onions, crema, crumbled queso, and salsa. Serve warm and enjoy!

Recommended Salsas

Our recommended salsa is the recipe we shared above, using peppers. However, you can be creative and substitute your favorite salsa if desired.  

Crispy Pambazos (…let’s call it a cross between a Pambazo and a Torta)

If you want to make more of a crispy pambazo, then you’ll want to use more oil on the outside of the bun before it’s baked. Instead of brushing with water, brush it with oil.

And then brush it oil again before frying both sides of each piece of bread in a frying pan after it’s been brushed with salsa.

What bread to use

The best bread to use is an authentic pambazo bread recipe. Our recipe below is a nice smooth bread that is white and soft inside.

However, if you’re in a pinch and you opt out of making the homemade bread, you can use the best dense white bread that’s like a bun. Many grocery stores and bakeries make bread that will work. Enjoy Pambazos Michoacanos: MichocacAN Style Sandwiches

Other fillings

We’ve shared with you the authentic fillings for this sandwich, but the great thing about making it yourself is that you can customize it however you’d like. Feel free to add or subtract other fillings according to your preference.

The Pambazo Pan (the bread)

You might be wondering if you’ll need a special kind of pan to make this bread. And the answer is no. All of the shaping of the bread is done by hand, and you can simply use a flat baking sheet to bake the bread.

Serving Suggestions

Pambazo Mexicano: Chorizo-Potato Sandwich is typically served as a full meal and doesn’t need a side. But if you’re thinking you’ll need something to go with your pambazos, here are some ideas:

The Best Mexican Trash Casserole
Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Bean and Cheese Burritos
Tortilla Soup Recipe

Pambazo Veracruzano/ Veracruz-style Bread

Pambazo homemade bread can be prepared in about 90 minutes. It’s the perfect authentic bread for Mexican pambazo sandwiches. We’ll show you how to make it.

pambazo sandwich from bread recipe

How to Make Pambazos Bread Recipe

To make pambazos bread recipe, we’ll use active yeast, flour and some other basic bread ingredients. To activate the yeast, mix the yeast with sugar and lukewarm water and allow it to rest. The follow the instructions to make the dough.

Key Ingredients

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
4 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons soft butter
1 teaspoon salt
cooking oil

Preparation Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together yeast, sugar and lukewarm water. Stir until the yeast is dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast activates and a foam begins to form on top of the liquid.

2. Add soft butter, salt, and flour. Mix until ingredients are just incorporated.

3. Knead dough for 4-5 minutes until a soft dough ball is achieved. Place in a bowl that has been greased with oil. Cover and place in a warm place.

4. Let rest until double in size, for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

5. Remove the dough from the bowl. Punch to release gas. Divide into 8 equal parts. Let rest for 10 minutes.

6. Shape each dough piece into a ball and then pull to flatten into an oval. Use a straw to press down into the dough about one-third from the edge, keeping it from cutting all the way through the dough. Then press the straw again one-third from the other edge. This will give you two lines across the top of the bread. Repeat with all 8.

7. Place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

8. Let dough rest until doubled in size, approximately 45 minutes.

9. Brush a little water on the top of each roll, using a pastry brush. Bake at 400F degrees for about 5 minutes.

Tips & Variations

Consistency. You might need to add a little more water or a little more flour to the dough to create the right consistency. Please add a little at a time.

Rising. Dough should be placed in a location that is approximately 70F degrees or slightly warmer for dough to rise. If you live in a cool or breezy location, you can try placing in a sunny window, or on top of a warm dryer for better rising conditions.

Vegan. For a plant-based recipe, substitute cooking oil or coconut oil for the butter, using a 1:1 ratio.

Tasting Notes

Don’t forget to add the salt to the dough. Bread without salt tastes rather bland. It just needs a little salt. It’s amazing how much a teaspoon or two of salt can do to take bread from bland to delicious!

Pambazos Calories and Nutrition

Here is the nutrition information for Pambazo Bread Recipe. Please keep in mind that this is only an estimate. And nutrition information will vary based on the ingredients used. This recipe is estimated to make 8 buns and the nutrition information is based on the ingredients of 1 bun, or 1/8th of the recipe.

Calories 235
Total Fat 3.5g
Saturated Fat 1.9g
Cholesterol 8mg
Sodium 314mg
Carbohydrates 44.1g
Fiber 1.7g
Sugar 2.2g
Protein 6.1g

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Sarah
Sarah is known for her extra fancy yeast breads, melt in your mouth pies, and everything salads. She has won awards as a home cook, and is passionate about helping others feel smarter in the kitchen. Sarah is the cooking genius of the sister duo.

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