Pambazos

Pambazos are a mouth watering Mexican sandwich stuffed with a mixture of potatoes and chorizo, lettuce, queso & crema. The bread is covered in a delicious guajillo salsa and crisped to perfection. Irresistible!

Hello friends! Roll out the pink butcher paper (aka food red carpet), it’s time for Pambazos! Things will be getting a little messy.

Why You’ll Love them

These Mexican sandwiches are so versatile and are pretty much the perfect mouthwatering dish. Inexpensive, easy to make in large quantities and so satisfying. They can be customized with a variety of salsas and toppings depending on your preferences.

Every component on this recipe blends perfectly together. The telera bread is soft and big to hold all of the ingredients together for the perfect bite. It’s smothered with the guajillo sauce that ads an incredible flavor!

The chorizo and potato filling is so satisfying. Your home will smell amazing when you make this combo! The toppings ad the perfect finish to every bite. Don’t be shy, use them all!

Pambazos Vs Tortas Ahogadas

Are Pambazos and Tortas Ahogadas the same? They are not the same! Here are differences between Tortas and Pambazos.

The Torta Ahogada is prepared with birote or bolillo bread, filled with pork (loin, leg or carnitas), refried beans and drowned with two types of sauces: tomato sauce with guajillo and chile de arbol sauce.
The Pambazo is made with telera bread, similar to bolillo but it’s softer and bigger. It’s then dipped in a guajillo sauce, fried a little then filled with the chorizo and potato mix. Subsequently, fresh lettuce is added, a little crema, queso fresco and more salsa. Frying the bread is key so that it doesn’t crumble too fast!

**This post was originally published on Oct 2021. It has been updated to be more helpful.

A half eaten pambazo mexican sandwich on a plate.

* Make sure to read the entire blog post. Every step matters, and I’ll provide helpful tips along the way!

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Ingredients

For The Sauce

Guajillo peppers – remove the seeds prior to cooking. If you can’t find guajillo peppers, you can use Chile Negro, California or New Mexico.
Onion – white or yellow will work fine.
Garlic – fresh is always better
Salt and pepper

For The Pambazo

Yellow potatoes or 2 large russet potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes. Cutting the potatoes first will speed up the cooking process.
Beef or soy chorizo. – Homemade is always better as you know what’s in it and it’s leaner than the store bought kind.
Telera breads cut in half. See below for substitutions.

Toppings

Shredded lettuce like romaine or iceberg – You want to use firm lettuce that will hold up well inside the torta.
1 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco
½ cup Mexican crema
Mexican pickled onions
salsa chile de arbol Optional
or salsa verde Optional

Make Ahead

Make-ahead components of this recipe will allow you to prepare the Pambazo in advance when you have more time, and then simply reheat or assemble them when you’re ready to eat. This can be a huge time-saver, especially on busy weekdays.

Make ahead the salsas
Pickled onions
The chorizo and potato mixture.

The Pambazo Pan (the bread)

This dish uses telera bread which is fluffy and soft inside, golden and crispy on the outside. It’s similar to the bolillo but the telera has a smoother top and the shape is flatter.

If you can’t find telera bread, find any other kind that has is soft but solid inside. The texture on the top must be smooth in texture.

A stack of telera bread on a white plate.

How To Make Pambazos

Want to learn how to make a Pambazo sandwich? Let me show you how to make it step by step with my easy and authentic recipe.

Cook The Pambazo Salsa

In a small to medium pot, add the ¼ of a large onion, 1 garlic clove and a ½ teaspoon of salt & pepper. Add enough water to cover the onions.
Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the guajillo chiles making sure they’re completely under the water. Turn off heat and let them sit for 10 minutes or until the chiles are soft and pliable.

Cooking onions, garlic and chile guajillo in a medium sauce pot.

In a blender or food processor, add the chile guajillos, onion, garlic plus 1 ½ cup of the chili water. Blend until smooth and transfer to a bowl.

Making the salsa in a blender then showing the made salsa in a clear bowl with a wooden spoon.

Make The Chorizo & Potatoes

While the chiles are getting hydrated, cook the cubed potatoes in a small pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Cook for 15 minutes on medium-high heat or until soft. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, add the chorizo and cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes to the cooked chorizo and mix well or smash them a little bit in the chorizo a little bit to form a more solid consistency. This will help the chorizo/potato mixture stay inside the sandwich better.

Coking potatoes and chorizo on a skillet.

Make The Pambazos

On a large skillet or comal, add the 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat over medium heat.
Brush the telera with the salsa or dip it into the salsa to cover the outside of the bread.
Fry the bread on the skillet or comal until lightly crispy on the outside. Repeat the process for all of the bread.

Cooking telera bread with guajillo sauce on a comal.

Open the telera bread and fill with the chorizo and potato mixture, lettuce, crema, crumbled queso, pickled onion and salsa if using any.

A mix of chorizo and cooked potatoes on top of a slice of telera bread.

This dish is messy so be ready and grab lots of napkins! It’s also finger licking good and no one will judge you for that. Enjoy!

Are Pambazos spicy?

Pambazos are not spicy since the Chile Guajillo Salsa is naturally mild. Guajillo’s have tangy and smoky flavor profile and it’s on the moderate heat level—500 to 5,000 on the Scoville Heat Scale. They do have a lot of flavor and they are perfectly for family-friendly cooking.

Serving suggestions

This Mexican sandwich goes perfectly with a tall glass of Jamaica, Agua De Melon or the classic Horchata.

Typically they are not served with a side dish but if you must, then I suggest serving them with refried beans or these delicious Chiles Toreados.

For dessert make Arroz Con Leche or Sweet Empanaditas.

A pambazo on a white plate garnished with queso, crema and lettuce.

How to Store

I recommend storing the meat, toppings, and buns separately until ready to reheat. Store the chorizo mix for 3 to 4 days. Then follow the instructions here to reheat and make your pambazo.

Reheating

Stovetop: Heat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even reheating. Once the meat is heated through, it’s ready to be assembled.
Microwave: If you prefer a quicker method, the microwave is a convenient option. Place the meat in a microwave-safe dish, cover it loosely to prevent splatters, and heat it in short intervals, stirring in between. Be cautious not to overheat to avoid drying out the dish.

History

This Mexican dish originated in Veracruz and was created in honor of Empress Carlota, by a chef named Jose Tüdös. He was inspired by the shapes of the Citlaltépec volcano, also known as Pico de Orizaba.

But the most popular form that we know of originated in Mexico City, where they are sold mainly as a street antojito (snack).

Want to learn how to make a Pambazo sandwich? Let me show you how to make it step by step with my easy and authentic recipe.

FAQ

Is there a substitution for guajillo peppers?

You can use california or new Mexico Chile pods

What part of Mexico are Pambazos from?

This Mexican dish originated in Veracruz and was created in honor of Empress Carlota, by a chef named Josef Tüdös, who was inspired by the shapes of the Citlaltépec volcano (better known as Pico de Orizaba).

But the most popular form that we know of originated in Mexico City, where they are sold mainly as a street antojito (snack).

Who created Pambazos?

They were created by a chef named Josef Tüdös that lived in the state of Veracruz. He was inspired by the shapes of the Citlaltépec volcano (better known as Pico de Orizaba).