Costa Rican Cheese Stuffed Corn Patties

Tayuyas are an emblematic dish of Guanacaste, made from corn masa stuffed with cheese and other ingredients of choice, part of the region’s rich corn-based recipe collection.

The name comes from the Chorotega language and means something like “little rooster,” a tradition passed down through generations in Guanacastecan cuisine.

Costa Rican Cheese Stuffed Corn Patties

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• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 pieces
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Costa Rican

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 500 g of nixtamalized corn masa (about 17.6 oz)
• Warm water, to taste
• 1 pinch of salt
• 250 g of Guanacaste-style or fresh cheese, grated (about 8.8 oz)
• Ground pork cracklings (optional), to taste (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of oil or lard, for cooking
• Tomato sauce, for serving (optional)

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Preparation

1. Prepare the masa, place the corn masa in a bowl, add salt and warm water gradually, kneading until you get a smooth dough.
2. Shape balls, divide the dough into portions and shape into even balls.
3. Flatten, flatten each ball with your hands into a disc.
4. Fill, place a portion of grated cheese (and cracklings, if desired) in the center of each disc.
5. Seal, close the dough over the filling, forming a stuffed ball, and flatten slightly again.
6. Cook, heat the oil or lard in a skillet and cook the tayuyas on both sides until golden.
7. Serve, serve hot, on their own or with tomato sauce and grated cheese on top.

Tips for getting it right

• Sealing the edges well when closing the dough keeps the filling from leaking out during cooking.
• Using Guanacaste-style cheese, typical of the region, gives the most authentic flavor.
• Cooking over medium heat lets the dough cook through without burning on the outside.
• Other fillings, such as loroco or hot chili, can be added for a different flavor.

Traditional variations

• They’re part of Guanacaste’s traditional corn-based recipe collection, alongside tortillas palmeadas and pozol.
• Some families fill them with beans instead of cheese.

How to serve

Tayuyas are served hot, on their own or topped with tomato sauce and grated cheese.

They’re an emblematic dish of Guanacastecan cuisine, passed down through generations.

Recommended sides

• Tomato sauce
• Grated cheese
• Coffee

Did you know?

The name “tayuya” comes from the Chorotega language, meaning something like “little rooster.”

Tayuyas are also part of the traditional “burra sabanera,” the meal Guanacaste ranch hands carried wrapped in tayuyá for their workday.