A similar Mexican dish is called a gordita (literally, "little fatty"), but gorditas are usually open at one end.

Traditional pupusas are crafted from simple ingredients readily available in El Salvador: items like beans, cheese, maize and loroco, an edible flowering plant that grows throughout northern Central America and southern Mexico and has the earthy taste of an artichoke.

Pupusas are a traditional dish from El Salvador and are similar to a corn pancake with bean and cheese or meat filling. They are similar to a flatbread or pancake that is made with corn flour (masa) and can be filled with a variety of different savory fillings, like cheese, beans, beef, pork or veggies.

noun. pu·​pu·​sa pə-ˈpü-sə plural pupusas. : a disk of masa dough filled typically with savory ingredients (such as vegetables, meat, and cheese) and fried usually on a griddle or pan. Once you get a feel for shaping the masa, pupusas are easy to make for snacks or a light meal.