Papas Rellenas! These delicious mashed potato balls are stuffed with seasoned ground beef, then breaded and fried for a most satisfying savory mouthful! A classic Cuban appetizer.
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Have you ever heard of Papas Rellenas? They're a food I grew up eating, hot and fresh out of my Abuela's "caldero" throughout my childhood and into my adolescence.
While my Abuela made them often, she never taught me how to make them! This is a papa rellena recipe/method I adapted from the cookbook, Memories of a Cuban Kitchen, stuffed with my Cuban Picadillo recipe.
This recipe is naturally dairy free and is easy to make gluten free and can even be made vegan! See below as well as the recipe notes.
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What are Papas Rellenas?
Simply put, Papas Rellenas -- which translate to "stuffed potatoes" in English -- are exactly what they sound like: Balls of mashed potatoes that are stuffed with picadillo, or flavorful seasoned ground beef.
They're coated in breadcrumbs and then fried until golden brown; a truly mouthwatering Cuban comfort food experience!
Ingredients
Believe it or not, Papas Rellenas are made with very common pantry and refrigerator ingredients that you likely already have on hand. These are the main things you'll need:
- Russet potatoes. Russets are a great, all-purpose potato that mash easily without being overly dense.
- Picadillo. Typically, papas rellenas are stuffed with picadillo, which is a traditional Cuban ground beef dish. You can find my picadillo recipe here. If you have leftover cooked ground beef, feel free to make a filling to suit your tastes.
- Egg. Once the potato balls are stuffed and formed, they're rolled in beaten egg in order to get the breadcrumbs to adhere.
- Breadcrumbs. I use plain store-bought breadcrumbs. In order to make this recipe gluten-free, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Neutral oil for frying. Plain ol' vegetable oil is a good option, but feel free to use your favorite neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point.
Instructions
First, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the potatoes until they're tender. Drain them and return them to the hot pot so that any extra water evaporates.
Mash with a potato masher until there are no lumps. I seasoned the potatoes with salt and pepper and added about a teaspoon of milk to help the mixture stay moist and come together a bit. The potatoes should not be smooth and creamy like typical mashed potatoes or they will not hold their shape.
Let the mashed potatoes cool a bit.
While you're waiting for the potatoes to cool, it's a good time to set up your space for making and breading the papas rellenas. Set up an area for placing them after they're formed, like a plate or a baking pan.
This is also a good time to set up a breading station. Place the beaten egg in one bowl and the bread crumbs in another.
When the potato mixture is cooled, use a spoon or spring-loaded ice cream scoop to scoop out a ball that is about 3 inches in diameter. Using your fingers, push down in the center and create an indentation. Fill the well with a tablespoon or so of picadillo. (Try not to overstuff it.)
Mold the potato to seal around the filling; you may need to take a smaller scoop of potato and make a little "hat" for the ball, patting around the seams to close it up completely.
Dip the sealed potato ball into the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Place it immediately into the breadcrumbs, rolling it around to fully coat. Place the breaded ball onto a plate or baking pan. Repeat with the rest of the mixture until you've used it all up. (I got 6 Papas Rellenas out of this recipe.)
In a large pot or deep-sided skillet, heat the oil for frying to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. (I like to use a candy thermometer to test the oil.) Fry the papas rellenas 2 at a time, turning continually until they are golden brown.
Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the papas rellenas and place them on a paper towel-lined baking pan, plate or cooling rack to allow any excess oil to drain. Repeat until they're all fried.
Tip: Overcrowding the pan with too many at once will make the temperature of the oil drop and result in a soggy, oily exterior rather than a crisp exterior.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is easy to adapt for gluten free or vegan dietary preferences!
- For Gluten Free Papas Rellenas- Use gluten free breadcrumbs in place of regular ones.
- For Vegan Papas Rellenas - Make potatoes as directed. Use dairy free milk if adding to potatoes. Make vegan version of picadillo for stuffing. Roll potato ball in a bit of non-dairy milk (some like to whisk in a sprinkle of cornstarch to the milk) or vegan egg substitute instead of regular egg for breading.
- Oven Baked or Air Fryer Papa Rellena - If you prefer to skip deep frying (I'm typically not a fan myself), you can make these in the air fryer or oven. Note: While my attempts to make this modification to the cooking method tasted fine according to my husband, they did not hold their shape as well as they do with traditional frying.
- In the Air Fryer: Spray the papas rellenas with olive oil or baking spray, place in the basket of an air fryer and cook at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until browned and heated through.
- In the Oven: Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray the papas rellenas with olive oil or baking spray and place on a foil-lined baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until browned and heated through.
Tip: While the traditional version of papas rellenas generally calls for meat, it's worth noting that you can probably stuff the interior with a variety of different fillings: cheese, cooked seafood, pulled pork, chicken, roasted vegetables... the sky's the limit!
FAQs
Many Caribbean and South American countries such as Peru, Columbia and Puerto Rico have their own version of papas rellenas. It is said that they originated in Peru. Each country has different fillings and preparation methods; the recipe shared here is the Cuban version I grew up eating.
Papa Rellena is pronunced: PAH-pah ray-YEH-nah in Spanish.
Yes. Prepare them as directed, then place them in an airtight container up to a day ahead. Fry as directed when ready to eat.
Yes! The best way to freeze them is to prepare them, but freeze them unfried. Just wrap them carefully in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil to avoid freezer burn.
Leftover papas rellenas that have already been fried can also be frozen and reheated, but they won't taste as fresh.
Other Cuban Recipes
Want to round out your menu with other Cuban appetizers, mains and desserts? Check out some of my favorites!
- Croquetas de Jamon (Ham Croquettes)
- Bocaditos (Cuban Finger Sandwiches)
- Yuca con Mojo (Cassava/Yuca with Garlic Sauce)
- Arroz con Pollo Relleno (Layered Chicken & Rice)
- Arroz con Salchicha (Sausage & Rice Skillet)
- Flan de Naranja (Orange Flan)
- Pastel de Guayaba y Queso (Guava & Cheese Pastry)
Papas Rellenas
Equipment
- Heavy bottomed pot or skillet
- Potato masher
- Baking pan
- Aluminum foil
- Slotted spoon or spider
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon milk can be non-dairy
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ¾ cup picadillo see recipe link in notes or in text above
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- canola or vegetable oil for frying amount will depend on size and depth of cooking vessel used for frying
Instructions
Cook Potatoes
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.. Place diced potatoes in the pot and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot. Place on warm burner to help evaporate any excess water.
- Add salt, pepper and milk to potatoes and mash using a potato masher until smooth and lump-free. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare breading station: Beat an egg in a small bowl. Place breadcrumbs in another bowl. Prepare a spot for placing breaded papas rellenas such as a plate or a foil-lined pan.
Form Papas Rellenas
- Once the mashed potatoes have cooled, use a large spoon or spring-loaded ice cream scoop to scoop a ball of potatoes. Using your fingers, make an indentation in the center.
- Fill the well with about a tablespoon of prepared picadillo. Carefully mold the edges of the well to start to enclose the indentation -- you may need another small scoop of potatoes to completely cover the hole. Use your hands to ensure that the filling is fully sealed in and pat the potato ball into a round shape.
- Place papa rellena on plate or lined baking pan and continue with the rest of the potato mixture until it is all used up. I was about to get six papas rellenas out of this recipe, each about 3 inches in diameter.
Bread Papas Rellenas
- Dunk each potato ball into the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Place into breadcrumbs and toss to coat completely.
Fry Papas Rellenas
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot to 375°F. Carefully fry 1-2 at a time, turning on all sides until the exterior is golden brown and crisp -- this only takes a short time so keep an eye on them. (I pull them out a second or two early because they do darken a tiny bit once they're out of the oil.) Continue with the remainder of the papas rellenas.
- Scoop them out onto a paper towel lined baking pan or cooling rack and allow to cool slightly before enjoying.
Notes
- For Gluten Free Papas Rellenas- Use gluten free breadcrumbs in place of regular ones.
- For Vegan Papas Rellenas - Make potatoes as directed. Use dairy free milk if adding to potatoes. Make vegan version of picadillo for stuffing. Roll potato ball in a bit of non-dairy milk (some like to whisk in a sprinkle of cornstarch to the milk) or vegan egg substitute instead of regular egg for breading.
- Oven Baked or Air Fryer Papas Rellenas - If you prefer to skip deep frying (I'm typically not a fan myself), you can make these in the air fryer or oven. Note: While my attempts to make this modification to the cooking method tasted fine according to my husband, they did not hold their shape as well as they do with traditional frying.
- In the Air Fryer: Spray the papas rellenas with olive oil or baking spray, place in the basket of an air fryer and cook at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until browned and heated through.
- In the Oven: Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray the papas rellenas with olive oil or baking spray and place on a foil-lined baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until browned and heated through.
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