Puerto Rican Papas Rellenas (Stuffed Potatoes)
Puerto Rican Papas Rellenas - mashed potato croquettes stuffed with flavorful picadillo (ground beef hash). They are fried to golden perfection on the outside while still creamy on the inside. Meat and potatoes join together to form the perfect appetizer!
Puerto Rican Papas Rellenas
Hey guys! I'm here with my monthly Puerto Rican recipe for you. And let me tell you...these fried potato croquettes are amazeballs. Like, literally.
Balls of mashed potatoes are filled with picadillo (a ground beef hash which is so flavorful it gives taco meat a run for its money), then fried until golden brown and crispy. They are probably my favorite Puerto Rican appetizer!
Puerto Rican papas rellenas, or rellenos de papa as they are called, have a bit of a story in my family history. I've told you before how I used to think I was Puerto Rican as a child, although I'm actually half Mexican [full story here]. There are many contributing factors to this misconception, among which are these potato croquettes.
Every year my family would attend the Mexican Festival in Milwaukee, WI. My mother would make a beeline past the mariachi bands, the jalapeño eating competition (and the grito contest!), the vendors selling street tacos and cerveza, and head straight for the Puerto Rican booth where they made these papa rellenas.
What the heck was a Puerto Rican stand was doing at a Mexican fiesta I'll never know - but you can see my confusion, right?!
Well, one bite is all you need and those questions evaporate. Potatoes are my favorite food. I love them in any form, but fried potatoes are the best of the best by far. Paired with incredibly flavorful meat, it's a combination that can't be beat.
You can find my recipe for the picadillo filling here. *Do not add the diced potatoes called for in the recipe.*
This recipe only uses half the amount of picadillo, so you can either use the leftovers in tacos or just make half a batch of meat. Or you can double the amount of mashed potatoes and have twice as many papas rellenas!
The trick to these croquettes is to mash the heck out of your potatoes so they turn gummy and pliable. Extra cornstarch helps combat any stickiness as well.
Adding an egg helps with binding, but if you're able to knead the potatoes into a workable dough, the egg is not necessary. Eat them as is, or serve with my mayo-ketchup or garlic dipping oil.
As always, feel free to shoot me an email at kitchengidget@gmail.com if you have any questions or hit me up on Facebook!
Puerto Rican Papas Rellenas (Stuffed Potatoes)
Mashed potatoes balls stuffed with picadillo (ground beef hash) and fried to golden perfection!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus extra for dusting
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ recipe Puerto Rican Picadillo
- Salt
- Oil for frying
- Mayoketchup or mojo de ajo
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut into uniformly sized chunks. Place in a pot and cover with water. Salt the water about (2 tablespoons). Boil until cooked through and easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
- Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Let any excess water evaporate. Mash with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, egg and butter.
- Flour your hands with cornstarch and flatten about ½ cup of mashed potatoes into a disk in the palm of your hand. Add a heaping tablespoon of picadillo to the center of the disk and bring the edges of the potato up and around the picadillo. Seal the edges and roll into a smooth ball. Repeat until all the potato has been used up, making sure to coat hands in cornstarch each time.
- Deep fry the balls in hot oil (about 350°F) about 5 minutes, turning as needed until they are golden brown all over. Serve plain or with mayoketchup or mojo de ajo for dipping, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 106Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 77mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.
Wow! I made the recipe with leftover beef machaca from the night before. New favorite!
I made these and will be making them for a long time. The only thing I did different was to dip in an egg and then bread crumbs which resulted in the most crunchy and delicious. Plus I put in a crab filling I had leftover instead of the Picadillo. I’m making them tonight with the picadillo filling. They are delicious.
Mmm crab sounds delicious!
@Peggy Sandberg, so then you didn't make these. You made something else. I hate when people say they love a recipe but then change everything about it. 🙄
Can you make it with leftover mashed potatoes
I don't recommended it because the added milk and butter usually makes them fall apart when they're fried.
@Rebekah, you can use.left over mashed potatoes if you have instant potatoes add to mash to thicken them up. I've also made with just instant potatoes. Comes out great either way
gracias. they came out perfect. i had no issues. i even put a little twist that i use to see my grandma do and that was putting sazon in the potato mix. DTB
Can you use a deep fryer, if yes, at what temperature?
Yes you can. The temperature should be 350F and no higher than 375.
Hi Rebekah I've noticed a crust on the outside of the potatoes is there anything else that makes that crust?
The excess cornstarch creates a crust. I've also seen some people roll in panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
Questions:
Which type of potatoes use?
Which oil to use?
And which flour to use?
Hi Evelyn,
Potatoes: white, Yukon gold, Idaho, russet or any general "baking" potato.
Oil: vegetable oil, corn oil or peanut oil
Flour: all-purpose white flour
Can the balls be air fryed?
I've never tried in the air fryer, but it's worth a try. You might have to experiment to get the crunchy level just right. Let us know how they turn out!
@Mindy, I know this is a whole year late but I was having problems with the balls falling apart in the oil so I air fried them at 400 for 15 minutes and they came out so tasty!
@Mindy,
Yes, you can air fry. I do with my left over potatoes at 375 and 15 mins is all you need these come out beautiful, just keep an eye on them specially that I have a business selling all kinds of fritters.
Hi Rebekah,
Thank you for sharing this classic Puerto Rican recipe. I am a native of the island and appreciate that you've provided the traditional recipe and enjoyed reading about your early identification as a Boricua. You will always be part of our family.
Thank you Myrna, so sweet! ❤️
Made these because I could not remember everything,y mother did to hers. The potatoes were watery tasting, thin. I do remember mom using flour and not cornstarch. Toward the end of her life her rellenos would fall apart. She had dementia. These were good tasting and I did follow the potato cooking recipe. I’ll try again because these are a favorite!
These came out awesome! I added an extra egg and used arrowroot powder as I didn’t have corn starch. Tasted just like the ones we got in Puerto Rico!
Hi, I am Puerto Rican and enjoy the foods that I cook.
I cannot get certain foods to come out right, like the rellenos de papa.
I make it fine but when it comes to frying I am a mess. They fall apart.
I read in one of your replies to cook them frozen, but won’t that make it fall apart in the oil when it reaches a certain temp. Won’t it make the oil splash when you put the frozen potatoes balls in the oil.
Please answer soon, thank you.
Hi Judy! My tips for rellenos de papa is to drain the potatoes well after boiling. Excess water is usually the culprit if they are falling apart. Put them back in the pot and let the residual water evaporate (use low heat if needed). Definitely use the egg and my mom said 2 tablespoons of butter will help the texture as well. I've never tried freezing these before cooking, but others have commented that they do. I would try my tips first and I hope that helps.
@Rebekah, make sure the potato is cold, not frozen. I make them and I put them in the fridge overnight. They are ready to fry the next day.
Did not stay together completely fell apart based off other comments the egg should of not been optional the balls stuck together an we’re fine
Sorry about that, thanks for the feedback on the eggs!
Potatoes must be completely cooled and your hands well floured to avoid stickiness.
Are these like the potato balls you get from portos?? Because those ones are really yummy.
Yes! I've never had Porto's but I looked it up and it's the same thing. It looks like they roll theirs in panko bread crumbs before frying to make them crunchy. Not traditional but extra crispy is never bad in my book!
Do you use a specific potato type?
Idaho, all purpose or any white?
Thanks - Mom loves these.
I don't use a specific type. I usually just grab russet potatoes at the store.