Description
Crispy Papas Rellenas are delicious potato-stuffed croquettes filled with flavorful Puerto Rican picadillo. These golden, fried delights combine creamy mashed potatoes seasoned with sazon and adobo with a savory ground beef, bell pepper, and olive filling, making a satisfying appetizer or main dish perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Picadillo Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup sofrito
- 1 tsp sazon seasoning
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup pimento olives, sliced in half
Potato Dough
- 3 lbs potatoes
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp sazon seasoning
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning
For Frying
- 4 cups canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Make the Picadillo: In a pan, add the ground beef, diced onion, and diced red bell pepper. Brown the meat while breaking it apart. Stir in sofrito, sazon seasoning, adobo seasoning, and bay leaves. Once fragrant, add tomato sauce and pimento olives. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until the beef is fully cooked. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare the Potatoes: Peel and chop the potatoes into halves or quarters depending on size. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the potatoes, and cook until fork-tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a bowl.
- Mash and Season Potatoes: Mash the cooked potatoes until smooth and free of solid chunks. Mix in corn starch, sazon seasoning, and adobo seasoning thoroughly until the mixture resembles a soft dough.
- Form and Stuff Croquettes: Using a ½ cup measuring cup or small scoop, form large balls of the potato dough. Flatten each ball gently, place a tablespoon or two of the cooled picadillo filling in the center, and carefully mold the potato around the filling to fully encase it. Add extra potato dough if needed to seal.
- Fry the Croquettes: Heat oil to 350°F in a deep frying pan or skillet. Fry the stuffed potato balls in batches until they are golden brown and crispy on all sides, about 3–5 minutes per batch. Remove and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- If the potato dough isn’t sticking well, add an additional teaspoon or two of cornstarch to improve binding.
- Leftover picadillo filling can be enjoyed over rice or with bread for another meal.
Keywords: Papas Rellenas, Puerto Rican Croquettes, Potato Stuffed Croquettes, Picadillo, Fried Potatoes, Latin American Appetizer