Papa Rellena — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Golden-fried stuffed potato balls filled with seasoned ground beef, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and spices, a beloved Peruvian street food snack.

Ingredients

2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ají panca paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup all-purpose flour for coating
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1 Boil the potatoes in salted water until very tender, drain completely, and mash until smooth with no lumps, then season with salt and let cool until they can be handled.
2 Sauté the onion and garlic in oil until golden, add the ground beef, cumin, ají panca paste, and soy sauce, cooking for 10 minutes, then fold in the chopped eggs and olives.
3 Take a generous portion of mashed potato, flatten it in your palm, place a spoonful of the beef filling in the center, and carefully shape it into an oval ball, sealing the filling completely inside.
4 Roll each stuffed potato ball in flour, shaking off the excess, ensuring an even coating that will help create a crispy exterior when fried.
5 Deep fry the papas rellenas in oil at 350°F (175°C) for 4 to 5 minutes, turning gently, until they are uniformly golden brown and crispy on the outside.
6 Drain on paper towels and serve hot with salsa criolla (onion and lime relish) and ají sauce on the side.

Did You Know?

Papa rellena was born from the resourcefulness of Lima street vendors who needed portable, filling snacks, and today Peru grows over 3,000 varieties of potato, more than any other country.