The Best Colombian Papas Rellenas (Beef Stuffed Potatoes)

I love Colombian papas rellenas. While my mom didn’t make them often, I was lucky to have a Colombian friend whose mom would cook for us. That’s where I first tasted papas rellenas. The crispy outside and flavorful inside were just amazing

If you love to travel, you’ll find papas rellenas walking the streets of Colombia. I found papas rellenas in Cali, Colombia, but you’ll find that they can also vary just slightly from city to city.

They’re a big part of Colombia’s food culture, so whether you’re exploring markets or dining at family restaurants, you’re likely to come across them.

What Are Colombian Papas Rellenas?

Papas rellenas or Colombia stuffed potatoes, are crispy mashed potatoes shaped into balls filled with seasoned ground beef.

The ground beef is seasoned with spices and hogao, the classic tomato and onion-based sauce, a staple in Colombia. This mix creates a crispy outside and a soft, creamy inside.

Papas rellena resemble empanadas, fried and stuffed with seasoned ground beef. But in this case, the meat is stuffed in a soft mashed potato mix rather than corn dough, a traditional Colombian empanada recipe.

Equipment Needed For This Recipe

1. Deep Enameled Cast Iron Skillet, Fryer or Deep Frying Pan
2. Masher
3. Large Bowl
4. Medium-Sized Bowl
5. Stainless Steel Spider Strainer
6. Paring Knife
7. Wooden Cutting Board

See Recipe Card Below For Detailed Measurements and Instructions.

The Essential Ingredients For The Best Colombian Stuffed Potatoes

To make perfect papas rellenas, start with the right ingredients. High-quality components are key for a flavorful dish. Let’s look at the essential ingredients for your papas rellenas.

What Are The Perfect Potatoes for Your Papas Rellenas?

Potatoes are the base of papas rellenas. Choose starchy potatoes like Russet, Idaho, or Yukon Gold. These potatoes will make the outer shell smooth and creamy.

Boil the potatoes until tender. Then, mash them with milk, butter, and salt. Aim for a thick but workable consistency.

The Filling Options Are Endless

The filling is where you can get creative. I love trying different fillings, whether it’s a vegetarian filling or the traditional filling, which is seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices like cumin.

Try other fillings like shredded chicken, sautéed mushrooms, or cheese. Season the filling well to complement the potato.

For frying, use avocado oil. It has a high smoke point and a buttery flavor. This oil makes the exterior crispy without overpowering the filling.

With the right potatoes, filling, and oil, you’ll make delicious papas rellenas.

Ingredients

Potato

• Potatoes—The perfect potato for this recipe is a mashable starchy potato. Rather than a red waxy potato typically used in potato salads, the best potato option is the super starchy russet potato. The second best option is an Idaho potato. The third option is a Yukon Gold.

Filling

• Ground Beef 85/15 fat or 90/10
• Green Onions or Scallions
• Tomatoes – Campari or vine-ripened tomatoes
• Ground Cumin – Campari or vine-ripened tomatoes
• Sazon
• Salt
• Ground Pepper
• Avocado Oil

Batter

• Flour
• Buttermilk
• Egg
• Salt

Frying

• Avocado Oil

Measurements and Quantities in the Recipe Card Below

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step One – Prep

• Peel the potatoes
• Fill a pot with water, dice the potatoes, and add them to the pot of salted water

Step Two – Cook and Mash the Potatoes

• Boil the potatoes until they’re tender – roughly 15 minutes.
• Drain, then mash the potatoes in the pot while still warm to remove excess water.
• With a whisk, continue mixing, add salt to taste, and set aside.

Step Three – Prepare the Filling

• Dice the tomatoes and scallions, then preheat a skillet, add a pinch of avocado oil to the hot skillet, add the onions and tomatoes, and cook until caramelized.
• Add the ground beef and the seasoning, and stir well, caramelizing the ground beef. Add salt to taste.

Step Four – Form and Fill

• Evenly divide the mashed potato by weight or size. I find the ideal size to be 1/3 to 1/2 cup each.
• Form a ball and flatten it to a disc with your hand. With a spoon, fill each ball with two tablespoons of ground beef filling.
• Close the disc and form into a ball.

Step Five – Prepare the Batter

• Whisk the milk, flour, eggs, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
• Coat each ball with the Batter
• Optional: coat them in breadcrumbs before frying.

Step Six – Fry the Stuffed Potatoes

• Fry the papas rellenas in hot avocado or vegetable oil until golden and crispy.
• Fry in batches to prevent overcrowding. Keep the oil temperature steady for even cooking.
• Fry each ball for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown, then place on a cooking rack.

Top Tips

1. Mash the potatoes in a pot on low heat to evaporate, and remove excess liquid from the potatoes.
2. Allow the mashed potato to cool before forming into balls and stuffing the papas rellenas.

What To Serve With Papas Rellenas

I love to serve papas rellenas with a light green salad or Colombian coconut rice. It’s also delish with a sauce, like aji picante or this copycat garlic cilantro lime sauce.

FAQs