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Peruvian

Papa rellena

Non-vegetarian

Mashed potato moulded around a spiced beef picadillo with olives, raisins and egg, dusted with flour and fried golden. Served with a tangy red-onion salsa criolla.

Papa rellena is a Peruvian main course, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes and made with potato and ground beef. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
40 min
Cook
50 min
Rest
15 min
Total
1 h 45 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
456

Ingredients

6 servings

For the dough

For the filling

For coating

For frying

For the salsa criolla

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Boil the potatoes (opens in a new tab) in their skins until tender, about 25 minutes. Peel while warm and mash smooth with the raw egg (opens in a new tab) and 1 tsp salt. Cool.

    Potatoes boiling in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Lionel Ntasano on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Brown the beef in the oil, add the onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), ají paste, cumin (opens in a new tab) and remaining salt and cook until dry. Stir in the raisins (opens in a new tab), olives (opens in a new tab) and chopped egg (opens in a new tab); cool.

    Meat searing in a hot pan
    How it looks · Photo: Skylar Kang on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    With floured hands, flatten a portion of mash, add filling and close into an oval potato (opens in a new tab) shape. Roll in flour. Chill 15 minutes to firm.

    • 15 min
    Potatoes being mashed
    How it looks · Photo: Mateusz Feliksik on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Fry two or three at a time in oil at 180 °C, turning, until evenly golden, 3–4 minutes. Drain.

    Food safety: Lower gently into the oil and use a deep pan.

  5. Step 5

    For the salsa criolla, soak the onion (opens in a new tab) in cold salted water 5 minutes, drain and toss with lime juice (opens in a new tab), cilantro (opens in a new tab) and ají. Serve alongside.

    • 6 min

About this dish

Origin
Peru · Commonly attributedVery popular in Peru; closely related stuffed-potato croquettes are also eaten in Cuba, Chile and Colombia.Also popular in Cuba, ChileMore food from Peru
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Snack · Main courses · Street food
Cooking method
Boiled, Deep-fried, Sautéed
Taste
savoury, sweet & savoury, tangy
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Child-friendly
Cook more with
Potato · Ground beef · Egg · Onion · Garlic · Ají amarillo paste
Techniques
Deep-frying · Sautéing · Boiling

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour
  • May contain: Sulphitesfrom raisins

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

456 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 322 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 15%
  • Carbohydrate 40%
  • Fat 45%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy456 kcal142 kcal
Protein17.6 g5.5 g
Carbohydrate45.5 g14.1 g
Net carbohydrate40.9 g12.7 g
Sugars6.7 g2.1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.7 g1.5 g
Fat23.1 g7.2 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat0.5 g0.2 g
Cholesterol127 mg39 mg
Sodium705 mg219 mg
Salt equivalent1.8 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1012 mg
Calcium
64 mg
Iron
4 mg
Magnesium
60 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
46 µg
Vitamin C
41 mg
Vitamin D
0.5 µg
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: ají amarillo paste.
  • Ají amarillo paste: Raw hot chilli peppers (FDC 170106) used as a stand-in for puréed Peruvian yellow chilli; jarred pastes may add a little oil and salt.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Common mistakes

  • Using waxy potatoes — the mash will be too sticky to shape.

Storage

  • Shaped, unfried papas rellenas keep 1 day in the fridge.

Reheating

  • Reheat fried ones at 200 °C for 10 minutes.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 1

Reviews & corrections

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