Stuffed Mashed Potatoes (Rellenos de Papa) are popular appetizers or street foods that are prepared with mashed potatoes and stuffed with a savory meat filling known as picadillo. They are then shaped into a ball and fried until golden brown. The fried stuffed potato balls are mainly sold at food stands or kiosks along the beach in Puerto Rico.
Some recipes will vary with certain ingredients and instructions. The meat filling can be prepared with ground beef, ground pork or ground turkey. This is my version on how to make Stuffed Mashed Potatoes (Rellenos de Papa).
Peeling, Cutting, and Cooking the Potatoes!
Peel sufficient Russet potatoes to weigh 3 pounds without the skin. I prefer to cut each potato in half before boiling them. Rinse the potatoes.
In a 6-quart saucepan, boil 12 cups of water. Add 1½ teaspoons of lite salt or to taste. Place the potatoes in the boiling water and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat or until the potatoes are fork tender. Cover saucepan with lid.
When the potatoes are tender, remove from saucepan and place them into a bowl.
Preparing the Potato Dough for the Stuffed Mashed Potatoes!
Mash the cooked potatoes with a potato masher while they are still warm.
Once the potatoes are completely mashed, add the following ingredients: 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons margarine made with olive oil or you can use butter, and ⅓ cup of skim milk or the milk of your preference. Stir until a dough is formed.
NOTE: Most recipes call for an egg to be added to the dough. Instead of an egg, I like to use skim milk for a smoother texture.
The dough has a smooth texture. It will still contain very small pieces of potatoes.
Preparing the Meat Filling for the Stuffed Mashed Potatoes!
In a skillet, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon lite salt or to taste, ½ teaspoon dry oregano leaves, 1 seasoning envelope with coriander and annatto, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of sofrito made with culantro, 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, 3 sprigs chopped cilantro, and 6 pimiento stuffed green olives chopped.
NOTE: These are the links for Sofrito, Sofrito for a Single Meal, and Special Blend of Seasonings.
Stir all the ingredients and sauteé for 3 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Add 1 pound of ground turkey. You can use ground beef or ground pork. Coat the ground turkey completely with the tomato-oil based sauce. Once the ground turkey is coated with the sauce, cook over medium heat for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently to obtain a minced or chopped texture.
The picadillo (meat filling) has a minced texture. It is ready. Place in a bowl and set aside.
Stuffing and Shaping the Potato Dough – Traditional Method!
Place ½ cup of the potato mixture on the palm of your hand.
Flattened the dough and place 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat filling in the center.
Lift and fold the outer dough to cover the meat mixture.
Continue this process with the outer dough until meat mixture is completely covered with dough.
Press down on top of the dough with yours hands to smooth out the surface.
Cover your hands with cornstarch and shape the stuffed potato into a round ball. The cornstarch will prevent the mashed potatoes from breaking apart and absorbing the excess oil.
NOTE: Add plenty of cornstarch on a saucer that is large enough to cover your hands completely with cornstarch.
Our first Stuffed Mashed Potato – shaped into a ball and completely coated with cornstarch. Place on baking pan that is lightly floured with cornstarch. Repeat this process.
Stuffing and Shaping the Potato Dough – Second Method!
Measure ½ cup of the potato mixture and place in a small bowl. Create a well in the middle about 1-inch deep.
NOTE: I am showing this other method for individuals that are making this dish for the first time.
Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture into the well.
With your fingers, spread the dough from the sides towards the center to completely cover the meat filling.
Once the meat filling is covered with dough, cover your hands with cornstarch.
Carefully remove the stuffed potato from bowl and shape into a round ball. Place on baking pan lightly floured with cornstarch and repeat this process.
Deep Frying the Stuffed Mashed Potatoes!
This recipe makes approximately 10 to 12 Rellenos de Papa (Stuffed Mashed Potatoes).
Beat 2 whole eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. Dip each Stuffed Mashed Potato into egg wash and coat them evenly. The beaten eggs will also act as a binding agent to maintain its round shape. It will also create a golden thin outer crust when fried. After coating them with the egg wash, place on the baking pan. Repeat this process.
In a 4-quart saucepan, pour sufficient oil (about 48 fluid ounces) to cover the stuffed potatoes. Heat oil to 330 up to 365°F. Carefully place about 3 to 4 stuffed potatoes and fry until an outer golden crust is formed. If they are completely submerged in oil, no need to turn them over.
After3 to 4 minutes of frying, the Rellenos de Papa are ready. Remove them and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Stuffed Mashed Potatoes (Rellenos de Papa)!
The Stuffed Mashed Potatoes (Rellenos de Papa) have a thin golden outer crust. This savory dish is usually served as an appetizer. You can also make them the size of your preference.
An appetizer that is very appetizing. A juicy and tasty meat filling with a soft potato dough and an outer thin golden crust.
Click on the button below to watch my YouTube video on How to Prepare Stuffed Mash Potatoes (Rellenos de Papa)!
Recipe and Nutritional Facts!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. Please refer to our Nutritional Facts Disclaimer for more information.
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Stuffed Mashed Potatoes
- Prep Time: 1 Hour
- Cook Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 Servings 1x
Description
These popular appetizers or street foods are made with mashed potatoes and stuffed with a savory meat filling known as picadillo. They are then shaped into a ball and fried until golden brown. The meat filling is well seasoned with a soft potato dough and an outer thin golden crust.
Ingredients
Potato Mixture:
- 3 pounds, peeled, rinsed and cut into halves
- 1½ teaspoons lite salt or to taste
- 12 cups of water or sufficient water to cover potatoes
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons margarine made with olive oil or you can use butter
- ⅓ cup of skim milk or milk of your preference
Meat Mixture:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon lite salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano leaves
- 1 seasoning envelope with coriander and annatto
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of my homemade sofrito made with culantro
- 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 3 sprigs chopped cilantro
- 6 pimiento stuffed green olives chopped
- 1 pound of ground turkey, or ground beef or ground pork
Coating Stuffed Mashed Potatoes
- Topped a saucer with sufficient cornstarch to cover both hands for shaping the stuffed potatoes into a ball
- 2 whole eggs with 1 tablespoon water, beaten
Sufficient oil to deep fry the stuffed potatoes.
Instructions
- In a saucepan, boil water and add 1½ teaspoons lite salt. Place the potatoes to the boiling potatoes and cook until tender.
- Remove from saucepan and mash them with a potato masher while they are still warm and mostly broken. You still find very small pieces of potatoes remaining in the dough.
- Add the garlic cloves, cornstarch, margarine and milk to the mashed potatoes. Stir until a dough is formed and set aside.
- For the meat mixture, add all the ingredients except for the ground meat into a skillet. Sauteé for 3 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add 1 pound of ground turkey. Coat the ground turkey completely with the tomato-oil based sauce and cook over medium heat for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently to obtain a minced or chopped texture.
- To stuff the potato, using the traditional method, place ½ cup of the potato mixture on the palm of your hand. Flattened the dough with your other hand and add 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat filling in the center.
- Lift the outer dough and cover the meat mixture.
- Cover your hands with plenty of cornstarch and roll the stuffed potato into a ball. Place on a baking pan that is lightly floured with cornstarch. The stuffed mash potatoes should be evenly coated with the cornstarch.
- In a bowl, beat 2 whole eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. Dip the Stuffed Mashed Potatoes (one at a time) into the egg wash and coat them completely. Place on the baking pan until it is time to fry them.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or a large 4-quart saucepan to 330°F up to 365°F. Carefully place a few stuffed mashed potatoes into a deep fryer or saucepan and fry until golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from deep fryer and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorbe the excess oil. Serve warm. Repeat this process.
Notes
Note: Most recipes call for an egg to be added to the dough. Instead of an egg, I like to use skim milk for a smoother texture. See my step by step visual instructions or YouTube video for another method of stuffing the mashed potatoes.
In the past, these fritters were fried in a large skillet and turned over numerous times to cook them evenly. Today, I either create my own deep fryer, using a large saucepan or use an actual deep fryer. Once they are submerged completely in oil, you don’t have to turn them over.
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keywords: Stuffed Mashed Potatoes, Rellenos de Papa, Stuffed Potatoes
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Hola, I try to cover as much as possible to provide some options. I want everyone to be able to prepare my recipes whether or not you are from my culture.