Recipe: How to Make Rellenos de Papa (Puerto Rican Potato Balls)

For this post, we’re sharing our rellenos de papa recipe. These potato-based treats are not only simple to make, but you can find the ingredients quite easily. These are probably one of my favorite treats from my childhood. My mom used to make them all the time, and sometimes she would make it with corned beef and others with picadillo. Either way, it’s delicious!

Making Relleno de Papa

Given that the base for the masa is only potatoes, it’s pretty simple to make, and you can source the ingredients easily. The potatoes are boiled and mashed to make the “masa” and filled with savory picadillo (check out our sofrito recipe). You’ll find a quick hack to peel the potatoes if you watch the YouTube video on rellenos de papa. I cook the potatoes whole to hold as much starch as possible as it keeps the shape of the rellenos de papa better when fried.

Cooking Tips

I love a tip I learned from famous Puerto Rican chef Wilo Benet’s cookbook “Puerto Rico True Flavors” on molding the rellenos de papa. He suggests using an ice cream scoop to form the potato calls. I found this method very practical because you get even-sized balls every time. You scoop the mashed potato and make a hole with your finger or teaspoon to make room for the filling. You can get a visual of the method in the video.

Another tip to get crispy rellenos de papa is to dust the balls with cornstarch. My mom always uses this method which allows the balls to keep their round shape, and they come out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

This post is brought to you by the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. Check out their website for more information, they offer great virtual and in-person programming highlighting Puerto Rican culture.

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Recipe: How to Make Rellenos de Papa (Puerto Rican Potato Balls)

Print Recipe

Rellenos de papa are a Puerto Rican “fritura”, mashed potatoes balls stuffed with meat and fried. 

• Author: DiningTraveler
• Prep Time: 60 Minutes
• Cook Time: 10
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 16 1x

Ingredients

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Picadillo

1 lb ground pork (or any other ground meat)

2 tbsp tomato sauce 

1 packet of sazón 

1/2 cup of sofrito

1 small onion 1/3 cup of finely chopped olives (optional) 

Cooking oil to fry 

Potatoes

6–7 large potatoes 

1 tbsp adobo

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Instructions

Make Picadillo

 

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add onions and cook until translucent
2. Add the ground meat and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break it down 
3. Add tomato sauce, sazon, sofrito and olives and stir well until all the condiments have been integrated. 
4. Cook picadillo until done. Around 12-15 minutes. Set aside.

 

Preparing the potatoes

 

1. In a large pot, add whole potatoes and top with water. Bring to a boil and allow to cook for around 40 minutes or until potatoes are soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork.
2. If you haven’t done so yet, peel and mash potatoes. Add adobo and let them cool enough to be managed by hand.
3. Place oil in a deep frying pan and let it get very hot.
4. While the oil is heating, start making the Rellenos de papa.
5. Make a half ball with your hand and fill with picadillo, top with more mashed potatoes, and shape into a ball.
6. Roll the ball in cornstarch and place in the hot oil. Allow cooking for 3-4 minutes until golden. 
7. Spoon hot oil over the top of the relleno de papa if it’s not under oil. Flip rellenos to ensure they are fully cooked.
8. Place rellenos de papa on a plate with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.