If you’re a fan of exotic dishes and looking to try something new, Papas Rellenas are the perfect choice. This is a popular Peruvian dish, where soft mashed potato dough is filled with a delicious stuffing and then fried. Today, we are presenting a vegan version of this dish, which is simply divine!
Are you ready for a culinary journey to South America? This time, we’ll travel to Peru together, where we will prepare one of the most popular street foods – Papas Rellenas, which translates to stuffed potatoes. Originally, this potato-based dish is filled with a meat filling, but today we’ll be making a fully vegan version that preserves all the richness of traditional flavors!
Peru is known for its rich culinary heritage, where ancient Incan recipes blend with Spanish, African, and Chinese cuisines. Papas Rellenas are a great example of this diversity – a simple yet delicious dish that can be tailored to any taste. Our vegan version combines soft mashed potato dough with a delicious plant-based filling, creating the perfect fusion of flavors.
If you’re searching for a new vegan dish that will impress both plant-based food lovers and meat-eaters alike, these vegan Papas Rellenas are the perfect choice. They are crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside, and simply melt in your mouth. The best part is that you can prepare this recipe with basic ingredients that you likely already have at home!
When it comes to preparing Papas Rellenas, the key ingredient is potatoes. In this recipe, we use regular potatoes, which are boiled and mashed into a smooth dough. To ensure that the dough is firm enough for shaping, you can add a bit of cornstarch, which helps the shape hold during frying (we didn’t add any this time because the potatoes were already firm enough).
Instead of the traditional meat filling, we opted for a combination of onion, garlic, scallions, parsley, vegan meat substitute and spices for the vegan version. These ingredients provide a rich flavor and texture. If desired, you can add raisins to the filling, which add a pleasant sweet touch typical of many South American dishes.
The preparation process is simple but requires a bit of patience. Once the potato dough and filling are ready, we form rounds, fill them with the stuffing, and carefully seal them. Then, we coat them in flour, egg substitute, and breadcrumbs. We often use a store-bought vegan egg substitute powder mixed with water, but you can also make your own by mixing flour, turmeric, salt, and plant-based milk.
Next, we bread and fry the Papas Rellenas in hot oil, which gives them a crispy golden crust. For a healthier option, you can also bake them in the oven!
Video
For an easier step-by-step guide, we’ve prepared a video of the entire preparation process!
Recipe
Vegan Stuffed Potatoes - Papas Rellenas
Ingredients
- 2 kg potatoes
Filling
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 400 g vegan meat substitute
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon ají panca paste optional – this is a paste made from panca chili peppers, most easily bought online
- 1 teaspoon salt
- a pinch of pepper
- 5 parsley branches
- 3 scallions
Coating (quantities not specified as you add as needed)
- flour
- vegan egg substitute (you can make it yourself by mixing flour, plant-based milk, salt and turmeric)
- bread crumbs
Other
- oil for the filling and frying
Instructions
Potatoes
- First, peel the potatoes, cut them, and place them in cold water.
- Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat until soft (approximately 25 minutes).
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and mash them.
- Let the mashed potatoes cool while preparing the filling.
Filling
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic to the hot oil and sauté for about a minute.
- Then add the vegan meat substitute pieces and sauté everything well.
- Next, add the spices, tomato paste, and, optionally the ají panca sauce.
- Stir well and finally mix in the chopped parsley and scallions.
Shaping the potatoes
- Take a spoonful of mashed potatoes and press it together with your hands so it sticks well, then shape it into a circle. (If the potatoes don’t hold together, you can add a little bit of corn starch.)
- Make a small dent in the middle for the filling.
- Place a spoonful of filling into the dent
- Carefully seal the potato, ensuring the filling stays in the center.
- Then shape it into an oval shape with your hands.
- Place the shaped potato ball on a lightly floured board.
- Repeat the process until you run out of dough. 2 kg of potatoes is enough for approximately 10 balls.
Coating
- Prepare 3 plates – one with flour, one with the egg substitute, and one with bread crumbs.
- First, roll each potato ball in flour.
- Then dip it in the egg substitute.
- Finally, roll it in breadcrumbs.
Frying
- Heat oil in a large pan.
- Once the oil is hot, carefully place the potato balls into the oil.
- Fry until golden brown. Turn them gently to avoid breaking during frying.
- If you have time, it’s best to fry each one individually to ensure they brown nicely and hold their shape.
