
What Is Papa Rellena?
Papa Rellena literally means filled potato. So what are we filling potatoes with? We are filling mashed potatoes with picadillo (ground beef). Sounds delish right? Just wait for the second part. First, we take the picadillo and stuff it inside a mashed potato ball. Then, we roll these balls around in some bread crumbs and then fry it! Oh yeah! Portable meat and potatoes. Mic drop please…..

If you have been following me as I post my favorite family recipes that I have learned from my Cuban mother in law then you might remember what I said about pastelitos de carne (picadillo puff pastries). I said that one day while I was watching Will and Grace I was inspired by Will. He was making a dinner of just appetizers for his father because he loved appetizers more than dinners. Well, now I have 3 things that would definitely be on my plate of appetizers for dinner. Pastelitos de carne, croquetas de jamon, and papa rellena would all be on my plate.
I would also like to remind you how versatile picadillo is. Once you can make a good picadillo other recipes will follow. The basics of picadillo are ground beef sauteed with a sofrito (onions, bell peppers and garlic) and tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes. My mother in law always used tomato sauce for a richer deeper flavor but her mother (abuela) always used fresh tomatoes for a lighter flavor. Personally, I like to use tomato sauce in the winter because the flavor is more of a comfort food flavor. In the summer using fresh tomatoes gives the food a lighter feel. Anyways, getting back to the versatility of picadillo. Here are examples of recipes using picadillo.
- Picadillo
- Picadillo con papas (with potatoes)
- Pastelitos de Carne (picadillo puff pastries)
- Empanadas
- Papa Rellena
Papa Rellena Recipe Tips
In the pictures you will see two different sizes of papa rellena. Most of the time when I make these they are for my family and I tend to make them big. Probably because that is how I was taught. Sometimes when they are big, honestly the appetizer part goes out the window and lets just call it dinner. Add some avocado and fried plantains and I am full. However, when you find these at a restaurant they tend to be a little smaller. So, I experimented and made two different sizes. Look down in the recipe for instructions.

Tip number two is they can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until ready to fry. However, make sure you take them out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you fry them. I have found because the mashed potato will cook so fast the picadillo on the inside will still be cold if not brought up to room temperature. If this happens after frying put them in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes to heat through.
Tip number three – I purchased a tool called an arancini maker to help with making the papa rellena. An arancini maker is used to make Italian rice balls. However, after testing it I found my hands actually worked better. The mashed potato kept sticking in the arancini maker even after keeping it greased. Feel free to use one if you would like but I found my hands to be the better option.
Sharing is Fun…..Below is a Pinterest friendly photo!
Ingredients
- Mashed Potato
- Picadillo
- Bread Crumb Station
Instructions
- Mashed Potato
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