This Papas Rellenas recipe is a delicious air fried stuffed potato ball filled with beef, onions, and spices with a crunchy breadcrumb shell!
If you are a fan of this recipe you should try our other delicious Puerto Rican Dishes such as, Puerto Rican Empanadas, Puerto Rican Pernil, or Puerto Rican Picadillo which would all pair well with this dish!
These Papas Rellenas or Fried Stuffed Potatoes are the perfect appetizer or side dish for any occasion!
Traditionally these stuffed potatoes are fried in oil which is still an option if you prefer; however, making these in the air fryer are quick, easy, healthier AND you don’t have grease splatter all over yourself and the kitchen! That’s a win in my book! If you are looking for an air fryer then I would highly recommend this one.
How To Make Papas Rellenas
Assemble your ingredients. For the exact amounts see the recipe card below.
Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with water and add a little salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, which should be about 20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool for a minute or two. Move the potatoes to a large bowl and add ½ teaspoon salt and mash until no lumps remain. Set them aside to cool to room temperature.
Heat the 1 Tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic into the hot pan and stir while cooking until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and add in the ground beef.
Continue stirring and cook the beef until it is well crumbled and no longer pink. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, pepper, tomato paste, and vinegar until the tomato paste has dissolved. Transfer the beef mixture into a mixing bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.
Once the potatoes and beef have cooled, add one egg into the mashed potatoes and mix well.
Place two eggs into a shallow dish and scramble them and set aside.
Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish and combine with the 3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil and set aside.
Next, form the potato balls: grab a small ball of mashed potatoes, about a heaping Tablespoon. Roll it into a ball in your hands and then flatten it out into a round disk in your hand. Use a little water as needed on your hands to keep the potatoes from sticking to your hands.
Place a little of the beef mixture into the middle of the potato ball, making sure you have enough potato to wrap around the beef. Form the potato mixture around the beef by lifting up the edges and pushing them to the middle so they will meet at the top and cover the beef mixture.
After the beef is fully covered, gently roll the ball in your hands to form a nice round ball. Dip the ball into the beaten egg so that it is fully covered in the egg, let any excess egg drip off, then gently roll in the breadcrumbs so that it is fully covered in breadcrumbs. Place the breaded potato balls on the prepared baking sheet. Continue making and breading the rest.
To cook, preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place only one layer of potato balls in the air fryer with a little room between them and cook for 10 minutes. Repeat as needed to cook all the potato balls.
Optionally, chop the cilantro leaves finely and sprinkle over the top as garnish.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Other Delicious Potato Recipes:
German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer)
Storage and Reheating:
Storage:
To store this potato ball recipe simply put them into an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Reheating:
If they have been stored then you might lose a little bit of the crispy texture but you can pop them back into the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes or until they have warmed all the way through.
Freezing:
I wouldn’t recommend freezing these because they are air fried, but you can put them in an airtight container for up to a week if needed.
Papas Rellenas Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes - peeled and cubed
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt - divided
- 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil - divided
- ½ cup chopped sweet yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper - chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 3 large eggs - divided
- 2 cups dry breadcrumbs
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with water and add a little salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, which should be about 20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool for a minute or two. Move the potatoes to a large bowl and add ½ teaspoon salt and mash until no lumps remain. Set them aside to cool to room temperature.
- Heat the 1 Tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic into the hot pan and stir while cooking until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and add in the ground beef.
- Continue stirring and cook the beef until it is well crumbled and no longer pink. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, pepper, tomato paste, and vinegar until the tomato paste has dissolved. Transfer the beef mixture into a mixing bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.
- Once the potatoes and beef have cooled, add one egg into the mashed potatoes and mix well.
- Place two eggs into a shallow dish and scramble them and set aside.
- Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish and combine with the 3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil and set aside.
- Next, form the potato balls: grab a small ball of mashed potatoes, about a heaping Tablespoon. Roll it into a ball in your hands and then flatten it out into a round disk in your hand. Use a little water as needed on your hands to keep the potatoes from sticking to your hands.
- Place a little of the beef mixture into the middle of the potato ball, making sure you have enough potato to wrap around the beef. Form the potato mixture around the beef by lifting up the edges and pushing them to the middle so they will meet at the top and cover the beef mixture. After the beef is fully covered, gently roll the ball in your hands to form a nice round ball. Dip the ball into the beaten egg so that it is fully covered in the egg, let any excess egg drip off, then gently roll in the breadcrumbs so that it is fully covered in breadcrumbs. Place the breaded potato balls on the prepared baking sheet. Continue making and breading the rest.
- To cook, preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place only one layer of potato balls in the air fryer with a little room between them and cook for 10 minutes. Repeat as needed to cook all the potato balls.
- Optionally, chop the cilantro leaves finely and sprinkle over the top as garnish.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
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