Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe, or relleno de papa, are a delicious part of Bolivian cuisine. They bring together creamy mashed potatoes and a savory meat filling—think of them as little golden parcels with a surprise of hard-boiled egg and olives tucked inside. This recipe stands out for its balance: soft mashed potatoes on the outside, juicy, spiced meat in the middle, all wrapped up in a crisp fried shell.
We’ve found rellenos de papa work great for prepping ahead, and you can make them as big or small as you want. The dish really captures local flavors, especially if you serve it with traditional llajua sauce—a spicy, fresh blend of chili and tomato. It’s like a mini trip to Bolivia right from your kitchen, letting you dabble in its street food culture with a dish that’s honestly pretty simple but so satisfying.
If you’re in the mood for something a little different or just craving comfort food, these stuffed potatoes totally fit the bill. Let’s dive in and make them together—step by step, no stress.
Key Takeways
- Relleno de papa is a stuffed potato dish with a savory meat and egg filling.
- The recipe is easy to prepare and can be made in advance.
- Traditional sauces like llajua complement the fried stuffed potatoes perfectly.
Bolivian Stuffed Potatoes Recipe Ingredients
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cooking Time: 50 Minutes
Filling
4 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
8 oz ground beef, chuck
1 onion, medium diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, medium peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup peas, green (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp parsley, chopped fresh
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 tsp chili pepper, yellow (or substitute a mild chili powder)
1/4 tsp Salt, to taste
1/4 tsp pepper, to taste
3 eggs, hard-boiled, and sliced
12 olives, whole (green or black, pitted if you prefer)
Batter
2 eggs, large (for batter)
1 cup all-purpose flour, (for batter)
1/2 tsp salt (for batter)
1/2 cup water (for batter, more as needed)
Vegetable oil, for frying (enough for deep frying)
Bolivian Stuffed Potatoes Recipe Cooking Instructions
Start by peeling and chopping your potatoes. Boil them in salted water until they’re super soft, then drain and mash until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt if you need to.
For the filling, heat oil in a skillet and toss in diced onion, garlic, and parsley. Sauté until they’re soft and fragrant. Add the ground beef, carrots, peas, oregano, and some salt and pepper. Pour in a splash of water and cook until the liquid’s mostly gone.
Divide the mashed potatoes into 12 balls. Split each in half. Flatten one half in your palm, spoon on some filling, a slice of egg, and an olive. Cover with the other half and shape it into a ball. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly round—rustic is good!
For the batter, whisk together flour, eggs, salt, and water until it’s smooth but not too runny. Heat oil in a deep pan—enough to cover the potato balls. Dip each one in the batter, coat well, and gently lower it into the hot oil.
Fry for about 3 to 5 minutes until they’re golden brown and crisp. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Serve warm, maybe with fresh salad or a bit of llajua sauce. We like to prep the potatoes and filling ahead, then just fry the balls when everyone’s hungry—it makes life easier.
Bolivian Stuffed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 lb potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
- 8 oz ground beef chuck
- 1 onion medium diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 carrot medium peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 cup peas green (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tbsp parsley chopped fresh
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp chili pepper yellow (or substitute a mild chili powder)
- 1/4 tsp Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper to taste
- 3 eggs hard-boiled, and sliced
- 12 olives whole (green or black, pitted if you prefer)
Batter
- 2 eggs large (for batter)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (for batter)
- 1/2 tsp salt for batter
- 1/2 cup water for batter, more as needed
- Vegetable oil for frying (enough for deep frying)
Instructions
- Start by peeling and chopping your potatoes. Boil them in salted water until they’re super soft, then drain and mash until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt if you need to.
- For the filling, heat oil in a skillet and toss in diced onion, garlic, and parsley. Sauté until they’re soft and fragrant. Add the ground beef, carrots, peas, oregano, and some salt and pepper. Pour in a splash of water and cook until the liquid’s mostly gone.
- Divide the mashed potatoes into 12 balls. Split each in half. Flatten one half in your palm, spoon on some filling, a slice of egg, and an olive. Cover with the other half and shape it into a ball. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly round—rustic is good!
- For the batter, whisk together flour, eggs, salt, and water until it’s smooth but not too runny. Heat oil in a deep pan—enough to cover the potato balls. Dip each one in the batter, coat well, and gently lower it into the hot oil.
- Fry for about 3 to 5 minutes until they’re golden brown and crisp. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Serve warm, maybe with fresh salad or a bit of llajua sauce. We like to prep the potatoes and filling ahead, then just fry the balls when everyone’s hungry—it makes life easier.
Notes
Nutrition
Cooking Tips
When you make Bolivian stuffed potatoes, starchy potatoes really do work best—they’re way easier to mash and hold their shape. Boil them until they’re falling-apart soft if you want that creamy texture.
Let the mashed potatoes cool down before you start shaping. Warm or room temp potatoes are so much easier to handle and won’t fall apart as easily.
Dividing the mash into equal portions before you fill them helps keep things even and makes sure they all cook at the same rate.
For the filling, go for soft, juicy meat mixed well with veggies and spices. If it’s too dry, the potato balls can crack open. Moisture is your friend here.
Deep frying works best—enough oil to cover the balls. If you skimp on the oil, they can stick and break apart. Get the oil to medium-high, fry for 3 to 5 minutes, and you’re set.
The batter makes a big difference. Use your hands to coat each ball gently, so they don’t lose their shape before hitting the oil.
Serve with llajua or a fresh salad to cut through the richness. The sauces add a little zing and make the whole thing pop.
Bolivian Stuffed Potatoes Recipe FAQs
Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe come together by shaping mashed potatoes around a filling, then frying them. You’ll need potatoes, eggs, spices, and your choice of filling. Some folks stick with meat, others go for cheese or vegetarian options.
How do you prepare traditional Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe?
We boil and mash potatoes until smooth, then wrap them around hard-boiled eggs or cheese. Shape them into balls and get ready to fry.
Dip each potato ball in seasoned batter and deep-fry until golden. You end up with a crispy shell and a soft, tasty inside for the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe.
What are the essential ingredients for the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe?
You’ll want medium potatoes, eggs, grated cheese, and enough oil for frying. For the batter, grab an egg, flour, maybe some cumin or paprika, and water.
Most fillings for the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe use ground beef cooked with onion, garlic, and tomato sauce. It’s classic for a reason.
Can cheese be included in the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe?
Absolutely—cheese is a popular swap for meat or eggs. It melts a bit inside and gives you a creamy bite for the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe.
Some recipes use cheese on its own, others combine it with hard-boiled eggs. Both are tasty!
What type of meat is typically used for the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe?
Ground beef is the go-to meat for the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe. You cook it up with onions, garlic, and tomato sauce for extra flavor.
Some people add more veggies or different spices, but beef is the traditional pick.
Are there any vegetarian alternatives for the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe?
Yep—cheese and hard-boiled eggs are common vegetarian fillings. You can also go with veggies or beans if you want something different.
That way, everyone can enjoy the Bolivian stuffed potatoes recipe—even if they don’t eat meat.