Alcapurrias are Puerto Rico’s favorite fritter. This popular Puerto Rican street food is sold in kiosks along beaches all year-round on the island. Alcapurrias are made with a puree of green bananas and yautía and stuffed with flavorful picadillo or seasoned ground beef. They are deep fried until perfectly crispy and golden brown. These Puerto Rican fritters are both DELICIOUS and highly addictive. Save this recipe!
What are alcapurrias made of?
Alcapurrias are traditionally made with green bananas (guineos verdes), white tannier (yautia blanca), and stuffed with picadillo. Sometimes alcapurrias are also made with cassava (yuca). Some people also add plantains (platanos) and kabocha squash (calabaza) to the alcapurria puree (masa).
I sometimes use guineos and malanga when my local market doesn’t have yautia. I think malanga is a perfect substitute for yautia, as the flavor profile is similar. Alcapurrias made with malanga taste almost the same to me as the ones made with yautia. Just make sure to use malanga coco.
Alcapurrias ingredients:
- Green bananas (guineos verdes)
- White tannier (yautía blanca)
- Sofrito
- Chicken bouillon paste (Better than Bouillon)
- Annatto oil (Aceite de achiote)
- Adobo
- Sazón
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
How to make alcapurrias?
Peel and rough chop green bananas and yautía. Place in a large bowl filled with cold water. Place root vegetables in a food processor and blend until smooth. Also add annatto oil as needed to help blend everything easily. I use the Ninja Foodi Power Blender and it works like magic!
Add the masa to a large bowl. Add any remaining annatto oil, chicken bouillon, sofrito, and seasonings. Stir until well combined. Taste the masa and adjust seasonings accordingly. You want the masa to be well seasoned and flavorful!
Assemble using silicone mold:
*If you don’t have a silicone mold, please see my recipe notes for instructions.
I love using a silicone (chocolate bar) mold to make alcapurrias. I first learned this hack when Criollo Grinds shared it on Instagram and I’ve been making alcapurrias this way ever since! It makes the process so much easier and the alcapurrias turn out perfect every time! However, it takes practice. Follow my steps carefully to avoid making the mistakes I made my first time trying this method.
Place some masa in the silicone mold. Add enough to fill the cavity from end to end, making a small indentation down the center.
IMPORTANT: Add some picadillo along the center making sure to keep the meat inside and away from the edges. Be sure not to overstuff the alcapurrias with meat. This is very important to prevent the alcapurrias from bursting while frying. I learned this the hard way. Check out my alcapurrias epic fail below!
Very carefully top with masa to cover the meat. Make sure the masa covers the meat all the way around. The perfect alcapurria will be sealed all the way around with no meat exposed along the edges.
Once every cavity has been filled, wrap the silicone mold with plastic wrap to keep it covered and place in the freezer to set. Allow the alcapurrias to freeze for about 6 hours or overnight.
Fry the alcapurrias:
Heat oil to 325℉ in a large frying pan. You want to cook the alcapurrias in low to medium heat so they can fully cook through without burning on the outside. I find that deep frying is the best method for evenly cooked, beautifully golden brown alcapurrias. Deep fry the alcapurrias for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and fully cooked through.
Allow the alcapurrias to cool on a cooling rack to prevent them from becoming soggy. Serve with mayo-ketchup or hot sauce and enjoy!
What is the best oil for frying?
Avocado oil is my favorite oil for frying. You can also use corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. They all have a high smoke point making them great choices.
How to make alcapurrias de yuca?
For alcapurrias de yuca, use yuca in place of the guineos and yautia. So instead of 2 lbs of guineos/yautia use 2 lbs of yuca. The other ingredients remain the same. You would also follow the same process. The only main difference is that you have to strain the grated yuca to remove all of the excess liquid. Once the grated yuca is completely dry, you can follow the recipe as is.
What to serve with alcapurrias?
I like to serve alcapurrias as an appetizer or side dish. Some meals I like to serve with alcapurrias include arroz con gandules or arroz moro, white or yellow rice, beans, pavochón, and ensalada de papa. Also don’t forget sliced avocado and a cold Malta, Coco Rico or Medalla beer!
Please leave me a star rating or review!
If you enjoy this alcapurrias recipe, please leave me a 5 star review and also comment at the bottom of this blog post! Your feedback makes me so HAPPY! It also makes it easier to find my recipes on Google. THANK YOU in advance!
If you’d like my recipes sent straight to your inbox, subscribe to my email list here. Remember to tag me @madewithsaz0n in any photos of this recipe you post on social media. I love seeing your posts, it really makes my day!
Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest!
Check out more Latin recipes!
Churrasco with Chimichurri Sauce
Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
Bacalaitos (Cod Fish Fritters)
Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)
Puerto Rican Meatballs In Sofrito Sauce
Puerto Rican Beans (Habichuelas Guisadas)
Pollo al Horno (Baked Chicken)
This tasted amazing can’t wait for another plate of more delicious food 🤤🤤🤤
Thank you for your support always! I love cooking delicious food for you! ❤️
Can these be air fried?
Yes, but I have not tried it before. I will have to report back on my experience when I try it!
I love alcapurrias and this way looks easier to do 👍💕
Thank you for this recipe. It looks delicious.
Guuurl! My molds came in already. I’m just now waiting for my Ninja blender to come in (which I got for a GREAT Deal for the Plus System). So I can start making some of these delicious Alcapurrias. 😋
Between those 2 items & the simplicity of your recipe, I will be making these before the week ends! Tengo la boca aguada. 😋
YAY! I’m so happy you ordered the tray and the blender. You won’t be disappointed, I use the Ninja Foodi for making pasteles and alcapurrias. It works like a dream! Enjoy! xo
You’re welcome, Sarah! I’m so happy you like this recipe. Thank you for your kind words!
Please clarify. Your recipe calls for yautia blanca but the pot with the pieces is malanga and the picture of the root is also malanga.
Yes, you are correct. I used malanga because my market was out of yautia at the time. I explain in the article that you can use malanga in place of yautia and the taste and texture will be almost the same.
I made the alcapurrias with the silicone tray like you suggested and your recipe.They came out great! Delicious ! Thank you so much for sharing! I don’t know how to post a photo or I would have.
5 stars I made the alcapurrias with the silicone tray like you suggested and your recipe.They came out great! Delicious ! Thank you so much for sharing! I don’t know how to post a photo or I would have.
Thank you Jessica! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! I appreciate your feedback. xo
Thank you so much for the recipe I can’t wait to try it out and make everyone happy 😊
You’re welcome Michele! Please let me know when you try it. I hope you enjoy! xo
It did the alcapurrias and they were absolutely amazing and delicious. So happy with the silicone molds also. Can’t get enough of them. So handy to have.
Thank you Norma, I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Thank you so much to share your recipe
You are very welcome! Enjoy!
Great
Thank you so much!
Gracias por compartir la receta!!
Tan pronto las haga les doy un feedback!!🤗
Excellent recipe. You can’t go wrong as every detail is so clear.
Thanks for the link to this recipe. My mother in law is gone and this is something my Puerto Rican husband is missing and as a black woman I don’t know how to make these but his birthday is Sunday and I want to surprise him with them, fingers crossed. I ordered/received the molds already. Thanks again.