Baked Papa Rellenas

Imagine a handheld shepherd’s pie – chili-spiced (plant-based) meat and veggies, all wrapped up in a crisp coating of mashed potatoes.

This Peruvian recipe was a mouth-watering surprise that all ages couldn’t get enough of!

I hope you try making it. It’s a beautiful and nourishing experience from South America.

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Ingredients

Coating

• 6 large potatoes
• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed soaked in 2 Tbsp unsweetened soy milk
• 2 Tbsp vegan butter or margarine
• Salt and pepper to taste

Filling

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp chili powder or chili pepper, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 pound ground plant-based meat
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or 1/2 cup water, 1 Tbsp tamari, 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast, and 1 tsp oregano or thyme)
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 bunch garden greens like chard or kale, chopped finely
• Salt and pepper to taste

Serving

• Ketchup, hot sauce or vegan mayo, for dipping

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Directions

Make the mashed potatoes: chop and boil the potatoes in a large pot of water for about 20 minutes until tender, then mash with the remaining coating ingredients. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

Make the filling: in a large pan, heat the olive oil and brown the onion, then add the garlic and spices. Next, add and brown the plant-based meat, add the liquid, raisins, and greens, and boil down until it’s pretty dry. Check for salt and pepper and cool if you have time.

Assemble: Take ¼ cup mashed potatoes, make a well in your hands, fill with 2 Tbsp of the meat mix, cover the meat mix completely with the potatoes, and shape into 6 pointy round-ish shapes.

Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet until they are golden and slightly crisp on the outside. Serve hot. Enjoy! 🙂

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Inspiration

“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.

But I think the real miracle is to walk on earth.

Every day we are engaged in a miracle we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child—our own two eyes.

All is a miracle.” – Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh