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. 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?

Canola oil is my favorite oil for frying. You can also use corn oil, vegetable oil, avocado 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!

Alcapurrias Recipe (Puerto Rican Fritters)

Alcapurrias are Puerto Rico's favorite fritter. 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.

5 from 16 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Freeze Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 7 hours hrs

Servings 8 people

Equipment

• 1 Ninja Foodi Power Blender and Processor linked in notes
• 2 silicone chocolate molds linked in notes

Ingredients

  

Masa (Root vegetable puree)

• 6 green bananas peeled and diced
• 1 lb yautía blanca (white tannier) peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp sofrito
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon paste Better than Bouillon
• 4 tbsp aceite de achiote annatto oil (see notes)
• 1 tsp adobo Healthy Rican
• 1 tsp sazón Healthy Rican
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Picadillo (Ground beef)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup sofrito
• 1 tbsp chicken or beef bouillon paste Better than Bouillon
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 2 tbsp green pimento stuffed olives diced
• 1 tbsp raisins optional
• 1 tsp adobo Healthy Rican
• 1 tsp sazón Healthy Rican
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Oil for frying

• 1.25 quart canola oil other oil options: corn oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil.

Instructions

 

Make the picadillo (ground beef)

• Place a skillet over medium high heat. Brown your ground beef and remove any excess fat from your skillet.
• Add sofrito, tomato sauce, onions and peppers. Add seasonings and cook for a few minutes until the vegetables become tender. 
• Add olives and raisins (if using). Add a little water if the picadillo dries up. Cover and allow the picadillo to continue cooking for about 15 minutes.

Make the masa (root vegetable puree)

• 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. Add annatto oil as needed to help blend everything easily. I use the Ninja Foodi Power Blender and it works like magic! See my notes for the link!
• Add masa to a large bowl. Add 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 the alcapurrias (using silicone mold)

• *If you don't have a silicone mold, please see notes for traditional instructions.
• Place some masa in a silicone (chocolate bar) 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.
• 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 cling wrap to keep it covered or place it in a 2.5 gallon sized freezer ziplock bag. 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!

Video

Notes

FAQ:

How to make annatto oil (aceite de achiote)

• Add oil of choice (I prefer avocado or canola) to small saucepan over medium heat. Add annatto seeds.
• Allow seeds to infuse the oil for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat when oil starts to bubble. Be sure not to burn the annatto seeds.
• Allow oil to cool before storing in a glass bottle.

How far ahead can I make the masa?

You can make masa for alcapurrias up to two days in advance. Just cover the surface of the masa with plastic film and be sure to lay it directly onto its surface. Refrigerate it in a tightly sealed container. The layer of plastic prevents the masa from oxidizing.

I use the Ninja Foodi Power Blender and it works amazingly well when I make masa. Check it out on my amazon store.

What is the best oil to fry alcapurrias in?

Canola oil is my favorite oil for frying. You can also use corn oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil. They all have a high smoke point making them great choices.

Where can I find the silicone molds?

The silicone molds I use are for making chocolate bars (perfect size for alcapurrias!) and they are linked on my Amazon store.

How long can I freeze alcapurrias?

You can freeze the uncooked alcapurrias for up to 6 months. Place them in a freezer storage bag once prepared to keep them fresh.

HEALTHY RICAN DISCOUNT:

Use my code: madewithsazon for 10% off your Healthy Rican order!

How to make alcapurrias the traditional way (without the silicone molds)?

Start by placing a rectangular piece of wax or parchment paper on your working surface. Brush with annatto oil to prevent your alcapurria from sticking to it. Next, add about half a cup of masa and flatten it into a disc shape. Then, add about two heaping tablespoons of picadillo filling in the center of the disc. Use the paper to fold the masa completely over the filling. Then, use your hands to shape it until it’s nice and smooth. The alcapurria should look like a long cylinder.

Tip: Make sure none of the meat filling is exposed or the alcapurrias will burst when frying.

Check out more Latin recipes!

Churrasco with Chimichurri Sauce

Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)

Pastelón (Plantain Lasagna)

Bacalaitos (Cod Fish Fritters)

Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)

Pastel al Horno

Puerto Rican Sofrito

Pollo Guisado

Puerto Rican Meatballs In Sofrito Sauce

Sancocho (Puerto Rican Soup)

Puerto Rican Beans (Habichuelas Guisadas)

Pollo al Horno (Baked Chicken)

Puerto Rican Bacalaitos

Jibarito Recipe (Plantain Sandwich) 

Puerto Rican Picadillo