Alcapurrias

These Puerto Rican Alcapurrias make the perfect appetizer or snack! They're made from green plantains and green bananas, stuffed with Puerto Rican style picadillo then deep fried! They have a crispy exterior and a flavorful ground beef stuffing on the inside. You can also make these alcapurrias with crab, shrimp or even chicken!

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Keyword: alcapurrias, beef alcapurrias, puerto rican alcapurrias, air fryer alcapurrias, puerto rican picadillo

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Refrigerating Time: 3

Total Time: 3 50

Servings: alcapurrias

Calories: 442kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Ingredients For The Picadillo

1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion chopped and diced
1 small red pepper chopped and diced
4 garlic cloves chopped and minced
1 tbsp adobo or to taste
1 tbsp salt or to taste
2 tsp cumin powder or to taste
2 tsp oregano or to taste
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup sofrito
14 oz goya tomato sauce or any brand you prefer
3 tsp ground annatto seeds or 1/2 packet of sazon
1/3 cup pimento stuffed olives

Ingredients For The Alcapurrias

5 green plantains peeled and diced
3 green bananas peeled and diced
1/4 cup achiote oil see notes below on how to make
1 tbsp salt or to taste
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

How To Make Puerto Rican Style Picadillo

First, start by seasoning the ground beef with lime juice, salt, adobo, cumin and oregano. Set the beef aside for now.
Next, chop and dice the red pepper and onion. Chop and mince the garlic cloves.
Add olive oil to a pan over medium high heat and wait for it to heat up.
Once the oil is hot, add in the red pepper and onion. Saute until the onions are translucent.
Add in the minced garlic and saute for 15-20 seconds.
Immediately add in the seasoned ground beef and use a meat chopper tool to break up the ground beef. You can also use a wooden spoon or any other kitchen tool you have on hand.
Cook the ground beef until it has browned. This takes about 7-10 minutes.
Next, add the ground annatto seeds (or Sazon if that’s your preference), sofrito and tomato sauce. Mix well to combine. Taste the ground beef and add more salt if needed.
Add the bay leaves and olives, cover and lower the heat to low. Let the ground beef simmer for 10-12 minutes. Check on it and stir occasionally.
Discard the bay leaves and transfer the ground beef to a bowl. Let it cool down while you prepare the rest of this recipe.

How To Make Alcapurrias

First, start by rinsing, peeling and chopping the bananas and plantains.
Add the chopped plantains and green bananas to a food processor and combine well until it resembles a thick paste.
Transfer the banana and plantain mixture (masa) to a bowl and add salt and achiote oil. (See notes below to make homemade achiote oil). Mix well to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Place parchment paper or aluminum foil on your counter. If you use aluminum foil, make sure to spray with cooking spray.
Take a 1/4 cup of the masa and place it on top of the parchment paperforming a patty.
Make a well in the center of the masa and add 1 heaping tbsp of ground beef.
Gently begin folding the parchment paper and rolling the alcupurria to close it. Make sure to seal the sides of the alcapurrias as you are folding them.
Unroll them and transfer to a plate. Repeat the same process until all of the masa is finished.
Add oil to a pot over medium high heat. The oil should reach a temperature of 375 degrees F for best results. Using a good quality thermometer like this one is ideal.
Add the alcapurrias to the hot oil slowly. Make sure not to crowd the pan or you will lower the temperature of the oil. I usually cook about 4 at the same time.
Cook the alcapurrias for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until they are a nice brown color and have a firm texture.
Remove them from the oil and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Finally serve warm with a good quality hot sauce like this one, mayochup or exactly the way they are! Enjoy with an ice cold Malta or any drink of your choice!
Check notes below for instructions on how to air fry alcapurrias.

Video

Notes

Purchase achiote oil / annatto oil here or make your own with annatto seeds. Add 1/2 cup of oil and 2 tbsp of annatto seeds to a pot over medium heat. Once it starts simmering, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Run the oil and seeds through a mesh strainer. Save the leftover oil in an air tight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
It’s important to make sure your oil is the right temperature before frying the alcapurrias. If the temperature is too low, the alcapurrias will be soggy. If the oil is too hot, the alcupurrias will burn too quickly. The perfect temperature for frying alcapurrias is between 370-375 degrees F. I highly recommend investing in a good quality thermometer for deep frying such as this one.
You can air fry alcapurrias if you’re looking for a healthier version. Start by preheating the air fryer to 375 degrees F for 3 minutes. Place the alcapurrias inside the air fryer and cook at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until the texture is nice and firm. Flip them halfway through the cooking process. They will not have the same dark color as deep fried alcapurrias but if you’re watching your diet, this is a great alternative.

Nutrition