Salvadoran FoodSalvadoran yuca and chipilín patties stuffed with red beans and quesillo, with roasted tomato sauce and cabbage-pineapple slaw
Golden, crisp-on-the-outside patties made with cooked yuca and fresh chipilín, filled with seasoned red beans and melty quesillo. They are served with a homestyle roasted tomato sauce and a fresh cabbage-pineapple slaw for brightness and contrast.
Ingredients
- 700 g yuca, peeled and cut into chunks (for cocer and hacer the dough)
- 40 g fresh chipilín, chopped (without stalks duros)
- 8 g salt (divided)
- 180 g cooked red beans, drained (for the relleno)
- 80 g white onion, finely chopped (divided)
- 6 g garlic, minced (divided)
- 45 ml vegetable oil (divided, for relleno and fritura ligera)
- 1 g ground cumin (for the frijoles)
- 120 g Salvadoran quesillo, shredded (for the relleno)
- 400 g ripe tomatoes (for roasting and hacer sauce)
- 70 g mild green pepper (for the sauce)
- 1 g dried oregano (for the sauce)
- 120 ml water (for ajustar the sauce)
- 180 g cabbage, finely shredded (for the curtido)
- 100 g fresh pineapple, small diced (for the curtido)
- 60 g carrot, grated (for the curtido)
- 30 ml white vinegar (for the curtido)
- 15 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 4 g sugar (for balancear the curtido)
- 1 g ground black pepper (for the sauce and the curtido)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Place the yuca in a pot with enough water to cover and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well, remove any tough inner fibers, and mash while hot into a smooth, firm puree. Let it cool slightly.
- 2
2. While the yuca cooks, make the filling. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add half of the chopped onion and half of the garlic; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add the red beans, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Lightly mash and cook 3 more minutes until thick and paste-like. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- 3
3. Mix the shredded quesillo with the warm bean mixture to make a manageable filling. Divide into 8 portions.
- 4
4. Add the chopped chipilín to the warm yuca and mix well until evenly distributed. If the dough feels too sticky, let it rest for 5 minutes to firm up. Divide the dough into 8 portions.
- 5
5. Shape each patty by taking one portion of yuca dough, flattening it in your palm, placing one portion of the bean and quesillo filling in the center, and sealing carefully. Gently flatten into thick disks.
- 6
6. For the sauce, preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Place the tomatoes, mild green pepper, remaining onion, and remaining garlic on a tray. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes until the vegetables are soft and lightly charred in spots.
- 7
7. Blend the roasted tomatoes, green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper until you have a light sauce. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes to bring the flavors together. Adjust salt if needed.
- 8
8. For the slaw, combine the cabbage, pineapple, carrot, white vinegar, lime juice, sugar, remaining salt, and a pinch of black pepper in a bowl. Massage lightly with your hands and let rest for 10 minutes.
- 9
9. Heat the remaining oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Brown the patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side until crisp outside and hot through. If you like, hold them for 5 minutes in a 180 °C / 350 °F oven while finishing the rest.
- 10
10. Serve the yuca and chipilín patties hot, partially spooned with the roasted tomato sauce and accompanied by the cabbage-pineapple slaw.
Chef tips
Lightly moisten your hands when shaping the patties to keep the yuca dough from sticking. If the yuca seems too wet, return it to the pot for 1 extra minute after draining to evaporate excess moisture before mashing.
Substitutions
You can replace quesillo with low-moisture mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese. If chipilín is unavailable, use a small amount of chopped spinach, though the flavor will be different. Pineapple can be replaced with firm diced mango.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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