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Panamanian Carimañola Recipe

Panamanian Carimañola

A popular Panamanian snack made by rolling a mixture of yucca, ground beef, onions, and spices in a dough and then deep-frying the whole thing.
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5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Panamanian
Keyword: Panamanian Carimañola, Panamanian Carimañola Recipe, Panamanian Recipe
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 337 kcal
Panamanian Carimañola Recipe

Equipment

  • Large Pot for boiling cassava or yuca
  • skillet for cooking meat filling
  • Mixing bowl for cassava dough
  • Fork or potato masher for mashing cassava
  • Spoon or scoop for measuring the dough and the filling
  • Deep skillet or pot for frying the carimañolas
  • Paper towel or cooling rack for draining excess oil

Ingredients

For The Dough

  • 2 lbs cassava or yuca
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

For The Filling

  • 1 lb ground beef or pork
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Peel and wash the cassava or yuca, and cut it into small pieces.
  • Boil the cassava or yuca in a pot with enough water to cover them until they are tender, around 20-25 minutes.
  • Drain the cassava or yuca and mash them with a fork or a potato masher until they become a smooth paste.
  • Add the salt, sugar, and vegetable oil to the cassava or yuca paste and mix them well.
  • Cover the cassava or yuca paste and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  • In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent.
  • Add the ground beef or pork, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the meat is browned.
  • Remove the meat filling from the heat and let it cool.
  • Take the cassava or yuca paste out of the refrigerator and divide it into 8 equal portions.
  • Flatten each portion of cassava or yuca paste into a disk shape, place a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center, and shape it into a ball.
  • Heat enough oil in a deep skillet or a pot over medium-high heat to fry the carimañolas until they are golden brown on all sides, around 3-5 minutes.
  • Remove the carimañolas from the oil and place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

Notes

Tips and Tricks
Use a food processor to mash the cassava instead of a fork or potato masher.
Chill the cassava dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before shaping it into balls.
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to measure the same amount of dough and filling for each carimañola.
Fry the carimañolas in small batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet or pot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 561mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
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