• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Panning The Globe
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
×

Home » Recipes » Vegetarian

Llapingachos: Ecuadorian Cheese and Potato Patties

September 11, 2015 Updated June 28, 2020 by Lisa Goldfinger 5 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
two potato patties surrounded by tomato avocado onion salad

Llapingachos, pronounced (yah-peen-GAH-chos), are Ecuadorian scallion, cheese and mashed potato patties. So simple to make, crisp on the outside, tender inside, these cheese scallion mashed potato cakes will make everyone at the table happy.

a plate with two potato patties and a tomato avocado red onion salad

If you like potato pancakes, you're going to love llapingachos! 

How to make Llapingachos: (cheese and potato patties)

Making Llapingachos is easy, with just 3 ingredients: potatoes, cheese and scallions. Boil and mash the potatoes, mix in chopped scallions and cheese (farmer, queso fresco or Monterey Jack), form the mixture into thick pancakes, and cook them on a griddle or in a skillet until they're heated through and crispy brown on the outside. Serve them right away or keep them warm in the oven until ready to serve. 

If you love potato pancakes, you've got to try these scrumptious Ecuadorian cheese and potato patties, also called Llapingachos. Just 3 main ingredients. Naturally gluten free. Delicious with tomato avocado onions salad (recipe included) I panningtheglobe.com

Serving Suggestions for Llapingachos:

There are all sorts of ways to eat this popular Ecuadorian dish

  • In Ecuador you might find Llapingachos served a la carte, as an appetizer. 
  • For breakfast lunch or dinner, they're commonly eaten with a fried egg on top and chorizo sausages on the side.
  • Or they might be slathered with creamy peanut sauce and topped with tomato-onion salad and sliced avocado.

The good new is, Llapingachos are already amazing before you even add anything to them.

a stack of 5 potato patties plus one more on the cutting board and part of one that has been half eaten

When I first taste-tested these Ecuadorian potato patties on my family, I served a tomato avocado onion salad on the side. We loved the pairing of the potato patties with colorful, juicy tomatoes, red onion, avocado and a light lime-garlic dressing. It was such a delicious satisfying vegetarian meal, I decided to include the tomato salad in this recipe post. However I also sautéed up some sliced spicy chicken sausage for one of my sons, because he's not a fan of tomatoes. The sausage and Llapingacho combo is also pretty great. Depends on what kind of mood you're in.

You might also like:

  • Easy Potato Latkes 
  • Mini Spinach Potato Knish Appetizer
  • Swiss Rösti: Shredded Potato Casserole with Ham and Eggs
  • Spanish Inspired Funeral Potatoes with Chorizo and Smoked Paprika

You might also enjoy Venezuelan Arepas which are gluten free corn cakes that have some similarities to Llapingachos.

Tomato avocado onion salad in a bowl and sprinkled with salt and fresh cracked pepper

Before researching this post, I could not have named a single Ecuadorian recipe. You don't hear a lot about Ecuadorian cuisine. Ecuador has other claims to fame: it contains The Galapagos Islands which is one of the worlds best destinations for viewing wildlife; it's got the equator running through it (hence the name Ecuador). Now that I've tried Llapingachos I think it's definitely a claim to fame that the rest of the world should know about.

two Ecuadorian cheese and potato patties next to a butter lettuce leaf and a tomato avocado onion salad

Here's the Llapingachos recipe. If you try this, I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Llapingachos: Ecuadorian Cheese and Potato Patties


★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Yield: 5 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Delicious 3-ingredient cheese and potato patties. They make a delicious vegetarian meal served with a fresh salad of tomato, avocado and red onions. Perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner. [gluten-free]

Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light Global Kitchen


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons or so of cooking oil such as canola (or for authenticity use annatto oil if you can find it or make it)
  • 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (4 medium sized potatoes)
  • 1 cup of farmer cheese or substitute shredded queso fresco or Monterey Jack cheese
  • 6-7 green onions, minced, white and light green parts only, mince the dark parts separately to sprinkle on the finished dish.
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Tomato Onion Avocado Salad
  • 1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn (optional)
  • 1 ½ -2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced - I suggest heirloom tomatoes, if you can find them
  • 2 ripe avocados, thinly sliced (wait until the last minute to slice the avocados, so they don't turn brown)
  • 1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, and drained
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice (the juice of 1 lime)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small garlic clove, peeled and pressed or finely minced

Instructions

  1. Place potatoes and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large pot and fill with water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash with a potato masher. Set aside until cool.
  2. Add cheese, green onions, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper to potatoes, stirring well to combine. Scoop up about ½ cup of the mixture and form it into a patty that's about 3 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Set it on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. You should get about 10 patties. Cover and refrigerate patties until firm - for at least ½ hour. (note: you can make them ahead up to this point and keep them in the fridge overnight, if you like)
  3. Make the Salad While the potatoes are chilling make the salad. In a small bowl whisk oil, lime juice, garlic, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Place tomatoes, avocado, onion and lettuce (if using) in a bowl. Toss gently with dressing.
  4. Cook the Patties: Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Cook patties in two batches. Let them to brown on one side for 4-5 minutes, then turn and brown on the other side for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Serve patties with tomato-avocado salad. Garnish patties and salad with reserved minced green onions.
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner
  • Method: Sauté
  • Cuisine: Ecuadorian

Keywords: Ecuadorian cheese and potato patties, three ingredient potato pancakes

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

 

 

More Vegetarian Recipes

  • Berry shrub drink in a glass tumbler with a garnish on top of a toothpick with three berries and a mint sprig.
    How To Make A Berry Shrub and Delicious Shrub Drinks
  • oval serving dish filled with patacones, plantain chips, with a bowl of guacamole and a bowl of pico de gallo by the side
    Patacones: Fried Green Plantains
  • Mumbai Sandwich
  • bowl filled with caponata, eggplant and bell pepper relish
    Caponata (Sicilian Sweet and Sour Eggplant Relish)

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cooking Light, Lunch and Brunch, main course, Side Dish, South America, Vegetarian Tagged With: gluten-free, potatoes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Martha

    April 21, 2020 at 6:43 pm

    Thank you for the recipe, The Llapingachos (Quechua) Tortilla de Papa (Spanish)was sooo delicious,

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lisa

      April 22, 2020 at 7:01 am

      Martha - I'm so glad you enjoyed the Llapingachos! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment.

      Reply
  2. Ayzsa

    January 30, 2019 at 10:59 pm

    Thank you so much for this recipe! I used to live in Ecuador and it was my favorite meal there; I legitimately ate it once a week. Where I was living, they made them sans queso, as cheese is rather expensive, and they also refer to them as tortillas de papas (a far easier pronunciation than llapingachos). The entire plato is paired with a simple shredded beet and lettuce salad, cubes of grilled steak, and a fried egg. All for $1.50-$2! If you ever get the chance to visit, I highly recommend! I miss Ecuador often so this recipe is dear to my heart. Thank you!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Rachel (Rachel's Kitchen NZ)

    September 12, 2015 at 5:48 pm

    Glad you told us how to get our tongues around these delicious morsels - Lisa:-) I would have saying them all wrong otherwise!

    Reply
  4. jen

    September 11, 2015 at 10:48 am

    Yum!!! These look so delicious! Perfect for any time of day!!! Thank you, Lisa!!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Panning the Globe

Hi, I'm Lisa! I believe we can all make the world's most delicious dishes at home.
I'm excited to share with you hundreds of fabulous, globally inspired recipes to feed your family and entertain your friends.

More about me →

TRENDING FAVORITES

  • Here's an amazing roast chicken recipe from chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Chicken thighs are spiced with za'atar and sumac, tossed with onions, lemons and garlic, and roasted. This is a great dinner party recipe because it's a beautiful dish, you can do all the prep ahead, the chicken is tender and juicy, and the flavors are fantastically delicious!
    Ottolenghi's Roast Chicken with Za'atar and Sumac
  • It's easy to cook a big pot of this award winning white chicken chili, and it's the absolute BEST white chicken chili! Tender chicken, chilies, white beans, spices and a few more goodies in this winning white chicken chili recipe.
    Award Winning White Chicken Chili
  • This Award Winning Chili recipe is hands down the BEST chili con carne I've ever tasted, with the most incredible flavor and texture - made with beef, pork, beans, awesome spices, onions, garlic, tomatoes and beer. Plus it freezes well so you might want to make a double batch.
    Eddie's Award Winning Chili
  • Indian Lamb Biryani: Sumptuous casserole of tender lamb curry with saffron spiced rice with cucumber-mint raita on the side|Panning The Globe
    Indian Lamb Biryani
  • a pot of ratatouille seen from above
    The Best Easy Ratatouille Recipe
  • Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl with Spinach and Avocado | Panning The Globe
    Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl with Spinach and Avocado
  • bowl of healthy shepherds pie
    Healthy Shepherd's Pie
  • Senegalese Chicken Yassa by Panning The Globe
    Senegalese Chicken Yassa

MORE POPULAR RECIPES

STAY ON TOP OF WHAT’S COOKING

Subscribe to our free newsletter and get the newest recipes and seasonal menu ideas sent directly to your inbox.

Footer

LET'S CONNECT!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

↑ back to top

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Browse

  • Contact
  • All Recipes
  • Quick & Easy Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes

banner with names of publications that have featured recipes from panning the globe

COPYRIGHT © 2019 · LISA GOLDFINGER AND PANNING THE GLOBE · ALL TEXT, RECIPES, CONTENT AND IMAGES ON THIS SITE ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF LISA GOLDFINGER AND PANNING THE GLOBE.

PRIVACY POLICY · CONTACT ME · SUBSCRIBE

947 shares