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These vegan llapingachos aka Ecuadorian potato patties are filled with vegan mozzarella cheese, pan-fried to golden perfection. I served it with a savory, flavor-packed peanut sauce to take it to the next level. Plus, they are naturally gluten-free and SO easy to make!

a stack of vegan llapingachos on a white plate

It’s currently Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) and I wanted to be sure that I shared a recipe during this time to celebrate my Ecuadorian culture with you all.

This was one of my absolute favorite recipes and growing up, my grandmother used to make for my brother and I all the time. It’s easy to make, requires pretty simple ingredients and is packed with flavor.

a close up of a plate of vegan Ecuadorian breakfast

In 1970, my grandparents took a leap of faith and immigrated to the United States in hopes of giving their children (and future generations) a better life. They made a lot of sacrifices for their family along the way, and I just want to share how grateful I am for them and all that they have done for me. They have always taught me to be confident and proud of who I am and where I come from, and I really wouldn’t be doing what I do now without them in my life.   

I’ve been longing to get back into the kitchen with my grandma to veganize more Ecuadorian recipes, but for now, I’m sharing this llapingacho with you all in her honor!  

jasmine posing with a white plate of llapingachos, vegan eggs, curtido, salsa de maní, vegan chorizo and avocado

To put it simply, Llapingachos basically takes mashed potatoes, forms it into a patty, stuffs it with cheese and fries them up in a pan until golden brown. We serve ours vegan llapingachos with salsa de maní and an onion & tomato curtido which I highly recommend, they brings freshness and a punch of flavor to the patties!

ingredients to make ecuadorian llapingachos on a wooden board

A Few Notes on Achiote Oil

  • The achiote (anatto) oil can be substituted with any cooking oil of your choice plus a pinch of paprika and turmeric. A blend of the two would be ideal as it will prevent them from interfering with the flavors in the dish.
  • If you can get your hands on achiote seeds but not oil, you can easily make your own oil at home by following this recipe here.
  • You can make achiote oil with ground achiote by combining 1/2 teaspoon of the powder with 2 tablespoons of your preferred oil (we like avocado).
  • If all else fails, you can just leave it out and use regular oil.
plate of vegan Ecuadorian breakfast

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate these vegan llapingachos, we would love to see your photos!

 
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Vegan Llapingachos with Salsa de Maní (Ecuadorian Stuffed Potato Patties with Peanut Sauce)


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Jasmine @ Sweet Simple Vegan
  • Yield: ~8 patties

Description

These Ecuadorian potato patties are filled with vegan mozzarella cheese, pan-fried to golden perfection and served with a savory, flavor-packed peanut sauce to take it to the next level. They are perfect for any meal of the day, are naturally gluten-free, and SO easy to make!


Ingredients

Llapingachos (Potato Patties)

  • 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons achiote (anatto) oil * (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup finely diced white onion
  • 1 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 3/4 cup shredded vegan mozzarella cheese * (see notes)
  • Avocado oil, for cooking (or oil of choice)

Salsa de Maní (Peanut Sauce)

  • 1 tablespoon achiote (anatto) oil * (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup finely diced white onion
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups almond milk (plus more as needed to thin)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup finely diced white onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and black pepper, as needed to taste

Tomato and Onion Curtido

  • 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 large lime
  • 1 large tomato, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper

Serve with


Instructions

Llapingacho

  1. Prepare the potato patties. Place the potatoes into a medium pot along with a large pinch of salt and 2 inches of water. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
  2. In the meantime, set a medium pan over medium heat and add in the achiote oil and white onion. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes, or until the onions are soft and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and transfer them into a large bowl. Using a potato masher or ricer, mash the potatoes until very smooth.
  4. Add the cooked onions, salt, and black pepper to potatoes and mix until well combined. Scoop about a 1/2 cup-sized amount of the potato mixture and using your hands, roll it into a ball and then flatten it out into a thin patty. Add in about 1 tablespoon of vegan mozzarella cheese, or as much as desired, and then seal the dough around the cheese. Shape it into a thick patty (about 1/2-inch). Set it onto a large tray or plate and then continue with the remaining dough. Once you have made all of the patties, place them into the refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm.
  5. Once the potato patties have firmed up, heat a teaspoon or two of avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once warmed, add a few of the patties to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side,  or until golden brown.
  6. Serve with the salsa de mani, curtido, and any other ingredients of choice, such as black beans and tofu scramble.

Peanut Sauce

  1. Set a medium pan over medium heat and add in the achiote oil and 1/2 cup white onion. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes, or until the onions are soft and fragrant. Remove from heat and add in the peanut butter and 1 cup of almond milk to start. Mix until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add in the additional 1/2 cup almond milk as needed. Add in the cooked onions along with the cilantro, raw white onion, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, and mix together until well combined. Set aside.

Tomato and Onion Curtido

  1. Place the onions in a large bowl and sprinkle them generously with about 1 tablespoon of salt. Toss to combine and set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Cover the onions with warm water and allow them to sit for another 10 minutes, and then rinse and drain.
  3. To the onions, add in the lime juice, an additional sprinkle of salt. Allow this mixture for at least 30 minutes or until serving.
  4. Right before serving, add the tomatoes and cilantro into the mixture and stir until well combined. Season with black pepper plus additional salt if needed, to taste.

Notes

  • The peanut sauce and curtido recipes are based on original recipes from Laylita.
  • The amount of cheese that you need will vary depending on the size of your patties and how much you desire. We add about 1 tablespoon to each patty. 
  • This recipe uses achiote (anatto) oil, which is an ingredient that can be found at Hispanic markets. It can sometimes be hard to locate, so here are a few tips/substitutions that you can try out for this recipe. If all else fails, you can just leave it out and use regular oil.
    • The achiote (anatto) oil can be substituted with any cooking oil of your choice plus a pinch of paprika and turmeric. A blend of the two would be ideal as it will prevent them from interfering with the flavors in the dish.
    • If you can get your hands on achiote seeds but not oil, you can easily make your own oil at home by following this recipe here.
    • You can make achiote oil with ground achiote by combining 1/2 teaspoon of the powder with 2 tablespoons of your preferred oil (we like avocado).
  • Category: Breakfast, Entree, Side
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Vegan, Ecuadorian

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Meet The Bloggers

hey there! we’re jasmine & chris.

Hi, we’re Jasmine and Chris! We share fresh and fun recipes to show you that vegan cooking is easy, approachable and delicious. When we’re not blogging, you will probably find us enjoying live music, tending to our backyard garden or playing with our dogs Berry and Louie

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3 Comments

  1. I’m trying to go vegan and this weekend I’m cooking for the family. Trying to find an Ecuadorean recipe!! This is awesome

  2. jasmine!!! i had no idea you were ecuadorian!! i’m an ecuadorian vegan too! i find it so hard to make traditional recipes (although my caldo de bolas is bomb) so thank you so much for sharing this! i’d love if you made more ecuadorian recipes in the future! ????????????