Carimañolas (Colombian cassava fritters with beef)
Torpedo-shaped cassava fritters with a savoury spiced beef centre, crisp outside and soft within.
- Time1 hr 10
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.59 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Boil the cassava in salted water for 25 minutes until very soft. Drain well, remove any woody centre strands, and mash while hot until smooth. Cool for 15 minutes.
25 min - 2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the mince, garlic and cumin and fry for 6 minutes until browned. Stir in the tomato purée, coriander and 2 tbsp water, season, and cook until dry. Cool completely.
11 min - 3
With wet hands, take a large golf ball of cassava, flatten it in your palm, put a spoonful of beef in the middle and wrap the cassava round to make a neat torpedo. Make about 12.
- 4
Heat the sunflower oil in a deep pan to 175C, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds.
- 5
Fry in batches of 3 or 4 for 4 minutes, turning, until deep golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
4 min - 6
Serve hot with a squeeze of lime or a chilli sauce.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.