CHEESE CARIMAÑOLAS

Feb 18
4 min read

Yuca and cheese carimañolas (Colombian stuffed yuca fritters)

Today we’re making cheese carimañolas, one of those Colombian fritos that taste like the Caribbean, the beach and street breakfast. For me, every carimañola tastes like Santa Marta: walking down early in El Rodadero to grab an egg arepa and a carimañola and feeling happy for the rest of the day after that.

Carimañolas (also called caribañolas) are one of the most beloved fritos from the Colombian coast. They can be filled with meat, but this time we’re making them just with cheese, the way I love them for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Since I moved to Germany, I’ve wanted to recreate them to go back to that moment, even if it’s from my kitchen in Berlin.

The cheese: the heart of these carimañolas

For this recipe, I used Latino cheese from Beloso, a Latin-German brand based in Hamburg that offers Latin products that taste very close to the flavors from home. This cheese in particular has the texture and flavor that are very similar to Latin cheese and other fresh cheeses from Latin America, which makes it perfect for filling carimañolas. You can also use their queso costeño.

If you can’t find this kind of cheese where you live, you can use queso costeño if you’re in Colombia, or a good feta cheese as an alternative when you’re abroad.

Carimañolas hechas con queso latino de Beloso

The yuca: fresh or frozen

To make these carimañolas, I used frozen yuca, which I found at an Asian supermarket in Berlin. I like working with frozen yuca because it helps avoid the risk of ending up with a bad root (too fibrous or hard). If you know how to pick fresh yuca, you can also buy it raw in African, Indian or Asian grocery stores and peel it yourself.

Ingredients (makes about 8 carimañolas)

1 kg frozen yuca (cassava)
1 tablespoon salt for the cooking water
1 tablespoon salt for the cooked yuca dough
Latin or costeño‑style cheese (I used Latino cheese from Beloso). If you can’t find it, substitute with feta cheese.
1 teaspoon oil for the dough

How to make cheesy yuca carimañolas step by step

Cook the yuca

Cook 1 kg of yuca in plenty of water with 1 tablespoon of salt until it is very soft.
Once the yuca is cooked, remove it from the water and let it cool slightly so you can handle it.

Prepare the yuca dough

Remove the fibrous core (the “vein”) from each piece of yuca; this step is very important so the dough has a smooth texture.
Process or grate the yuca until you get a homogeneous dough. You can use a grater or a food processor, but try not to process it for too long so it doesn’t release too much starch and become overly sticky.
Add a pinch of salt to the dough (about 1 tablespoon, adjusting to taste) and 1 teaspoon of oil. Mix well with your hands until you get a manageable dough.

Prepare the cheese filling

While the yuca is cooking, cut the cheese into sticks about 6–7 cm long. Have them ready for stuffing the carimañolas.

Shape the carimañolas

With the dough still warm but manageable, start shaping the carimañolas. You can wear gloves or lightly oil your hands so the dough doesn’t stick.
Take a portion of dough and roll it into a ball. Then flatten it slightly to form a disc.
Using both thumbs, press into the center of the disc to create a hollow: this is where the cheese stick will go.
Place a cheese stick inside, close the carimañola carefully and shape it into an oval, the classic carimañola shape. Make sure the cheese is fully covered by the dough so it doesn’t leak out while frying.

Chill before frying

Place the shaped carimañolas on a tray and chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before frying. This step helps them hold their shape better and gives the dough a firmer texture.

Fry the carimañolas

Heat plenty of oil in a deep pan or pot to about 170–180 °C. Ideally, use a kitchen thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature – it’s a small investment that makes a big difference when frying.
Fry the carimañolas until golden. Keep an eye on the heat: if the oil is too hot, they can burst or brown too fast on the outside while staying undercooked inside.
Remove them from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain the excess oil.

How to serve and store your carimañolas

Serve the carimañolas piping hot with ají, suero costeño or your favorite dipping sauce. They’re perfect for breakfast, a Latin‑style brunch or as part of a Colombian fritos platter.

If you’re not going to eat all of them at once, you can freeze them. You can freeze them shaped (before frying) or already fried and cooled, in an airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy them, reheat in the oven or air fryer at 160 °C for about 15 minutes, until hot and crispy again.

With these cheesy yuca carimañolas you bring a little piece of the Colombian coast into your kitchen, wherever you are. And if you live in Germany, finding a good Latin cheese like the one from Beloso really makes all the difference – one bite and you’re back home.