Peruvian Street Food: Picarones — Squash and Sweet Potato Fritters
Picarones are Peru's answer to the doughnut — deep fried rings made from squash and sweet potato that are served with a spiced molasses syrup called chancaca. Street vendors sell them hot from the fryer wrapped in paper. This is one of those foods that stops you in your tracks.
Ingredients — Picarones:
1 cup butternut squash, cooked and mashed
1 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp anise seeds
Oil for frying
Ingredients — Chancaca Syrup:
1 cup dark brown sugar or piloncillo
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 star anise
1 fig leaf or 1 tsp vanilla
Peel of 1 orange
Instructions — Syrup:
Combine all syrup ingredients in a saucepan
Bring to a boil then simmer 15 minutes until slightly thickened
Strain and keep warm
Instructions — Picarones:
Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar, let sit 5 minutes until foamy
Combine squash and sweet potato mash with yeast mixture
Add flour, salt and anise seeds — mix until a soft sticky dough forms
Knead gently adding flour as needed — dough should be tacky but not sticky
Cover and let rise 1 hour until doubled
Heat oil to 350°F
Wet your hands and pinch off a piece of dough, poke a hole through the center and stretch into a ring
Fry 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden
Drain and serve immediately drizzled with warm chancaca syrup
Eat them hot. This is non-negotiable.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.
Ingredients — Picarones:
1 cup butternut squash, cooked and mashed
1 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp anise seeds
Oil for frying
Ingredients — Chancaca Syrup:
1 cup dark brown sugar or piloncillo
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 star anise
1 fig leaf or 1 tsp vanilla
Peel of 1 orange
Instructions — Syrup:
Combine all syrup ingredients in a saucepan
Bring to a boil then simmer 15 minutes until slightly thickened
Strain and keep warm
Instructions — Picarones:
Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar, let sit 5 minutes until foamy
Combine squash and sweet potato mash with yeast mixture
Add flour, salt and anise seeds — mix until a soft sticky dough forms
Knead gently adding flour as needed — dough should be tacky but not sticky
Cover and let rise 1 hour until doubled
Heat oil to 350°F
Wet your hands and pinch off a piece of dough, poke a hole through the center and stretch into a ring
Fry 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden
Drain and serve immediately drizzled with warm chancaca syrup
Eat them hot. This is non-negotiable.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.