Colombia • Regional Dish • Side Dish

Papas Chorreadas (Colombian Potatoes with Cheese Sauce)

Papas chorreadas is the kind of side dish that quietly steals the table. The potatoes are simple.

Servings4

Prep Time15 min

Cook Time35 min

DifficultyEasy

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Ingredients

US Metric

2 lb small red or yellow potatoes, scrubbed and partially peeled

1 3/4 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

1 tbsp neutral oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups scallions, finely sliced

1 1/4 cups ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 cup queso fresco or queso campesino, crumbled

1/2 cup mozzarella, grated

3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp black pepper

900 g small red or yellow potatoes, scrubbed and partially peeled

10 g fine salt, plus more to taste

15 ml neutral oil

15 g unsalted butter

120 g scallions, finely sliced

200 g ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 g ground cumin

120 ml heavy cream

120 ml whole milk

160 g queso fresco or queso campesino, crumbled

60 g mozzarella, grated

10 g chopped fresh cilantro

1 g black pepper

Instructions

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the 10 g salt, bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Drain and keep warm.
While the potatoes cook, heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes, until softened.
Add the tomatoes, garlic and cumin. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture looks saucy.
Pour in the cream and milk. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes.
Add the queso fresco, mozzarella, cilantro and black pepper. Stir over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce is creamy and the cheese has mostly melted. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Arrange the warm potatoes on a serving dish and spoon the sauce over the top. Serve right away while the sauce is still loose and creamy.

Cultural Context

Papas chorreadas is a traditional Colombian side dish from the central Andean region, especially linked to Cundinamarca and Boyacá, where potatoes are deeply rooted in local cooking. The dish is made with boiled potatoes topped with a creamy sauce of tomatoes, scallions, dairy and cheese, which is why it feels both rustic and unapologetically comforting.

Fun Fact

The word chorreadas roughly suggests something being drizzled or smothered, which is exactly the right mood here because nobody wants the sauce applied with restraint.

Cook’s Tip

Papas chorreadas is a classic Colombian side dish associated especially with the Andean region, and the sauce is essentially a hogao-style tomato-and-scallion base enriched with cream and cheese. Queso campesino is the most traditional direction, but queso fresco is the easiest stand-in for many home cooks. A little mozzarella helps the sauce melt smoothly without turning the whole thing into a cheese stunt. The point is creamy, spoonable and comforting, not stretchy pizza behavior.

Trivia

Many Colombian versions start with red potatoes, partially peeled, then finish them with a cheese-and-cream sauce built on hogao.

About This Recipe

A fresh serving of global recipes, food stories, quizzes and delicious discoveries.

Papas Chorreadas (Colombian Potatoes with Cheese Sauce)

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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