Want To Make Colombian Cheese Fritters? Try This New Buñuelos Recipe from ‘Encanto’

Although the magical Madrigal family‘s storyline in the new Walt Disney Animation Studios movie Encanto might be the main focus for its audiences, there’s at least one side element from the animated movie’s setting that will catch your attention–and it’s the food! If watching Encanto after its premiere last weekend made you eager to explore some Colombian food, some ingredients from Latin America, or some new Colombian dishes, then you can start with the Colombian version of cheese fritters. These cheesy fritters are called buñuelos, and the recipe is inspired by Julieta Madrigal (Mirabel Madrigal‘s mother in Encanto). Disney has shared the simple recipe in the Tweet below! Let’s take a look.

Now you can make Julieta Madrigal's magic buñuelos yourself! ? #Encanto is now streaming only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/oBAn4R6SRQ

— Disney (@Disney) December 27, 2021

To make these cheese fritters, you will need the following ingredients: cassava flour, cornstarch, shredded cheese (preferably queso costeño, but mozzarella, feta cheese, or a combination of feta cheese and fresh cheese–also known as queso fresco–will work too), sugar, salt, baking powder, room temperature butter, one egg, milk, and vegetable oil. Most of these ingredients for this simple recipe are probably already in your kitchen! Fun fact: cassava flour can also be a good substitute for cornstarch in general. It’s also similar to tapioca starch!

To begin preparing the buñuelos, mix the ingredients (i.e. the cassava flour, cheese, sugar, salt, baking powder, cornstarch, milk, and butter) in a large bowl or on “a clean, flat surface”. Be sure to crack the egg open in a separate bowl first, in case eggshells break off and in case it’s a rotten egg! Use clean hands to mix the resulting dough; it should be a pliable, smooth dough that’s easy to mold, and it shouldn’t be too wet (despite the milk and butter) or too dry (despite the cornstarch and cassava flour).

The final ingredient is vegetable oil! Heat your vegetable oil on high until it’s between 320 and 340 degrees Fahrenheit. A cooking thermometer will come in handy for this. After it’s reached that temperature, lower the temperature to a medium level and keep it steady. Be careful around hot oil!

Since these cheese fritters are shaped into doughy balls, it makes sense that the next step in the recipe will be shaping the fritters. Divide them into 32 equally-sized doughy balls; one ball equals one fritter. There is some flexibility with this, however, if you’d prefer to make a smaller quantity of bigger buñuelos! Next, put three or four of the buñuelos into the hot vegetable oil and let them fry for two to five minutes. The buñuelos should roll themselves over automatically, giving them an even fry until they’re golden brown!

The final step before enjoying these buñuelos is using paper towels to blot off the excess oil; letting them sit on the paper towels for a while will help, too. Be sure to let them cool a little before you eat them!

There’s nothing like a bite-sized treat that’s both fun and flavorful, so it’s a safe bet that these buñuelos will go fast at parties (or during a comfy night in while watching Encanto) since they’re basically doughy balls filled with fresh cheese! Are you going to try baking with this Disney recipe, or perhaps this gingersnap one inspired by Merida from Brave (2012)?