Fried Mashed Potatoes (Leftover Recipe)

These crispy, cheesy fried mashed potatoes are the best way to give new life to leftover mashed potatoes after a big holiday meal.

I love mashed potatoes when they're fresh, but when you have extra, there's no reason to let those spuds go to waste. I've tested and perfected all the right ways to give leftover mashed potatoes a new golden brown texture, plus tons of rich, savory flavor!

Why this recipe works

These mashed potato cakes have deliciously crispy edges and soft middles, and they're full of flavor from sautéed onions and pork, plus just the right savory spices and lots of sharp cheddar.

For perfectly fried patties every time, the secret is to control the amount of moisture. I'll show you how to use the right type of mashed potatoes, plus flour for moisture absorption.

As long as your oil is at the right temperature, your mashed potato patties will turn out golden brown, never burnt. And they'll cook all the way through.

Key ingredients explained

Here are key ingredients in this recipe and what role each plays in a successful fried patty:

• Mashed potatoes – Form the main structure of the pancakes so they must be relatively stiff. You can use mashed potatoes made with or without added butter or sour cream, as long as they're not too soft.
• Flour – Absorbs some of the moisture in the potatoes to avoid limp pancakes. If you're gluten free, a flour blend that doesn't contain xanthan gum or another binder works best for delicate pancakes.
• Cheese – Adds flavor, some texture and acts as a binder as it melts, helping to hold the pancakes together. My favorite is sharp cheddar, for lots of sharp savory taste.
• Mustard powder – Adds a tanginess and helps balance the richness. If you don't have it or don't like it, just leave it out.
• Garlic/salt – You can use a combination of garlic powder and salt, or garlic salt. Together, they adds umami flavor and aroma, and brighten all the other flavors.
• Pancetta or bacon – Both types of cured pork add savory taste and, after being fried in their own fat, some crispness to an otherwise soft result. Pancetta is unsmoked, so its flavor is more subtle; use bacon for more flavor.
• Onion – Adds savory flavor and aroma and complexity; sautéing in the onion brings out its natural sweetness. You can use anything in the onion family, but I like yellow onion or shallots best since they add plenty of flavor with less bite.
• Scallions – Add some color, and a gentle fresh onion flavor. They aren't sautéed because they would lose most of their flavor and color.
• Egg – One egg helps moisten the ingredients to bring them together, and bind them during cooking.
• Oil – A neutral oil with a high smoke point is all you need for frying. I usually use grapeseed oil, but canola, vegetable, peanut, and avocado oils all work well.

How to make fried mashed potatoes (with step by step photos)

The full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below. Below are step by step photos to guide you in your own kitchen, with explanations for each:

1. Sauté the pork and onions

In a dry, ideally nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the cubed pancetta or chopped bacon until crispy. The pork will release its natural fat early in the cooking process. Continue cooking until the pork has turned crispy and no more fat is being rendered. Remove it from the skillet and drain excess fat on paper towels.

Leave behind just 1 tablespoon of rendered pork fat, add the chopped onion, and reduce the heat to medium so you don't burn it. Cook for about 6 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and very tender, but not browned. We only want to soften and bring out the onion's natural sweetness, and stop before it has its own added texture.

2. Make the patty mixture

In a large mixing bowl, crumble the cool mashed potatoes into chunks so you can mix them with the flour and combine with shredded cheese. The potatoes should absorb all of the flour, which prevents any sogginess in the cooked patties.

Add the cooked and cooled pork and onions, chopped scallions, garlic, and salt (or garlic salt), and mix to combine into a crumbly mixture that is fully combined, but won't yet hold together. Add the beaten egg, and its moisture will pull everything together gently, without overworking the mashed potatoes, which could cause them to become rubbery.

3. Shape the patties

Divide the mixture rough in half, then each half into 4 equal pieces for a 8 total parts. In between the clean palms of both hands, first roll one portion into a ball. Don't pack it, just shape it, again to avoid overworking it.

Transfer the ball gently back and forth between your two palms to flatten it into a disk about 1/4-inch thick. This patty will be thick enough to cook without become too crispy, and thin enough to cook all the way through before it burns. Smooth out any cracked edges so the patty doesn't splinter.

4. Fry in batches

Blot the patties on paper towels to absorb surface moisture that might prevent them from crisping during frying. Heat about 2 tablespoons cooking oil and any leftover pork grease until it shimmers, or reaches about 350°F. Fry the patties without disturbing for about 2 minutes per side so they develop a golden brown crust. Flip them gently to avoid splattering oil. Place on a wire rack that will drain excess frying oil onto paper towels for a crispy result. Serve while still warm.

Expert tips

Picking the right mashed potatoes

Homemade mashed potatoes that are thick and relatively stiff will work best here. You want them to have enough texture that you can crumble them with your hands into chunks when the mashed potatoes are cool.

Frozen mashed potatoes can sometimes work, and tend to have good flavor, but so much depends on the brand. I used to be able to use Trader Joe's frozen mashed potatoes here, but I tried them recently and they were just too soft.

Refrigerated mashed potatoes tend to have the right texture, but not the best flavor. If you feel the package at the grocery store, and it holds the shape of the container and doesn't give when you press it, it's probably the right texture. If the flavor isn't perfect, we're adding enough other flavors that it shouldn't matter that much.

Cook the meat and chopped onions

Don't skip sautéing the pork and chopped onions separately. Otherwise, the pork will render its fat during shallow frying leading to an oily result, the onion flavor will be too sharp, and the onions will retain too much textured bite. Skip cooking the scallions or they'll lose their color and flavor.

Create a dry outer layer

For a crispy texture on the outside, pat each of the raw patties dry with paper towels before frying. You can even dust the outside of each of the shaped raw patties very lightly with extra flour. This prevents oil from being absorbed into the patties during cooking.

Make sure the oil is frying oil

The ideal temperature for your frying oil is 360°F, but anything close will work. If the oil is too cold, the patties will absorb the oil rather than having it create a crispy, brown shell on the outside. If it's too hot, the outside will burn rather than just brown and create a seal, allowing the patties to fry long enough for the inside to steam-cook all the way through.

Ingredient substitutions

Dairy free

Be sure to use dairy-free mashed potatoes, made with either nondairy butter and sour cream, or without either. You can replace the shredded cheese with dairy-free cheddar style shreds from Daiya or Violife brands. If you're using pre-shredded cheese, you may need less flour since the cheese will have an anti-caking agent like added starch. You can use dairy-free sour cream for serving, or skip it.

Egg free

Try replacing the egg with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 to 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel).

Vegetarian (without bacon)

If you leave out the pork, the dish is vegetarian. Since the pork does add a tremendous amount of flavor, plus some fat, I recommend replacing it with cooked chopped portabella or baby bella mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms long enough that much of their liquid evaporates. You may still need to add some extra flour, though, to absorb their extra moisture. The bacon fat that is used to sauté the minced onions can be replaced with unsalted butter or olive oil.

Storage suggestions

You can store the raw, unshaped and uncooked mixture in a tightly sealed container for at least 3 days. If any liquid has leaked out, blot it dry before shaping and frying the patties.

Once fried, they will have the best taste and texture immediately after frying. Cover any leftovers to prevent them from drying out and store them at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.

For longer storage, wrap each cooled patty individually in freezer-safe wrap, and defrost in the refrigerator.

Refresh any leftovers by spraying lightly with cooking oil and reheating in an air fryer preheated to 400°F for about 5 minutes, or in a toaster oven or oven at 350°F for about 8 minutes, or until crispy and warmed through.

FAQs