Fried Mashed Potato Cakes
My fried mashed potato cakes cook up super crispy and are packed with flavor thanks to the sharp cheddar, smoky bacon, and sweet onion. Transform yesterday's leftovers into today's star side dish.
We love deep fried goodies around here like hush puppies, corn fritters, and deep fried pickles. These easy Mashed Potato Cakes are another family fave. They remind me of my loaded mashed potato casserole flavor wise with bacon and cheese. Best of all they're ready in one skillet and gone in minutes.
These will have you making extra mashed potatoes on purpose, just so you can fry up a batch the next day. They're fancy enough for Sunday dinner with a roast chicken but casual enough for breakfast topped with a fried egg.
Why This Recipe Works: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- Bacon Grease Sauté: Cooking the onion in this builds rich smoky flavor in every bite.
- Correct Ratio: When testing this recipe ¾ of flour with 2 eggs was the sweet spot cakes that stayed moist, but that don't fall apart when flipped.
- Crispy Never Greasy: A shallow fry ensures crunchy not soggy mashed potato cakes.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Mashed Potatoes: Cold leftovers work best since they're easier to shape. Store-bought mash from the prepared foods section or even tubs like Country Crock work perfectly fine. If making from scratch I suggest a starchy potato such as russets or Yukon golds as the extra starch helps them bind together.
- Onion: I like sweet onions like Vidalia. Green onions work too and add a milder flavor.
- Oil: Choose an oil with a high smoke point like canola, vegetable, or avocado.
- Egg: Bring to room temperature before mixing as cold eggs can create lumpy texture.
- Cheese: Shred your own cheddar for the smoothest melt. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent proper melting and can be greasy.
- Bacon: Cook until crispy and save those drippings! If I'm in a pinch sometimes use microwave bacon like Hormel Black Label.
How To Make Fried Mashed Potato Cakes
- Fry bacon and cook onion and garlic in drippings.
- Combine all ingredients.
- Cook in oil until golden brown.
Krystle's Tips
- Use an Ice Cream Scoop: Equal patties not only look great, but cook at the same rate.
- Fry in Batches: Cooking too many at once will drop the oil temperature which can make them soggy or greasy.
- Don't Flip Too Early: Wait until the edges turn golden brown. Flipping too early can cause them to break apart.
- Cool on Wire Rack: Avoid paper towels which can create steam and make them soggy. A wire rack allows air to circulate so they stay crunchy.
FAQs
Absolutely! Just chill them for 30 minutes first so the cakes hold together better during shaping and frying.
Yes, though you'll sacrifice some crispness. Brush with melted butter and bake at 425°F on parchment paper for about 25-30 minutes per side.
Spray the patties lightly with oil and cook at 400°F for about 10 minutes per side, flipping once. They'll be crispy but not quite as crunchy as pan-fried.
Serve With
Cheeseburger Sliders
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Fried Mashed Potato Cakes
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Ingredients
- 2 Cups Mashed Potatoes
- 1 ½ Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded
- 2 Eggs
- ¾ Cups Flour
- 8 Strips Bacon Cooked Crisp and Crumbled
- 1 Sweet Onion Diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 4 Tablespoons Parsley Finely Chopped
- Oil For Frying
- Green Onions and Sour Cream For Garnish, If Desired
Instructions
- Fry bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- In 1-2 tablespoons of bacon grease cook onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, cheese, eggs, flour, bacon, onion ,garlic, salt, pepper and parsley.
- In a large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil.
- Using an ice cream scoop, drop rounds into skillet.
- Lightly press down with a spatula and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- Garnish with sour cream and green onions if desired.
Nutrition
This reminded me so much of a dish my mom used to make from mashed potatoes! Oddly enough, I was never a fan of the fresh mashes ones, but these patties, oh my god! So delicious with the bacon and cheese!
These came out super crispy on the outside and soft inside—exactly what I was hoping for.
These look amazing! I'm going to bookmark these to try later. I love mashed potatoes, and this would be a great way to make them. Yummy!
Mmmmm, just past me a fork. These mashed potato cakes look so fluffy and delicious.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Ooh! We just had mashed potatoes for dinner tonight...this will be perfect for the leftovers.
These potato cakes look so good. I need to buy the ingredients to make them.
This worked exactly as written, and my family loved this! Now I have a different way to eat potatoes. Thank you!
These look absolutely delicious - the perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes! I love how golden and crispy they get.
I am drooling. I love potatoes, so these cakes are for me. I cannot wait to try them out.
These are right-on! Serve them anytime.
My new favorite way to do something different with leftover mashed potatoes. I topped with some leftover French onion dip we had in the fridge. Amazing!
These mashed potato cakes turned out great! Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. They’re a perfect way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, and the flavor is fantastic with just a few simple ingredients. Definitely adding this to my go-to list for quick sides!
I made these to go with my slow cooker Cajun chicken last night, and they were so good! These are my new favorite side.