Use up leftover mashed potatoes to make the most divine Mashed Potato Cakes perfect to enjoy for breakfast or as a side dish with dinner. This recipe takes less then a half hour and uses both fresh and pantry staple ingredients you can find in your home. Don’t forget to serve these potato pancakes with apple sauce and sour cream!
Years ago, I created this super fast version for potato pancakes. I was craving potato pancakes but wasn’t about to shred potatoes. Instead I had leftover mashed potatoes and started experimenting in the kitchen. That’s when I created this recipe for Mashed Potato Cakes. These potato cakes are a great alternative to breakfast potatoes on the weekend or can make a nice side dish for lunch or dinner. Bonus they take less then 10 minutes to prepare and about 10-15 minutes of frying. In under a half hours time, you have the most melt-in-your mouth mashed potato patties!
In this post you will learn the following information.
Ingredients
- Mashed potatoes – This is one of the best ways to transform your leftover mashed potatoes by making these potato cakes! I like to bring them to room temperature or just heat them up until they are soft and pliable again.
- Onion – A little minced/diced onion adds for additional flavor. Don’t stress you won’t be eating raw onions. The onion will cook as the potato cake does.
- Seasonings – I always add additional salt, black pepper, and dried parsley flakes to my mashed potato patties.
- Egg – You need the egg to bind the mashed potatoes together.
- Flour – A little flour goes a long way. Ify ou want to make these gluten free you could use a gluten free flour. I’ve never experimented with this before, so you will have to do a little of your own experimenting.
- Canola Oil – I like to fry in Canola Oil it’s heart healthy and has a high smoke point!
How to make potato cakes from mashed potatoes
Preheat a deep frying pan with half the oil on medium heat. Scramble the egg in a separate bowl.
In a large bowl add the room temperature mashed potatoes, scrambled egg, minced onion, flour, salt and pepper.
Mix well until its well incorporated.
With a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, scoop some of the potato mixture, and carefully place into the frying pan. Repeat until you have 2-4 potato scoops in large frying pan.
Then with a spatula carefully press the scoops down in the frying pan. Make sure that the potato pancakes don’t touch.
Cook on each side until golden brown (about 2-4 minutes on each side). When the pancakes are done, carefully, remove each one to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with additional salt.
Repeat until all the potato mixture is done. Serve with sour cream and applesauce.
FAQs
We love to eat our potato cakes with sour cream and homemade applesauce for breakfast. I have; however, served these mashed potato cakes with salmon, roast beef, or even roasted garlic chicken as a side dish.
No, since the potato cakes have both egg and flour in them it is not advised to eat them raw. Plus, you will miss out on the delicious deep fried goodness!
If you happen to have any leftover mashed potato cakes you can reheat by placing them on a lined baking sheet. Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for 5-10 minutes until hot. Be careful to not burn the cakes as they are already golden in color.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve found helpful when making leftover mashed potato cakes.
- Room temperature – I like to take my mashed potatoes out of the refrigerator about a half hour before cooking. That or I reheat until the potatoes are just warm to touch. This will help be able to mix the potatoes easily.
- Egg – Whisk the egg prior to placing in the mashed potato mixture.
- DO NOT OVERFILL – Do not overfill the frying pan with potato pancakes. Fry 2-4 at a time depending on the size of your frying pan and scoop!
- Cooking to fast – If you notice that your pancakes are getting to dark too quickly lower the heat.
- Substitutions: Here are a few of my substitutions when making the mashed potato patties.
- Breading – I like to use flour; however, I have also added panko or even Italian bread crumbs to my mixture when I didn’t have flour on hand. These options are both good in a pinch.
- Onion – If you don’t have fresh onion on hand you can use minced dried onion or even a dash of onion powder.
- Gluten Free – Make these gluten free by using a gluten free flour or bread crumb.
Leftover Potato Recipes
If you are like me and always have leftovers. You’ll love some of my leftover potato and leftover mashed potato recipes!
Still looking for more leftover recipes? Check out my leftover recipes roundup!
If you make this Mashed Potato Patties recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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Mashed Potato Cakes
Equipment
- Stove Top
Ingredients
- ½ cup Canola Oil
- 2 cups Leftover Cooked Mashed Potatoes room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Minced Onion
- 1 Egg
- 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a deep frying pan with half the oil on medium heat.
- In a large bowl add the room tempearture mashed potatoes. Scramble the egg in a seperate bowl, and add it to the mashed potatoes. Add the minced onion, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well until its well incorporated.
- With a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, scoop some of the potato mixture, and carefully place into the frying pan. Repeat until you have 2-4 potato scoops in large frying pan. Then with a spatula carefully press the scoops down in the frying pan. Make sure that the potato pancakes don’t touch.
- Cook on each side until golden brown (about 2-4 minutes on each side). When the pancakes are done, carefully, remove each one to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with additional salt.
- Pour in the remaining oil halfway through the cooking process (as you notice the oil is starting to disepate). Repeat frying the potato cakes until all the potato mixture is done. Serve with sour cream and applesauce.
Notes
- Room temperature – I like to take my mashed potatoes out of the refrigerator about a half hour before cooking. That or I reheat until the potatoes are just warm to touch. This will help be able to mix the potatoes easily.
- Egg – Whisk the egg prior to placing in the mashed potato mixture.
- DO NOT OVERFILL – Do not overfill the pan with potato pancakes. Fry 2-4 at a time depending on the size of your frying pan and scoop!
- Cooking to fast – If you notice that your pancakes are getting to dark too quickly lower the heat.
- Substitutions: Here are a few of my substitutions when making the mashed potato patties.
- Breading – I like to use flour; however, I have also added panko or even Italian bread crumbs to my mixture when I didn’t have flour on hand. These options are both good in a pinch.
- Onion – If you don’t have fresh onion on hand you can use minced dried onion or even a dash of onion powder.
- Gluten Free – Make these gluten free by using a gluten free flour or bread crumb.
Nutrition
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monika
your instruction say use half the oil…
when do we use the other half?
Katie
Hi Monika, You will want to use the other part of the oil halfway through the cooking process. Thank you for letting me know–I’ll update the recipe card with clearer instructions!
Donna Jane Duncan
In step 5 you add the remaining oil to the pan.
vanillalemonade.com
Agree! Perfect for leftover Thanksgiving Mash!
Katie
Yes super easy and a great way to use up your leftover mashed potatoes!!! Oh, I'd love to visit Maine–my husband and I have never been there!
Simply Life
oh those look delicious!
Thanks for commenting on my blog! The Bed and Breakfast is in Maine!