Description
Crispy and cheesy mashed potato balls made from leftover mashed potatoes, coated in crunchy panko breadcrumbs and fried until golden brown. These make a perfect snack or appetizer and can be cooked traditionally by frying or air frying for a lighter version.
Ingredients
Scale
Mashed Potato Mixture
- 3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
Coating & Frying
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Prepare the mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, green onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth and evenly blended.
- Shape the balls. Using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time, form into balls by hand or with a cookie scoop for uniform size.
- Coat in breadcrumbs. Place panko breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Dip each mashed potato ball into the breadcrumbs, gently pressing to ensure a full and even coating.
- Freeze to firm up. Arrange the coated balls evenly on a parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and freeze for 20 minutes to help them hold shape during frying.
- Heat oil for frying. Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a cooking pot and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, about 4 minutes.
- Fry the balls. Fry 4-5 potato balls at a time in the hot oil for 2 minutes, turning occasionally to achieve an even golden brown crust on all sides.
- Drain and cool. Remove fried potato balls and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Air fryer method: Preheat the air fryer to 375 F for 3 minutes. Place the mashed potato balls in a single layer in the basket and lightly spray with cooking oil. Air fry for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even browning.
- Freezing: Freeze shaped and coated balls on a baking pan until hard (about 1 hour), then transfer to freezer bags. They keep for up to 3 months.
- Cooking from frozen: Fry or air fry frozen mashed potato balls, adding a few minutes to cooking time until golden and crisp.
- Storage: Allow fried balls to cool completely to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to avoid sogginess.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover potato balls in a 375 F oven for 15-20 minutes or in the air fryer for 10 minutes for crispiness.
- Make ahead: Prepare and freeze potato balls ahead of time. Fry from frozen when ready to serve, or cook in advance and reheat in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
