Leftover mashed potato cakes are a delightful and easy-to-make treat that your whole family will enjoy. As a busy housewife with kids, you’ll appreciate how quickly these delicious cakes come together using simple ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen.
Simple Ingredients for a Tasty Treat
To begin, gather your ingredients: cold mashed potatoes, eggs, finely shredded cheddar cheese, flour, and some oil or nonstick cooking spray for frying. The mashed potatoes can be leftovers from a previous meal, providing a clever way to repurpose them into a brand new dish.
Prepare the Potato Cake Batter
In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, and flour. Start with 6 tablespoons of flour, but you can add more if necessary, depending on the creaminess of your potatoes. Mix everything together until you have a slightly sticky, soft dough that can be easily shaped into disks.
Shape the Potato Cakes
Now it’s time to shape the potato cakes. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, portion out balls of the potato dough and flatten them into thick discs between damp hands. Keeping your hands slightly wet will prevent the dough from sticking to them and make the shaping process easier.
Cook the Potato Cakes
Next, heat some oil or use nonstick cooking spray in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, carefully place the potato cakes in the pan. Allow them to cook until they turn a beautiful golden brown on each side, which should take about 3-5 minutes per side.
Tips and Serving Suggestions
The aroma of these crispy potato cakes sizzling in the pan will surely make your kitchen feel warm and inviting. Once they are cooked to perfection, it’s best to serve them hot, as they are at their fluffiest and most flavorful right off the stove.
You can enjoy these mashed potato cakes as a side dish or even as a main course. They pair well with a variety of toppings and sauces, such as sour cream, ketchup, or even a homemade gravy. If you want to get creative, feel free to add your favorite mix-ins, such as cooked and crumbled bacon, finely diced ham, chopped chives, or chopped green onion. These additions will add an extra layer of flavor and texture to the cakes.
Freezer Instructions
If you happen to have leftovers (although they tend to disappear quickly), you can freeze the potato cakes for later. Simply allow them to cool completely, then flash-freeze them on a baking sheet in a single layer until they are solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag or container, and label it with the name and use-by date. These frozen cakes can be stored for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions
To reheat the frozen potato cakes, take out as many as you need and let them defrost on the counter for 10-15 minutes. Then, you can reheat them either in the oven at 350°F or in the microwave until they are steaming hot all the way through. This way, you can enjoy the deliciousness of these potato cakes even on your busiest days.
Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes Recipe
Turn your leftover mashed potatoes into crispy and flavorful potato cakes with this quick and easy recipe. Perfect as a side dish or main course, these golden-brown cakes are a hit with the whole family.
| Prep | Cook | Total | Servings | Author |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mins | 10 mins | 15 mins | 4 servings | Savory Nothings |
Ingredients
- 2 cups cold mashed potatoes
- 2 large eggs
- 2 oz finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 tablespoons flour or more depending on how creamy your potatoes are
- Oil or nonstick cooking spray, for frying
Instructions
- Make potato cake batter: Stir the mashed potatoes, eggs, cheese and flour together in a large bowl. Start with 6 tablespoons of flour and add more if needed. You should end up with a slightly sticky, soft dough that can be shaped into disks.
- Shape cakes: With a cookie scoop, scoop out balls from the potato dough and flatten them into thick discs between damp hands. Making your hands slightly wet will prevent the dough from sticking to them.
- Cook cakes: Heat the oil or nonstick cooking spray in a large frying pan over medium heat. Place the potato cakes in the hot frying pan and cook them until golden brown on either side, about 3-5 minutes each. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 255kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 119mg, Potassium: 56mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 261IU, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 1mg
With their crispy exterior and fluffy interior, leftover mashed potato cakes are a versatile and tasty dish that your whole family will love. So, put those leftover mashed potatoes to good use and surprise your loved ones with these delightful treats that are quick, easy, and utterly scrumptious.
