Have you ever been left wondering “What should I do with all these leftover mashed potatoes?” If you’ve answered YES to that question, then I’ve got a solution for you - Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes! Repurposing day-old mashed potatoes and turning them into a new and exciting dish, never felt so good!
Hats off to my talented and resourceful mother and grandmother, who taught me how to make these crispy, creamy, flavourful and downright delicious pancakes. Mashed potatoes, flour, eggs, green onions and cheddar cheese combine to form these pillowy pancakes. The pancakes are then dredged in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and fried until golden, brown and delicious. Their crispy and crunchy exterior and fluffy and cheesy centre produce one of the most satisfying spoonfuls!
My Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes couldn’t be easier to make, require a handful of simple yet flavourful ingredients and come together quickly. What could be better?! They make for the perfect side but work equally well as a satisfying main dish. Enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. You really can’t go wrong here! Add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of sliced green onions and you’ve got yourself a delicious meal. So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 21 minutes
Total Time: 36 minutes
Makes: 11 pancakes
Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients:
5 cups mashed potatoes (See Notes below)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided (See Notes below)
4 large eggs, divided
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup breadcrumbs (See Notes below)
6 Tbsp avocado oil (See Notes below)
Sour cream and an additional green onion (thinly sliced), as garnish
Instructions:
To a large bowl, add the mashed potatoes, 1/4 cup flour, 2 eggs (lightly beaten), green onions and cheddar cheese. Using your hands or a large spoon, mix the ingredients until fully incorporated.
Using a 1/2 cup measuring scoop, divide the mashed potato pancake mixture into 11 equal portions. Shape each of the potato pancakes into a 4 inch disc, measuring 1/2 inch in height. Transfer the pancakes to a baking sheet and set aside.
Set up your dredging station by grabbing 3 medium shallow bowls. To the first bowl, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour and salt and mix until fully incorporated. To the second, add the remaining 2 eggs and lightly beat them and, to the final bowl, add the breadcrumbs. Dredge both sides of the pancake into the flour mixture, followed by the beaten eggs and breadcrumbs. Set the dredged pancake onto the baking sheet and repeat the process for the remaining pancakes.
To a large skillet set over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp of oil. Once hot, transfer 4 pancakes to the skillet and cook them for a total of 7 minutes (approx. 3.5 minutes per side) or until golden brown and delicious. Remove the cooked pancakes from the skillet and transfer them to a serving platter or plate. Set aside. Repeat the process for the remaining pancakes.
Serve as is or top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of green onions. Enjoy!
Notes:
Not All Mashed Potatoes Are Alike: The texture of mashed potatoes depends heavily on the type of potatoes used (Russet versus Yukon Gold) and the volume of milk or cream incorporated therein (thick versus thinner mash). My recipe has been developed using thick, fluffy and airy mashed potatoes. So, to achieve the best results, use my Creamy Mashed Potato recipe and you won’t go wrong! A thinner mash will require additional flour to achieve a similar pancake texture and consistency.
Make It Gluten-Free: To make this recipe gluten-free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour and breadcrumbs in this recipe with gluten-free all-purpose flour and breadcrumbs on a 1:1 basis.
Substituting the Avocado Oil: If you don’t have avocado oil on hand, you can simply substitute it with a neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, on a 1:1 basis. Or, if you want to add a little richness, try frying the potato pancakes in unsalted butter.